"I'm sorry, Tayla. If only I can make you stay in our house, I would. But you know our house is not that big and my Mom is a human Armalite, right?" Ella scratched her head and hold the edge of the map, glancing at me before she continued mopping the floor.
We are again, in Talk and Chill. Tomorrow I wouldn't be here for the class will start and I need a place where I can stay. Unluckily, Ella just told me that she can't help me.
I sighed. "I understand, Ella. Thanks for telling me early."
I turned around and went towards the sink to wash the dishes, my lips twisting a bit as I thought...why are we getting paid under minimum wage when we do almost all kinds of things in this chill bar? We should at least have an increase.
"Tayla, I don't understand you," Ella spoke behind me.
"Your Aunt Tanya stood as your guardian, yes. But you don't have to leave your own house!" She stood up and glanced at me with her bewildered, round eyes.
"It was your own house. You are now of legal age, ask them to leave instead!" she stretched her arms in front of me, shrugging her shoulders, and rolled her eyes.
The handle of the mop fell on the tiled floor, creating a thud and making her jerk from her position.
"They even forced you to move to the storage room. What are you? The modern-day Cinderella?" she murmurs.
True enough, my Aunt almost claimed the house as them. And now, I need to have my own place for I no longer want to be with them. I have planned this a long time ago but wasn't able to do it because of Terren. I promised myself that I will not leave him, but I won't be able to save enough money if I will be robbed again and again.
"Maybe I could get a bed space if that's the case," I answered and started to rinse the bubbles off the plates.
"Just scream in front of them, girl. Tell the birches to leave the house and throw all their things out of your home." I can almost picture out that Ella is rolling her eyes.
I smiled and shook my head before turning the faucet off and leaned my back at the sink, crossing my arms as I stared at her.
Her chubby cheeks are being hidden by the scattered strands of her black hair tied on a low ponytail. Droplets of sweats are falling down the side of her face, her eyes glued at the floor.
"You know I'm not like that. If I would do that thing then I am just as horrible as what they are." I licked my lips and dropped my right hand to my left arm, curling the sleeves of my polo up to my elbows.
"I will find a bed space. For now, I hope Terren would understand." I tied my hair up and put a powder on my face, making myself a bit presentable when I walk towards the stage.
I glanced at the whole, dimmed room. Some people are familiar, but some are not.
It was one of those nights where I wouldn't play with a band but alone with only a ukelele on my hand. I sometimes do this, whenever I feel sad or when I feel lonely, I will play a cute, happy song.
Very far from what my heart is feeling. It was because I believe I shouldn't drown myself with sorrow. I can be bold whenever I want to be and explode whenever I want. I shouldn't always be a ticking time bomb. People would always neglect the things in front of them just because of their emotions, but it shouldn't be like that.
Nothing is wrong with being sad, but when you work, you always need to put those aside because the latter would not adjust.
But what bothers me the most is that I am hunting for those pair of amethyst eyes. I am waiting for his eyes to meet mine and lock with his for some unknown reason. Like I want him to witness what I will do right now.
"Uhm...good evening!" I tried to make my side a bit jolly to caught their attention.
The people clapped their hands and some even cheered my name, but not seeing him made my lips quiver.
"We would be playing some songs from Sabrina Carpenters, I hope you can enjoy this as much as I do. I know we have different music tastes but listening to any other genres and styles would be great." I smiled and pushed the mic a bit lower before strumming the small, four-stringed instrument.
I sang the first verse, observing if someone entered the door. My mouth was continuously voicing out the lyrics, but my mind was flying towards the pair of eyes that I want to see.
I know I am not as confident as I am last week, but the thought of seeing the calming brown shade of orbs from Auton was enough to make me smile as I performed. And when I heard the sliding door open, my smile grew wider.
"And I think sometimes, I tend to be my own worst enemy and maybe sometimes..."
I ended the song with some hymns and followed it by another song from her, but this time, with Auton watching me in front. His head was tilting at his side, leaning his back and the side of his forehead to the black sofa. His arms crossed, legs spread wide apart and some hairs falling on his forehead, refusing to join the bun in his hair.
I felt my heart skip a bit. My words were halted, and the only thing that I could do to save the song is to strum and smile. I closed my eyes.
Why am I suddenly happy that he was here, watching one of my performances, and then suddenly tremble when I saw how his serious eyes were staring at me?
I finished the second song and made some thank yous and messages, answer some of the funny questions from the customers and bid my goodbye before walking back to the staff room, changing into my casual clothes before I go home and search for a dormitory or boarding house.
