Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Aubrey’s Pov:

It's been 7 days since I got drunk and remembered the jerk who tried to kiss me. It was a terrible week. I'm never drinking again! I'm walking around the neighborhood because it's so boring at my condo and I wanted to get some fresh air. I finished reading the novel I bought 2 days ago.

I decided to go to Bo's Coffee shop since I'm craving for some chocolate chip cookies. The distance from my condo building and Bo’s is just 5 blocks away and I needed the exercise. I could see the coffee shop from my current distance so I walked fast and entered the shop while catching my breath. That was kind of tiring. I never loved exercises because aside from it is tiring, it is painful. Besides, I don’t need to lose weight or anything since I have a slim figure. I just have a very fast metabolism I guess, no matter how hard I eat—I mean I eat a lot.

I walked towards the counter and greeted Mark, he’s the one on duty today.

“Hello Ms. Aubrey,” he greeted back.

“Hi, I would like to order 4 chocolate cookies and a Java chip Frappe,” I told him. He smiled at me and I smiled back.

“That will be a total of 450 pesos,” he spoke. I reached for my pockets to get my wallet and got a 500-peso bill. I handed him the cash and he gave me my change. He told me to just sit where I like and he will just serve my drinks after it’s done.

I sat there and waited for my order when I noticed a guy taking glances at me and finally, went near me. He sat in the chair in front of me. I was shocked with what he did and my eyebrows furrowed.

"Hey! do you still remember me?" he said. I looked back to check if he was talking to somebody else but he was talking to me, looking directly at me.

I pointed at myself and he just nodded. Why is he talking to me? Why would I remember him, nobody talks to me especially to handsome guys like him? Yeah, he's handsome. Tanned skin, brown eyes, brows that looked like it was perfectly trimmed. His face proportion was looking perfect, especially as he smiles, that dimple creeping out of his cheeks is kind of cute.

"I'm sorry, you must be mistaken" I said as I fished my phone out of my pockets and put it on the table.

"I'm not. I can never forget a girl’s face and yours was just different than the others I met at the club. Remember when you got drunk?" And if on cue, some flashes of my memories came back. I remembered the time I was begging him not to leave. I am embarrassed—Oh gosh, he was there… he was really there.

"You owe me, you know that? I waited for you to wake up and you were so annoying and the bartender made me pay your bills. Not that I am complaining now," he said and smirked at me.

"Wh—What? " I stuttered.

"Why didn't you leave then? plus you don't know me." I tried to reason out. I am just so embarrassed to face him right now!

"Well, I was going to leave you but then you begged me to stay." He said and smirked again. Is smirking his habit? Why does he look so amused with my situation?

"I—I did?" I said stuttering, denying that I remembered anything.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked him directly so he would just leave me in peace.

"Ms. Aubrey, your take out is ready!" Mark said as he approached my table. He put my drinks and food on the table. Whooh! thanks for saving me, Mark.

"Thanks, Mark," I said and he smiled at me and went back to his work station. I stood up and got my wallet out of my pocket and took out a three-thousand bill and placed it on the table.

“Here, sorry for the inconvenience. Is this enough?” I asked. He looked at me as if saying my action is unbelievable. He slowly nodded as if he’s out of it. I went out without looking back to the table where the guy seated and walked fast.

I was walking when he called out to me. What does he want? I tried to walk forward not minding him but he kept calling me and people were staring. I stopped. This is like one of the scenes I see in dramas. I rolled my eyes with the delirious thought. I faced him and saw him running towards me.

"Can I know your name at least?" he asked so I looked at him with my brows up.

"Were you the one who took me home when I was drunk? how'd you know my code to my condo?” I asked him directly. His brows furrowed.

“No, I didn’t. Some guy took you. I think it was your boyfriend?” unsure of what he said.

If it’s not him and not James, who could it be?

My mind is too occupied with thoughts that I don’t think I even want to remember. I can’t believe I did something crazy for the first time in my whole life and end up with a lot of embarrassing moments and a black out. It is kind of annoying that I can’t seem to remember clearly about what happened.

"Thank you for staying with me when I was drunk. My name's Aubrey Reyes." I smiled and turned my back and walked away—fast.

"We'll see each other again!" I heard him shouting from afar.

