Chapter 3
2456 Words
Life after breaking up with Daire was hard. I would have moments when I would break down or stare into nothingness. The first few days were especially hard at work. I couldn’t focus and had messed up a few orders. I was reprimanded a couple of times by my supervisor and I had to try so hard to get the job done well.
I sighed and wiped the table. I was demoted to a cleaner for the past few days because of my mistakes. But I think it’s for the better. Cleaning was easy. I just have to wipe the tables and wash the dishes. I don’t need to use my f****d up brain for that.
“Are you done wiping this?”
My eyes widened when I heard that familiar voice from my back. His low voice sounded so authoritative even when he’s only asking a question.
I slowly turned around and saw Treon Genius Mendez in flesh. He’s not wearing our school uniform and I am in complete awe at how he looks like a godly creature when he’s in casual clothes. I didn’t think a t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts would look so good on a man.
Treon makes it look like a high-end fashion. It’s amazing but annoying at the same time.
His hands are inside his pocket while his brown eyes are looking deep into mine. He was only asking me a question but his eyes look like they’re about to drown me into him.
I looked away and got the tray off the table. “I’m done,” I replied.
“Great,” he uttered and I can see from my peripheral vision that he pulled a chair for him to sit on. “Have you been working here?” he asked me again. His eyes are on the menu. I remember the first time I met him, too. He likes talking while looking at something else.
I pursed my lips and faced him. “Yeah, I work here.” I am not ashamed of it. Some working students are embarrassed to admit that they are working to finance their studies. I am not. Even when I’m surrounded by elites, by people who only care about the luxury of their lives.
Treon looked up and smiled at me. I froze at the sight of that grin on his face. I have never seen him smile at me since we met. He’s always brutally frank. He keeps slapping me with the truth. But a smile? I have never seen him smile so genuinely.
I swallowed hard and willed myself to leave right now but he called me again.
“McCarrienne.” His voice is different from the way he’s talked to me before. It sounded more…relaxed and comfortable.
I waited for him to continue but he was just left looking at me. “What?” I asked.
He bit his lip and looked so reluctant. “What’s your bestseller?”
I raised my brow. He looked so conflicted for a simple question, huh? That’s a common question of the new customers. I don’t think he needs to be nervous about it.
“You can try our espresso shots. It’s what the customers love,” I replied.
He looked at the menu, probably to check out the drink I just said. He narrowed his eyes on the photo of the espresso shot before looking back at me. “Thanks,” he replied. “I’ll go order that.” He placed the menu on the table and walked to the cashier.
I shrugged and just went on to clean the other tables before our regular customers working in the corporate building near the café comes.
“Carrie, can you please give this order to Table 9?” Moira, my colleague that’s in charge of preparing the drinks, told me.
I nodded and immediately grabbed the tray full of orders for the customer in Table 9. “Here are your orders, Ma’am,” I told the lady who seemed to be busy on her laptop.
She gave me a small nod without even looking at me. I just shrugged it off and was about to go back to the counter when I saw a woman walking towards Treon’s table. She looks bubbly as she wore her yellow skater dress and a pair of white sneakers. Her hair is long and is on a half-braid. To be honest, she looks like those Korean models I see on the internet, except that she doesn’t look Asian. She looks like a goddess. She’s pale white, too.
Treon is rolling his eyes at the girl making her smack his head. “Damn it!” he cursed.
The woman sat across him with crossed arms and a raised brow. “What are you doing here?” she asked Treon even when she arrived later.
“Do I have to report to you wherever I go?” he rudely asked back.
The woman snarled at him. “So rude! The main reason why you don’t have a girlfriend!” she shot at him. “I mean, who could handle your bad temper?” She shook her head before grabbing the menu from Treon. “I’m waiting for Ivana. We’ll go shopping.”
“Carrie, give this to Table 12,” Moira called me again and that’s when I realized that I have been eavesdropping so much. I walked back to the counter and got the tray.
I looked at Table 12 where Treon is. He’s staring at the woman in front of him with a disgusted look. But it makes me smile because he’s pissed off. I guess they share a close bond.
I walked towards their table. Treon sat up straight when he saw me with the tray. I smiled curtly as I reached them. The woman looked up to me and smiled leaving me with no choice but to smile back.
I turned to Treon. “Here’s your order, sir,” I told him as I slowly placed the hot espresso on the table.
“Wow! I didn’t know you drink coffee,” the woman told Treon.
Treon gave her a look. “Everyone drinks coffee, Tracy,” he said, giving emphasis on her name. So her name’s Tracy. It’s a lot common than I thought. I actually expected more.
Treon looked at me and smiled. “Thanks for this, McCarrienne,” he told me.
Tracy’s eyed widened. “McCarrienne?” she asked as she looked at me. “What a good name!” she beamed.
I smiled awkwardly. It’s not really a good name. I was teased during my childhood because it sounds like macaroni. It’s actually the first time someone told me my name is good.
“Thanks,” I replied, unsure if it’s worth a thanks.
Tracy giggled before looking at Treon. “Why didn’t our parents think of those names before? They gave me a boring name,” she said and that’s when I realized that she’s Treon’s sister!
So, that’s why he seemed so comfortable around her. Because they’re siblings.
Treon rolled his eyes at Tracy before smiling at me. “Thank you, McCarrienne. You can go back to work and ignore this crazy lady over here,” he said making Tracy whine in protest.
I smiled at them before leaving. I can only imagine how they are at home. There must be was whenever they’re together.
But I find it cute. This is the first time I saw Treon not looking stiff. It makes me want to have a sibling too. I wish I had one.
“You know them?” Moira asked me. She nodded at where Treon is.
I shrugged. “They are from my school,” I replied.
