Chapter 8: Date With Me?
I roamed my eyes around the whole place. With its white walls, black glossy tiles, and dark furniture, it screamed simplicity yet elegance. I have never been fond of the dark colors for it was what I see all day, but this place looked calming–reminds me of the pair of amethyst eyes staring at me.
Auton Smith, in his oversized black sweater, shorts, and man bun, glanced at me with a smirk plastered on his face. He was sitting on the black single sofa, his knees about to touch the edges of the coffee table, and his right arm resting at the armrest.
"Do you like the place? Or I can search for another free unit and–"
"This is fine, " I cut his words short and clicked my neck before sitting towards the long sofa on his left.
"This is a small unit, the reason why I don't want to live here." I glanced at him. His finger is now playing with his lower lip, his left brow arched.
"Did you prepare a contract?"
He furrowed his brows and removed his index finger from his lip. "What contract?"
If only I could have a long sigh right now, then I would.
"A contract should be given by the landlord once a person occupies his place, " I answered in a bored tone and stood up, picking up the luggage and dragging it to a brown door located just behind the seat he was on.
The whole unit is big for an individual. And as I entered the room, I saw a white quilted mattress covered by black and white sheets. There is a black carpet in the middle, a small yellow-colored lamp on top of the bedside table. A wall clock is placed in front of the bed, and on the far left of the room was a bathroom and another small door which I think is a walk-in closet.
This place is expensive. That was my inference. What I liked the most about this place is that it already has furniture. Though I am not sure if it is included with the rental fee, I would thank him a lot if it would happen.
I just put the black luggage beside the door and turned around–only to see him glancing at my every movement.
"Uh...excuse me? Are you still not going home?" I awkwardly asked as I held the knob behind me. He then blinked his eye and straightened his body, his eyes turned from side to side before clearing his throat and stood up, putting his hands inside his pockets.
"Well...yes, but I guess I'll come back here tomorrow with the contract." He smiled and pointed at the door.
"I'll go now, be comfortable here..."
he said as he strode the way to the door but again, turned to face me with a puzzled look.
"You won't escort me and bid goodbye?"
My forehead creased. "Why would I?"
He shook his head like he was telling me that he was disappointed in how I acted. He turned again, and when he completely vanished from my sight, I smiled.
That man is a bit funny. I can't decipher how his mind goes. I didn't expect that a man like him would be asking for that.
The next day had been so light. I have never felt a light morning where I could appreciate how the sun feels so good against my skin. How I felt so warm while bathing. Not hearing any voices but the splash of the waters dripping down my body.
A day without the witch is so nice, I told myself. Maybe this was finally my escape from that hell, but I should never forget that time will come that I have to go back there and check on Terren, then make them leave.
The time will come that I have to get our rights.
I opened the door of the bathroom, changed my clothes, and fixed the things I will bring to my work. It was a no-work-day for me, but I need to go to University to get my schedule. This place is one ride from there, so I guess, moving in here wasn't that bad at all.
I was about to go to the kitchen when I saw a tall man sitting on a single sofa. Auton, in his black shorts and a white shirt, is hugging a black throw pillow.
"How are you able to open the door? I was sure it was locked, " I uttered in a slightly shocked voice. His eyes darted at my clothes.
"I'm here to give you the contract...are you going somewhere?"
My eyes dropped on my clothes.
I am wearing a mustard knitted top and denim jeans paired with my white sneakers.
"To the University, " I answered and went towards the kitchen.
"I see, you have a key..." I concluded when I heard the keys when he stood up. "But you shouldn't go inside without knocking, what if I have a heart attack?"
"People will only get shocked if someone they aren't familiar with enters the room." He sat on a stool and reached for the glass.
"People will get shocked at every person who enters without them knowing." I retorted.
I opened the fridge and gave him a pitcher of water, then the electric stove to cook an egg.
"Is someone living here before me? You even have a stock of eggs." I finally voiced out my thoughts as I started to crack the eggs.
