Chapter 5: Take it or fake it

The following day back on Campus...

Edward arrives at the university with a heavy heart and a disoriented mind. He is lack energy and walks like he is dragging his feet from the floor just to make it through the school. The disappointment is shown on his face when he saw Joaquin waiting for him at the school building entrance.

"The man of the hour, mah friend Edward! How are you?"Joaquin asks excitedly. "You're late and missed the first half of the class. Someone got all the action last night." He winked at him.

Joaquin has no clue about what happens on Edward's date with Regina. He is eager and anxious to get the details out of him. Joaquin drags his friend away from the crowd, and they walk toward the back of the school to have some privacy.

"She's not the one," Edward bluntly said with a sad voice looking disappointed.

"Huh? What happen?" Joaquin worriedly asked and started to look concerned.

Edward took a deep breath and releases an audible sigh before he narrates what happened last night.

"When we are in the cellar, she acts like it was her first time to be there. I thought that if we re-enact what happened before then it will jog her memory. We drink a little then we started to get intimate."

"Oh man, I'm so jealous!" Joaquin felt apprehensive wanting to hear more of the juicy details. "I can't believe that my best friend banged Regina Montemayor. What a lucky guy!"

Joaquin pats Edward's shoulder feeling proud of what he thought is an accomplishment. However, Edward doesn't feel the same. He is still frustrated with the whole situation. They both took a moment of silence and sit on one of the benches in the schoolyard.

"Believe me, dude. How I wished that she is the one, but she's not," Edward depressingly said.

"How did you know that she is not the one?" Joaquin curiously asked him.

"When I unhook her bra..." He paused and shakes his head, "her tits disappear before my eyes, it's like it was there before and suddenly it's gone, her bosoms became so small I don't know why and couldn't find the rest of it" Edward looking so confused.

Joaquin burst out laughing. He can't believe how ignorant his friend is. He almost fell on the ground with teary eyes from laughing so hard.

"I'm fucking serious, dude," he irritably said and glared at Joaquin.

"Yeah, I feel you man, boobs can be deceiving," Joaquin said.

"You mean looks can be deceiving right?" Edward tries to correct the phrase.

"No, boobs can be deceiving! Ever since Regina's parents invented the wonder bra and girl's boobs are magically transformed from cup A to C. like you are looking at an optical illusion. Are you sure the mysterious girl is not wearing a wonder bra maybe her boobs are not that big too?" Joaquin starts to wonder.

"She's not wearing any bra. I mean the mysterious girl, her boobs are naturally big and I don't recall her wearing a bra or underwear," Edward firmly said with confidence.

"Hmmm... She sounded so liberated!" Joaquin's brows raised.

"I highly doubt that her kiss was so innocent and I'm very certain that I am her first." Edward sighed while rubbing his fingers over his pendant. "Regina is more aggressive and dominant. She wanted to be in control," he added.

"Wait a minute. If Regina is aggressive and dominant like you said she was, then it means you knew all along that she is not the one." Joaquin's eyes gleamed waiting for his friend's reply.

"I think so." Edward is a little bit hesitant.

"You think so, but then why did you continue to get intimate with her?" Joaquin continues to interrogate his friend. He has no plan in stopping until he is satisfied with his answer.

Edward knew that there was no sense in lying to his friend for Joaquin has been his friend for as long as he could remember. They are like brothers and know each other so well.

"To be honest, I am still hoping that it was her although deep down inside I knew that she is not the one. I mean Regina is too good to be true," he exasperated.

"I know right? She is every man's dream," Joaquin agrees with him.

"Plus, she gave me the best head." Edward's face immediately turns red as he reminisces about last night's event.

"No fucking way!" he astonishingly said with his eyes wide open. "How I wish someone like her would suck my little man." Joaquin starts to caress his love pump.

"The whole night my mind is thinking about the mysterious girl, and I couldn't do it with Regina, so I decided to stop and end our date."

Joaquin felt bad for his friend for falling in love with a girl whom they don't even know the name of. He never saw Edward in this kind of dilemma before. He is the type of guy that doesn't give care or is interested in a woman. All he can do right now is give his full support to his friend in any way he can.

"Damn. You did not even finish what a tragic way to end a story."

"It felt like I'm cheating on my mystery girl. How I wish I can see her again," Edward said while gazing at the people who were passing by them.

"Well, my friend, good thing I set you up on another date! Do you remember Martina Villarreal, the girl with a voluptuous ass? You'll meet her after ass. I mean class," Joaquin cheerfully said.

"You've just become the official Pimp I don't know how you manage to get all these bookings" Edward's face lighten up.

"I'm your wingman! Just don't ask too much, now go get 'em, tiger!" Joaquin placed his arms over Edward's shoulder trying to cheer him up.

They were about to head back to the school building when they saw Ella strolling alone in the school's backyard. She looks to be in a hurry and tries not to draw attention from other students.

"You go ahead, and I'll catch you up later," Edward said to Joaquin and left to follow Ella.

"Dude, don't forget about your date tonight. Try not to be late," Joaquin reminded his friend, but Edward doesn't seem to hear him. He is focused on catching up with Ella.

