"WHERE are you going?"
I asked Caren as soon as she got out of the shower.
While having dinner earlier, I heard her say to Aunt Feling that she's going to her classmate's house tonight for a school project. But of course, I know better.
"You heard me earlier, right? I'm going to my classmate's house."
I smirked at her. "And do you really think you can fool me?"
She rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'm gonna go to Jake's place. Satisfied?" She picked up her wristwatch on the nightstand.
I frowned. "At this hour?" It was already eight in the evening.
"It is Jake's birthday today," she answered me. "There's a pa
“I WANT to have a car just like that one someday!”I said to Lenos as we walked past by a black SUV that was parked outside the bar where I was working. “But I want mine matte," I continued.I stopped myself from yawning. I just got out of work. It was already Saturday morning. My shift got extended for two hours because it's the weekend. I already told Lenos not to fetch me after work but when I left the bar, he was already waiting for me outside.“Just your car?" Lenos asked, his eyebrows slightly raised.I pouted. “You already have a car.”"It's not mine. It's my parents," he said.
I COULDN'T help but stare at Lenos as he opened the door of the passenger seat for me. He used to always do this for me.“You don’t need to do this,” I told him with a straight face. “I can easily pass through things, you know. I'm invisible."Lenos just smiled at me. Damn. That freaking smile. I wanted to erase it from his face. “But I want to.”I was attacked by familiar sensations as I entered his car. His car smelled familiar. It smelled of him…Aventus Creed. After ten years, he didn't even manage to change his perfume!“What happened to Caren? Did she run away?” Lenos asked me as we left the parking area of the hospital.I absentmindedly stare
"ARE you okay?" I asked Caren. We were outside the police station and just waiting for Lenos to come out. He was still talking to the investigator inside.Caren's boyfriend—correction, ex-boyfriend together with his friends were all arrested after the police found a packet of marijuana and party drugs in his condo unit.They were inside the police station and refused to give a statement until their lawyers showed up.Caren and some other guests were also brought to the station to collect their statements for the investigation. Because Caren was a minor and it was proven that she wasn't involved and wasn't aware of Jake's doing, she was released by the police."Okay?" she uttered. Her eyes were swollen from crying. "Do you think that after wh
“DADDY, you know what? I had a dream about Tita Cresia."I halted from my steps when I heard my name. I was on my way downstairs when I saw Lenos and Leah were both seated on the couch.How did Leah know about me? What did Lenos tell Leah?"Really? What did you dream about?" I heard Lenos asked his niece."You were in the hospital to visit her, Daddy. You are dressed like a prince." I saw Leah smile. This little girl. She really looked like Lana especially when smiling. She was already wearing a pair of pajamas and clutching on a teddy bear."You looked so handsome in a prince's suit, Daddy. And then you went to Aunt Cresia and kissed her just like what the prince did to Sleeping Beauty." Leah giggled.
"SEE? This is nothing."I blinked when I realized that Lenos' already finished cleaning his wounded knuckles.I averted my gaze. It landed on the wall clock displayed on the house. I just realized it was already midnight. “It's already late, you should sleep now,” I said to him.“How about you?”I smirked. “I don’t sleep. Souls don't need sleep, Lenos."“Then I’ll stay. Let's talk some more,” he said, his voice begging. “I want to hear your voice. I miss hearing your voice."I looked at him, but only regretted doing it. There was a somber look in his eyes and I didn't want to see it.
FUCK! He's really handsome even in his sleep, I told myself as I kept on looking at Lenos' face.I saw Lenos sleeping on the couch when I left the guest room the next morning. I couldn't stop myself from going near him. He was wearing a white v-neck shirt and a pajama bottom.After ten years, I had a chance to examine his face again.His look didn't really change at all. His deep eyes. His long and thick lashes. His aristocratic nose. His chiseled jaw. His red and kissable lips. The mole on his left temple. I used to love staring at his gorgeous face.“Good morning.”I almost jumped in shock when I heard Lenos' voice. He opened his eyes and I automa
“REALLY? You won't force me to go to school today?” Caren asked me in disbelief.“Nah. Let’s just watch movies or something," I replied, shrugging. "Whatever you like to do today.”It was already Monday. The weekend passed like a blur. It's been two days since the party happened—since Caren broke up with that asshole Jake.Ever since Caren went home from Lenos' house, I noticed the changes in how Caren treats me. She was less bitchy to me now. She was also kinder to Aunt Feling.I remembered how she sought comfort from the old woman when we went home yesterday morning."Turn left after the next street, Sir." Caren instructed Lenos.
“LOOK. This would look good on you!”I picked up a black dress in a rack of clothes and showed it to Caren.She immediately snatched the dress away from me and put it back on the rack where I got it."Stop doing that. What if someone sees you?" she whispered to me.She carefully looked around the store. I just noticed there's a saleslady coming our way.We were here at the department store of a mall. I was supposed to bring her here after leaving the house, but I was shocked when Caren asked me to visit the hospital where my body is. Instead of going straight to the mall, we went first to the hospital."This is you?"