I guess I can settle with anything except for that house. I now know why Terren doesn't want to stay at home and chooses to be with his friends even if he knows the wife of my Aunt would scold him.
It was deafening, and I am already sick of the iterating words that I hear about respect and shits.
"Where are you going?"
I almost jumped when I heard Auton's deep voice at my side when I opened the door of the bathroom.
He was leaning at the wall, his other leg folded and his head cocking at the side.
"Why are you here again?" I tried to sound so stiff and averted my gaze.
Earlier I am so excited that I will see him but now, I just want him to vanish.
"You still have that bag behind you, where are you going, really?" He stood up and removed his hands inside his pocket, his arms tensing a bit and showing his veins.
"It's none of your business." I rolled my eyes and held the strap of my bag tighter before walking past him.
"You look like you're going nowhere. But do you want me to drive to anywhere you want?" I heard his steps following me behind, I shook my head and turned my shoes to face him.
"Don't you have something to do? You keep on pestering me."
What I am asking myself other than the loan and the handkerchief that I have from him, is why am I getting annoyed all of a sudden?
I continued walking while glancing at the roads near my workplace, searching for some rental signboards and papers pasted on the posts. Auton was following me behind, murmuring some questions I didn't bother to entertain.
"Bedspace for rent..." His low whisper behind me made me tilt my head and dart my eyes at him. His head was at my side, his eyes scanning the same post I am glancing at.
My eyes widened. The smell of alcohol and smoke filled my nose and made breathing a bit hard for me so I pushed him away.
"Are you trying to find a house?" He asked. A line appeared at the gaps on his brows and darted his eyes back at the cement pillar, tearing the paper and putting it in front of my face.
"Why do you care," I sneered and snatched the paper off his hands. "It's not like I am asking you about things in your life."
"You really are leaving your house? It must be the reason why you have such a big bag"
"And why are you here? For the handkerchief? I will give it back to you once I am done with my laundry. You need to–"
"You don't need to search for a bed space." He cut my words off.
I furrowed my brows and shook my head.
"You can live in my—I mean..." he made a facepalm and mutter some curses before glancing back at me.
"Listen, I have this...I mean, we have some unused condos where no one lives yet. You can live there. You don't need to search for petty bed spacers."
His words made my mind more perplexed. This unknown man whom I just met a week ago is here in front of me, offering a condo unit.
"I don't have enough money to pay a twenty thousand room for a month." I shook my head and started to punch the number of the contact person from that post when I heard him heave a sigh.
"You don't need to pay for the rent. It was free."
This time, my eyes widened. Is this man insane or something?
"Are you kidding me? Or you are just that rich that you would let me stay in one of your units? And we aren't even friends at that point." I hissed.
I put my phone in front of my ears when he snatched it away from me, making me glare and speak in a deep, yet intense voice as I tried to get it from here.
"Who said I want to be just friends with you?"
"Why would I choose to live in your condo unit?" I furrowed my brows.I heard him murmuring something, but it was low that I couldn't hear it clearly. He was averting his gaze, his lips narrow opened as it spoke small noises which I couldn't hear properly.The wind blew my hair backward, making me close my eyes for seconds, and held the edges of my hair to put it on my right shoulder, my hand holding my thick, Hazel brown hair. I opened my eyes and glanced at him. His eyes were darted at me, his hair dancing against the cold wind."What? I'm giving you a favor?" He shrugged and pulled my other arm, lifted it, and get the black gartered scrunchie in my wrist."Hey! That's mine!""But I am the one holding it right now, so it's mine." He rolled his eyes and pushed all the hair from his forehead and the side of his head towards the back, twisting the garter around his wavy, black hair.I licked my lips. "As I've just said, I don't have 20,000 ev
I roamed my eyes around the whole place. With its white walls, black glossy tiles, and dark furniture, it screamed simplicity yet elegance. I have never been fond of the dark colors for it was what I see all day, but this place looked calming–reminds me of the pair of amethyst eyes staring at me.Auton Smith, in his oversized black sweater, shorts, and man bun, glanced at me with a smirk plastered on his face. He was sitting on the black single sofa, his knees about to touch the edges of the coffee table, and his right arm resting at the armrest."Do you like the place? Or I can search for another free unit and–""This is fine," I cut his words short and clicked my neck before sitting towards the long sofa on his left."This is a small unit, the reason why I don't want to live here." I glanced at him. His finger is now playing with his lower lip, his left brow arched.
