"My instinct is functioning really well and great. I really knew I would find you here.” A man came, I felt him sit next to me. "Have you come from Miss Fiona's?"
I nodded. "You?"
"I just got back too. Where were you deployed?"
“Amana Beach and Resort.”
“Same!” He grabbed my arm. "Irene, we share the same place. I’m going to fetch you everyday at your house, so you won’t be late. How’s that sound?”
I just laughed at him before shaking my head. "It's a hassle for you to pass by our house. Your journey will take too long. I can handle myself, I'll just limit reading online books, so I don't stay up late anymore."
"Are you sure you don't want to come with me? Even going home?”
I shook my head. “Not anymore, Harold. I can handle myself. I'm sure I'm used to going home alone…”
And it looks like I'm about to get used to living alone as well.
"It's up to you," he said. "But you know, I'm excited for next week. My excitement doubled because you are the one who will be there with me," he added in between laughs.
At this time, I don't know how I will feel upon hearing the words he uttered. Will I be happy, sad or excited? Maybe because his words just make me have high hopes, but in the end... I'll be the one to cry again. Why is it so hard to detach my feelings for him after so many years have passed?
"Why?"
"It's simple... 'cause I have a friend working in the same workplace."
Yes, a friend. Why should I hope that there is something in what he said? Couple of years have passed... and still I'm a friend to him. Admittedly, I hoped that there would be a chance for us, but I almost forgot that he actually has a girlfriend.
Such an idiot, Irene!
"Are you okay?"
I came back to my senses when he spoke. "O-Of course." I pulled my lips to curve a smile. "Why wouldn't I?"
"You seemed problematic," he said. "Are you sure you're really okay, Irene?"
The only thing I did was to avert my gaze at him. Is it too obvious that I have a problem and even Harold has noticed that? I forced myself to look like I'm okay... but why do they still see the sadness I'm trying to hide?
"Nothing!" I smiled, hoping it would hide the sadness in my eyes. "How are you and Celine?"
"Huh? Going strong," he answered. "But now, we seem to quarrel again. And you know I’m used to her, being unpredictable sometimes," he laughed.
"You're such a naughty guy." I hit him lightly on the arm. "What are you waiting for there? Why don't you persuade your girlfriend and please stop talking to me about trivial things."
He shook his head. "I'll wait for her head to cool down before I make sure to talk to her. You know that, right? No problem or issue is solved if you are both hot-headed. Maybe it will grow even more if that's the case."
"Fix that while you can... before you regret not doing it." I tapped his shoulder. "You both are in love with each other, so I hope you treasure the moment you've shared together. I hope your relationship lasts longer."
"You're too serious, Irene. Why are you like that?”
"Like what?" I chortled. "Ever since you've met me, I've been like this, huh? I've been a serious type of person since I was born, right?"
"Really, huh?" He poked my cheeks. "You're so cute."
I was stunned for a second because of what he said. There are his fall words again, rousing me again to hope that there is still a chance for both of us. That's the problem with men, they don't know that with the words they say, they make women have high hopes for them. They give hope to something that, in the beginning, is absolutely impossible to happen.
He pulled my cheeks, forcing my lips to smile. "You're more beautiful when you're always smiling, Irene. Why don't you make it a hobby?"
“Are you--”
"We just had a fight, and then I see you flirting with someone else?!"
I removed Harold's grip on my cheek to make sure to quickly get away from him.
"What is it, Harold? Are you really forcing me to break up with you?!”
I approached Celine. "That doesn't mean--"
"You bitch, don’t touch me!" She pushed me hard away from her. "I thought you and Harold were just friends? Do any friends do such a thing? I still trust you, Irene! But I didn't expect you to betray me!”
"Celine, stop!" Harold weaned here. "Could you please calm down and at least hear my explanation?"
"For what?" Celine laughed, sarcastically. "Why should I listen to your explanation? To let you lie and cover up your affair with Irene?!”
"Babe, it's not what you think. I will not lie to you, so please hear my side," Harold pleaded.
I should have distanced myself from Harold long ago. I wouldn't let him get close to me anymore, I hope nothing like this happens, right? I know Celine, she is the type of woman who is very jealous. It wasn't the first time she was jealous of me… but even then, her anger subsided quickly. But now, it is different.
For fvck sake, I wouldn’t forgive myself if they broke up because of me. I can’t take it seeing them wrecking their relationship just because of someone like me.
“Celine, let me explain. You're thinking wrong--”
"You're a liar, Irene!"
She threw her hand in the air, her palm was about to land on my cheek to slap my face... yet suddenly, her hand supposedly landing on my face got interrupted.
"Let go of me! Who are you?!"
"Don't you ever dare slap her with your filthy hands, lady."
We both stared at each other as his gaze fell on me. He smiled at me as he placed his hand on my waist, pulling me closer to him. "Get your hands off my girlfriend."
I was stunned and was like… Who’s this guy?!
