Chapter 2: Chuck Out

Perlm Marie Olavin

Instead of leaving, I actually watched how happy they were with each other.

"Rachell... I want you to know that I love you—You are the one I will marry and I will love for life. You are the woman who will bring up my future children. Only you."

What the fuck?

Big banners are in front of me now. I know the people holding the banners; those are Andy's friends who used to talk with me.

'Will you be my girlfriend, Rachell?'

That's what the banner says while Andy is holding a bouquet of flowers and Rachell is in tears.

Damn.

So is this it? He really fell for his best friend, huh?

I thought they were... just friends.

"Yes! Andy, yes! I love you so much!" Rachell answered.

I just closed my eyes to what I heard. I heard the screams of the students, and I was even more overwhelmed by their pleading. I'm just embarrassing myself in front of these lovebirds.

I need to go out.

"Ouch!" My shoes with heels accidentally slipped.

When I look at them, the two are looking at me.

"No..." I whispered, this is embarrassing! Everyone was looking at me.

"Are you okay, Perlm?" Andy offered his hands, but I refused.

"N-no. It's okay. I'm okay. "

The whole cafeteria fell silent, but I could see Amy, Mildred, and Rosie being worried.

"Hi, Perlm!" Rachell greeted me. She was already holding the flowers. 

She looks good. Her hair is very straight, unlike mine, which is a bit curly. Brown, tall, and with red lips. She looks like a beauty queen. I have no comment. But I'm beautiful too! 

Andy's taste is really different. She loves a brunette like Rachell. 

I took a deep breath. "W-Wow. Congrats, Rachel and Andy! "I'm happy for the two of you," I said softly, holding back the tears that were about to flow. 

Andy smiled. 

"Thanks, Perlm. If you have a problem, just tell me. I or Rachell can help you—" 

"I'm alright, bye!" I cut him off.

At that point, they saw how my tears dripped. I just ran and ran until I got away from that fucking cafeteria. 

"Fuck you, Andy!" 

He lied. He said he loved me and I became a part of his life. He was happy with me. But why? He never treated me like he treated Rachell.

He never surprised me; he never made me proud in front of a lot of people. He has never treated me like that.

Now, when he talks to me, it's like I'm not his ex. He's too friendly when it comes to me. It was as if nothing had happened to us, that he had hurt me. 

They are both so selfish! 

Fuck them.

After some time, I decided to just go home. I opened the gate and withered and walked inwards.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home," I said lamely as I entered my room.

As soon as I entered the room, I wondered why there was a suitcase on my bed. I opened it and was shocked to find my belongings placed on it.

"What the hell? Mom! What's the meaning of this?" I shouted and finally left the room. 

I found them quietly eating in the kitchen.

"What's the meaning of this? Why are my clothes packed? Are we leaving?" I was perplexed. 

Dad sneezed. "It's just you, baby. It's just you leaving."

Mom immediately disobeyed him. "Stop calling her baby, Mariano! She's no longer a child."

"Yes, Dad. I'm already twenty-three," I said, laughing, and sat down to eat. 

"You're the one who said you're already twenty-three. It means you can stand alone," Mom added. 

I frowned. "Stand alone? Like what?"

"You have to be independent now, baby—Perlm," Dad replied.

What?

I stood up immediately. I shook her head and hugged my dad.

"No! I don't want to. Why would I leave here if you're here? Where am I going?"

"Perlm," Mom threatened, so I let go of Dad. "Go find a job. You're already twenty-three, but you depend on us? You previously stated that you would look for work after college, but what happened? Nothing. So you better find a job and rent a house. I don't want to see you wandering around the house."

I was just dumbfounded by Mom's words. Only now did she speak for such a long time. And now she just scolded me in front of the table. She is usually calm. She was always a no-brainer in everything.

They knew I was called a playgirl. That is not true!

But...

I realized that It's my fault because my promises to them are always nailed down.

"A-Alright... I'm sorry, Mom." That was my last word.

I was carrying my suitcase and bag as I walked out of the subdivision. Why is Mom still being hard on me even when I'm broken?

I called Rosie to ask if her apartment was available for me because she was the only one who rents that apartment. She has a job, and while I still depend on the allowance that my Dad gives to me.

Rosie texted me the address, and I was even more surprised by the beauty and size of that building. I was about to enter the building when a guard, who was still quite young, stopped me.

"What?" I asked him in annoyance.

"Ma'am, where's your card?"

"Card? What card?"

He nodded and showed me a blue card.

"What's that for?"

"Entry card, Ma'am. You must have it for you to enter the subdivision."

There's something like that? I didn't know. I nodded and called Rosie, but she didn't answer my call.

"Rosie, please answer your phone," I whispered as I smiled, looking at the guard, who looked impatient as well.

The heck! She's not really answering!

"Why doesn't she answer her phone? Can I sit down first? My feet are aching." I complained to the guard.

The guard's eyebrows rose at what I said. I raised an eyebrow at him as well.

"Why? Why would I make you sit? Who are you?" He asked me.

I grinned, approached him, and whispered something to him. I will definitely get him tickled with what I will do.

After a few minutes, I am now sitting here at the entrance, eating noodles that the guard bought for me. I'm hungry. I didn't eat dinner at home because I left immediately. 

"Who is this one?" The guard asked.