"CRESIA." It was Lenos who welcomed me the moment I opened my eyes. He was sitting beside me while holding my hand."Lenos…" I felt hot tears streamed down my face. "I'm alive, right?" I look at his face. "You remembered me, right?"He nodded. "Of course," he said. I felt his hand on mine. "You just made me worried.""What happened?" I asked him, confused. I looked at his face. His eyes were red from crying. Why did he cry?"You passed out in the middle of the street," he answered. He brought my hand to his lips and kissed it while looking at me."Thank God nothing happened because I won't forgive myself…""I saw you with Kyla…" I said in a s
"CRESIA?"I was walking on the school grounds of St. Claire when I heard someone call my name. I looked around and then I saw Caren. She was standing a few meters away from me. I smiled at her and her eyes widened as she walked to me."Hi, Caren," I greeted her."It's really you," she said, her face still amazed. "What are you doing here?""I'm bringing lunch to my boyfriend." I replied with a smile. "He works here."I wondered if she'd be shocked if he learned that Lenos was the boyfriend I was talking about."How about you?" I asked her."This is where I study," she answered.
"HERE is a glass of margarita."I said as I placed a glass of cocktail drink in front of Lenos."Wow," he said, looking at the alcohol in front of him and then to me. "You're good at this, baby."I chuckled. "Come on, bottom's up."He grabbed the glass and drank it in one gulp.We were in Polaris tonight. It was still an hour before the opening so I decided to show Lenos how to mix drinks."When did you learn how to mix alcohol?" he asked after he placed the empty glass on the counter."Hmm, I was fifteen, I think."His lips parted and I bit my lips to stop myself fr
"GOOD morning, Dad." I greeted my Dad when I saw him on the breakfast table. He was already having breakfast."Good morning, hija," my father looked at me. "What time did you go home last night?"I pulled up a chair, sat on it and poured orange juice on my glass. "Almost two, I think." I glanced at the breakfast in front of me. I put some pancakes on my plate."I noticed your car isn't in the garage."I pursed my lips. "Lenos took me home last night."His eyebrows rose. "Are you two together already?"I casually nodded while sipping on my orange juice. "Uhuh…""Ma'am Cresia."One of our helpers entered the kitchen with a bouquet of flowers in her hand. She handed it to me. "There's delivery for you."I immediately smiled when I saw it was black roses. I opened the card and saw Lenos' handwritten note for me.Good morning. I'll pick you up before dinner tonight.
"WHAT are you doing here, sis?" Alfred asked me when he saw me standing outside of my door. I smiled. "I'm just trying to sink into myself that one of my dreams finally came true." Alfred smiled at me. "You did it, Cresia." He said, then gently tapped my head. "Thank you," I sincerely said, tearing up. "This wouldn't be possible without you and Dad's help." I told him. Today was the opening night of Polaris. Alfred and my father came with me earlier this morning at the ribbon cutting. They even surprised me with a cake. And now, Alfred was here with some of his friends. Dad just went home earlier because he needed to rest early. "Nah. It was your idea and effort and money. We just supported you on the sideline," Alfred said. "We're proud of you." I chuckled to blink away my tears. "Don't make me cry. Just go back inside with your friends." I jokingly pushed him away. "Melissa was looking for you." I said, talkin
"WELCOME to my room, Aunt Cresia," Leah said as we entered her room. My eyes roamed around the room. She had a very princessy room. It suited her. I smiled when I noticed a portrait painting of her displayed on the wall. "How old are you in this portrait?" I looked at her. She smiled at me. "Oh, I was five there." Leah said as she sat on the edge of her bed. She hugged a unicorn stuffed toy we got on when we went to the theme park. "Thank you for the dinner, Aunt Cresia," she said, yawning. "I feel so sleepy already." She said in a small voice while scrunching her eyes. It was already eight in the evening. After pushing Lenos back to his room earlier this afternoon, Leah and I played board games in the garden. Then I cooked fried chicken for dinner. When I checked Lenos in his room, I still found him sleeping. It was a good thing he was having a long rest. I sat beside Leah. "You should sleep now." I gentl
"THERE'S still a space up here for another couch," Melissa told me while she was showing me around the second floor of the bar. "No," I said as I shook my head. "It's already perfect. I don't want it to be crowded." I wanted the interior of my bar to be chic and yet laid back. I looked around the area. We're almost ninety percent done with the interior of the place. Last week, I already made a deal with all the suppliers. I was also done with hiring people that's going to be my employees. I planned to start their training right after we finished with the interior. I smiled at Melissa. She's done a wonderful job in transforming this old place in just two weeks. My brother Alfred didn't lie when he said she was one heck of an interior designer.
"I HAD so much fun today, Aunt Cresia." Leah said. "I enjoyed the rides, especially the anchor's away."We were already on our way home. It was already nine in the evening. It was almost six when we left the theme park."Yeah. You're full of energy earlier, Leah." I chuckled as I looked at her from the rear view mirror. Leah was a ball of sunshine."And you got so hungry you finished two orders of fried chicken," Lenos said, he also looked at Leah from the mirror."Dad, I just missed eating at Jollibee," Leah answered, her lips in purse. "But now, I feel so full and sleepy." Leah yawned and leaned on the headrest.I looked outside. "Don't worry, my home's only five minutes away." We were already inside
CAN you ask your Dad what time should I leave the house?I typed on my phone before I pressed send. I pursed my lips as I put down the phone on my dresser.Today was the weekend I asked Lenos for a date. I was already dressed. Leah asked me to wear something peach because she said she's gonna do the same. So now, I decided to wear a peach midi dress and white sandals.My hair was tied up in a French bun. We were going to a theme park so I know my hair will get messy.Leah and I…we've been texting each other since the day of her birthday. Not a minute later, I got a reply from her.Daddy said we're going to fetch you.Reall