CHAPTER 4

"Next time, wake me up!" I protested and rolled my eyes, I was having a hard time sleeping last night and I surely looks like panda now.

"You'd get mad, what's the point?" He answered in no mood so my lips contorted. Well, he's right.

"Nyenye whatever! Anyway, what did you cook?" He's washing the dishes early in the morning, only wearing his boxers and white sando.

"Dried fish with tomato," he said

I pouted while making steps towards him.

"What's that?" I asked, referring to what he said.

"You just eat that later, that one's far cry from your likes."

There's no way for me to go against him, perhaps that one's very cheap. I keep on walking, pouting my lips while stooping down my head. I just realized things like I am really nothin' compared to him. He can do laundry, he can cook, he can sweep, he can clean his house without leaving any traces of damage. He's just so good on doing things while I am good at nothing. I am only good at being pretty.

Out of so much thinking, I suddenly bump my forehead against his back so I pouted like a kid. He also stopped from what he was doing.

"I wasn't looking," I just said while making steps towards the wall so I can see him freely being busy with the plates. I leaned against the wall for the support, frowning while looking at him.

"Stop staring," he said and I frowned even more at that.

"Why? Is staring a crime?" I rolled my eyes while punching him inside my head, he's so annoying but I couldn't bad-mouth him since I am in his house.

"Take a bath now, you stink." He said, I don't even know if he's serious or what because he's fucking cold.

I just parted my lips and ran my fingers through my hair while plunging daggers on him with my stares.

"Stink?! Even my poop smells like a teen spirit!" I said through gritted teeth.

"Okay," He answered and out of so much annoyance I left him almost done washing the dishes on the kitchen.

I forcefully slammed the bathroom's door shut while rolling my eyes to death. My forehead even got hit by his bathroom's door and it created a sound so I almost ripped his towel out of so much annoyance. He's probably silently making fun of my clumsiness now.

I took a bath and stayed inside the bathroom for almost 10 minutes, what am I gonna wear now? I just really have to swallow my pride and ask Barry to shop with me tomorrow.

I got out of his bathroom with just his towel wrapped around my body.

I just stopped from walking when we almost bump into each other again, why am I so stupid this early in the morning? I was looking at him wide-eyed, he's also clenching his jaws and at the same time frowning.

"Get dressed, hurry!" His adams apple protruded, he looked away and continue walking towards the table. He placed the platter of rice on top of it so I came back to my senses and hurriedly headed inside the room.

I let out a sigh as I was massaging my temples, I don't have a choice but to look for his shirt he washed yesterday, am gonna wear it again! When he gave me my folded clothes last night, I saw his shirt that for sure accidentally placed together with my clothes.

When I got out from his room, I saw him looking at my phone that I left earlier on top of the table.

"Let's eat already," I said and checked my phone, there's nothing in here anyway.

"I thought you're rich, why are you wearing my shirt again?"

"Let me borrow, I'll buy tomorrow and you go with me!" I just rolled my balls and pulled a chair for me, he sat too and nudges the plate closer to me. We're just eating silently but I really don't like the deafening silence between us so I forced myself to talk.

"You're a good cook, your future wife must be so lucky. Who taught you this?" I asked referring to his recipe. It's very salty but the tomatoes are sweet so it's still delicious.

"She's the luckiest homo, tsk! And my mother taught me how to cook." He answered, I just contorted my lips at his first answer, so proud of himself!

We just talked about random stuffs, I am always the first one to start asking futile questions since he's with his other mood: darn sullen!

I was about to ask him again when we both heard a knock from his door.

"Good morning, lieutenant!" The door opened and we're just both silent as the short-haired lady showed up, carrying a basket of roses and behind her is a tall man. They're of the same age.

They're both wide-eyed, I suppose that they're silently asking themselves about my sudden existence but that's the least of my concern. I heard that man called Barry ''lieutenant'', our bodyguards were usually lieutenant commanders from Philippine navy.

