CHAPTER ONE

George  arrived late for his lecture and tried not to disturb the class as he quietly found a seat. While trying to get himself in order, his wallet fell down and bending to pick it up, he saw a very tender hand with nice fingers already holding the wallet. He raised his head to see who has those beautiful fingers and it turned out to be the very same blue eyes that made a space forhim on her seat the other day, “here you go,” she said, offering the wallet to him.

George was short of words and collected the wallet, saying thank you when he found his voice. He couldn't get his eyes off her again and was so engrossed with her innocent but beautiful looks. He found it hard to concentrate on the lecture and immediately the class was over, he rushed outside to wait for her. There was no way he was missing speaking to her again. Seeing her approaching, he gulped and his heart tightened as he called out to her, “hey beautiful.”

Irene turned and smiled “hello.”

George nodded and closed up their distance, “thanks for your help today.”

Irene replied, “you are welcome.” She smiled, “I noticed you came in late during the class.”

“Yea, was a little bit behind.”

Irene smiled, “so was I, but I came earlier than you,” she chuckled.

George laughed, “yeah,” then he asked, “please can I know your name?”

“I’m Irene, Irene Williams, and you?”

“I’m George Richardson,” he offered his hand to her and they shook, “nice to meet you, Irene.”

“Same here,” she smiled, “let me run along now, I need to go look for a place to stay. I can't stay in a hotel for six months.”

“Have you gotten a place to stay already?” He asked.

“No but I have an appointment with an Agent this noon.”

“Okay then, see you tomorrow?”

“Sure,” she nodded with a smile and they said goodbyes while she left, he stood watching and already looking forward to see her tomorrow. her farwall and believing in seeing her tomorrow.

When George got to his hotel, he couldn’t get Irene off his mind, he was so much engrossed and attracted to her beauty and personality. He smiled every time he remembered her and her face appeared in his mind, he knew he was falling but he just couldn’t help it. He has never been enticed by beauty before. Although he is a lady’s man but he has also been so focused in his work and studies because he wants to make it bigger than his father and he promised his father he is going to be bigger than him. While George  was busy thinking and smiling, his phone rang and it was Catherina that was calling.

He ignored but later decided to pick after missing her calls four times, “hello, how are you,” he said he picked the call.

“I’m fine,” Catherina replied. “You didn't bother calling or checking on me after our departure two days ago.”

He has been distracted with his Irene  from the first day soanswered reluctantly, “I am sorry.”

“I thought there was chemistry between us. I thought we liked each other.”

“We do. Hey come on, we like each other okay, how was your trip? And hope you got to see your parents?” He asked to keep the discussion going. 

“Parents?” She scoffed.

“Oh, forgive me my dear, I have been thinking a lot about my studies these days, I forgot they are late.”

“That’s ok, that’s to show how important I am to you, are we going to see again if I come to New York?”

“Sure,” he replied, “can I call you back later?”

“Of course, bye then.”

George hung up, he had noticed the hurt in her voice but he didn’t care much. Although he was sorry for not remembering that shetold him that her parents were late, also adding his hallucinations of Irene which contributed a whole lot to his forgetful memory.

****

Getting to her hotel, Irene has ran behind schedule of meeting with the agent. She noticed several missed calls in her phone and hotel line. Pulling her jacket off, she returned the calls and prayed the Agent doesn't reschedule the appointment. Luckily, she picked and was a bit angry and Irene  had to apologized and asked her where she wants them to meet. She gave her the address and after telling her she would be there, they hung up.

Irene  didn’t bother freshening up, she grabbed her jacket and rushed out of the room. Going down the stairs, she met the hotel Manager coming up to her with the hotel attendant. She stoppedand watched them with curiosity. They offered her a package and told her who dropped it for her. She accepted it and rushed backed to her room to keep it and making a mental not to check it later.

