Chapter 1: One Faithful Meeting

Having an ideal man seems very overrated to most people, but for me its a dream. I'm a typical hopeless romantic and I always wanted to meet someone that would make my heart flutter and my mind muddled every time I'm with him but so far, in my twenty years of existence, NO LUCK.

"Mitch!" I was pulled out of my daydream by someone shouting my name from below our treehouse where I was busy reading and just letting my mind wander off. I looked down and saw none other than my best friend Shin.

"Why?" I screamed down at him as he was already climbing the ladder and excitement evident on his face. I just waited until he got to the top of the ladder before trying to ask him what he's so excited about.

"She finally said YES!" he screamed excitedly the moment he reached the top of the ladder and I can't help but return the wide smile on his face. After months of waiting and courting he finally got the YES that he was waiting for. I'm so happy for him that I can't even make fun of the idiotic smile still lingering on his face. It's not the first time that he would be in a relationship, somehow this time felt different than the others because I actually like the girl that he wants to date.

"Oh, really? Your enchantment finally worked?" I widen my eyes in an effort to look amazed, teasing him, but it looks like nothing is going to tamper his mood for the whole day.

"Rather than being sulky and teasing me non-stop, why don't you get yourself a boyfriend?" He said to me still wearing his smile.

"Everything comes to those who wait. Don't pressure me!" I retorted back at him pouting.

He just laughed at me heartily, he really knows how to push my buttons.

"Where is she right now? Aren't you supposed to be on a date and spending time with her right now?" I said changing the topic back to him.

"I just came here to tell you. I know you'll go crazy if you're not the first one to know." I just can't help but smile at him, this time it was genuine. I never had romantic feelings towards him, but everybody who knows us, knows how important we are to each other.

That actually is the reason why his previous relationships ended. His ex-girlfriends didn't like me right from the start, I noticed it pretty early in their relationships but I just brushed it off. As days passed, they would make him choose and in the end, he always chooses our more than a decade long friendship. That's what different with his new girlfriend, his new girl is actually one of my few closest and trusted friends, whom I knew for almost five years even before Shin took a liking to her.

"Okay okay! Now GO! I know you're dying to spend time with Angel." I said, the big smile still not leaving my face. His face began to redden and I couldn't stop my laughter from his reaction.

"I'll get going then. I still have a date to prepare for." He exclaimed satisfied with himself then he started going down the ladder.

"BYE!" I called out to him while still laughing and shaking my head. Looks like my best friend is head over heels and is totally in love with Angel.

The good news got me thinking, when would it be my turn to fall in love? The kind of love that I'll be willing to give anything for knowing that he would also be my downfall. That no matter how bad anything gets all that matters is that he loves me and I love him back. The love that I would be prepared to fight until the end even though I won't be sure if we would be each other's end game. Yeah, I want to experience that once in a lifetime, life changing love.

I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realized that the sun has already set and it was nearing dinner time. I heard my stomach rumble so I got up put back my things on where they were supposed to go. I started going down the ladder and made my way home. I wasn't a long walk since it was just behind our house and I went in just in time.

"Oh you're home, your Mom just told me to fetch you, they're already in the dining area." Manang Beth said as she came into view while I was opening the back door. Manang Beth is my nanny, she raised me like her own daughter. Her and Manong Andy, our family driver. Although my parents try their best to always be present in my life because of business related matter, they are kept busy a lot of time. That's why I consider Manang Beth and Mang Andy as my second parents.

"Eat with us." I asked her while flashing a big smile trying to encourage her to say yes.

"I just finished eating dinner. So, go on your parents are waiting for you." She replied to me politely declining my offer.

I just nodded at her and proceeded to the dining room where I found my parents already seated with delicately prepared food placed on top of the table. They smiled at me and gestured for me to sit down as well.

"Come on baby girl. Let's eat." My mom said as I walked towards my chair.

I started putting food on my plate and started eating and my parents also did the same.

"So how was your summer?" my dad asked, digging in through the food in front of us.

"It was okay Dad. Nothing incredibly new happened." I said and we started exchanging summer stories. They just returned from Paris this morning. They actually spent almost the whole summer there because of the fashion week that was held there. They help a fashion show there to release their new summer collection. Yes, fashion is our family business.

I also told them about the news that Shin just told me and it was not a surprise that they are also happy about the good news, but as they told us a hundred times, they still wish that me and Shin would be involve with each other as more than friends. They push us together because my mom and Shin's mom are also best friends, but we always assure them that we are better off as best friends and that we don't see each other that way.

After finishing dinner, I went straight to my room, did my evening routine and lay on my bed for a couple of minutes before I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up with the sunlight going through my window and I panicked realizing that I was already running late. It was the last day of enrollment and I still wasn't enrolled for the next school year. I texted Shin to see if there are last minute change of plans because he and Angel might have decided to enroll together. I immediately went to the bathroom after I sent my message and started to get ready. As I was putting a bit of makeup on, I received a message.

{Yep, no change in plans. See you in a bit.}

I finished getting ready, grabbed my bag and other requirement and as I was walking towards the door of my room I received a message again.

