Someday Soon, With You

Chapter 30

Aro opened his eyes. It’s five in the morning. They used to wake up at four when Kathara’s still adjusting. He got up and went to prepare his clothes. After taking a bath and changing his clothes, he opened his door to get to the kitchen. He’s startled again to see his daughter just standing in front of his room. He sighed.

“You open the door before I call” she quickly defended herself.

He chuckled. “You did?” she nodded. “Okay, next time we will also knock when we call, okay?” she nodded again. He took and carried her down the stairs. “Did you brush your teeth?” he asked. Ara just looked at him, wide eyed and nodded. “Let’s smell it” he told her and she exhaled from her mouth. “Oh! You didn’t!” he’s stopping himself from laughing. He put her down, “You go and brush” he commanded her. He can even hear her ‘aaaw’ as she walked back to her room. “Good morning, mom” he greeted.

“Good morning” his mother greeted back. She put tea in front of him while he started eating.

Ara then came back and stood next to him. There’s also milk next to his tea, she climbed and sat on his lap. “This is more delicious than yesterday” Ara said referring to the milk.

“This milk is better than Mama Dolly made yesterday?” Aro clarified. Ara nodded. Him and his mother looked at each other amused. “But we do it the same way” he asked him.

“You make it better, Daddy” she continued.

By then, they were laughing, Ara just looked at them. “It tastes better when you drink it with daddy, right?” he asked her. Ara nodded quickly.

After breakfast, he went straight to Alpha’s apartment. He beeped his car twice before Alpha came out. “Hey” Alpha greeted him.

“Hey” he greeted back.

“You had breakfast yet?” he asked.

“Yeah, at home” he answered. Alpha looks like he’s about to say something, “we don’t have to do this Alpha”

“Excruciating silence it is” he replied. Aro nodded. After twenty long, excruciating minutes, like Alpha said, they arrived at his work place. “Thanks” he said before getting off the car. He just nodded.

His day is as usual. Most of his female students sat in the front chairs. He doesn’t really care, as long as they learn.

“Wanna have lunch?” William asked him. He’s in front of his table.

“Yeah, sure” he answered. They use William’s car, they only drove inside the campus. After less than five minutes, they parked in front of a restaurant near the dormitories. They went inside and ordered in the counter. They picked the table near the windows. “This is nice” he commented. William just nodded and looked around. He stared at him. “Didn’t you have any girlfriend?” he asked.

“What?” he asked confused by his sudden interest.

“Well, you told me you crave for something Alpha and I have. So, I was curious if you ever had any girlfriend” he explained.

“I did. But they didn’t last” he simply said. He just let an ‘hmm’ sound. Their order came and they started eating. “So, how’s it going?” he looked at Aro. “With you and Alpha?” Aro glared at him, he chuckled. “Sorry, with you and Archi, better?”

“We’re” he paused. “As usual” he answered. William nodded. He didn’t ask anything more and continued eating. After their lunch, they drove back.

“You’ll have to treat me to dinner on your first salary” he smiled at Aro.

“Why?” Aro asked.

“Hey, I helped you a lot when you were just starting, I even gave a good word of you to my cousin so he’ll sell you the car” William told him laughing.

“Oh yeah? What did you told him?” he asked.

“I told him not to worry, you are the cleanest, most careful freak I know” he said and they were both laughing.

“Wow! And just like that he knew his car’s in good hands” he said in between his laughs.

After parking, they got off and walk together to their office. They were still laughing when Aro saw Alpha standing in front of the building. William nodded at him, and Aro nodded back before he went inside the office. Aro walked towards Alpha. “Hey, you’re here?” he asked him.

“Yeah. I was hoping we could eat lunch together” and then he looked at William walking inside the office. “But I guess you already did” he didn’t answer him. Alpha just nodded and started walking to his truck.

“Alpha, come on. I didn’t know you’ll come” he started explaining.

“I know. It’s okay. As long as you don’t skip your meals, I guess” he told him and smiled a bit and the drove off.

He walked inside the office feeling guilty. “Hey, everything okay?” William asked him. He just nodded.

He had one more lecture that afternoon before he prepared to go to meet Mira. “I’ll get going” he told William before going out. he drove for less than thirty minutes before arriving at the café. He saw Mira sitting at the same spot they sat when they first met. Mira waved at him and stood from sitting. Does she always dress like this? “Hi, Mira. Sorry I’m late” he apologized.

“No, you’re still three minutes early” she smiled. “I just happen to live nearby, that’s why I’m extra early” she added.

“You look beautiful” he complimented her.

She blushed and smiled sheepishly. “Thank you” she answered. “I figured I always need to be extra beautiful when meeting you” she laughed a little.

“What? Why would you—” he’s looking for the right words.

“I can’t go meeting you looking like a street person” she laughed.

“You don’t have to worry about that, you’re already beautiful” he said grinning.

