Louisa's p.o.v;
At college,
Ryder, "What do you want to talk to me about?"
"Did you beat Lucas?"
"Yeah."
I thought he would refuse but he agreed.
"Why did you beat him?"
"I'm a bully. I beat a lot of boys. I don't need a reason to beat anyone. Is that why you called me? Then, I'm leaving."
"Did you hear us in the cafeteria?"
"I have to go somewhere."
I held his hand and said, "Thank you."
He removed my hand and asked while smiling, "Where did you learn to thank people? Is this really the Louisa I know?"
"I'm leaving."
"Hold on. Where are you leaving already? I have a question to ask you. Who's the other guy in the picture?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that."
"Why? Is he your boyfriend?"
While I was figuring out what to answer, I got a call. I asked for an excuse and walked away from him. Who called me now? When I looked at the display, I saw my mother's name on the display. I ended the call and said to Ryder, "I have to hurry up." "Thank you again." And walked away from him.
While I was walking to the library after the classes ended, I was thinking about the reasons my mother had made the call. My phone vibrated, it was her again. If I don't pick up, she'll make a call to Bernie. It's better I pick the call before him.
I answered, "Yes, mother?"
"I thought you're going to ignore me again."
"What is it?"
"Your brother is returning home. So your father asked me to inform you. I'll send the tickets. Be here next Monday."
Before I replied, she ended the call. She ended the conversation by herself like always. Next Monday, let's see if I can remember that.
The librarian, "It's not your shift today. Did you forget?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
When I walked out of the library, I bumped into Diego. He asked, "Are you leaving already?"
"It's not my shift today. But I forgot and came here."
"Then where are you going now?"
"To my place."
"If you're free, can we go out?"
"You're asking me out?"
"Don't act like we didn't hang out together before. Come on, let's go."
"Aren't you going inside the library just now?"
"Yeah, I came to return the book. Wait here, I'll be back." And he walked inside the library.
After he came out, I asked, "Where are you taking me?"
"You'll know once we get there."
"Hey, I have to go to my part time job at six. So don't take me far away from here. Then, it'll be difficult for me to return."
He put his hand over my shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I'll take you to your job and drop you in front of the cafe you're working in. Are you happy now?"
"You sound suspicious. Where are we going?"
"Aren't you smart? Find out by yourself."
After a while, he brought me to a themed restaurant. It's Halloween themed.
Diego, "Do you like it?"
"I have never been to a themed restaurant before. So it's kinda new to me."
"Really? I almost went to all the themed restaurants here. If you want to go, call me. I'll take you there."
We took a table and I was still looking around the restaurant's environment. The lights and the decor was made to look like it was a haunted restaurant. The people who took orders were also dressed according to the theme. When I looked at the menu, it had weird names added to the food. Like cyclone eyeball Martini and witches foot soup. When I asked Diego about it, he said witch foot soup was actually chicken leg soup. Every meal has funny and weird names.
While I was looking at it, Diego said, "Do you mind if another person joins this lunch?"
I shaked my head and continued looking at the menu.
After a while, I saw a familiar face walking towards our table. He introduced himself, "Hi, you must be Louisa, right?"
After I gave a nod, he continued, "I'm Enzo, faculty of law. Nice to meet you."
I remembered him after his name.
Enzo sat beside Diego and asked me, "Have the exams finished in your faculty because we still have our exam going on."
"Yeah, it's over by last week."
Enzo asked Diego, "You said she's still stubborn, but she doesn't look like that. Did you trick me?"
Diego, "She was. But now she has changed a bit. I wonder what or who changed her."
I asked Diego, "Is this how you introduce your friends?"
Diego nudged Enzo and asked, "Did you see how she asked me? This is how she was before."
Enzo smiled and asked, "Have you made orders?"
Diego, "We were waiting for you."
I smiled at Diego towards Enzo. His face says it all. Why is he so obvious?
After we finished with the Lunch, we left the restaurant.
I said to both of them after taking a look at the time, "I'll get going then. It's already 6."
I went close to Diego and whispered into his ears, "He's good to go." And came back and smiled at him.
After taking a bus, I went to the cafe. I saw Danielle serving the customers.
I asked, "Was I late?"
She shook her head and said, "Not yet. Ryan didn't came yet." And smiled at me.
I went straight to the changing room and came out with working clothes. I started delivering the food from the counter to the customer tables.
When the shift was over, I went into the changing room and saw Danielle staring at her phone. I changed my clothes and looked at her. She was still sitting there with the phone in her hands. She didn't change her clothes either.
I sat beside her and asked, "What is it?"
She shakes her head and stands up to change her clothes.
When I was about to step out, she said, "Can you wait for me in front of the cafe?"
"Yeah." I walked out of the changing room and got caught by Lily.
Lily, "Are you leaving?"
"Yeah."
"Do you like cheesecake? Some remained from today's menu. Shall I pack it for you?" After I gave a nod, she gave me a bag saying, "Good thing, I already prepared one for you."
