Chapter Fifteen: Her Choco's Real Parent

Vince lay in his oversized, masculine king-size bed, tossing and turning in frustration. He turned his body from side to side, nearly three times in a row, but sleep eluded him. “Vince Aldred Garcia, get it together. Sleep and stop obsessing over her,” he muttered to himself, scolding his own restless mind. The thoughts of Cara were consuming him, and he couldn’t shake them. His mind kept replaying all the moments they’d shared — the Chemistry class, the moments they’d crossed paths, the times they’d spoken. It was like an endless loop he couldn’t turn off.

Thinking about a girl like this wasn’t something Vince was accustomed to. He had never been the type to fixate on someone, especially not to this degree. Yet here he was, unable to stop thinking about Cara. It started the day they met in Chemistry class, and ever since, it felt like destiny had been playing some kind of game with them. She was the one who found his dog, Chippy, in the parking lot, a moment that would stick with him for a long time. He smiled to himself, thinking about that day.

Chippy was his loyal companion, always by his side when he worked in the library. Despite the library’s no-pets policy, Vince had his way of getting around it, convincing his supervisor to make an exception for him. Chippy was the library’s unofficial mascot, and Vince was the beloved part-timer who made sure his furry friend could roam freely within the building.

As Vince thought back to that day, he realized something: Chippy had somehow brought him closer to Cara. Maybe fate had a hand in all this. It was as if the universe had set them on a path that intertwined their lives, even if Cara didn’t fully realize it yet. He couldn’t deny the strange pull he felt toward her, though it made him a little uneasy.

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The next morning, Cara woke up feeling more refreshed than usual. She stretched out in bed, blinking at the sunlight filtering through the curtains. The sparkle on her face was evident as she opened her eyes and gazed up at the ceiling. There was something about this morning that felt different — like everything was falling into place. She couldn't quite remember the details of the dream she had, but she knew it had been a good one. She was filled with a sense of warmth, even though she couldn’t recall a single detail.

She tried to push herself up from the bed, but her body felt heavy for a moment, as though she were still in the dream. After a minute, she shook it off and forced herself to move. She had classes to attend, and she was already running behind. Her parents were away on a business trip in another country, so she was left to manage on her own. As much as she enjoyed the independence, she didn’t always like being alone in the house.

Rushing down to the kitchen, she grabbed a quick bite to eat, her mind still tangled with the events of the previous day. Meeting Vince had left her with an unsettling feeling, especially with the strange connection she sensed between them. Though she couldn’t remember the details of the dream she’d had, she couldn’t shake the sense that it somehow tied them together. Confusion lingered, but one thing was clear: Vince seemed to be a key piece in a puzzle she hadn’t yet figured out.

As she ate, she remembered that Jean was supposed to pick her up this morning. However, when she checked her phone, there was a message from her best friend.

“Cara Nathalia, my dear, I’m really sorry, but I can’t pick you up today. I have an urgent matter to attend to before work. You’ll need to take a cab to school today. I’m so sorry!”

Cara sighed. A cab was her last resort. She hated the smell of them, and the thought of sitting in one made her stomach churn. Buses were a better option, but it still wasn’t ideal. She had always been accustomed to driving herself, or more recently, having a driver. Her parents had hired a bodyguard who also doubled as her driver when she was younger. After she got her license, she begged her mom to let her drive herself, and eventually, they relented.

But today, there was no other choice. She needed to get to school, and she wasn’t going to let herself be late.

When she arrived at the bus station, she was surprised to see a familiar car pull up in front of her. The car stopped, and the window rolled down, revealing Vince’s smiling face. His grin was as charming as ever, and Cara couldn’t help but feel a little flustered.

"Hey, Cara! Get in. I’m heading to school too. You’ll be late if you take the bus," he said, his voice easy and inviting.

Before she even had time to consider the offer, she found herself getting into his car. She couldn’t explain it — his presence just made it hard to say no. It was as if he had some kind of magnetic pull over her, and she couldn’t resist.

Once inside the car, the awkward silence settled in. Cara wasn’t sure how to fill the space between them. She hadn’t planned on being in this situation, but here she was. She decided to break the silence, hoping to steer the conversation away from the discomfort she felt.

"Do you have a pet? I mean, are you taking care of a dog or something?" she asked, trying to make small talk. It was a random question, but it was the only thing that seemed to make sense in the moment.

Vince looked at her with a curious expression. "Why do you ask?"

Cara hesitated for a moment, then answered. "I found a stray puppy at school and adopted him, thinking he had an owner. I grew attached to him, but I had to return him when I realized the owner must have been looking for him." She felt a little sad thinking about the puppy she had to give up, but she had done the right thing.

Vince’s response was unexpected. "Well, if the owner doesn’t come for him, you can keep him. I’m sure the owner would be happy knowing you’re taking care of him," he said, almost casually.

Cara blinked in surprise. Did he know? Was he the owner of the dog? She wasn’t sure, but she decided not to dwell on it too much. "Well, I guess we’ll see. Thanks for saying that."

Changing the subject, she asked, "So, about the project — what did you want to ask me?"

But Vince wasn’t ready to talk about that just yet. "Actually, can we talk about it later? I have something else I want to ask you. Do you have a boyfriend?"

Cara felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She should have known this was coming. She didn’t like talking about her personal life, and this question made her uncomfortable. But she didn’t want to be rude either.

"Can we talk about it some other time?" she replied, trying to brush off the awkwardness. "I think we’re almost at school."

Vince didn’t push further. "Okay, okay. We’ll talk later," he said, though there was a playful glint in his eyes.

As the car pulled into the school parking lot, Cara was relieved to get out of the car. She couldn’t help but feel like Vince was someone she couldn’t avoid, even if she tried.