Chapter 9: Someone Answers The Phone Call

XINCERE CALLIOPE'S POINT OF VIEW

I was walking to my locker room to put the books I used in my last class. Zac had his meeting with the whole varsity team together with Nathaniel. As I open my locker, I saw another faded blue envelope that was really similar to the last letter I got received. I looked at the back of it and found the same initials on it, 'L.G.' I clipped it together with the last letter that Zac gave me earlier. Actually, I knew that he did not throw it before as I saw it in his bag the last day I opened it, but I just waited for him to give it back.

"I heard that like Pepperoni Pasta, so I made this for you." I heard a familiar feminine tone of voice as if trying to change her natural husky tone of voice into a tiny one, you know, annoying! I may sound so bitter, but I know, anyone who may hear her will be irritated. I really could not stand it.

"I bet you heard it wrong..." Hearing his cold and chilling monotone voice automatically made my feet stop from taking some steps going out from that locker room and somehow made me want to hear the next line he will go say.

"...overcooked instant noodles. That is what I like." It made me grimace and felt as if he was insulting me. The stamping of feet in vexation had broken the silence. I just shook my head, thinking how irritated that girl might be. And if I was not mistaken, I bet that was coming for Beatrix Ava Paisley's combat boots.

"What a lame excuse, man!" A tumultuous laugh echoed, seemed like he was with his team. I heard some of them, repeating the lines he just uttered.

"I'm serious, bro. Yesterday was the best noodles I ever tasted! Just give it a try!" He sounded so serious, that it made me believe for a second if only not come from him. So I just shook off that thought. I just hissed and rolled my eyes after realizing, why should I hide behind this door. I finally grasped the doorknob as their noise subsided, indicating that they may be gone from now. But it made me jump in shock as I felt my phone was vibrating, signifying that someone was calling. To my surprise, it was Zachary Flynn Williams who made my phone vibrate. It was a good thing, I put it in a silent mode during classes earlier. I just let it ring for some time before I answered it.

"Zac, where are you? I'm bored." I was actually making my way to his car, chose to take the other way as I realized that he was probably on his way toward the parking lot with his teammates. I was half-running just to get there first and hang up the call even before he had been able to answer my question.

As he stopped the car in front of our gate, he handed me some printed papers before he lightly tilted his head as if letting me check it. I reluctantly looked back at him before I decided to read the title of it, "The Genuine One," which was written with a thick and bold font on the top of it. It made me curious about the content and subject of it, it was probably different from the academic articles that he has usually written before.

I was about to continue on reading it until he buckled out my seat belt and open the door for me while he was still inside.

"You can hop out. Check it later, instead!" His reaction made me curious even more. He was usually so proud and confident about his articles, unlike now. I just snorted and rolled my eyes against him before stepping out of his car.

"Cook for me later, I still have a meeting to attend." It made me close my eyes hard as I realized maybe he just dropped me off here at home as I told him that I had waited for him earlier. He's really crazy since he could tell me that their meeting hasn't started yet, but that thought made me dove in my bed as I remember that I did not even let him speak earlier when he called me. But still, it was not my fault! I looked at my wristwatch. It was approximately 30 minutes from the moment we went here from home when my phone suddenly rang, Nathaniel called me and asked if Zachary was already left, as I heard his chuckling, it seemed like their coach was furious. He even told me that Zac must be ready for a hundred push-ups as a punishment for being late.

I was really sleepy, but that thought of him being punished because of me made me begin to wear the apron and called my Mom to ask her how to cook a chicken Adobo, which Zac always asked Mom to cook for him. Mom sent me a voice recording, explaining and instructing me about the procedure on how to cook it that somehow made me regret as I realized that cooking Chicken Adobo is a complicated and arduous process compared to instant noodles. But I know he did not like it that much after what he heard earlier, that all probably, I mean definitely full of sarcasm. So I must cook it better this time!

"Wow. The moment I enter, I smell your Chicken Adobo from there. Let me taste it, Xincere!" Mom excitedly ran and joined me in the kitchen. Dad just walked in and quickly kissed my forehead, before he made his way upstairs to change his clothes.

"Mom, I really have no idea why it seemed like something was missing, but I just followed your instructions," I complained before I handed her the ladle. She just smiled and gently tap my arm. I did not know why it seemed like something was missing but knowing that she was here to help me made me feel at ease. At that very hour, I knew how much I want to be good as her in the kitchen.

"You forgot to add the vinegar, don't you?" I gave her a sheepish smile as I realized that she was right, but I was wondering how she knew about it. It somehow smelled like a burned-up Chicken Adobo. Honestly, I think that I was good at measuring ingredients, even on memorizing all the steps, but I did not know why I couldn't get the same as my Mom. It was somehow frustrating, but I guess, there were just things that were really not for me and cooking might be one of those.

"Xincere, why won't you call anyone that was with Zac right now? Isn't their meeting over yet?" Mom uttered to me while adding something to what I was cooking. Since she could not reach him. She sounded so worried about him. I wanted to remind her that he was old enough, so she had nothing to worry about. I got my phone and tried to contact him, but I kept trying to call him. Unfortunately, he did not pick it up. Where in the world he is? I could not even contact Nathaniel.