Mira giggled. “I have to at least look presentable when we’re together” she told him. “You’re just unnecessarily beautiful” she added.

“What” Aro didn’t know what to say. He shook his head, then laughed and shook his head again. Both him and Mira were laughing the entire time until their order arrived. “Oh, you ordered already?”

“Yeah, I hope you like milk tea?” she asked. Aro nodded. “I ordered winter melon for you” she smiled.

“Thank you” he said. They ate the cake, the same flavor he ordered last time. “So, what is it you need to tell me?” he asked as soon as they finished their cake. He took the keypad phone she gave him and put it on the table. “Your phone” he told her.

“No, it’s yours” Mira’s sipping her iced coffee. “How’s it going with you and Archi?” she asked.

“Oh, uhm, there’s nothing—” he stuttered.

“Why not?” she quickly interrupted. He stared at her. “Do you feel guilty about me, is that why you’re holding back?”

“Ha? Uhm, no” Wow, this is awkward, he thought.

“Don’t you love him anymore?” she continued asking.

“I love him” he quickly answered. “Still. The same way before, I love him” he continued answering. Mira smiled at him, with a genuine smile you can only tear up when you smile back. “I love him still, Mira” his cracked and one or two tears sneaked from his eyes. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t” he said wiping his tears.

Mira reached his hands and held it. Their fingers intertwined. She held it, her thumb brushing his. “You don’t have to worry about me. This time, with all my heart, I know I’ll be okay. Archi gave me a family, friends. Tita Dolly also really cared about me. I will remember it fondly in my heart. Second chances like this don’t always come, don’t waste it” she told him. Aro nodded, both hands holding Mira’s.

Aro and Mira walked outside the café, Aro’s arms around Mira’s shoulders. They stopped at the building Mira’s staying. “Wow, you’re living here?” he asked amazed at the place.

“Andrei’s just letting me stay” she answered.

“Oh, yeah. The future billionaire” he remembered.

“Yeah, the future billionaire” she laughed. “So, hypothetically speaking. If it’s the other way around, Archi’s gone and it’s you I met at the apartment, is there any way you could love me the same way?” she asked. “Because if that happened, there’s no way I’m giving you back to Archi” she continued laughing.

Aro also laughed at her. “Of course” he answered. He hugged her and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you. You’re a good person Mira” he told her.

“As you both are” she answered.

Aro’s driving after walking Mira to her apartment. He opened the keypad phone and started scrolling.

Meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me, spending my time with you, laughing with you and crying with you. You are my home, you just are. You laugh, you smile, you cry and frown and I’m home. I will do all my best to be a good person, so that I can meet you in our next life. So I will have the privilege to feel you again, to hear you call my name and to love you again. I will do it again and again, through all the lives we could ever live. I will love you always, because you have my heart, I found it in you and now, it’s lost with you. I love you tonight, and tomorrow I will love you again.

He sighed. He started his engine again and started driving in the opposite direction. You’re lucky I fell in love with you, Alpha. He thought.

He parked at the apartment he used to live with Alpha. He knocked twice before it opened. Alpha topless, and in a black-shorts. He c****d his head on the side before taking the small box in his pocket and throw it at him. Alpha caught it and opened it. The rings he bought. He looked at him with a slightly confused look. “You’ll never get it again if you ever give it back to me again” he told him. Alpha smirked and kissed him. He can taste the toothpaste in his mouth.

“Aren’t you staying?” Alpha asked when he came out of the bathroom after he showered.

“No, my daughter’s waiting for me” he answered.

“Okay, so, tomorrow?” he asked.

His eyebrows furrowed. “Tomorrow what?” he asked back.

“Aren’t we going to work together or, you know have breakfast together?” Alpha said.

He laughed. “Are you a teenager? I have a car. I can drive myself to work now. More than that, we should be thinking how to tell our parents we’re back together. This will be harder than coming out of the closet. They all love Mira” he continued.

“You’re right. What will you tell Tita Dolly?” he asked.

“I don’t know yet. Actually, you should be more worried. I was lost for six years, mom will forgive me” he told him. He’s walking out of the living room when Alpha grabbed his arm. “What?” he asked.

“One more kiss” he said before kissing him again. It was a deep, long kiss.

He smiled, “you’re really smitten in love with me are you” he smirked.

“I love you still” Alpha said.

“I love you still” he replied.

He drove home. He can still feel his body sore. Ugh, I’ll feel this tomorrow, he thought. He saw his mom drinking her tea in the kitchen. “Mom” he called.

“Hi, you’re here?” she asked. “Do you want dinner?”

“No, I had dinner already” he answered. Dolores nodded and continued sipping her tea. “Mom” he called again. His mother looked at him waiting what he’s going to say. “We’re together again” he said. It took a while before his words sink in. She nodded and smiled. He smiled back before going upstairs. He really feels sore.