"B-arry, who is she?" The girl asked

"Do you know each other?" The man asked.

"She's not your girlfriend, who is she?" The lady asked again.

"Girlfriend? yuck!" I said and just crossed my arms.

"Then what?" I can't blame them tho. But I am in no mood to explain, to introduce my being so I'd rather them ignore my existence and mind their own business.

"Barry? We're asking you."

I can't take it any longer, I gets all annoyed when I am hearing multiple the same questions!

"Tenant/Friend!" Barry and I answered their questions together but we're actually saying opposite answers.

"You're funny Barry, we're not friends! And you two! Stop throwing questions after questions. I am his tenant!" I stood up and Barry did the same thing, he looks doomed.

I went to the couch and let the three talk. I don't like talking to them and don't even care how they're related to Barry.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"I thought she's your. . . nevermind!"

I just want to get the hell out, they're talking so loud!

"Stop asking questions, let's just say that she's a desperate tenant. Alright, she's a visitor!" I closed my eyes and heaved a sigh, if am gonna hear them asking questions again. . . I'd say I'm a fugitive.

I saw how they're comfortable with each other, I just. . . accidentally saw them. The short-haired lady approached me, how can she smile like that?

"Hi, I'm Charmlagne! I hope we can be friends."

And the man also followed her, here.

"Steven. . . Barry's ride or die friend."

Steven smiled and offered his hand to me.

"Ah, okay!" I ignored his hand. I just crossed my arms and smiled.

When they're done introducing themselves to me, they went back to Barry.

"Santiago's looking for you Barry, you weren't there yesterday."

They're talking so loud! I just want to leave them but I remained seated.

"Wait. . . Did you just let that foreign-looking lady ate this? Oh my, Barry are you serious?!"

Why, is it poisonous?

"Don't mind that, Ming. Let's just go there together, gonna wash the dishes first."

"Let me do it, you change your clothes." Charmalagne offered to wash the dishes, why am I so bothered if they are capable of doing such chores? Tsk! It has nothing to do with me if they're so talented for doing household chores!

"Okay, wait for me."

Barry's so sullen when we're talking earlier and what's up with him now? He seems so energetic! He's so unexplainable.

Minutes after, Charmalagne approached me again.

"How old are you?" She asked, sounded so sweet. She's placing the roses inside the pots and I gets all butthurt since roses are really bad news to me.

"20." She laughs at my answer, is my age funny?

"You're younger than me, where are you from?"

I didnt gave her the answer, I strayed from the topic. We're talking some random things while Steven's busy with his phone. The house ain't big so I can see what's happening inside.

Barry came out from my room, his clothes are there.

"Lily texted me, too bad that I've moved on already." I heard Steven's talking to Barry.

"Date again, that's your expertise, Steven." I heard Barry's voice so I darted my eyes on them, I kind of enchanted the moment I saw him. He looks like an Hollywood actor with just pants and jacket. He's surely a demigod.

"You done? Let's go!" Charmalagne snatched Steven's phone and they're fighting like a kid, she's probably teasing him.

"You two, stop that and wait for me outside the house." Barry said with his usual tone so the two stopped from what they're doing.

"What about her?" Charmalagne's talking about me, I reckon. Yeah right, what about me? He'll leave me here, alone?

"Leave it to me, you go first." Barry answered, Steven and Charmalagne just smiled as they're waving their hands at me. They went outside the house first and I got the chance to ask Barry.

"Where are you going?"

"We're gonna check the horses, I'll be back at four."

"You'll leave me here? All alone?" I protested and marching like a kid.

"I'll be back at four---"

"No, I'll go with you!"

"Really? Under the scorching heat of the sun? Tsk! Stay here." He said, raising his left eye brow.

"I'll go with you, why are you s---" but he stopped me midway.

"What about. . . you go there with my friends and I'll just sleep here all day? You want that?!" He smirked, he's really darn teasing me! Do I even have a choice?

"Fine, go!" I just said and pushed him towards the door, he's almost laughing at my reaction.