Chapter 1
2636 Words
I let out a deep sigh. I have refreshed and started my phone several times but there is still no text from my boyfriend, Daire. He told me he will be here after dismissal but he’s still nowhere in sight.
I looked around and saw people already crowding the restaurant while I’m still here, sitting in a table for two, have not yet ordered anything other than a glass of water. I wonder if this is enough for the waiter to throw me out?
I looked at my phone and typed another message.
Me:
Daire, where are you? You’re already fifty minutes late.
I wonder if he forgot? But that can’t be the case. We have been talking about our anniversary dinner since last month. This is our first anniversary. But where is he?
Did something happen? Maybe something happened. There has to be something that happened for him to be late for almost an hour. He can’t be late for nothing, right? Emergency, perhaps?
I grew worried at the thought that something could have happened to him on his way here. I tried to shake all those thoughts away. I don’t need to think about bad things. Maybe something happened at the student council.
Daire Ferrars is the President of the Student Council. I don’t know if that’s what made me attracted to him. But I really like guys with substance. I really like guys who I can share my intellectual views with. And Daire? Oh, boy. He’s one hell of a genius. He’s intelligent and opinionated. He’s responsible, which makes him a good leader.
I am aware that there are a lot of women after him. It won’t be a question. He’s intelligent and handsome. He’s full of morals and he talks with sense. Whenever he talks in front of the student body, I can’t help but be mesmerized with his aura and his way of talking. His voice is so soothing when he’s trying to tutor some junior high schools but I like his voice more when he’s trying to prove a point.
His gray eyes would make me melt anytime he looks at me. His thick brows accentuate his orbs that look like everyone and anyone will follow when they try to look into them. We’re only in Grade Twelve but I can already see my future with him. I can already imagine waking up to his face every single day.
I leaned my elbow on my table as I placed my chin on top of my palm, daydreaming about how marriage would be so good if it is with Daire when the waiter came to me.
“Excuse me, ma’am. Are you going to order?” he asked me politely.
My eyes widened a bit and looked at the time. It’s exactly one hour past our meeting time and he’s still not here. I have been waiting here for seventy-five minutes!
I smiled awkwardly. “Can you give me another ten minutes?” I asked, ashamed that I have been sitting here for too long.
The waiter looked at me for a moment, probably wondering what a high school student is doing in a prestigious restaurant, before nodding. “Okay, Ma’am. Please just call me if you are ready to order.”
I smiled and thanked him before grabbing my phone to dial Daire’s number.
I have called him several times but he was still not answering. Did something really happen to him? I don’t want to entertain the thoughts forming inside my head.
“Are you alone?”
My eyes widened when a man came in front of me. He’s wearing the same uniform from our school. That’s the first thing that I noticed before my eyes darted to his face. I swallowed hard.
Oh. My. God. What creature am I looking at? Is he human? Or some god who came from Olympus? I’m not sure. But one thing is for sure. He is beyond handsome.
His face doesn’t look like a high-schooler at all! He’s like the men I usually see in magazines. Thick brows, deep set of eyes, tall nose, seductive lips and a cutting jawline. I wonder if he’s also a senior high school? Or is he even younger than me? But that’s not possible. He looks like a man already—not the usual kids I see in school.
“Miss?” he called me again and that’s the time I realized that I was gawking at him longer than I should have. He’s looking at me with furrowed brows.
I cleared my throat and nodded. “Uh… I’m waiting for my boyfriend,” I explained.
He looked at his watch. “I’ll just stay for a moment. I’m waiting for my takeout,” he explained as he sat on the chair across me.
I stiffened on my seat as I looked at his face while he’s on his phone. He seemed pissed off at the person he’s texting. I wonder if it’s his girlfriend? It’s not impossible, right? He’s handsome and his built looks like he could protect anyone from any harm.
Is he already going to the gym? His arms look strong and his physique looks like those of the models who frequent the gym.