"I thought no one lives here, but it feels like the latter. There's no way the appliances and utensils would be complete if it's not." I shook my head and cracked the eggs in front of the pan.
"What the–how are you able to crack the eggs perfectly? I mean, without having some shells on it?" I heard a noise behind, his scent invaded my nose as he stood at my back.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I furrowed my brows.
"Haven't you tried cracking eggs without shells falling on them?"
Because it would be weird. The egg is like, the easiest thing to cook in the world. You can just set a timer and put it on a pot with water, or just crack it in the middle and fry it with oil and heat.
"Chefs are the only people who can do that, Tayla!"
"That's ridiculous. You think I'm a chef?" My lips twitched, trying to stifle a smile from escaping my lips as I tried to get some oil from the pan and put it on top of the yolk.
"Anyway, if you want to save some money, you can just go with me. I'm just gonna drop you off the University before I go to...somewhere, " he said the last word in almost a whisper.
I walk towards the dining table and pull a chair out, placing the plate in front of me. He then pulled a chair opposite mine, his eyes observing my actions.
"No thanks, " I uttered. I acted like he wasn't in front of me and started to eat the leftover rice from last night and the sunny side up egg, trying to enjoy the breakfast but not that satisfied.
It would taste better if it had ketchup, I said to myself.
He didn't stop, he still tried to insist that he would drop me off but I really don't want to, but ended up losing the argument.
The next day, he was here again. I don't know what is going on, but as far as I could remember, we are already done signing the contract.
Now, he has two green large eco bags in his arms, the veins in his arms showing as he holds its handles.
"What are you doing here...again?"
It was getting weird. That day, he told me that he just thought I wouldn't be able to buy my own food since I gave him two months' deposit and a month in advance and he's afraid I won't eat.
"You don't need to do this, " I said in a low voice. My head and my left shoulder are leaning at the side of the door towards the kitchen. My arms crossed, and my right foot positioned in front of my left, making a triangle gap in the middle.
"Why can't I do this?" He took a glimpse of me and then shifted it back to the plastics of mixed vegetables.
"I'm just–"
"I'm just helping you out, I can and I want to help so I'm doing it." I mimicked what he said the last time I asked him the same question.
"That was what you will say when I ask you, but I already told you that the help of strangers is only limited. You can't just buy them goods thinking they can't get something for themselves." I disappointingly shook my head and walk towards the dining table, picking up one of the disposable containers with broccoli on it.
"I don't eat this food." I put the vegetable down and heaved an exaggerated sigh.
"This was what I am talking about. You kept on bugging me and doing things like we know each other for so long. We just met weeks ago, and you did a great help already. No one would do this other than you, so I am really confused." I sat in front of him, placing my elbows on top of the glass table.
"Someone told me that a man wouldn't do such things if they don't like the girl..." I cut my next words off, giving myself enough time to think whether I will ask him or not.
"Auton, do you perhaps, like–"
"Do I like you?" He barked into spits of laughter, his head moving upward as he touched his stomach, and then he stopped when a drop of tear cascaded down his cheek.
"I'm not sure yet." He shook his head, but a smirk is still plastered on his face.
"But I want to be certain. Do you want to have a date with me?"
Chapter 9: Ten, Day One
"Are you crazy?" I asked after a long period of silence. The man in front of me is staring at me with his serious, deep amethyst eyes. His lips pursed in a grim line, and his brows furrowed a bit.
"I'm serious. I want to have a date with you. I want to confirm the weird things I feel towards you."
"Why date someone you don't even know that much? I thought relationships start with friendship!" Startled, I replied.
He crossed his arms and lean his back on his chair. "This is why we need to date. It's not about getting in a relationship right after that. We will just try getting to know each other and evaluate whether we would fit or not then decide afterward."
Though he sounded so serious, I am still not convinced. I shook my head, what we are talking about is ridiculous.
