Haunted

After drying her hair, Selena went downstairs only to find Daniella and Alexa looking at her with squalid expression across their faces.

She balled her fists and prayed that none of them will say something about Barney using their bathroom.

As she walked past them, her chin was raised in confidence.

"Phew!" her heart beating so fast has slowly calmed down as soon as her feet stepped out of the cafe.

Barney who has been standing inside his car, waiting for Selena, looked at the cafe. His eyebrow raised while the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile after seeing her.

He quickly got out of the car and opened the other door, even though he waited an hour until she finished her shower, all was worth it seeing how fresh and pretty she was in her light blue dress.

"I thought you already left," Selena said as she sat on the passenger seat.

"We need to buy eggs, remember?" he replied, by that time, he was already sitting on the driver seat and about to starts it when Selena stopped him by grabbing his hand that was holding the key.

"Exactly! We only need eggs. Instead of wasting your gasoline, we should probably walk," she suggested.

Barney's head slightly tilted in confusion, then his eyes went down to her legs and found her wearing wedges.

"Are you sure?" he hesitantly asked, the last thing he wanted was for her feet to have bruises.

"Yes," and without waiting for Barney's reply, Selena jumped out of the car and waited for him on the sidewalk.

Barney plastered a small smile, he got down and locked the car. Suddenly he felt excited to spend more time with her.

They walk side by side, Barney often pulled Selena on his side once he sees that someone was about to bump on her. The woman was petite so pulling her was like taking a flower from the pot. She has a pair of long straight legs and from what he had noticed earlier, they were smooth and delicate.

"So, Barney, I have a question," Selena asked.

Her legs started to get tired from walking, she thought they will only go to the nearby convenient store but based on the path they were taking, she figured that Barney will bring her to the supermarket.

When the man said 'yes' Selena took a moment to gulp and gathered all her confidence to ask him a question she was afraid to ask anyone.

"It's about Alejandro," she lowly said, every time she remembers his face, she could not help but to feel edgy.

"Sure, what is it?" when she heard his casual tone, she then felt comforted to go on with her question.

"Do you know Tiffany?" she looked at the direction in front of her, not fretting to look at Barney.

"Not really, but I know her sister," she heard him saying.

"Ah!" there are more questions in her mind, too many that she doesn't know what to ask first.

And seems like Barney was able to read her mind, he settled a hand on her head which made her look at him.

And there it was again, Selena saw the sadness in his eyes.

(So, the girl he likes was Tiffany' sister. Am I right?) she analyzed.

"How did you know her sister?" she intrusively asked.

Barney sneered and shook his head, "Alejandro's brother is Tiffany's sister's ex. Damn! Does it make sense to you?" he helplessly groaned.

Selena laughed, she understands what he meant.

"Don't worry. I understand it. So, its like sisters and brothers huh! Kinda messy isn't?" she absently stated.

"Well, it's more than messy. You see, Tiffany's sister left Alejandro's brother. So when their father arranged the marriage between Tiffany and Alejandro, his brother went mad and that broke their relationship,"

With all the words Barney has said, the only thing that registered in her mind was the arranged marriage. For a split second, her heart hopes for something but, it quickly disappeared. Even though it was an arranged marriage, she still doesn't want to involve herself without someone with tied hands.

"You should work in TMZ. You are really good at gossip," she taunted him.

Barney scoffed and messes her hair. When she protested and slapped his hand away, he decided to taunt her even more by pinching both of her cheeks.

"Just ask me straight. You don't need to peek at someone's life. What is it huh? Do you like Alejandro?"

"No!" Selena swiftly denied and took a big step.

"Come on, they are not married yet. You still have a chance," he encourages her.

Selena stopped and turned to face him, her lips were pressed together as she solemnly stared at him.

"I won't involve myself with an engaged person. I will never do that," her intense bitter voice was full of pain as she recollected the past.

"Why?" Barney stood in front of her, he could see her long eyelashes flickered with misery.

"Because," she paused, her eyes went to his chest slightly moving from breathing.

