Chapter 3: Nostalgia

San Lorenzo University is one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Most of the students who went there belonged to rich and famous families. There are only a few students whose families belonged to the middle class because the school fees are way too expensive compared to other universities. Getting a scholarship is not easy and there is only one student who is intelligent enough to get that privilege.

The University is famous for its business management courses. Students are expected to take over their family business after they graduated. The university serves as their training ground and it is the best way to get connections at an early stage.

Next day on Campus...

"Edward, mah man, you're just in time!" Joaquin is standing in the corridor waiting for Edward.

"Hey, man, what's up?" he casually replied and raises his hand for a high five.

They both have this habit of weird nerdy hand gestures every time they meet. It is a sign of their close bond and friendship.

"Guess what? I have arranged a date for you with Regina Montemayor. Am I your Fairy God Father or what?" Joaquin proudly said.

Joaquin is the type of guy who is friendly only to those who will benefit him. For him, nothing comes for free and everything has its price. There are only a few people whom he considered friends and one of those is Edward. He has been loyal and sincere to him ever since.

"You're more like a pimp if you ask me," he sarcastically replied. "Hold on a second isn't she the one with the big tits?" Edward inquisitively inquires and suddenly becomes interested in her.

"You got it right on the spot mah man and if she is the one, you are one lucky guy."

Joaquin pulls his friend closer, wraps his arms around Edward's neck, and presses his knuckles onto his mound. Everyone around them turns their heads as they get too much attention from the crowd for being playful. Edward was too quick to escape from his friend and was able to back away from him. He casually fixed himself and glared at his friend to stop being puckish before they continue to walk through the busy corridors.

"I will be truly blessed if she is the one," Edward sounded thrilled and excited.

"I'm not talking about just big titties or finding love. Dude, she is the heir to the largest shopping mall in our district, and it will be good for your wine business if you ended up marrying her. Plus, her family is on top in the fashion industry."

"Whoa, that is too heavy to process," he immediately stops his friend from overthinking. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Edward raises both of his arms and waves his hands across each other.

He was about to enter the classroom when Joaquin grabs his arm and stops him from entering the room.

"Where are you going? You need to hurry up and get ready 'cause you are going on a date. She may be the one you are looking for. This is your chance to get to know each other!" Joaquin pushes Edward away from the classroom.

"Hold on. We still have one more class to attend and are we in the same class as Regina?"

Edward hurriedly steps inside the room and looks around searching for Regina. Unfortunately, she is nowhere in sight. 

"Yeah, but she left early today to go to the saloon. She was too thrilled when I asked her to go on a date with you." Joaquin gave him a dirty look and the corner of his lips quirked up.

"Where am I supposed to meet her?"

Joaquin places his arm over the shoulder of his worried friend and gives him a reassuring smile.

"Good question. I will text and tell her that you will pick her up at her residence after class. 

"Now you are beginning to sound like a Fairy God Father!"

Time flies so fast and the classes are finally over. Edward left the school with his favorite car 967 Chevy Impala. On his way to the long highway going to Regina's residence, he saw Ella walking on the sidewalk. Edward slows down and pulls over beside her.

"Where are you going?" he curiously asked her. 

"Home," Ella quickly replied and continues to walk. 

Edward notices that her body is all covered in grease and she's been sweating a lot due to the extreme heat of the sun.

"Don't you have a car? Your home is too far from school and it would take you at least an hour and a half to get there if you continue to walk," he worried said.

"Why do you care?" she murmured but loud enough for him to hear it. "It will take me more than an hour and a half if you don't stop pestering me," she irritably said without even looking at him.

Edward was shocked by her reaction, and he was forced to come out of his car to confront her face-to-face.

"C'mon, I am trying to be nice here. Can you just be nice to me too?" He looks straight into her eyes. He looks more sincerer than he sounds.

"I'm sorry. Today is a bad day for me. My bike broke down on me. I try to fix it, but I don't have enough tools with me," she depressingly said to him. She glanced up to the sky to prevent her eyes from tearing.

Edward simply gave her a deadpan stare and didn't react to her grievance. He returns to his car and starts the engine. 

"Get in, and I will drop you at your house," he casually said to her.

"I'm covered in grease. I might stain your seat cover," she sheepishly said tucking her hair over her ear.

"So what?" he said while raising a brow. "It's hot out there just get inside the car." This time he said it in a very commanding tone.

Ella instinctively rushes inside the car after hearing Edward's demand. She tried her best not to make any sudden moves to avoid staining the car with the grease from her clothes and skin. They were both quiet and had an awkward moment the entire trip. It's a long deafening silence until Ella speaks up.

"Why are so kind to me?" she softly speaks out of curiosity.

"Let's just say that you reminded me of someone." Edward smiles at her.

"Who is she?" she asked. Ella suddenly became interested in the topic judging by the excitement in her tone. 

"Who says that it's a she?" Edward squinted. "It's a boy that I met when I'm still young," he clarifies.

"I see." She sounded disappointed.

Edward immediately notices the change in Ella's mood.

"Did I say something wrong?" he confusedly asked.

"What? Nothing. Can you please turn on the radio?" she changes the topic.

"Girls and their mood swings," Edward said before he turns on the radio.

Ella decided to end the conversation and just focus her attention on the scenery outside the window. On the other hand, Edward turns on the radio to change the mood of the atmosphere. They are almost near their destination when Ella noticed Edward staring at her from the rear-view mirror. She straight away accosted him.

"Eyes on the road, Einstein!"

Edward was baffled and lost his focus on driving after hearing her say those words. He loses his grip on the stirring wheel making the car swerve on the other side of the road. There is a trailer truck coming from the opposite side of the road and he immediately turns the wheel to return to his lane. He makes a sudden stop once they are cleared of the incident.

Their hearts are pounding so hard almost jump out of their chest. It is trembling like a drum and they are both catatonic. Edward's hands were still shaken by the event and Ella's mouth remains wide open for she is screaming without any sound the entire time. 

"We almost die there. What were you thinking?" she said while holding her chest with both of her hands. 

Ella was breathing heavily and catching her breath. She stops breathing and holds her breath the entire time that Edward is driving trying to dodge the trailer van from hitting them.

"You startled me!" he furiously said to her.

"Because you're creeping me out!"

Edward's eyes widened at her reaction like memories flashed before his eyes. He suddenly feels nostalgic.

"What did you just say?"

Ella immediately changes the topic and points her index finger to the window. "Look we are here," she excitedly said to him.

"Ella, wait!" 

He tries to stop her, but she pretended not to hear him. Ella is too quick to remove her seatbelt and open the door. She turns her head and smiled at Edward before she thanked him.

"Thank you for everything. I appreciate all your help!" 

Ella jumps off the car and hurriedly runs toward the yard. Everything happens so fast that Edward was not able to react and was startled by how quickly she runs off. He just stared at her and scanned her from head to toe while she was running to the front door of her house. 

"Nah, it's impossible. What am I thinking?" 

He shrugs off all the possibilities that Ella could be the one he is looking for by judging her lack of sense of fashion. All of his doubts and uncertainty vanish as he takes another look at her before she enters her house. She doesn't even look attractive with the thick specs and baggy clothes that are filled with grease. She is too filthy and didn't even look and act like a proper lady.

Edwards laughs at himself before he starts his engine and leaves. 

"It can't be her."