Chapter 4

"Yes, we're done. Are we opening now?" Ate Fait asked again. Kuya Mack nodded before Ate Fait went out to change the sign from "Close" to "Open."

A little while later, customers started to come in. I also began taking their orders, assisted by Ate Fait. Kuya Ray's restaurant was really bustling; it was packed with customers right after opening.

"What table is this?" I asked about the order I was holding.

"That’s Table 3!" Terrence shouted from inside the kitchen crew. I nodded even though he couldn't see me. I took the order and headed to Table 3.

"Here's your order," I said, placing the orders one by one in front of the man sitting there. But to my surprise, wow! Why is this guy so handsome? It's jaw-dropping. It's rare for me to find a man attractive, so it's a miracle if I ever have a crush. But this man gives me vibes. My description of him isn't enough to express how handsome he is. All I can say is, damn, he looks perfect!

"Where's the drink?" He spoke, and I was momentarily stunned, not processing his question as my attention was solely focused on his face. Shit, why is his voice so husky? My attraction to this man was overwhelming.

It took a few seconds for my brain to process what he asked. "A-ah, wait a moment, Sir." I was about to leave but realized I forgot something. "What drink do you want, sir?"

"Coke," he replied briefly. I nodded and went back to the counter, my heart pounding with nerves.

"Why are you blushing, Cath? Are you okay?" Grace, one of the cashiers at the restaurant, asked as she noticed my flushed face.

"Ah, I'm fine, really." I knew I looked silly for stumbling over my words, but at least I tried to manage myself.

"Okay, you say so." She said and returned to her work. I entered the kitchen crew and asked for a Coke.

For some unknown reason, my heart was racing, and my hands were shaking. I felt like I might faint from the nervousness. What’s happening to me? I let out a deep sigh before finally bringing the drink to his table.

"Miss, are you okay?" the handsome customer asked. "Your hand is shaking." I quickly placed the Coke down and hid my trembling hands.

"Ah, I-I'm fine, sir. I'll just go now. Enjoy your meal," I said quickly and rushed back to the counter.

"I know why you're blushing," Grace suddenly said. I looked at her, frowning. "You have a crush on him, right?" she pointed to the man I served earlier.

"What? No!" I defended myself, trying to act like she was wrong. I tried to act normal to convince her, but I guess it didn't work.

"Come on, stop denying it. It's obvious from your actions. And I can't blame you for having a crush on Vincent; he’s really handsome," Grace teased, looking mischievous.

"Vincent?" I asked, looking at her.

"Yeah, his full name is Clevincent Madriano Suitarez. Handsome and rich, but he eats at places like this even though he has a lot of money. By the way, he’s also a professor—he owns Zector State University."

"That's a long name," I remarked, glancing at the guy. A professor, huh? What if he becomes my teacher? Manifesting, Lord, maybe. "Wait, how do you know his full name?" I asked, giving Grace a suspicious look.

She chuckled softly. "Come on, he’s famous, and so is his twin. You really don't know what's happening in the world," Grace said, laughing, which made me bow my head in embarrassment, but my curiosity didn't end there.

"Twin? He has a twin?" I asked, amazed.

"Yep! His twin is Calvinen Quitir Suitarez. He's also really handsome. They’re twins but don't look alike, though they have similar personalities—both are kind. I used to have a huge crush on Calvinen, but not anymore; I know I can't have him," Grace said, playing with her hands. I nodded and returned my gaze to the guy. A few women approached him for selfies. I watched them, even though I wanted to pull those flirty girls away from him.

Once he finished eating, I quickly approached to clean up his table. I bent down to wait for him to pay.

"Tip for you," he said, handing me a thousand-peso bill, winking when our eyes met. But my attention wasn't on the tip; it was on the fact that he was giving me one.

My eyes widened at the size of the tip. Is he serious? But then again, he’s rich, so I pocketed the tip and started cleaning his table. While cleaning, I couldn't take my eyes off him until he finally left the restaurant.

"You're checking him out!" Ate Fait suddenly chimed in, hitting my arm. I nearly jumped from her sudden appearance.

