Chapter 2

ICE OBSERVES the waitress taking her and Bastie's order. She could hardly stare at her and her full attention was with Bastie.

"What's new?" Said that little voice in her mind.

Of course, she must be used to it by now. Bastie always caught the attention of women. They said that men who have long hair have a strong appeal to women. After all, Bastie is really handsome. Even when his hair was short, he was very handsome.

"You, what do you want?" Bastie asked her without even noticing the waitress trying to attract him with her tantalizing eyes. 

"Whatever." She said simply. 

"There is nothing like that." He said that made her raise an eyebrow.

"What? There's really nothing like that on the menu. There, have a look." He while pushing her the menu.

She gave him an evil look but he just smiled at her. She looked at the menu and because she was pissed off, she chose the most expensive food in the menu.

"Excuse me." She tried to get the waitress' attention but she was just stunned by Bastie's charm. While Bastie is looking at her, completely ignoring the waitress. 

"Can you tell her my order? Looks like you are the only one she can see." She said to Bastie and pointed a finger to the waitress who was still stunned by his charm. 

Yes she can be rude sometimes but only when needed. She will only be rude if the person in front of her is giving her an attitude. Right now, the waitress was not giving her any attitude, it's just that it seems that she was in a beautiful dream where Bastie is the protagonist.

"Oh my gosh! But deep inside you want to tweak her hair!" 

She will get nothing if she will listen to her inner self. So she decided to ignore her inner self.

Bastie read what was written on the waitress' name plate, "Uhm, Jenny, this is my companion's order." Simultaneously he pointed to her order on the menu. 

She saw Jenny's eyes glow. "Wow! Sir! Do you know me?"

She must have been drowning in her own saliva. And she coughed and coughed because of what the waitress said. Bastie was about to stand. "Are you okay?" 

She stopped him from standing and told him that she's okay. Bastie turned his head to the waitress. "I saw your name plate." He said and smiled.

"This monkey really knows how to charm women!"

The waitress seemed embarrassed and blushed slightly before turning her back on them.

"Are you sure that is the only food you will order?" Bastie asked as the waitress left.

"Yes." She said promptly. 

"What a miracle? I guess you're not hungry right now?" He asked, teasing. And she knew why Bastie said that.

At times when she was annoyed with this man and invited her to eat out she would actually make his wallet cry. She does that on purpose, ordering a lot or choosing all the expensive ones on the menu, to pissed him off. 

And then she would distribute it to those in need outside, or she would pass by construction sites and distribute the food to the laborers. But, how many years has she been doing that? But it had no effect on Bastie. Eventually he will just smile and shake his head as his reaction which makes her even more annoyed.

"It seems like the waitress was even hungrier, the way she looks at you, it seems that she wanted to swallow you." She stated.

"Are you jealous?" He asked while smiling.

"In your dreams!" She said, raising her eyebrows.

"I am!" He smiled from ear to ear and even put his palm on his chin like a person who is daydreaming. 

How many years have passed? She counted in her mind. It's been nine years! It's been almost a decade since they've been in this set-up. She didn't know why he endured her attitude. The truth was that she deliberately releases her horns every time she's with him so that he will just get bored and let her go. But Bastie sticks like glue by her side all this time! 

She can always bring out the worst of her in front of him but he always stays. Maybe, Bastie has the longest patience in the world or maybe he was just being obedient to his parents. And she hates the last idea.!

Soon their order arrived. Bastie didn't tease her anymore while they were eating. Yet sometimes he has these questions that she answers politely.

"I always have this feeling whenever I drop you home." Bastie said when they are already in front of Ice’s house. 

She removed her seatbelt and faced him. "What feeling?" She asked.

"SepAnx..." He said seriously.

He was so serious when he said that but she couldn't help but laugh at what he said.

She's really laughing out loud! But when she realized that Bastie was looking at her intently, she stopped laughing. 

"W-Why?" She stammered.

"Nothing, I'm just amazed when you smile or laugh like that." He explained.

"Why?" She whispered shyly. 

He shrugged and also unbuckled his seatbelt. "Maybe because for almost a decade, I can count the chances of you smiling or laughing like that because of me."

And when she met his gaze, there was something in his eyes that she can't explain. Little by little Bastie’s face was moving closely to her face. And she really knows what will happen next. But just like before she does not have any strength to break that connection.