“You’re here for long waiting for your boyfriend?” he asked without raising his gaze from his phone.
I bit my lip and almost sunk on my seat. He was only asking but why do I feel like he’s trying to insult me? Is it his face? Or his intimidating aura?
I was about to reply when he suddenly spoke again. “Do you think he’s still coming?”
His words sent a pang of pain in my chest. “He has an emergency,” I replied. I am already slowly getting mad that this stranger is already judging Daire when he doesn’t even know him.
He raised his brow and finally looked at me. “You know that he already has an emergency and you’re still waiting for him here?” he asked me with tone dripping with sarcasm.
I clenched my fists under the table. He’s handsome, yes, but he’s annoyingly frank. Does he even know when to give someone a break?
“Sir Treon Mendez?” the waiter came with a paper bag of his takeout.
The man looked at the waiter and took the paper bag. Treon Mendez. That’s his name. Well, he has a good name. I wish his personality is just as good as his name and his looks. “Thank you,” he uttered courteously before standing up.
Finally, he’s leaving. I am already about to breathe a sigh of relief when he suddenly turned to me with his brows arched. “I hope your boyfriend comes,” he told me before walking out of the restaurant.
My jaw dropped and I couldn’t help but scoff at his arrogance. I shut my eyes and calmed myself. That Treon Mendez is something.
***
“I’m sorry, babe,” Daire told me when I saw him at school the next day. I can’t believe he didn’t even bore sending me a text. It wouldn’t take much of his time.
He’s hugging me from my side and kissing my cheek. We’re in the cafeteria and I’m studying for the long exam we’re having for calculus.
“My phone died and I had no means to tell you about the emergency at home,” he reasoned using his sweet voice.
I ignored him and kept on reading my notes. I looked like a fool in that restaurant. I waited for so long but no Daire Ferrars came. He did not even bother sending me a text when he was well aware that it was the day I have always been looking forward to since our eleventh month.
“Please forgive me, Carrie,” he said as he kissed me on the cheek. He pulled me close and hugged me tighter.
I tried to yank his hand away but he was strong. I turned to him and glared but he was looking at me with his puppy eyes. I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes at him. “I waited for you for more than an hour,” I told him.
He frowned at me. “I’m really sorry.”
I rolled my eyes and went back to my notes. “I have an exam next period,” I told him, totally ignoring his apology.
If he really means it, he should have looked for a way to contact me. I memorize his phone number. Doesn’t he memorize mine? I was in that damn restaurant for more than an hour. Didn’t he even think about me waiting for him alone?
He sighed hard and let go of me. I immediately moved away from him. “Are we fighting over that?” Gone is his sweet voice.
I clenched my jaw and calmed myself. “You say that as if it’s a trivial thing,” I said as I looked at him. He’s staring at me like he’s trying to suppress his anger, too.
“I already explained it, Carrie. I had an emergency.” His voice is already rising and I can see that he’s getting angry by the minute.
“Texting me wouldn’t have been a hassle,” I told him as calmly as I could. “That was our anniversary. We have been together for twelve whole months. I was excited about it! It was very important to me. But you didn’t come. Not even a message, Daire. Should I not be angry about it?”
He pursed his lips as he looked at me with narrowed eyes. “I already told you that my phone was dead!”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I got back to reading. “Yeah, whatever. Nobody else in the house has their phone? Or your charger broke? I don’t know, Daire. Maybe you should be a little resourceful next time. You think about the solutions fast when you’re with the council.”
I have been suppressing my anger since last night. I am angry, yes, but I wanted to hear his side, too. I wanted to listen to his own side of the story because there might have been a real emergency.
However, now that he’s told me, I am still angry. I am still mad at him for standing me up last night. He could at least made up to it by giving me flowers, too. Damn it! Why do I sound so materialistic?
I heard him sighing hard. “I don’t want to talk to you if you’re mad,” he said as he stood up and left me.