{Already here. Let's go!}

My parents were in the middle of teasing him about his new girlfriend when they saw me descend the stairs. We said goodbye to them and went our way. We rode his car since he has a license and I don't. We just talked about random stuffs and before we even notice it we were already at the school.

We followed the process of enrolling and finished just in time for lunch. We are starting college this year but we are taking different courses, me, of course in fashion design and Shin in Architecture. After enrolling we met up with Angel at our favorite café.

"We have general subjects together Mitch." We were comparing schedules together looking for times that we could hang out together.

"Seriously?" I asked taking the schedules from her and seeing it for myself. And she was right, Since Angel was in interior design, we had a couple of classes together which is a relief because we at least know someone and we both have someone to talk to in class.

We were enjoying the time in the cafe, honestly it doesn't feel like I'm a third wheel. The atmosphere was just the same from before they started dating. We were laughing together when something unexpected happened.

I got up to hopefully use the comfort room but I was greeted by a surprise as I stood up.

"Shit!" I screamed out as I started wiping off the hot coffee spilled on my clothes. There was an idiot who was standing behind me when I got up and the coffee he is holding spilled on to my clothes.

"Watch where you're going d*mb*ss." I said while looking at him, feeling the heat crept up my face in anger.

He just smirked at me and said, "Sorry sweetheart. I didn't mean it. You were in my way." Then he smiled at me like nothing happened.

"I was in your way? Seriously? Are you retarded or something?" I said trying to control my temper as best I could.

"You saw me heading this way when you stood up trying to get my attention." He said still wearing that annoying smile, that I want so bad to slap off his face.

My body was shaking as I try to suppress my anger and annoyance but then he did something that sent my anger in a whole new level. He leaned closer to my ear then whispered to me.

"You don't need to do stupid things to get my attention sweetheart. No need to be that desperate." I'm not someone who enjoys making a scene but his last comment was the final straw and it sent me off the edge. I reached for my frappe on the table and without any second thoughts, dumped it on top of his head, wiping that annoying smile from his face.

"You see, you're not really my type. I'm not into hair heads like you." I said while putting on the fakest smile I can muster. I then walked off straight to the comfort room to at least salvage my outfit. It took a while but I was able to get rid of the stain. Things I learn from being born in the fashion industry.

Shin and Angel were already waiting for me outside the comfort room and I immediately saw them as I opened the door.

"Are you okay?" Shin asked me looking really worried.

"Yah, I'm good. That crazy idiot just dampened my mood a bit." I said while putting on a smile.

We started walking towards the door to get out of the café and I felt the attention of the whole place focused on me. A group of girls were huddled together, catching glimpses of me then started mumbling and whispering to themselves and because of my superb hearing I was able to overhear what they were saying.

"Who does she thinks she is?" "The nerve of this girl to do that to Vin!" "She's just a no body." "She's not even that pretty." "If I know, she just wants Vin's attention on her." That's just how their conversation went.

Are they talking about me and the guy from earlier? Vin? It does looks that way because if only looks could kill I would have drop dead the moment I went out of the comfort room.

We went our separate ways the moment we step foot outside of the café. Ensuring twice that I could go home by myself, Shin and Angel went their way heading back to the University to get Shin's car and go on a date. I waved at them then started looking for a taxi with my phone but because of traffic no one is accepting my bookings so I decided to walk to the nearest bus station and just commute home since it was only one bus ride away from where I am right now.

I got off the bus and started walking towards the gate of our subdivision. It is a ten-minute walk from the main road to the gate of our subdivision. Then another fifteen-minute walk from the gate to our house. I was fine with that since I am used to walking.

While I was walking, I felt droplets of water fall on me and it started to rain a bit. I didn't have an umbrella on me but it was just a light rain so I didn't think much of it.

I continued walking using my purse to cover my head, the rain grew stronger and the wind blew faster. I stopped dead in my tracks when a dark figure suddenly appeared in front of me. A big black dog stood in my path and started barking at me. I couldn't move, my body went numb, I just stood there looking at the barking dog as it was getting ready to pounce but then a black car stopped beside me.

"Hey! Get in!" the person kept screaming at me but nothing was registering to my head. I was so focused on the dog in front of me, which is starting to move towards me and I can't move a muscle. Someone then grabbed me by the hand and pushed me inside the passenger seat of the car. I was still dazed and confused about everything that happened.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" The owner of the car asked me as he got in and started driving. We were already driving away when I snapped out of my dazed state.

"YOU!" I screamed out of shock when I saw who the man behind the steering wheel is. He just gave me the same annoying smirk he gave me earlier in the cafe.

"Hey, I just saved you? So you not have any manners to say thank you?" she said to me still maintaining his smile.

I just stayed quiet not knowing what I was supposed to reply to him because what he said was true, he did save my life so I have no way to rebut what he just said.

"I'm Vin by the way. Vin Andews Dela Cruz. So where do I drop you off sweetheart?" he said introducing himself and plastering on his big smile across his face.