(Because there's no reason to do it now. If I wanted, I should have done it before. Before Anders got married) even though she had moved on, still, it's hard for her to think that if she just acted normal and realized Anders feeling earlier, maybe she will be with him, happily married to him.

And Barney seems to understand her situation, he might not know her whole story or who was the person behind her clouded eyes but, he knows that she is a special woman and deserves all the love she can have.

"You know," he started, his hand laid on her shoulder and twirled her body around. Gently, she pushed her to walk and continued, "My mom used to say we are like stars among the other stars. Our light might not be as bright as the other but there's always one person who will look at us like we are the most dazzling star in the sky."

Selena sighed, "It doesn't make sense," she flatly said.

"I know. I just made it up. Now, let's go before the supermarket will close," Barney pushes her harder, causing for her to run while his hand stayed on her shoulder and was running behind her.

The sun was slowly going down when they entered the supermarket. Selena stood by the entrance and waited for Barney to come back with a cart when suddenly a hand grabbed her and pulled her inside the exit door.

She was about to look at whoever pulled her when the person suddenly whispers in her ears. And it was the same voice as the man she met in the airport and the person that saved her days ago.

"Hi Ms. Su, miss me?"

A pair of black iris were staring directly at Selena. Her body was leaning against the wall while the man's longs arms were on her side, blocking her way of escaping.

"Where have you-" her lips went frost when he suddenly leaned closer, their faces are too close, to close that the tip of his nose could almost touch hers.

With their short distance, Selena could see his pupil dilated. His manly scent was lingering around her nose, making her reminisce the day they first met.

"Did you miss me?" he vocally asked, a playful smirk was on his lips as he stared at her deeply in her eyes.

Selena blew out a harsh breath and pushed him away with her hands on his chest.

"Did you know what kind of trouble I have been after you left. I almost end up in the prison," remembering the night of the incident has made her feel furious.

The man clearly has no intention of helping her. And she's a fool to believe that he will do it given the circumstances of their meeting.

First, she saw him flirting with two different women in the airport at the same day, it's not her business but she knows better than spending her time with a playboy is only a waste of her time. Second, he pinned her down on the couch and acted like a pervert asking for a kiss.

Her face went poker as she thought of all the trouble she had experienced with him. With his arms against the wall, her hand lifted in the air to push it away but then realized how sturdy his arms were.

"Let me go. I have a friend outside and he's a policeman," she boastfully threatened. Barney might not have the capability of arresting him since he's on suspension but she can still use it to threaten the guy.

"I just want to talk to you," he said in a low voice, his body walked back giving her a space to breathe.

Selena gawked at him, the man has moved and sat on the stairway. When he patted the empty space next to him, Selena didn't hesitate and sat down.

"What is it?" seeing the gloom expression across his face has made her believe that he must be going through a hardship.

The man stared at her, up until now, she still doesn't know his name aside from the information she got from Louisa that he has a brother.

The pair of his bushy eyebrows were creasing as he intensely gawks at her, there was something in his eyes, sadness, loneliness or pain she couldn't figure it out but all she knows that he was in distress.

Absently, her hand lifted into the air and went to his cheek, her eyes were full of questions as her thumb lightly rubs his cheeks. He has the same eyes as Alejandro, deep and dark. As if he's going through on something hard.

"I need a girlfriend."

Dumbfounded, Selena's hand frost on his cheek, her breathing stopped for a moment and went it came back, the hand on his cheek, slightly moved to give him a faint slap, not a severe slap but a light one, enough to make his face to turn into another side.

"Why did you slap me?" the man asked, his voice was full of confusion as his hand massages his cheeks.

With her eyes blazing in irritation, Selena got up and took two steps to reach the exit door. Her hand touches the doorknob and was about to twitch it open when her other hand was pulled back and her body lifted in the air.

Just like being pushed away by the wind, Selena found herself again on the wall, both wrists were pinned on the wall. Her whole body shivered when she realized that her lips were being gently kissed by the man.