"Girlfriend?" Harold and Celine, and I asked the man who suddenly appeared.I also got confused because I don't know him so why would he just say that I am his girlfriend? Is this man crazy?"Excuse me--"He smiled at me. "Let's go?" He held my hand and was about to drag me out there but he stopped. He looked at Celine while being calmed. "Make it a hobby to listen to your boyfriend's explanation before jumping to conclusions, huh?"And we walked away from that place... Still he's holding my hand. As much as I wanted to walk away from this strange man, I couldn't. I lost my strength because of what happened, my brain just couldn't process things easily as of the moment."Thank me later," as he stopped from walking, he started talking. "I deserve it, don't I?""Why did you do that?" I went straight to the point. "I don't even need your help, so why did you do that? We don't know each other in the first place, so what right do you have to interfere in my life?"“Is that the way you than
"They’re saying I’m brave enough to accept the fact that the man I used to admire won't really like me. It's pretty normal to feel pain at first, trying to accept the reality that the man you like doesn’t feel the same as you, believe me that shattered my heart into pieces. But the central idea here is that when I accepted his rejection towards me and learned to accept that we were not meant for each other, I began to be determined to change myself.""Upon realizing the things that I should eradicate in my life, I changed for the better. I've been rejected once but I'm still thankful because that happened… Because that was the way for me to find a man who can accept me completely. Being able to love the real me... The old me, and the new me," Delancy said with a smile.Did they approach me on purpose? To lecture me about rejection. If that's the case, I owe these two a thank you. Indeed, people tend to learn from others' experiences… And because of what they both said, I learned anoth
I smiled a little. I didn't expect that I would suddenly feel good about Israel. Maybe his confession to me that he was my secret admirer helped, so I stopped being mean to him. He looks like a sensible man... And maybe I'll just wait for the day to come when, through his old-fashioned courting style, I'll fall for him.I don't think it would possibly happen... But I don't want to spearhead destiny."Who is that man I saw here earlier?" I was about to enter the gate, only to be greeted by Stacy's surprised face. Obviously, she's referring to Israel. "Who's that guy, Irene?"I raised my left eyebrow at her, giving her a bored look. "Why do you even care?""Of course, I care!" she exclaimed. "Because that guy looks familiar."Israel looks familiar to Stacy? Do they know each other?"You're not answering my question, Irene! Who is that man?!"I came back to my senses when Stacy spoke again. All I can do is to stare at her blankly, finding the right word to utter at this moment."Whoever
"Are you a service crew here?" she asked, very amused. "Are you a working student?"I immediately looked away, I felt like she was insulting me by the way she said those words. This is one of the disadvantages of being a working student... When your acquaintances or classmates see you working.Never did I imagine that it could also possibly happen to me. That feeling when Celine saw me struggling to wipe the tables, I felt insulted. I felt downgraded."Irene," she mentioned my name again. "Look, I'm just asking you a question, but I didn't mean to offend you. Well, the answer to the question is obvious, so why did I bother to ask anyway?" She laughed at her own statement. "I'm sorry if I ever stepped on your ego. But seriously, I'm not here to poke fun at you.""Of course, you're here to order a meal, aren't you?" I faked a smile. "Can I take your order?""Irene…" She held my hand. "I want to apologize for what I did to you last time. I was just so angry when I saw you and Harold toge
"Is that funny?" Now he is the one who is getting mad at me. "I'm just saying, Irene... Stop working. You’re living in such a pretty and huge mansion, so why do you need to work? You look rich-""I work for myself. Is that bad? When you can afford all expensive goods or you’re rich, you're not allowed to work?""Unless you have a deeper reason for doing that," he said. "You must have thought I had forgotten your confession to me before... When I was still Teddie, The Teddy Bear.""I think it's my obligation to provide for my family's needs," since he already unleashed what I’m trying to hide, I stopped from telling lies. "Let’s cut the superstition that parents are responsible to provide what their children need forever. They’re job won’t last long. It's too early, but I think this is the perfect time for me to hand over money to them.""Almost two years ago, I decided to combine studying with working... 'Cause I think I have to. My life was not easy, but look at me now, I am survivin
"You know them, Magi?"One by one, the group of men who were playing ball in the pool came up one by one. Those men I also stared at for a minute because of their attractive abs."Ahh, yeah!" Magi replied."It's a long story if we talk about here how we met Irene," Delancy said, she looked at me then smiled. "One thing I can assure to all of you... She's nice. And so, she became our friend."I was shocked by Delancy's description of me, especially when she said that I am now their friend. I can't explain my joy once I hear those words from her tongue. It's just a fun feeling to have someone like them that is willing to flex me as one of their friends."Do you know them?" Harold asked me in a whisper, I was busy putting down the tray I was holding on the table."Long story," I whispered back to him."She just doesn't look nice," said a man while busily brushing his hair."Pretty."The compliments I receive from them are so great, maybe my head will suddenly grow bigger!"Distance bro,"
I'm busy cleaning the second floor since I haven't been asked to do anything yet. My image would really turn bad if the staff caught me being lazy at work and having no initiative, it can lower grades, or otherwise, lower wages.One thing I learned as a part-timer is that... I learn to initiate work. Waiting for a command from your superior is an epitome of being dependent. In the working world, I learned not to wait from their command. Instead, start to be initiative to work without waiting for their orders. It's not like a person will always act based on the orders of his superiors. We are not robots that will move when dictated.My attention was caught when I reached the veranda, I could see from here where Magi were. They are still here but now, I can see that Eli is with them.How I met him... Because he’s an actor. I admired him so much when they were singing at school with his bandmates... I didn't expect that it was Alec and friends. Since then, I have been following him until
My first day of OJT is over. When I left the resort at eight o'clock, I had a half-hour travel time before arriving at the jeep terminal. While waiting for a jeep to arrive at the terminal, I briefly distracted myself from Facebook.But surprisingly, someone disturbed me from scrolling at my newsfeed... Who else is the first placer for disturbing me if not Israel?"What are you doing here?" I asked him in wonder."Do people do anything else at the jeep terminal besides riding jeeps?" He's pretty obvious that he's trying to tease me."Really?" I pretended to be surprised by his answer. "Don't tell me, you're also riding the same jeepney---""Why not?" he replied. "You don't want to, do you? You'll be going home with someone from now on."My forehead suddenly creased. "What are you saying?""Is that how you welcome your new villager?" He pouted at me, acting like he's baiting me to make me feel guilty. "We just moved a while ago to the same village where you live, so yes... I can always