Ella went straight to the botanical garden at the back of the university. Only a few people went there. There are tables and benches situated in the place and Ella sits on one of the benches there to eat her lunch and enjoy the peace of the place.

"Hey there, stranger," Edward greeted her with a smile. "What are you doing all alone in this place?"

Ella took out a zip lock plastic with two slices of bread from her backpack bag and places them on top of the table.

"I was hoping to enjoy my lunch peacefully here," she sardonically said and forcibly faked a smile.

"That's what you're having for lunch?" he said in disbelief.

"Yeah, why?" she confusedly asked him. "I don't have money to buy food from the canteen, so I brought my lunch," she casually explained to him and took a bite of her sandwich.

Edward suddenly felt sorry for Ella. He can't stand to see her eating just a slice of plain bread for lunch while others are eating the most expensive meal in the canteen. Edward took Ella's hand and pulls her out from the bench.

"Come with me," he said in a commanding tone and forcibly drags her towards the school building.

"Wait. Where are you taking me? I'm not finished eating," she worriedly said and attempts to remove his hand from her. Unfortunately, Edward was too strong for her, and he has no plan of letting her go.

"I'm taking you to the canteen, so you can eat decent food," he said to her, and they continue to walk towards the busy hallway.

"Edward please everyone is staring at us," she whispered to him and begged him to release her hand.

Ella lowered her head out of embarrassment. Everyone is looking at them with judging eyes and started to gossip. She can hear them whispering to one another, bewildered and confused about why Edward is hanging around with someone like her. Edward ignores them and continues to enter the canteen and they both stop in front of the counter.

"Are you ashamed of me?" he seriously asked her.

"No, but..." Edward interrupts her before she finishes with her explanation.

"I don't see anything wrong if we hang out. Don't you want us to be friends?"

"Why do you want to be friends with someone like me?"

"As I said before, you reminded me of someone that I used to know," he firmly said to her.

"Is that the only reason?" Ella gives him a doubtful look.

Edward did not respond to her question, instead, he changes the topic and focuses on the foods in front of them.

"Take whatever you want," Edward said and waves his hand over the buffet of expensive food.

"Are you crazy? The foods here are too expensive, and I don't have money to pay for it," she said in a low tone and glared at him.

"I'll pay for it. Consider it as my treat and stop asking me why." Edward smiled at Ella trying to persuade her.

Ella's pride is telling her not to accept his offer, but her mouth is drooling over the succulent food in front of her. There are different cuisines to choose from. There are international foods consisting of Arabic, European, Asian, and Western dishes. Her eyes won't stop staring at the delicious food that she hasn't tasted before.

"Are you sure I can have whatever I want?" Her eyes sparkled with joy.

"Yes. Eat whatever your tummy desire." He chuckles.

Ella immediately grabs two sets of food tray and stack them with different types of food. From pasta, burgers, barbeques, and steaks. She also took a bucket filled with different kinds of seafood and lastly, she took different types of cakes and sweets for dessert. Edward told the canteen staff to charge all her food under his account. He instructed them to help Ella with her food and carry them to their table. They both sat in the middle of the canteen ignoring everyone around them.

Edward sat on the opposite side of the table and in front of Ella. He enjoys watching her stuff her face with food and eat deliciously.

"This is so good," she keeps complimenting the food with every bite. "I never tasted anything like this. This is now my favorite food," she said about every food she tasted.

"Slow down or you might choke," he said to her.

Edward extends his arm to reach her face. He gently removes a piece of crumb from her cheeks. Ella was startled by his action. They stared at each other for a few lazy minutes before she turns her head away from him. She can feel her cheeks burning and blushing from his stare. Ella felt uneasy and Edward immediately notices it, so he decided to change the topic.

"I need to get going and prepare for my date," he said looking at the time on his wristwatch.

"Oh, you're going on a date?" Sadness clouded her face.

"Yeah, Joaquin keeps setting me on a date," he jokingly said to her and giggle.

Ella wipes her hand clean and took out the plastic zip-lock from her bag. She starts putting the leftover food inside the plastic.

"What are you doing?" he curiously asked her.

"Haven't you heard of a takeaway? I don't want to waste food. These are too expensive to throw away and I am going to eat these for later," she said and continues to fill her plastic with food.

Ella carefully places the plastic inside her bag. She took out a small box from her bag and handed it over to Edward.

"I got this for you," she said smiling.

Edward took the small box from her. He places it near his ear and starts shaking it trying to guess what's in it.

"What is it?" he curiously asked her.

Edward already knew that wasn't something expensive simply by looking at its box. For some reason, a bliss of joy emanates on his face maybe because the gift was given with sincerity.

"It's a thank-you gift for last time," she said before she stood up from her chair and left.

A smile curves into his mouth, and he excitedly opens the box. He was stunned to see a small crystal inside of it. He takes a closer look at the crystal and notices a piece of the sticker being ripped from it. He burst into laughter while reading what is written on the ripped-off sticker. "Congratulations Clair.." when he flips the crystal to the other side, there is another ripped sticker that says... "Made in Chin..." He just shook his head in disbelief.

"Unbelievable, did she just give me a recycled party gift away souvenir?"