The Challenge

"Thanks for sending me here. I appreciate the rapprochement." I said as I unfastened my seatbelt. I can feel him look at me but I intend to ignore him.

Well, I don't really have to look back at him either. It was just so ridiculous.

"Rapprochement?"

"Uhh yes?" I turned to him and my brows automatically narrowed when I saw that his brows were already shot up and a hundred of question was written on his eyes.

Don't tell me he doesn't know about this? Oh, c'mon. This is Calvin Mendocino and he was the most perfect type of a guy I've ever meet. The smartest on our batch and one of the hottest eligible bachelor right now. Thus, I would never believe that he's stupid.

That's so absurd right?

"So..." he narrowed his eyes on me so I furrowed my brows, too.

Now I wonder what's his problem.

"I guess I was right. That you're still treating me as your enemy before." he said as if he was accusing me so I rolled my eyes heavenwards.

I crossed my arms and faced him. Wow! I'm surprised that he even have to ask that. I thought he already know about that since when we are just kids. We are already a big competition to each other way back then.

And he will always tease me that I can never win with him and that what makes me hate him even more that made me wonder how does that hatred quickly vanished now when I saw his other side.

When I saw his smile and laughter that I never saw even in a second before. I felt like I've forgot all our ugly past. He always look so serious like he will always face the board members and discuss the new project with them before.

And I remembered that he was even a strict and tight SSG President before. He's always wearing that eye glasses before even if his eyes were perfectly fine. Having a nerdy image makes me hate him even more because I thought of him as a disgusting top one of our batch.

But I can't deny the fact that he still looks hot even with those glasses. And girls even in the higher and lower batch is crazy about him.

But now, He was really different. Gone was that eye glasses and the arrogance was evident in his moves.

Maybe many has really changed for the years that I've gone.

Calvin looks like he has changed but my parents. When will I be able to feel that they love me? When will I ever feel that they are looking for me? When will I ever feel that they are missing me?

And when will I see them again?

I sighed secretly and smiled sadly at the back of my mind.

I already missed them. I wonder if they even feel the same or until now, business was still their number one priority that they can't live without it.

"Calvin Noel Mendocino. Aside from being grumpy and rude to me and even to everyone before, I didn't know that you were also a 'big numb' for not realizing that, huh?" I sarcastically said before crossing my arms over my chest.

His brows furrowed upon hearing what I said. He looks so insulted but then he was still calm when he spoke. "I'm not numb, Allyssa. I really don't know that you see me as your enemy."

I gritted my teeth. I looked at outside and took a deep breath before facing him. I don't know that smarts are also stupid, too. Of all the things that happened between the two of us before, how come he didn't still know it?

We were born to be enemies. In family, in academics and who knows? In business, too. That's why I am so thankful that I didn't enter the world of business so our path wouldn't be entangled again.

But look at the play of fate. It was always making its way to link us.

"Then you are fooler than I thought." I rolled my eyes and stepped out of his car. I looked up at the six storey building before I entered the Publishing House where I saw Alexia on the lobby with his husband and Pauline, her dearest daughter.

She automatically smiled and wave her hands excitedly to me when she saw me as their daughter ran towards my direction. I smiled as I greeted her with a tight hug. She filled my face with a kiss so I laughed and carried her.

"Hello, Tita Allyssa.You look great today. I missed you." She complemented me so I smiled even more.

"Really? You missed me?" I smiled widely when she nodded twice.

"Yes, Tita."

"And because of that." I took the chocolate from my bag and showed it to her. "You'll have this from me."

"Yeeheeyy." I smiled widely when I saw how her eyes twinkle in so much delight. Seeing a kid smiling just because of a simple thing really melts my heart and I was so glad to see her smile.

Because when I was just a kid, I never remembered smiling as wide as that before. Oh well, except for the times when Kuya was playing with me secretly in my room when our Parents is around.

Because when we were just young, we were forbidden to play because our parents said we still had too many things to study to waste our time in playing so we never had the freedom to enjoy our childhood days.

That's why whenever my classmates asked me about how my summer goes, I'll always remain silent, smile and shrugged because I have nothing to say.

So my youth was not really fun and memorable at all. I am always in our House because whenever my friends will invite me for a hang out. My parents always refused me to go with them.

And I really want to rebel. But I just can't do it, I just can't because I'm afraid with my parents that time. Only I had the courage to disobey them when I'm nineteen.

She attacked me with a tight hug as soon as he approached me. She even faked a sob so I laughed.

"I missed you so much, my friend! And you didn't even tell me that you're already here! If Devi didn't told me, I wouldn't know."

"I'm sorry. I planned to tell you but not this soon. I'm still adjusting with my permanent stay here. I missed you, too, Alexia." I hugged her tight. After she hug me, Erwin approached me and gave me a warm hug.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks, Erwin. Did you take care of my friend and goddaughter?" I raised my brows so he chuckled and snaked his arms on Alexia's waist that made my friend blushed.

"I can assure you I did, Ally." There's a love for his wife in his eyes when he looked at Alexia so I smiled for the both od them. I hate couples but they were excluded because of course, they're my friends.

I smiled at him. "Good then."

"You're spoiling my daughter, Allyssa." Alexia said when she saw the chocolate on pauline's hands so I rolled my eyes at her.

"No. I'm not spoiling her. I just want to see her smile." I defended my self.

"You're still spoiling her." Erwin said while he was also smiling. I just rolled my eyes on the two.

"C'mon guys. I'm not spoiling her and stop being oa." I rolled my eyes again when I heard them both laughed.

"Allyssa was right so don't argue with her." I gasped when I felt someone move over my shoulder. I looked at her and my jaw automatically dropped when I saw the familiar face of the jerk smiling at me.

"Hi!"

I narrowed my eyes and remove his hands on my shoulder. "You! Don't touch me and don't greet me with your Hi as if we haven't seen each other earlier."

He just laughed and tried to pinch my nose but I whipped his fingers that made him gasped.

"Aww."

"Serves you right." I said as I flipped my hair before walking away from him.

"You're really mean, Allyssa Divinagracia. No wonder why you're single until now." He shouted so I clenched my fist in irritation and despised when I saw some of the employees looked at me.

I turned to him and started walking back while still clenching my fist in annoyance and irritation for him. He automatically smirked when he saw me that made me more despised him.

Gosh! This man is fucking irritating.

I stopped in front of him. Now we are only two inches away.

That smirk was still on his face and it made me more irritated.

"I really don't like peoples talking about my status, Mendocino so..." I smirked as my fist land on his cheek. His eyes automatically widened and I can only hear the gasps of Alexia and Erwin with the other employees that is watching us.

His face turned red because of my punch and I thought he would punch me, too, for doing such thing to him but I just got surprised when I saw him smirked again.

He was now holding his cheek where did I punch when he faced me.

"Allyssa Divinagracia" He paused and smiled warmly that made me wanted to punch him more. This man. I don't know if he's an abnormal or a crazy person but I can't understand how can he still able to smile after what I did.

He should be angry with me!

"I think you'll be the challenge in my ass."

I just smirked upon hearing what he said.

"Sure will, Calvin Mendocino." I rolled my eyes before finally walking away from him glaring with those persons who are watching us like there's a shooting for a movie.

Well, it's an actual scene. Bad for all of you.