"Ah! That's Mildred. My friend!"

"Oh, how beautiful they are!"

While waiting for Rosie to call, I did nothing but introduce my friend to the guard, who is not yet married.

"Mr. Fernandez!" The guard greeted a man.

I followed his gaze and realized he was the man I had encountered at the coffee shop. 

I smiled devilishly. I have an idea.

"Hey!" I finished the cup of noodle soup and approached him. "B-babe! How long have you been here? I've been waiting here for a while!"

I clung to his arm and smiled.

"Wait, is he your boyfriend, ma'am?" The guard asked me while looking at Andy.

I laughed and turned to the man next to me now. His eyebrows were raised and his face was wrinkled, but he was still handsome.

"Fraudster, user, traitor, ungrateful, arrogant, and ugly… That's what you told me the other day," Andy said, smiling.

My jaw dropped. He surely did memorize what I said the other day!

He looks smart, this man is probably hard to fool. It's embarrassing, but my face is thick! Haha!

"You said those words to him, ma'am?" the guard asked, so I tightened my grip on Andy.

"N-No!" I denied it so fast. "I'm just kidding." I faced Andy. "Come on, we've already bothered him."

Andy smirked at me as he showed me his blue card. I took my things, said goodbye to the guard, and quickly pulled him into the subdivision.

As soon as he entered, he handed his arm over to me.

Does he live here? 

"What are you doing here, Miss Meghan?"

There was annoyance in the tone of his voice. Does he remember my name? His memory is sexy, but I still won't let him down. I hate his name! 

"You, what are you doing here, A-andy?" 

He removed his eyeglasses and put them in his pocket. He looks even sexier because of that. He is wearing a blue suit, and the three buttons on his coat are open. That's something I admire because his collarbone and neck are so obvious. 

"I live here," he sparingly replied.

"I'll live here too."

He glared at me. Whatever sin I have committed, I will not live in his apartment. I just used him as an excuse.

"You're thinking wrong. I'll live with my friend, not with you! What do you think of me, fool?"

He adjusted his suit and sneered. "Good. Now, don't bother me anymore."

As if I want to bother him. I just had no choice because Rosie wasn’t answering her phone!

I hate those kinds of boys, the ones who think your world revolves around them.

But... I can't believe I followed this man just to find out where his unit was. I followed him, but he disappeared from my sight again because he is walking so fast. Is he a runner? Or maybe an athlete? 

In less than a minute, he was gone. 

Suddenly, my phone rang. Rosie's finally calling!

"Hello?" My tone is a bit angry.

"Have you entered yet? I won't be surprised that you entered, you and your ways."

I let out a sigh. I didn't just tell her what I did by sending their pictures and F******k to the guard. I will be intrigued.

The guard is still handsome. No wife yet. Maybe my friends could be his friends, too! 

Oh my... What are you thinking, Perlm?

In one building, there are 30 units. The sheer size of the building overwhelmed me. I'm curious how much Rosie spends here every month.

At first, I didn't think it was real estate. Apart from the fact that you've already paid for the unit, it's like you're still living in the apartment because it's also being rented every month. 

"How much do you cost here, Rosie?" 

"Maybe about six digits was my down payment here," Rosie replied, busy.

I was stunned.

"Really? Where did you get that kind of money? Is this the reason why you are always out of money?"

She laughed and just nodded in response. Seeing my friends acting like this, being independent, and standing alone without their parents, I am being left behind. At the age of twenty-three, I didn’t even think to stand on my own two feet.

I always depend on my parents. Maybe I also forgot to stand alone because I was always looking forward to the future that Andy always mentioned to me. But nothing was accomplished. That's why I'm scared to live alone. That's why I'm here with my friend. I want to be with someone, somehow. 

"We're going to pay, half-half, Rosie. I'm going to find a job," I said seriously as she helped me fix things. 

She stopped for a moment. "No, Perlm. You don't have to. I can afford to pay, and I already owe you a lot."

"But Rosie, it's embarrassing. What, I'm going to stay here for free?"

She nodded without hesitation. I even argued with Rosie, but eventually, she convinced me about the bill. I didn't even win the ones she threw at me. In fact, it's not that I'm charging her; Rosie owes me a lot.

The next morning, I am almost late.

I didn't wake up early. I didn't even know what time I fell asleep last night because I tell a lot of stories to Rosie… just pure boys, sex life, and lessons. 

After I took a bath, I checked the refrigerator and even the freezer. It's not open yet. Oh no… She just moved here, and she's probably busy because she's been a consistent honor since high school.

Does that mean her neighbors here had no idea she had moved? I don't know. When you move, you should prepare tasty foods and give them to your neighbors, it will give a good impression on your neighbors, mom said. 

Two days later, it was still the same. Rosie leaves the house early, leaving me with an empty stomach. I should go grocery shopping. 

Saturday, Rosie is busy with group study, while I don't care because I'll just pay my nerdy groupmates to finish my task.

Mildred and Amy knew that I was staying here at Rosie's house. Of course, they are my friends.

I wore a white t-shirt and a green skirt. I also came with a cream tote bag because I was carrying a rather large wallet, accompanied by a cell phone.

Shortly after I left, the two of us met in front of the door...

The man I hated! It's him again! It's Andy. Not my ex, the other one at the coffee shop!