Chapter 5
1247 Words
Catherine
“Yes! It’s over!” Linda exclaimed happily.
Yes, it was over. Now we were just going to wait for the result and I hoped everything would turn out okay. Linda and I studied together before we faced the exam. We took many classes together so we could spend more time.
“So, do you have any plan today?” she asked.
“Yeah. I’m going out with Ricardo. Said he has a surprise for me.”
“Ooh, maybe he’s going to confess to you.”
“N-No. Maybe he just wants to celebrate that the exam is finally over and I can take a break,” I said. I didn’t want to get my hopes too high. Although I was slightly hoping he would do that.
I knew Ricardo loved me but I didn’t know whether he loved me as his precious friend or as a woman he wanted to be as his girlfriend.
“Well, girl. It’s okay if you’re hoping for him. It’s normal when you’re in love. I’m rooting for you, okay? But you have to think realistically and accept the result, whatever it will be. I have this feeling telling me that he loves you too.”
“I hope your intuition is right, babe.”
“Well, if you were rejected, James is still available. I forgot to tell you he was here before but he has to go back to New York. He already promised he would come back for my graduation but I don’t know. Sometimes he loves his work more than his cousin.” I laughed at her joke. The world of a workaholic, I think.
I also wanted to meet James. Linda told me so about him and I was curious.
My phone buzzed and I took it out of my bag. Seeing a text from Ricardo.
I’m at the front.
“Linda, I have to go now.”
“Sure! Have fun, babe!” She hugged me and I ran out of the class, heading toward the front.
As usual, he was riding his favorite Camaro. I remembered I asked him before why he loved that car so much he even got pissed off if someone or something scratched it.
She’s my baby.
That was kind of creepy or maybe normal to people who were so attached to something. Just like Ricardo with his Camaro. Maybe he considered his car as his love. Jeez.
I walked toward his car and deposited myself in. Seeing him wearing something formal. A dark blue suit jacket with white shirts underneath. Why he was wearing that? “Where are we going?” I asked.
“You’ll see, Kitty Cat,” he answered and drove toward our destination which I didn’t have the slightest idea about it. I didn’t even know whether my clothes would fit in especially with him wearing those. Did he just get back from a meeting? But Ricardo said today was his day off. He texted me this morning asking me to not make any plan with anyone.
Ten minutes later, we arrived at our destination. A boutique store? What did he want here? He jumped out of his car and headed to mine. Helping me to get out of the car. “Do you want to buy something?” I asked.
“Yes. Come on.” He walked ahead as I followed from behind. “Excuse me. I want to pick up my order. Ricardo Williams.”
“Ah, Mr. Williams,” the clerk acknowledged him immediately. “Please wait for a moment, sir.” And she took off. Ricardo’s order? What did he order here?
I’d never been in this shop before. I wasn’t thinking much about fashion and only buy whatever I needed. Linda was the one who always followed the fashion style, unlike me. And she had no limit to whatever she wanted to buy. If she loved it, she would buy it instantly.
“Here you go, sir,” the clerk returned and handed the package to Ricardo.
He turned to me. “Here. Try it,” he said. What? For me? I took the box and glanced at him. “I think the fitting room is back there. Go on. Try it,” he demanded. I didn’t have the chance to ask him. He was always ordering me.
I headed to the fitting room and opened the box. A black dress complete with a bag and a pair of shoes. Oh, my God. Fendi bag and Gucci heels. Was he serious? How much did all of this cost, Ricardo? The dress looked simple and then I saw the brand; Louis Vuitton. Jesus Christ. Were all of this for me? Or he was just asking me to try it on so he could give it to another girl? My heart got stabbed just by my silly thought. Snap out of it, Cathy.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Sweeping away the negative thoughts. He was just asking me to try the dress.
“Okay.” I undressed and wore the dress. It suited my body perfectly. I looked myself on the mirror as I was amazed by it. “Wow…”
“Are you done, Cat?” Ricardo asked from the outside.
“Y-Yeah,” I said and Ricardo opened the curtain. I lowered my head to the floor, unwilling to meet his intense gaze. My body couldn’t lie at all. It was responding to Ricardo’s presence behind me. My spine was shivering. My entire body was on fire. I was sure Ricardo was staring at me. Feeling him walking closer, I felt his breath while mine was stuck when he stood right in front of me.
“So beautiful,” he said. My eyes widened and slowly raised my head.
That was the moment I met his brown eyes. Seeing me full of adoration. He meant it when he said I was beautiful with this dress.
“Okay. Perfect. I’ll take this,” Ricardo said while looking at my back. I followed and saw the lady clerk was standing outside.
“Certainly, sir. Do you want me to wrap everything again?”
“No, thanks. She’s wearing it.”
“Very well. Thank you so much, sir.”
Ricardo grabbed my clothes and my bag. “Come on. Next to our destination,” he informed while walking past me.
Huh?
“W-Wait, Richie. This dress? And the bag and shoes?” I asked and he stopped. Turning to me, his expression showed confusion.
“What’s wrong with them?”
“Are these…for me?”
“Of course.” Dumbfounded. Homerun. He was serious?
He walked back to me and held my hand. Gently pulling me out of the room and eventually the store. He knew I rarely wear heels.
I never expected all of this.
To think Ricardo bought an expensive dress, a premium bag, and a fancy pair of heels.
He was even holding my hand!
Oh, God. If tomorrow was the end of the world, I would gladly accept my fate.
Consider me overreacting but his action made me so ecstatic. I was on cloud nine. Maybe to Ricardo, this dress didn’t mean anything. To me…it meant a lot.
I hoped what he did today would be equal to what I was hoping after I confessed to him.
At that time, I hadn’t realized that I had to accept the brutal reality which would change my perspective…
…of love.
- Writer