"Are you crazy?" I asked after a long period of silence. The man in front of me is staring at me with his serious, deep amethyst eyes. His lips pursed in a grim line, and his brows furrowed a bit."I'm serious. I want to have a date with you. I want to confirm the weird things I feel towards you.""Why date someone you don't even know that much? I thought relationships start with friendship!" Startled, I replied.He crossed his arms and lean his back on his chair. "This is why we need to date. It's not about getting in a relationship right after that. We will just try getting to know each other and evaluate whether we would fit or not then decide afterward."Though he sounded so serious, I am still not convinced. I shook my head, what we are talking about is ridiculous.When you date someone, it means you want to be with her. You already confirmed that you want to start pursuing her. It would inflict pain if the girl doesn't like you at first, then
"You're kidding, right?" I almost choked as I saw how he started to place the food in front of me.The smell of the Filipino foods served is enticing, but the playful smirk plastered on his face told me that it shouldn't be trusted.He crossed his arms and shook his head."You shouldn't be playing with me like this, Auton. It'll never be funny." I hissed and then pulled myself up, planning to walk out of the small kitchen and shut him off.He immediately went in front of me and held onto my waist, making me stop and hold my breath for a moment.His warm hands were wrapped around the small of my back, moving my body back to the seat as he glanced at me with his lopsided smile, revealing his dimple on his right cheek."You...you don't know what you are doing." I averted my gaze as I felt his hand tighten the grip."Sit, you don't need to escape." He pushed me towards the chair and pulled another one to sit beside me.He extended
I held on to the hem of my jacket and hugged myself as I felt the cold wind brushing against my covered skin.It was already 9 pm and I should be sound asleep but my head was busy turning from side to side, searching Auton's built on one of the benches.Earlier, he called me. Telling me that he needs help...or maybe an accompaniment. He sounded so vulnerable, making me rush on one of my drawers and search for a thick cloth and then find him.He just told me that he was in the ice cream parlor that we visited last time. I even got a bit annoyed, why did he go there, anyway?It was so far from my unit and I need to spend a lot just to be with him, but something about his shaking voice told me that I at least need to attend to his plea."Auton!" My lips quivered when I raised my hand.He was leaning against the trunk of his car, his arms were placed across his chest and his eyes on the dark sky."Why did you go here and then ask me to be
"I already told him that I don't want him to court me. He couldn't understand!" I shook my head and turned around, pushing the hangers at the side, and started to search for a dress."He was so persistent! He didn't even listen when I got angry?" I shifted my gaze towards Ella and sighed. I raised two hangers in front of her and boringly glanced at it from left to right."Really? Maybe he likes you a lot." Ella didn't look at me, she was just busy crashing her nails against each other, making small Noises as she cleaned it."But I don't like him." I rolled my eyes, determined to show her how I disliked the idea."Which is better? This one, or this one?" My eyes went to my left. It was an old rose sleeveless flowy dress ending three inches above the knee, and then to my right is an oversized army green cropped hoodie.Ella's eyes shifted from her nails to my face. The side of her lips slightly twitched. And then she raised her brow and crossed her a
"He really said those things?" Ella's voice has been marked with disbelief the moment I told her what happened earlier.We are inside talk and chill and she's currently on her short break, while I am busy washing the dishes."Would I tell you that he did it if he didn't?" I rolled my eyes as I rinsed the dirty white plate and put it on the side of the sink.I am still infuriated with what he did. After saying those words, he abruptly stormed out of that cold room, leaving me speechless and dumbfounded.I understand he is angry, but what I am pointing at is that he should at least told me that he's mad and not to wait for him. He knows how important studies are for me.And he believes I will eventually like him?Absurd."But girl, he had all the rights to get angry. Even a child promises revenge when she's hurt so what do you expect?"I stopped wiping the next plate and glanced at her behind my shoulders."Are you saying
"I said go and remove your freaking hand off him!" I yelled at the girl and forcibly u clasp her fingers from Auton's shoulders.My eyes were flaring with anger, my cheeks felt like it was burning, and my hands want to reach for the woman's flirty dress."What the heck is your problem?!" Her eyes dropped down to my clothes, and when she shifted her gaze towards my face, I saw that her orbs were now tainted with disgust."Tayla..." Auton's deep voice sounded behind me. His warm hands wrapped around my stomach, pulling me closer to him."Auton, do you know this dirty girl?" Her stagy voice made my face more scrunched up. People with money are smug. They will insult the average people and will glance at them like a dirty rag.I sarcastically smirked and shifted my eyes towards Auton's face. His eyes were dark and intense, making my heart boom louder than what it already is. I silently removed his hands away from my waist and gave the girl a head-to-fo