"Try to call him again later, okay?" I just nodded as a response to her. I decided to take a quick shower before I lay in my bed and started to fish out my cellphone and speed-dialed him.

"Hello, Xincere! Is there anything you want to tell Zachary? I'm sorry, but she was busy right now. So he can't pick up his phone." I could not utter a word for a moment as I heard Beatrix on the other line.

"No worries. It is not that important, I will just tell him that I'm about to sleep now, so I will just put his output on my study table, he may get it from here. No need to wake me up." I really did not know why I lied. I could not even understand myself. Maybe because, like Geli, I was kind of irritated for being so mean. Yeah, maybe that was the reason why. I was about to hang up the call, but she stopped me.

"Wait, are you staying on the same roof?" I heard the irritation in her voice that made me want to piss her off even more. I just snorted before answering her question.

"Uhm, apparently. I mean, yeah. Can I ask a favor? Can you remind him to take a bath first before going to bed? Thanks, by the way!" I hardly closed my eyes in annoyance as I ended the call and cut her off when she still had something to say.

"Mom, let's eat," I went downstairs and told my Mom who was talking with my brother in the living room, who was still waiting for Zac.

"Is he on his way?" I just shrugged and straightly walked into our vintage lofty dining area that has a lot of matching set used to collect by her.

"Did you talk to him?" Xairo asked while I was busy preparing the plates for us.

"Don't mind him. He must be eating at this moment." I did not know if I was sounded so mad or what, but I forced a smile before I seated myself right next to Mom. Dad just got here and, like Mom, he was also waiting for Zac. But I kept on convincing them that I was starving, but to be honest, I lost my appetite. I know for sure the reason why he was not here by this time, is that he was with Beatrix. I did not know if it was a good thing Xairo kept on complaining about the Adobo that I prepared so that, I have a reason to be this mad, and they may not notice that it was really because of Zac, he did not even think that there were people who were waiting for him. I mean, Mom really worried about him.

"Hey Xairo, would you please stop annoying your sister. Besides, it's superb, right, Dad?" Mom tried to convince my Dad just to make me feel good about my Chicken Adobo and not be felt bad about me being sucked at cooking. Maybe it was a good thing that Zac was not here.

"Where will you take that? I thought you cooked it for Zac? He should taste it, and I am sure he will appreciate it. Believe me." Mom stopped me I threw the Chicken Adobo that was still on the pan.

"This is not for him, Mom. And besides, he did not like anything overcooked." I saw her dimple as she smiled and slightly shook her head.

"Mrs. Monroe, what will be our dinner tonight?" I hardly closed my eyes and did not even look back at him, but Mom abruptly get the pan I was holding and immediately walked going his direction. I just quickly stamped my feet in annoyance and was about to go upstairs to my room.

"Wait, Xincere. You must serve food at the table for Zachary. I will just be going to give your Dad his vitamins." She smiled and tapped my shoulder before she half-run going upstairs to their room, to give Dad his vitamins, while she had a glass of water in her left hand. I let out a deep sigh before facing him.

"You are old enough to prepare food for yourself. Besides, this is not for you. Just have this instead." He looked so jaded as I saw his round tired eyes and seemed like he could hardly keep his eyes open. He rolled his neck from side to side to loosen kinks like he always does. I got the Chicken Adobo that Mom put on the bowl before putting the hot dogs on the table.

"But this is what I want." He got the bowl from me before taking a smell of it and took a bit in the chicken's drumstick. He gave me a quick grin and I did not know if he was trying to insult me or what. I was sulking, and I hate it, but I did not know whom I was annoyed with.

"Whatever!" I hardly rolled my eyes before I turned my back against him, but he took a gripped of my wrist to stop me. I furrowed as I faced him.

"What do you want?" His tranquil gaze made me feel a pang of sudden guilt that I should not be felt in the first place.

"Just hear me out..." He started as if pleading in a piteous voice. I just looked away and abruptly pulled back the hand that he was holding and casually folded my arms a crossed my chest.

"About what? Maybe tomorrow, Zac. I want to sleep now." I was still irritated, and I am sure he knew it through the tone of my voice.

"Just give me a second." I did not have any idea how he hastily appeared in front of me just by taking a step or two. I could see how genuine were his eyes as they met mine.

"I was just doing my push-ups for the whole meeting, and I was not able to answer your call as I left it on the bench." I raised and furrowed my eyebrows as if trying to ask him why he needed to explain this to me. I may be like a shrew, but I could not just swallow my annoyance.

"No problem. Let's just think that I was born yesterday as if I'm believing. Mom just kept on nagging me to call you. But don't mind it, I did not tell her that you were with your girl. I don't usually tell secrets. They are still safe with me." I even saw how he hardly closed his eyes and hastily followed me as I passed by him and made my way going up to my room.

"About the girl who answered it, Nate was the only one who told me as he handed it back to me when our meeting was over. That's the truth!" He sounded as if trying to justify everything.

"Just have your dinner, Zac. Besides, it was nothing to do with me, so let me just put myself out of it. You can hang out with anyone you want to be with. Maybe next time, just inform Mom or Dad. They were really worried about you the way your parents are, whenever you're not around, you may find it irritating, but just bear with it. They were just concerned." I could even hear his deep sigh as I grasped the doorknob of my wooden room door painted in white, and I did not even look back at him.