"No, I was just looking outside to see if any customers were coming in," I defended.

"Oh please! Grace already told me," she said, rolling her eyes. That Grace is so untrustworthy; you can never count on her to keep quiet.

"Well, I believe her," I said, lifting a tray of plates and taking them inside.

All day, my mind was floating, thinking about that man. I think I have a crush on him. Sometimes I catch myself smiling, imagining him. What is happening to me? Is this love at first sight?

I know it sounds silly, but that's how I felt.

"You're smiling again. Wake up; you won't get him," Ate Fait interrupted, laughing at me.

"You’re such a buzzkill! And who knows, we might end up together someday. Don’t worry, Ate Fait, I’ll make you the godmother of our future kids," I said with a smile, indulging in my delusional thoughts.

"Sure, dream on! Sometimes it’s nice to have a crush on a guy. Enjoy your dreaming," Ate Fait said, patting my back before leaving. I felt a bit down from what she said.

It was already six in the evening, and I still couldn't get that guy out of my mind. I smiled as I recalled his face. Why is he so handsome? It’s so romantic. We were all leaving, and people were starting to file out of the restaurant.

"I'll head out first," I said as I exited the restaurant. I decided to walk home to refresh my mind from thoughts of him.

But I almost got shocked when I suddenly bumped into Vincent as I left the restaurant. My heart raced. I quickly walked back inside, clutching my chest.

"Oh, what happened to you?" Grace asked, also exiting the restaurant. I straightened up quickly.

"Ah, nothing. Are you leaving?" I asked, acting a bit silly as I wrapped my arm around her.

"Not yet; I’m meeting a friend for drinks. I think she’s heartbroken. You go ahead," she said, and I felt a bit disappointed by her reply, so I let go of my arm from her shoulder.

"Oh Cath, I thought you had already left?" Ate Fait asked, coming out of the kitchen with her things.

"Ah, I just forgot something. I’ll head out now. Bye!" I waved my hand as I stepped outside.

I took a deep breath and started walking home. When I got home, Lola was already there, and the dining table was set. We ate together.

"Oh, by the way, I paid the electricity bill this morning. Ate Janet came by to collect," I informed Lola.

"How much did she ask for? I already paid for the water bill earlier when I got home; the collector was just there," she replied.

I wanted to pay the water bill myself, but I knew Lola wouldn’t let me. She knows my money won't be enough for the bills, but I still wanted to take care of everything so Lola wouldn’t have to worry about payments.

"It was three thousand for the electricity," I answered while eating.

"Do you still have money left? You might need it for your school supplies this Saturday since classes start again on Monday," Lola asked, worried as always.

"I still have some savings, Lola, don’t worry," I replied, continuing my meal.

"If you run out, just tell me, and I’ll give you some from my savings. It’s for you anyway. Just make sure to study hard, okay? Fulfill your dreams," Lola advised, a promise I would never break.

"Yes, Lola, I promise that one day when I become an architect, I’ll build a house designed by me and give it to you," I said with a smile.

"Alright, now finish your food. You can wash the dishes tomorrow so you can rest," she said, and I nodded.

After we finished eating, I headed to my room, and so did Lola. I quickly changed into my sleepwear and lay down on my bed. I wanted to sleep, but I wasn't feeling sleepy yet. So, I grabbed my cellphone from the table.

I searched for "Clevincent Madriano Suitarez" on F******k, hoping to find his account. I waited anxiously as it loaded.

Many accounts popped up. Which one could be his? I scrolled through the accounts to find his, but I couldn’t locate it. I backed out, realizing I couldn’t find his account.

Wait.

I opened my F******k again and searched for "Vincent Suitarez." A lot appeared, but one account caught my attention. I stalked it and finally found his account. I was about to roll around in joy until I saw that it was private. What a bummer! I found his account, but it was private.

I hesitated to click the "add friend" button. He might not accept me since he doesn’t know me. But in the end, I clicked it anyway. I turned off my phone and set it beside me. Time to sleep; I need to stop daydreaming. Before I drifted off, I grabbed my phone again and played some Nicki Minaj songs, my favorite rapper and singer.

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