Bastie softly kisses her on the lips. At first it was just mild, but after a while he deepened the kiss. Looking for a response. But she never responded, and just like before, Bastie stopped kissing her. 

"And for almost a decade, you never kissed me back...." Tila may lungkot sa tinig nito. "Sometimes, I wonder if I am really that bad.... Am I?

"You are what?" She asked softly. Enough for him to hear.

"Am I a bad kisser?"

She looked intently into his eyes. "No, you are not, your lips are the sweetest..." She admitted.

"Then why.... why are you not kissing me back?" He asked. 

"Because I don't want to." That’s the safe and easy answer that she can think of. 

How can she tell him that she was exerting too much self -control every time he kisses her. Oh! Yeah, this is not the first time they kiss. But she always does not respond to his kisses. Because more than anyone, she really knew what their real situation was. 

Bastie sighed and got out of the car. He opened the door for her and helped her out of the car. The perfect gentleman as ever.

"Goodnight, thanks for tonight." She said and gave him a kiss on the cheek. 

Yes, she can do that, whenever she does not have tantrums and she does not have any mood swings just like now.

Amusement was dancing in his eyes, "Goodnight..." He said and gave her a kiss on her forehead. 

She was about to turn her back from him when he called her. She faced him again. 

Strange, because she really does not have any mood swings today. Because normally, she should be frowning by now.

"I am serious about that SepAnx thing. Everytime I drop you home, I feel like I want to stay more with you...."

She looked at the sky, that’s the reason why there was something wrong with their emotions today. It was a full moon. Then her brows furrowed because of what she’s thinking.

"What is the connection?"

Yeah right? There was no connection at all and it does not make sense at all.

"You know, it's a full moon today, you better sleep." She said and went inside the house. 

Before she could get away, she turned to Bastie. But she did not have his attention. He was looking at the full moon.

She secretly smiled at his position. He was leaning against the car with his hands on his pockets while looking up at the sky.

"He is really handsome!"

"IS THAT BASTIE?" Her father said upon entering the house..

"C'mon dad, stop acting like you know nothing." She said coldly.

Her relationship with her father has been strange for a long time now. Yeah, it's been 9 years.

"Don't use that tone to me Icelandia!" Her father shouted.

She winced upon hearing her full name from her father. That's why she doesn't want to talk to him as much as possible because it always ends up with a fight. And their misunderstanding only grows because of this.

"Then, tell Bastie to leave me alone!" She shouted.

She hated it whenever her father tried to manipulate her life. 

He once did that to her older sister and her sister couldn't handle it so she chose to take her own life.

She will not let anyone to decide for her. This is her life after all. The only thing that does not make any sense at all was why Bastie was involved in this mess. 

Her father sighed deeply. "Why can't you see that I'm doing this for your own sake?"

"I can take care of myself. I can decide on my own. I don't want my life to be manipulated!" She said gritting her teeth. 

"This conversation is just going round and round." Said her father.

"Exactly! It’s been going round and round for 9 years! And I don’t know why bastie was involved!" She said. She was really pissed off.

"He is a good man." Her father replied which made her speechless. 

She doesn't want to admit it in front of her father but, yes indeed, Bastie is a good man. That’s why he was like a puppet always following orders!

"He is not your puppet dad!" She told her father.

"Who told you that he is my puppet?" Her father asked..

"Stop pretending that you don't know! Stop using him!" She said, emphasizing every word. 

"You don’t know what you are saying." He said while massaging his temple.

"Because all along you are not explaining it!" She said feeling hurt.

"You don’t understand...."

"Because you don't want me to understand."

"What is important is, we are doing this for you."

"No you are not! I won't let you manipulate my life dad. If my sister ——"

"Ice!"

She stopped upon hearing her mother. She looked up and her expression softened. Her mother is her only reason why she's still living in this house. She can now be on her own since she wants to avoid her father. But when it comes to her mother her heart was tender. She takes away the coldness in her heart.

"Mom..." She whispered while her mother was going down the stairs. 

She doesn't want her to see that she's having a fight with her father. Besides, it is not good for her mother's health, her mother is very emotional. A trait inherited by her sister. A pain passed through her heart again upon remembering her sister.

Her mother kissed her on the cheek. Then she stroked it. "I'm glad you're home. Go and change now. I baked a cake, let's have it while sipping our tea?"

The truth was she was full. But she does not have the heart to decline her mother. Oftentimes, this is her way of talking to her. She nodded and said that she would just change her clothes and then she went up to her room.