I scoffed and watched him walking away from me. That was it? That was it?!
I could feel my eyes burning with tears—probably due to the frustration at Daire’s reaction. I took a deep breath and made myself focus on reviewing. I need to ace this one to maintain my grades so I could land a pretty good scholarship in college.
I will deal with Daire right after the exam. But now, I need to study.
I was trying to memorize a few terms when I noticed someone looking at me intently while sipping on his chocolate drink. I froze on my spot when I saw Treon Mendez watching me with an amused grin. I immediately looked away because his face was on a whole new level of intimidating.
Why was he looking at me like that? I don’t know.
But one thing is for sure, his stare is making me uncomfortable.
So, I gathered my things and decided to just wait in class. I should have done anyway.
I could only breathe a sigh of relief when Treon was already out of my sight. I shook my head and just focused on my studies. After all, it is what’s important right now.
The money my mom left for me and my father was wasted away in his gambling ways. He lost three million in the casino, making us leave the house I grew up with and live in a small and simple apartment.
My father is in jail now because of frustrated murder. He tried to stab the man who took all our money. He didn’t know that the man was a relative of a high ranking official in Illinois.
I have lived with my aunt, my dad’s sister, since I was twelve. But she was always scolding me ever since her boyfriend cheated on her. She blamed it on me—because she was too preoccupied with her responsibilities on me.
She finally left me alone three months ago, when I turned eighteen. And I have never felt so free in my entire life. But all the expenses are on me. I have a job at a café near my apartment to cover for all my bills. I also tutor sometimes.
That’s why I needed all the good grades to land a scholarship at a good university in college. I’m planning on taking on political science, a good pre-law course.
I can’t wait until I graduate and become a lawyer.
***
I received a message from Daire when the classes were over. He didn’t know that we had overtime with Philosophy because we didn’t have classes last week. He said he’s sorry and he will be in a meeting with his student council members.
I sighed and just shrugged it off. I have a shift in the café and I need to be there in a few minutes. I can’t be late because every penny counts.
I was about to leave the building when I suddenly saw Treon seriously watching something from the grand staircase of the building, overlooking the lounge.
I was about to ignore him when I suddenly heard Daire’s voice. And then a woman.
I can’t be mistaken. That is Daire’s voice. But what is he doing in the lounge? Is that where the meeting is supposed to be held?
Out of curiosity, I slowly walked to the place where Treon was standing. When he knew that I was already beside him, his eyes widened.
“Why are you here?” he asked, obviously shocked.
I narrowed my eyes at him before looking down. And there I saw it. It’s Daire with Alyssa, the school muse. She’s a year younger than us and Daire’s arms are wrapped around her body.
My throat went dry. My world was spinning so fast and I didn’t know what to do. I turned my back on them as tears started flowing down my face.
Sobs suddenly came out of my mouth and I had no other choice but to run away. I ran away because I was in so much pain. I ran away because it all finally made sense to me.
Daire has been cold to me for weeks now. He didn’t even bother sending me a text last night. He always gets mad easily.
I guess that’s because he was done with me. He doesn’t want anything to do with me anymore.
I ran to the comfort room and locked myself in a cubicle as I cried hard. My heart is clenching like someone is trying to hold it tight until it bursts and gets ripped into thousands of pieces.
Questions started to rain in my head. Questions of me doubting myself. Questions on what aspect I lacked for him to look for it in someone else.
Is it because she’s pretty? Is it because she’s rich? Is it because she could give him all of her attention?
I sobbed and cried hard until I ran out of tears. It took me at least a few minutes before I finally got out of the cubicle to fix myself. I still need to go to my job. I still need to work.
I opened the door of the comfort room and was shocked when I saw Treon Mendez leaning on the wall, right in front of the ladies’ room. He looked at me and stood straight.
“Are you okay?” he asked me softly and just like that, I was a crying mess again.
- Writer