It was four in the evening when Irene returned from her house hunting. Satisfied with her findings, she threw herself on the bed and dozed off. Waking up by twelve midnight and very hungry, she rushed to the hotel restaurant to get something for herselfwhen she saw Richard. Immediately, she remembered she received a gift earlier and hasn't opened it and decided to do so when she gets back in her room. She approached him with a nice smile playing on her lips, “hi, good evening or rather good morning.”

Richard was surprised to see her, “may I know why you are up this early?”

“Hungry?” She chuckled, “I came to look for what to eat and yes, I received a package from you earlier today or yesterday but haven't opened it yet.”

Richard’s tone changed to that of anger immediately, “why?”

Irene explained her yesterday’s run around and promised to openit once she got to her room. Richard calmed and ended up buying her food and a drink. They chatted a little and then he told her that he was staying over in his hotel tonight cause of an early appointment he has with a client who would be meeting him there and he also asked her if she would keep him company throughout the night in his room.

Irene refused immediately because, first of all, she doesn't want to go into relationship with him and also, she had noticed a little bit of arrogance and pride in him. Thinking of how he spoke to her simply because she didn’t open his gift also made her shudder at the thought of being with him. He sounds like the possessive time and she doesn’t want that.

As she retired to her room, she sat on the sofa and remembered George , she smiled and murmured to herself, “such a handsome young man,” and then surprised herself by saying, “I like him.”

Knowing she would see him today got her excited and shy at the same time. She stood up and moved to her bed and lay down. Her eyes went to Richard’s Package then and she wondered what it was. She got up, reached for it and opened it. To her shock, it was a fine twenty eight carat gold bangle and necklace with a card inviting her to a dinner this weekend.

She held the gift and the card, lost in thought, what happened, why give her such expensive gift? The more she thought about it, the more confused she came. Finally deciding not to give herself headache, she got up and placed it on the table and then picked her phone to call her mom and tell her how things have been going for her and the house she found.

***

It was eight am in and St Augustine school is already busy with cars coming in and out, people going into different directions. At the school reception, George stood stretching his neck to see if he can see Irenecoming, he has been in school since 7:30 am,trying not to be

 late this time. As he was busy thinking and hoping to see Irene ,a guy patted him on his shoulder and said, “hello, your class is starting in the next 10 minutes.” He turned and saw a cute young man in his thirties smiling at him, “Hi, I’m Jude and you?”

“George ,” he responded, “we are classmates I guess?”

Jude nodded, “come on, let’s go.” He said, turning to head totheir classroom and George had no choice but to follow him. On getting to class, he was shocked to see Irene already seated. She smiled and waved at him. George returned the smile as he closed up their distance. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “did you sleep here?”

Irene chuckled and shook her head, “I’m just used to being early,” she winked.

He chuckled and shook his head at her before walking to his seat just as the lecturer came in.

After their lectures, Irene and George had a long conversation while walking at the school hall way they told each other their dreams and accomplishments.

George was impressed by her dreams and all the effort she puts in just to make her mother happy that he didn’t know when he blurted, “You know what, Irene? I like you.” And just then, he seemed to realize what he just said and scratched his head awkwardly, “well, what’s there not to like? You have everything and very passionate with what you do and hope to do, I’m really impressed and really not embarrassed to like you.”

Irene bit her lips and waited for him to finish his ramblings, “you like me?” She asked.

George  bit his lip and nodded, “yea.”

She smiled and said, “Do you know what? I like you too but I was thinking it's kinda funny, you know, liking a man I just met and he hasn't even asked me on a date yet, it's sounds weird.”

George shook his head, “no, it is not. It's natural and kind of unique, you know,” he chuckled, “it's a mutual feelings we both have there.” They paused and look at each other for some seconds then smiled and walked on. “So um…can I officially asked you on date maybe this weekend?”

Irene remembered Richard’s note stated to have dinner with him but she ignored it and accepted George ’ offer, “time?” she asked with a blush on her face.

George smiled, he couldn’t believe she accepted, “seven pm and I will pick you up.”

Irene smiled and whispered, “it’s a date.”