Instead of looking at the paper, I looked up at Rustov's face and stopped there. He was solving the problem seriously while I can't even understand what are those digits he's putting on my paper for. We were at their house because he promised to help me with some homework. Though, I don't think I'm doing anything here but stare at him."Did you get it, Audrey?"I sighed. Lazily, I looked back at the yellow paper. That's a pure number. The sight that never failed to make my eyes sore.“You journal the entries wrong so the trial balance is also wrong,” he said."I'm confused about the entries.""You should work on that," he said softly and handed the paper to me.He stood up and turned towards the kitchen. Back then two glasses of juice and two banana cues were laid out. Tita Gracia was in the municipality because of work so we were the only two left at home."Why pineapple juice? Say I don't want that!" my complaint."Run out of mango flavor, Audrey," there was a threat in her voice."
I’m just thinking about what Rustov said that he would do the same just in case, it doesn’t seem right. Does he really think he can never love again after her?"That's nonsense," I said after a while."You can always open your heart for another person. What the man did was wrong. Losing his wife isn't the end of everything."He looked at me deeply. It was as if as much as he wanted to say, he just wanted to keep quiet. He ended up sighing."There are things you still don't understand, Audrey. You'll also understand at the right time," he said like talking to a child."No. I understand the situation, Rustov. If you say that he loves that woman so much that he can't live without it, then that idea is wrong! Anyone can have feelings for another person again. Romantic love isn't. t long lasting. It will only last for a while and will disappear eventually so if he doesn't commit suicide, I'm sure he will also forget his dead wife. "He sighed, became silent and stared at me even more. For
Mommy again convinced me to attend Gov. but in the end, he didn't force me either so we just talked about my upcoming debut. She wanted to throw a big celebration, but I told her I only want a private dinner for it. He didn’t like that either, so I we ended up almost fighting in front of our food. What's the point of a big party if I don't want to be there?"What are you, Audrey. It's your debut, it should just be a grand celebration! Years ago, you told me you want a grand debut ..." said Janice who also couldn't understand the flow of my brain.“Things had changed,” I said."Maybe it's because you're rebelling against Tita that you don't like what she wants?"I sighed and looked at her."If I want a grand debut, then I will make that happen. You know me. What I want, that's what I will do. And throwing a grand celebration for my birthday isn't part of those."She sighed."What do you plan to do then? What about a short vacation abroad? Say, Paris? London?""Not anymore. A private di
"Woah. Audrey dating? That's new! Isn't Kirk, Klyde's brother from Albeda?" Enzo as ifstill amazing today."Dating? No ..." I refused."But you're flirting? He told you a story on instagram, I just saw him. He had stolen shots of you while you were driving," he said on his phone, which Enzo immediately kidnapped from me."Do you know how to drive, Drey? I thought you were going to enroll in driving lessons?"My eyes drifted on Rustov. His lips pursed into a grim line. He wasn't looking at me anymore. He's seriously staring at the glass of liquor in front of him."Kirk visited. He just taught me a little bit to drive. We're not dating or having any sort of intimate relationship.""I thought you were mad there?" and Janice."Oh, I heard it's a playboy! Maybe it's just like his frantic brother," Enzo said."That was just nothing. He just passed by because Ate asked for something.""She's been flirting with you before, hasn't she?" Janice who still doesn't want to go away.Rustov looked
Rustov:Janice told me you're not feeling well. How are you feeling What about meds?My mouth was crying. I shoved the phone in the drawer and went to the closet. He really asked, huh? If in matter. Isn't that how friends should be? Yes, we were friends. But now ... I don't know. I don’t know why I’m so angry. Or maybe ... I just can't fucking accept it. This is frustrating!I never chineck phone again all night. I went to school early the next morning to study in the library. I also missed a lot and I had to catch up. As much as I think about the factory, with Rustov, I just want to distract my mind so that my brain is occupied.I opened the book and answered the activity I was asked to do. I don't know if I understood Janice's notes correctly but it looks like I'm doing it right. I just focus my mind on what I was doing. Finals are over, and even though I'm sure the teachers won't let me down because Mommy is the number one contributor in the school, I still want to make an effort.
Even before I could speak, he got on the motor. Slowly, I followed too, breathing heavily. Compared to the previous ones, I am now more conscious of touching him. My heart was pounding hard as I put my hands on his waist. I don't know what change, but this damn feeling is very foreign to me.I know I'm trying so hard to avoid it. But in the few weeks we didn’t have a sensible conversation, the void was growing and it didn’t feel good. And now, despite my anger at Mommy, I feel relieved. It feels good to be with him like this again."Why isn't the light on inside?" I asked while looking at their house."Mama is in Capiz. Lola called," he answered and opened the gate."Have you had dinner yet?"I shook my head. I stalked him as he went inside the house. He turned on the light and gestured to mesofa. He opened the first buttons of his polo and went upstairs. When he returned, he was wearing a gray t-shirt."I already cooked the menudo before leaving. I'll just heat it up. Is that okay w
"You're wrong, Janice. There's nothing going on between us. We're just friends."There.I breathed a sigh of relief.Even before I ran out of food, I stopped and drank some juice. There was quite a lot of rice, and I had finished snacking earlier so I wasn't too hungry. Rustov glanced at my plate, he was done with his food."You're not exhausted. Are you done?"Janice glanced at me with that simple question."Yeah. I've been eating a snack before. I'm not that hungry."He put his own plate on the tray and took mine. I thought he was going to put it away too but he put it down in front and took the cutlery I used!Even Janice was surprised, too."I'll just finish this. It's a pity if it's just thrown away. You should finish your food next time, Audrey. You're a bit skinny," Rustov said.I blinked. It was a while before I could process what he said because he was a bit busy staring."My body is just right. I'm not skinny!"He smirked.That lunch ended with Janice showering me with a mea
Our friendship was healthy, I thought. In the days that followed we went back to normal. Sometimes, we study in the library together and he shares his knowledge about the topics I find hard. Every Saturday I visit them and we go to the Dales.I didn't deal too much on my negative thoughts. I’m happy when he’s with me and that’s what matters."You did it wrong, Audrey," he said. It's one of those days that he checks to see if I did the assignment right.I sniffed and looked at the sea ahead. For some reason, Dales became our favorite place. Maybe because it's peaceful here."It's hard. I got confused ..." I said."I'll do it. Just study it later," he said."Okay!" I smiled at him.I watched him do that, very seriously. I can't help but admire how he can be so passionate about studies. Until the end, I just focused my attention on him. I watched how his eyes drifted to me after. My heart was pounding. But still, I managed to smile."Thank you," I said."You're welcome."I stood up and t