She nodded and then glanced at Treon again. “He’s hot,” she whispered but I can hear giddy in her voice.
I chuckled before looking at Treon, too. “I guess, so.”
***
For the next few weeks, Treon has always been visiting the café. Fortunately, I am always there or he would be harassed by Moira who is obviously crushing on him.
“He’s here again!” she beamed, squealing in delight.
I gave her a look before shaking my head.
“I’ll give him his order this time,” she announced.
I nodded and let her do what she wished. I focused on the counter because I am in charge of taking orders today.
Treon walked towards my direction, ready to order. He smiled at me as he placed his hand on the counter, tapping his fingers on the cold marble. “I’m getting the usual,” he told me.
Another espresso shot.
“I told you that coffee is addicting,” I told him while punching his order on the register.
He chuckled and shrugged. “Well, for me, when I like something, I won’t be looking or trying something else,” he replied.
I arched my brow, smiling at him because I think what he said had other meanings. “That’s good,” I replied. He smirked before paying his order. “We’ll deliver it in a while.”
He nodded and walked to the empty table near the door. He brought out his book and started reading while waiting for his order.
Moira came beside me and sighed dreamily while she watched Treon’s side profile. I just shook my head and gave her his order.
The cold Treon also has his way with girls, I think.
But the thing is, he’s been very kind to me over the past few weeks. He’s even talking to me at school. He’s been the center of the gossips, too, because everyone thinks that he’s the reason why I broke up with Daire, which is funny because Daire has been seen with Alyssa often but they never thought that he’s the one who cheated.
He seemed untouchable because in the eyes of the student body, he’s the responsible and intelligent Student Council president. And that’s unfair.
For the next days, I have been burning myself out with studying. After the foundation day, all seniors are expected to have our final exams. I needed the extra credit for the scholarship in Maxwell.
I was memorizing terms when a canned orange juice came into my view. I looked behind me and saw Treon smiling at me. “A drink?” he offered.
I chuckled and nodded. “Thanks,” I replied as I accepted the drink.
Treon sat beside me and looked at the notes I’m reading. “You’re memorizing?” he asked.
I nodded. “I need to ace the finals. My scholarship grant is on the line,” I replied.
“What school?” he asked.
“I’m eyeing Maxwell.” I opened the canned juice. “I’ll take up Legal Management and then hopefully finish up Law soon.”
He nodded. “I’m taking up Legal Management, too, as my pre-law.”
I looked at him. “You’re going to take up law?”
He nodded and sighed. “My dad is a lawyer. I want to follow his footsteps.” He was serious but not boastful of the high reputation that his father has.
I smiled. “Sure you’ll be a good one,” I told him. “You are brutally honest.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I just don’t like people doing the same mistakes again,” he replied. “Once an asshole, always an asshole.”
I rolled my eyes. “Not all people are forever assholes, Treon.”
He raised his brow. “Treon?”
I looked at him. “That’s your name, right?”
He licked his lower lip and nodded. He smiled. “Can you just call me by my second name? Treon sounds so old,” he requested.
I blinked. I think Treon sounds good, though. It’s unique and it sounds like a name of a king. But then, if he feels awkward then sure. “Genius, then?” I asked. His second name sounds awkward, though.
He nodded. “That’s better,” he told me before bringing his books out. “Shall we study now?”
I smiled. “Yeah, we need to.”
Since then, Genius and I have been together. When graduation came, he even asked me to eat with his family because I don’t have anyone with me. My aunt didn’t attend and just sent me a message saying she’s just going to give me a cash gift when she visits me at home.
When college came, we both entered Maxwell University together. We have the same classes and schedules. He visits me in the café often and Moira has been bugging me to introduce her to him even though I have already done that several times.
Through the years, my friendship with Genius has flourished. I can now say that he’s that one person who knows a lot of things about me. He’s that one person who made me feel like I deserve to have friends, too. And aside from that, he’s intelligent. When I first met, I never thought he is good at studies so I was shocked when I knew that he’s the batch valedictorian when we graduated in high school.
I like that he’s intelligent. I am very competitive and I’m always trying to beat him when it comes to academics. It’s a friendly competition though. It helps me study hard so I could keep my scholarship with me.
“Are you done with the paperwork in Mrs. Santos’ class?” I asked Genius when I saw him waiting for him in the lobby of our department’s building.
He’s reading his notes oblivious of all the girls staring at him with twinkling eyes. It’s not a question. Genius was already hot in high school and got even hotter in college. No wonder girls are throwing themselves at him.
He looked up at me and nodded. “I finished it last night,” he replied as he stood up, putting on his backpack. “Let’s go to class,” he told me and slung his arm around my shoulders.
The girls who saw it all gasped and looked at me like I just crushed their dreams. I shook my head and shrugged.
“Did you know those girls are looking at you?” I asked him when we were already in the hallways.
He looked at me with narrowed eyes. “Who?” he asked.
I frowned at him. I don’t know if he’s oblivious or he’s just acting like he doesn’t see them, so someone else would point it out for him. “The girls in the lobby are all looking at you!”
He c****d his head to the side, looking confused.
I rolled my eyes. “They’re even glaring at me,” I said as I removed his hand around my shoulder. “You’re really putting me in danger because you’re too close.” I shook my head and started walking ahead.
I heard him laughing before slinging his arm around my shoulder again. “Maybe it’s good to see you getting glared at by other girls,” he teased me.
I glared at him and elbowed his stomach but I didn’t even get a severe reaction from him. He didn’t even wince. He’s been frequenting the gym lately. I guess, that’s his fruit of hard work.
He just laughed. “Don’t worry. I won’t let them hurt you, Carrie. You’re my best friend,” he beamed before kissing my cheek.
I rolled my eyes. He’s just really annoying at times.
- Writer