I took the cake box from her and asked, "Why didn't Ryan come today? Do you know why?"
"He went to meet up with his friends from college. I wonder how he talks to them while putting a mad face at us. Speaking about it, I remember my friends too. I miss my friends now. Louisa, you're still in college, right?"
After I gave a nod, she continued, "Enjoy while it lasts. We don't know how we miss everything until we graduate. I miss my college friends." "Okay, I'll get going now."
By the time, Danielle asked me from behind, "Why are you standing here?"
"Lily."
She smiled and said, "I get it now. She won't stop when she opens her mouth."
"Why did you ask me to stay by the way?"
"Your place is on 2nd Avenue, right? Let's walk together."
"Okay."
After we came out of the restaurant, we walked alongside the payment.
Danielle asked, "What's inside the bag?"
"It's cheesecake. Lily gave it to me since it remained."
"Oh, okay."
I asked her, "How's your school? You're graduating this year, right?"
Her expression changed and said, "Yeah."
"Why the long face? Is something bothering you?"
"I don't have parents. They passed away when I was ten. All I have is my brother. But when I started middle school, he distanced himself from me because of work. I invited him for the graduation but he said he can't make it."
"That's why you were upset about it?"
"Yeah. I wanted him to be there. He's the only family I have after all."
I patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I think he'll make it for sure. Because you're the only family he got too, right? He'll be there."
She nodded and we two walked alongside each other.
I wanted to talk to Danielle in the beginning about red stone but somehow I started to like her as a friend. I liked how hard she worked. I liked how hard she's taking care of her life.
I put my hand over her shoulder and pulled her into me whispering, "Shall we kidnap your brother and bring him to your graduation by force?"
She broke out into laughter and said, "Thank you, Louisa."
"What are you thankful for? I haven't kidnapped your brother yet."
After a while, we two parted into our own ways and I continued walking to my place. While I was on the way, I thought about Miguel, my brother. Mother said he's returning home next week. It's been eleven years since I saw him. Will he still remember me? Thinking about the past, I think I saw him when I was ten. Even though he was my brother, no one would believe us because we two grew up separately. We didn't have many good memories to think about and talk about. Father wanted both of us to go to boarding school but I didn't agree and stayed behind.
When I heard Danielle speaking about her brother, it made me think about Miguel. Will he look for me? Will he ask for me? Above all, does he remember me?
I came to my apartment while I was thinking about him. When I opened the door, Ace wasn't inside. Why am I looking for him? I shook away my thoughts and went to my room to get a shower.
After the shower, I looked at the calendar. There's still three more days to go for the first year to end. After summer break, I'll be going to second year. I can't believe it's been a year since I came to Sao Paulo.
I looked outside the window while I was drying my hair. When I first came, I didn't know much about the places and neighbourhoods. But now, I kinda knew all the street names since I did the delivery. I took many part time jobs and learnt how hard the work will be. I started making new friends which I thought I wouldn't. Even though I lost a friend, I hope he'll be happy with his girlfriend. And, I hope I'll meet more like him.
I saw someone standing down. It looked like he was staring at me. It must be my illusion. Or is it Valentine who's spying on me? I couldn't see the person's face clearly since he was standing in the dark. Stop thinking about unwanted things. Let's go to bed and have a good sleep.
I locked the room and went to my room. I turned off the lights and when I was about to lie down, I heard someone ringing the doorbell. It gave me a little jerk since it was dead silent before.
I got up and turned on the lights and walked to the door. Who might it be? If it was Ace, he would have walked in by now since he has a spare key. Was it the guy who stood in the dark?
My heart started beating fast as I was walking towards the door.
It's fine. I'm a grown up. I can handle this. I've been kidnapped twice but still in one piece. I can do this. Let's open and see who it is. If it was someone who's bad, let's call the police. It's easy.
Wait, let's grab a phone. I got my phone and opened the door.
Ace was standing in front of me, he looked like he's drunk. I felt relieved after knowing it's him.
I put his hand over my shoulder and said, "Hold on to me."
I took him in and made him lay on the bed and came outside to lock the door.
"Louisa!"
I heard Ace calling out my name. I walked into my room and sat beside him.
"What is it? Do you want something?"
He breathed heavily while mumbling something.
"I couldn't hear you properly. What are you saying?"
I placed my ears close to his mouth and tried to listen to what he was mumbling.
"I-I'm… s-sorry… I'm sorry…"
I backed away and tried to get up after hearing what he was saying but he grabbed my hand and pulled me into him and apologise again.
"You're drunk. Go to sleep."
"I'm sorry."
I removed his hand from mine and asked, "Why are you apologising to me?"
He sat straight and hugged me and apologised again.
"Why are you doing this? Do you want me to forgive me?"
He broke the hug and held my cheeks while saying, "No, I don't want that. I don't want you to forgive me."
"Then why are you asking sorry?"
"Because I wanted to. I'm not asking you to forgive me. Don't forgive me." And hugged me tightly.