When you date someone, it means you want to be with her. You already confirmed that you want to start pursuing her. It would inflict pain if the girl doesn't like you at first, then eventually likes you when you started to date, and then boom, you confirmed that what you felt was a short term attraction.
It doesn't make any sense to have this kind of thing. And though I want to voice it out, I'm sure he would rebut. What I realized for days of observing him is that he would oppose what I said whenever we don't have the same stand on something.
And I don't have time to prolong this talk anymore.
I sighed and pick the last portion of food and washed it, ignoring his weird looks and small noises from tapping his finger at the table.
I walk towards my room and pick my bag and folders before locking it.
"You are now going to leave? Wait for me in the parking lot." I heard him talking behind me, his keys creating a noise like it was being played on his fingers.
"No thanks, I can go by myself, " I uttered in a low voice and opened the door going to the hallway of the whole floor, turning my head to glance at him.
"Lock the door when you leave, " I added and strode the way to the elevator.
The same, noisy street going to the University welcomed my ears the moment I step out of the jeepney. Smokes coming from the barbecues, the smell of the newly dipped kikiams on oil invaded my nose, and the same, boring and lazy feeling is all gushing inside my system as I entered the green gates.
The line from the cashier and registrar is a bit long that I spent about an hour just so I could get a form, but when I was about to fill it up, I realized I don't have a ballpen. I started to glance at every mirror windows in front of me, but almost all the cashiers were busy and writing things on their papers that I would feel bad if I will borrow.
I bit my lips and glanced at the long line behind me, the impatience was evident on some students, throwing me some sharp stares and infuriated looks. I shook my head and was about to ask the cashier for a pen when someone from behind put a metallic silver pen in front of me.
My lips parted and didn't look back to see who he is and started to fill up the details, determined to go home and get away from the scornful faces of the people behind me.
When I am done filling up the forms and giving my tuition fee, I turned my back and was about to go out of that place when someone poked the back of my shoulders.
"Miss, my pen?" A familiar voice of a man spoke.
I slowly turned my head and saw the nerdy guy that I saw when Auton went to Talk and Chill. He was wearing a navy blue shirt and black pants, his eyes hidden behind rectangular, thick glasses, and his hair a bit curly, far from the near hair he sported the last time I saw him.
"Oh? You are the other man from the bar, right? What brings you here?" I smiled.
"I study here..." he shifted his gaze on the counter. And then, I remember that he was asking for his pen.
"You are the girl that Auton talks about a lot these days, " he replied in a low voice but enough for me to hear it clearly.
"Auton talks about me?"
He glimpsed at the pen in my hand, and then to the cashier. I immediately extended my hand and apologized for taking too long, but he said it was his girlfriend's pen and that he takes care of it nicely.
I said my thanks and then decided to go home and spend the last free day sleeping, my steps getting fast as I became eager to ride a jeepney and contact Terren to ask small news about him, and of course, my supposed rest day.
But the moment I opened the door of my unit, the aroma of an unknown food from the kitchen invaded my nose.
My eyes went big, my heart beating fast as I marched towards the small kitchen of this unit and find Auton Smith stirring Shrimp Sinigang on a black pot.
"What are you doing here?" I furrowed my brows, trying hard to stop myself from showing him that I liked the smell of his food.
He halted from stirring it and let go of the ladle, the front of his body covered with a transparent apron and hairnet.
"Oh? Good thing you are here!" The corners of his lips rose as he turned to face me, lifting the ladle on his hand and welcoming me with his bright face, but mine remained perplexed and shocked.
"I waited for hours! You didn't tell me that it would be that long!"
And why the hell do I feel like he is so happy? He was again, acting all weird.
"Why are you here?" I glanced at the pot in the induction cooker and shifted back my gaze at him. "And why are you cooking?"
His smile grew bigger, he let go of the ladle, and held my shoulders, turned me around, and made me sit on the dining table.
"Give me ten dates and decide if we are good enough for each other. This would be the day one."