Chapter 6: Just Friends

"I'm sorry, Tayla. If only I can make you stay in our house, I would. But you know our house is not that big and my Mom is a human Armalite, right?" Ella scratched her head and hold the edge of the map, glancing at me before she continued mopping the floor.

We are again, in Talk and Chill. Tomorrow I wouldn't be here for the class will start and I need a place where I can stay. Unluckily, Ella just told me that she can't help me.

I sighed. "I understand, Ella. Thanks for telling me early."

I turned around and went towards the sink to wash the dishes, my lips twisting a bit as I thought...why are we getting paid under minimum wage when we do almost all kinds of things in this chill bar? We should at least have an increase.

"Tayla, I don't understand you," Ella spoke behind me.

"Your Aunt Tanya stood as your guardian, yes. But you don't have to leave your own house!" She stood up and glanced at me with her bewildered, round eyes.

"It was your own house. You are now of legal age, ask them to leave instead!" she stretched her arms in front of me, shrugging her shoulders, and rolled her eyes.

The handle of the mop fell on the tiled floor, creating a thud and making her jerk from her position.

"They even forced you to move to the storage room. What are you? The modern-day Cinderella?" she murmurs.

True enough, my Aunt almost claimed the house as them. And now, I need to have my own place for I no longer want to be with them. I have planned this a long time ago but wasn't able to do it because of Terren. I promised myself that I will not leave him, but I won't be able to save enough money if I will be robbed again and again.

"Maybe I could get a bed space if that's the case," I answered and started to rinse the bubbles off the plates.

"Just scream in front of them, girl. Tell the birches to leave the house and throw all their things out of your home." I can almost picture out that Ella is rolling her eyes.

I smiled and shook my head before turning the faucet off and leaned my back at the sink, crossing my arms as I stared at her.

Her chubby cheeks are being hidden by the scattered strands of her black hair tied on a low ponytail. Droplets of sweats are falling down the side of her face, her eyes glued at the floor.

"You know I'm not like that. If I would do that thing then I am just as horrible as what they are." I licked my lips and dropped my right hand to my left arm, curling the sleeves of my polo up to my elbows.

"I will find a bed space. For now, I hope Terren would understand." I tied my hair up and put a powder on my face, making myself a bit presentable when I walk towards the stage.

I glanced at the whole, dimmed room. Some people are familiar, but some are not.

It was one of those nights where I wouldn't play with a band but alone with only a ukelele on my hand. I sometimes do this, whenever I feel sad or when I feel lonely, I will play a cute, happy song.

Very far from what my heart is feeling. It was because I believe I shouldn't drown myself with sorrow. I can be bold whenever I want to be and explode whenever I want. I shouldn't always be a ticking time bomb. People would always neglect the things in front of them just because of their emotions, but it shouldn't be like that.

Nothing is wrong with being sad, but when you work, you always need to put those aside because the latter would not adjust.

But what bothers me the most is that I am hunting for those pair of amethyst eyes. I am waiting for his eyes to meet mine and lock with his for some unknown reason. Like I want him to witness what I will do right now.

"Uhm...good evening!" I tried to make my side a bit jolly to caught their attention.

The people clapped their hands and some even cheered my name, but not seeing him made my lips quiver.

"We would be playing some songs from Sabrina Carpenters, I hope you can enjoy this as much as I do. I know we have different music tastes but listening to any other genres and styles would be great." I smiled and pushed the mic a bit lower before strumming the small, four-stringed instrument.

I sang the first verse, observing if someone entered the door. My mouth was continuously voicing out the lyrics, but my mind was flying towards the pair of eyes that I want to see.

I know I am not as confident as I am last week, but the thought of seeing the calming brown shade of orbs from Auton was enough to make me smile as I performed. And when I heard the sliding door open, my smile grew wider.

"And I think sometimes, I tend to be my own worst enemy and maybe sometimes..."

I ended the song with some hymns and followed it by another song from her, but this time, with Auton watching me in front. His head was tilting at his side, leaning his back and the side of his forehead to the black sofa. His arms crossed, legs spread wide apart and some hairs falling on his forehead, refusing to join the bun in his hair.

I felt my heart skip a bit. My words were halted, and the only thing that I could do to save the song is to strum and smile. I closed my eyes.

Why am I suddenly happy that he was here, watching one of my performances, and then suddenly tremble when I saw how his serious eyes were staring at me?

I finished the second song and made some thank yous and messages, answer some of the funny questions from the customers and bid my goodbye before walking back to the staff room, changing into my casual clothes before I go home and search for a dormitory or boarding house.

I guess I can settle with anything except for that house. I now know why Terren doesn't want to stay at home and chooses to be with his friends even if he knows the wife of my Aunt would scold him.

It was deafening, and I am already sick of the iterating words that I hear about respect and shits.

"Where are you going?"

I almost jumped when I heard Auton's deep voice at my side when I opened the door of the bathroom.

He was leaning at the wall, his other leg folded and his head cocking at the side.

"Why are you here again?" I tried to sound so stiff and averted my gaze.

Earlier I am so excited that I will see him but now, I just want him to vanish.

"You still have that bag behind you, where are you going, really?" He stood up and removed his hands inside his pocket, his arms tensing a bit and showing his veins.

"It's none of your business." I rolled my eyes and held the strap of my bag tighter before walking past him.

"You look like you're going nowhere. But do you want me to drive to anywhere you want?" I heard his steps following me behind, I shook my head and turned my shoes to face him.

"Don't you have something to do? You keep on pestering me."

What I am asking myself other than the loan and the handkerchief that I have from him, is why am I getting annoyed all of a sudden?

I continued walking while glancing at the roads near my workplace, searching for some rental signboards and papers pasted on the posts. Auton was following me behind, murmuring some questions I didn't bother to entertain.

"Bedspace for rent..." His low whisper behind me made me tilt my head and dart my eyes at him. His head was at my side, his eyes scanning the same post I am glancing at.

My eyes widened. The smell of alcohol and smoke filled my nose and made breathing a bit hard for me so I pushed him away.

"Are you trying to find a house?" He asked. A line appeared at the gaps on his brows and darted his eyes back at the cement pillar, tearing the paper and putting it in front of my face.

"Why do you care," I sneered and snatched the paper off his hands. "It's not like I am asking you about things in your life."

"You really are leaving your house? It must be the reason why you have such a big bag"

"And why are you here? For the handkerchief? I will give it back to you once I am done with my laundry. You need to–"

"You don't need to search for a bed space." He cut my words off.

I furrowed my brows and shook my head.

"You can live in my—I mean..." he made a facepalm and mutter some curses before glancing back at me.

"Listen, I have this...I mean, we have some unused condos where no one lives yet. You can live there. You don't need to search for petty bed spacers."

His words made my mind more perplexed. This unknown man whom I just met a week ago is here in front of me, offering a condo unit.

"I don't have enough money to pay a twenty thousand room for a month." I shook my head and started to punch the number of the contact person from that post when I heard him heave a sigh.

"You don't need to pay for the rent. It was free."

This time, my eyes widened. Is this man insane or something?

"Are you kidding me? Or you are just that rich that you would let me stay in one of your units? And we aren't even friends at that point." I hissed.

I put my phone in front of my ears when he snatched it away from me, making me glare and speak in a deep, yet intense voice as I tried to get it from here.

"Who said I want to be just friends with you?"