I went back to my condo and ate my cookies and drank my frappe while watching a movie. The weather is nice to just stay at home and be lazy. The clouds were darker and was about to rain. As I finished my take out and movie, I started to get bored. I wasn’t feeling up to read another boring chapter in my nursing book so I stood up and grabbed my pair of figure skates. It is colored white with a hint of black on the sole.

I went to the mall since I was bored. I decided to go ice skating, it's the only thing I'm good at, I miss skating with my dad in America. I did a toe loop, the axel and just plainly spinning—it makes me feel like a ballerina. I skated to my hearts content. I am enjoying skating here at the mall since they have a covered skating rink. It’s raining outside so it is colder here, just like in America. Good thing I just wore leggings and a sweater. Skating here reminds me of the fun times I had with my dad since I was little. We both love the snow and skating.

As I was simply skating, I noticed a girl from afar, she was alone and was having trouble standing with her figure skates, so I went near her and offered to help.

" Are you ok, can I help you?" I asked as I stopped on my tracks.

"You will?" She asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Yeah" I nodded. I held her arm to help her get up.

"Yes! goodie, my brother won't help and then left me here," she said ranting. I think she’s my age but she acts like a 13-year-old. Well, her brother seemed to be a bad person, leaving her sister like this?

"Come on …" I held her hand and slowly pushing her to the middle. We talked about random things and she told me she’s still 17, so that is 2 years younger than me. I taught her the basics and some simple moves since she is so motivated to learn.

She's a fast learner, she immediately learned everything I taught her and wow, she's good! So, we spined together but I lost my balance and she grabbed me but we both fell down on our butts in the skating rink.

"This is fun," she said laughing and I laughed with her. Never thought having a friend would be so fun. So, we just kept laughing and talked about a lot of things while slowly getting back up and skated again.

"Cassandra, come here right this instant!" a manly voice said behind us. I turned around to see who it was.

"Hey brother! " She shouted and waved at the guy not too far from us. She hurriedly went to the guy he called brother. This is his brother? He seemed a little familiar. He was wearing a black jeans and hoodie while wearing a figure skate. I couldn’t see clearly though since my glasses were already moist because of the cold atmosphere.

I skated near them but I heard his brother say…

"Let's go," he spoke in baritone. Not minding me coming towards them.

"Meet my new friend first!" she pointed at me. I tried to smile to his brother who seemed to be in a bad mood. This is awkward.

"She taught me how to skate! She's so good!" She said smiling and waived at me, as if we were far from each other. I just smiled back at her.

"Let's go, mom and dad are waiting for us." He paid no attention to what hi sister was saying. He didn't even smile, he's scary, looks too stiff and uptight.

“B—But!” she tried to talk to her brother but he just turned around and started to skate away. She looked at me timidly.

"Bye! let's see each other again, ok?" Cassandra said without a choice and waived goodbye… following her brother out of the skating rink.

“I guess it is time to leave also,” I muttered to myself. I skated towards the exit and prepared to leave. Before going out of the mall, I just dropped by at Greenwich to get take out food for dinner. I feel like eating a good lasagna and pizza.

I went home with the rain still heavily pouring—good thing I brought my car because it would be difficult to hail a cab in this weather. I safely arrived in my condo and entered my bath to have a nice long hot shower. I ate my dinner afterwards and laid on my bed.

It was a long and tiring day. It was fun also; she was my first friend and I only know her name and age. And her brother, he was very familiar. I think I saw him already.

'Maybe I'm just mistaken'

I grabbed my phone on my side table and scrolled through my social media accounts. There was nothing to see anyway since I don’t have a lot of friends at all. I just think I am an awkward person to be with. Well, James is an exception. He has been a friend of mine when we were younger. He was new to the neighborhood when we used to live somewhere far from here with my whole family before we moved to the states.

There was one missed call from my mom and a message from my dad. I clicked to read what my dad sent me.

Hi kiddo! I’m just checking on you, hope you had dinner already. And please, limit the take outs, it’s not healthy. I love you and we and mom miss you.

-Dad

I typed a reply. I do miss having them beside me but they couldn’t just leave work because they want to move back. It was my choice to go back here in the Philippines and to finish college here. I took off my glasses and put them in my spectacles case.

I turned off my phone and slowly closed my eyes.

I wonder why mom called…

She never calls me if there isn’t anything of importance to discuss with.

I thought of random things that is happening with my life as I slowly drifted to sleep.