Fifth

"O' Carmela." I just nod and give her a signal to follow me. I gesture that she may sit on sofa. I quickly go upstairs to change clothes. I get my blue long sleeve polo and boe tie. I fix my boe tie and my hair into half. A nerdy outfit with a nerdy look.

After I change my clothes, I quickly run downstairs and see nothing. Carmela's gone. Where could she have gone to? I take a quick glimpse at the garden, kitchen, knock on the restroom, and in the pool, but I can't see her.

My heart took a damage. I feel a sudden pain.

My phone received a message and I saw that it was from Carmela. I open it and saw her message that twist my feelings. I don't know if I should be happy or not. I look like a fool that became happy easily and got slapped by reality immediately.

"Sorry to bother you Dale, I got a message from James . He will accompany me, sorry if I bother you. Love you Dale. I will treat you sometime."

I sigh and go to the pool.

I'm frustrated, sad and irritated. I need to release my anger or else, I might let it out on someone and that's the thing I don't want to happen. While I'm sitting at the corner in the pool, I throw my phone.

"Why? Why I can't receive her love?"

~~~

I open the gate to make a way for my car, after I let my car outside, I close the immediately. We have a helper on our home but I don't wanna disturb them on what they doing in the kitchen. They seem busy. Is my mother going home tonight?

I start the car engine and drive. I want to buy a latest book of my favorite author, so I need to go to the mall. I need that book to finish my draft, I want to create a heartfelt story.

When I arrived at the mall, I park my car in parking and go inside the mall to find the bookstore. I found the book faster because it was best selling and it is in the front desk of the cashier. It looks like that I can go home faster than I think.

I feel refreshed even a little bit when I buy the book. I felt a little hunger so I look for a fastfood chain. I saw one in the near entrance so I choose to eat on that and it is in the entrance, I can leave immediately.

I sit on the free table and after that I take a look at the book I bought. It is a sequel for my favorite series so I wanted to read it immediately, but I feel hungry at the moment so I put aside my urges to read the book and look at the menu. While choosing what I want to eat, I saw someone I might know.

"O' our campus queen." I murmur.

She has a dress fashion, well she look stunning as always, not that I care anyway.

I wave at the waiter. He approach me and I said my order while looking at Thea Adriano. She seem to be suspicious, she look seriously while looking at someone.

She's looking to someone beside at her table. I can't see who's she looking but her looks are serious and giving an irritated aura. When she stop looking at someone and sit properly, I saw who is she looking. It's James smiling, together with Carmela.

I turn my attention away from them because if I didn't, I will approach them and might start a scene that I might regret later. Well that's on my nature.

~~~

The time flew by and I finished eating. I call the waiter and pay my bill. I can't keep my sanity for a long time, I am mad and jealous at the same time. I don't want to start a trouble here.

I entered the arcade and get a token. I play a shooting game to release a bit stressed I accumulated on my mind and body.

I spend all of my token shooting a ball to the hoop and I find out that I get bunch of tickets that I can exchange for a price in the counter. I saw a limited edition book, I read a few books from its author so I take interest on this book immediately.

I plan to exchange it, but.

On the corner, I saw a little girl crying. I approach her and kneeled. I look at her in the eyes and pat her head while smiling at her.

"Are you lost?"

She nod at me. I don't want to be accused as kidnapper so I decided to take her into security guard. Before that I exchange the ticket I gained and get the big teddy bear. I give the teddy bear to the kid to lessen her nervousness while waiting for her parents.

I'm here in the security office with the kid while waiting for her parents. I planned to just take her to guards but she want me to meet her parents. I just comply to the kid's want.

While waiting on the office, I ask her a few question regarding to what happened why she is lost. She tell me that she wants to play in arcade to get this teddy bear but she go for it and didn't wait for her parents.

I heard a footstep and the door suddenly open, I saw a woman who's age might on early 30's. She walk towards us and hug the kid beside me.

"Auntie!" Called by the child.

She has worried look at her face while hugging the child, maybe she was so worried when this child suddenly disappeared on her side. Everyone will be worried if someone close or love ones suddenly disappeared without notice.

So she's with her Aunt, I thought that she is with her parents.

"Don't ever run away again. Your Mommy will be mad at me if she know this." She started lecturing the child infront of me.

She look at me and smile, "Thank you so much, Mr.?"

I extend my hand and offer a handshake to introduce myself in formal manner.

"Dale, Dale Mondragon."

She accept my handshake and proceed to say thank you to me. After that, I excuse myself and start walking. Before I open the door to take ny leave, the child called me. She smiled at me

"Mister, my name is Tanya."

I nod at her and give her a smile. "Okay, I'll remember your name."

~~

I walk to the exit and I saw Thea again. This girl, I already saw her earlier. Why is she still here?. She saw me and there is awkwardness between us, and it's because on the rest room incident. Clearly, I'm not at fault and I didn't said that she's the one who's wrong.

But it is.

"Hide."

I am taken a back on what she said, she suddenly grab my arms and hide at the back of car. She took a peek while hiding in back of the car, and I have clue who it is.

"Tell me, do you have feelings on James? I ask her.

She blushed and shook her head in defensive manner. Seriously, is she the Thea Adriano I know who's pride knows no bound? I am uncomfortable on her actions, since the rest room incident, she didn't yell at me anymore which is totally unusual. Before when we passed each other, she will start cussing and yell at me.

But look at her now. The pain is written all over her face.

"What can I do?" She murmur

I took a peak and saw the two of them kissing and after that, they get on the car. I understand why Thea look like this, we are in love with persons who's already committed.

I gulp while maintaining ny composure, I feel a pain inside my heart. The pain are showing on my face, I tried so hard to not let Thea saw my expression.

"I will tell you something, nerdy man. But promise me, don't tell anyone."

Even I'm confused on her actions, I just nod. It seems that it wad regarding to Carmela and James so I nod immediately without much thinking. I might earn something from it.

~~~

I am standing in front of Carmela's house. What the hell am I doing here anyway? Why I accept that Thea's plan.

~~

"Listen nerdy man, that man." She point at James.

"That man is engaged to me. I am not a bad person that will steal another man."

I almost shout at the shocking news I heard from her. But I just laugh it off.

"Don't laugh nerdy man. It's a matter of hearts between those two."

The smile disappear on my lips.

"So what are you trying to say?" I ask her.

She give me an envelope and gestured me to open it. I take it and slowly open the envelope.

And I found out.

"Marriage Registration.."