Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Ingrid's POV

"Come here," Indigo signaled to me. He even managed to get the comb out of my bag. He slowly combed my hair.

"Ouch, take it easy!" I complained to him.

"Right, fight some more," he sarcastically said, still shaking his head to me.

"Wow, ah, you didn't even stop me!" I said. He is now slowly combing me.

“It's fine, I'm ready to comb you afterward. What's wrong is this.” He frowned as he touched my chin to see some scratches on my face. He immediately looked angry as he look at it. Instead of going home immediately, we went to his apartment because he wanted to treat my wound immediately.

Eventually, I just let him. We were also fast because he knew my siblings were also waiting for me.

"You won't ask?" I asked him. He's always the type of person who is often curious about many things but when it's personal he doesn't ask questions either. He turned to me because of that.

“I won’t. I'll wait for you to finally open up. You can do that when you are already comfortable,” he told me. I stared at him because of that. The smile soon curved to my lips. We just kept quiet as we continued walking.

"They were my friends since high school," I said. He looked at me because I suddenly talked. I don't know if I should tell stories to him because I feel like I'm running their image to someone else. But I want to open up with someone, it's like I'm going to explode I won't tell what I really feel. It is always hidden and I don't want others to know what is really on my mind.

“At first they were good to me. I am a friend of Jayvee,” I said.

“But as time went on they started to do things that I didn’t know they'd do. They said we were friends but I didn't feel it. They were joking about things that it's not even funny. Jokes that use my insecurity to make someone laugh. Offensive jokes but you still have to laugh because they are my friends. If you won't, you will look like a killjoy,” I said when I remembered their jokes years ago.

“When it’s not funny, it’s not a joke. When it's not funny, you don't need to laugh. Let them feel that it's wrong. It is not your responsibility to make them laugh with your own weakness,” he said so I stopped there.

"I never thought I needed to hear that until you said it," I couldn't help but say.

"Remove those toxic people in your life, Ingrid," he said.

"It's not easy," I said, still shaking my head.

“Somehow I am also very grateful to them. They were always the ones who helped me financially and I am very grateful because my siblings also have the chance to taste delicious food because of them,” I said so he was the one who stopped. He turned to me with a serious face.

"When I became a toxic person in your life, don't hesitate to cut me out." My lips parted because of what he said. What if it really happened but he had done so much to help my family?

"Promise me," he said to me. I didn't move and just stayed in my place. He even raised his pinky finger.

“Don't hang out with me out of gratitude, Ingrid. Try it and you'll see–” he threatened because I still didn't raise my pinky finger.

"Come on, promise me," he whispered so I finally accepted it.

"I promise," I whispered.

“But please, please don't be one. I really want to keep you,” I said in a small voice. He turned to me because of what I said. I could see the smile on his lips. I don't know how I had the courage to say that but that's what I really feel and with him? I feel like I can say what I really feel because he won't judge.

"Hopefully, I really want to stay by your side too," he said before smiling broadly.

For some unknown reason, I can't even lose the smile on my lips.

"Good night, Ingrid," he whispered to me when we got home.

“Good night. Text me after you're done with your project,” I said so he immediately raised an eyebrow at me.

"Is there a prize?" he asked so I laughed softly before shaking my head at him.

"Hmm, congrats?" I said so I could see his smile.

"I can't wait to finish my work then," he said before finally leaving. I just watched him walk away. I could still see him turning around so I laughed signaling him to leave.

When I went to the bedroom, I didn't even realize that the smile was still on my lips.

That night, I slept with a smile on my face. You're really bad, Ingrid. Guard your heart, you can't be a fool with love again.

I just woke up the next morning with a text from Indigo.

Indigo:

Hi, I'm done now. Where's my congrats, Loadicakes?

I couldn't help but laugh there. He's probably sleeping right now because he's already texting at four o'clock. He said that his brain is more active at night until dawn than in the morning.

Me:

Awwe, congrats!! I hope I can watch it next time, loads. Job well done, Mr. Producer :))

After that, I replied to those who inquired about our business. I'm also saving up to buy a not-so-expensive phone so that I don't have to borrow from Indigo because I'm already using my phone for a long time.

I was actually busy the whole time because I was also taking care of the house and my siblings. I have also arranged the shipment of some of our parcels so it won't be delayed. We ship it every Saturday but when it's food, we ship it right away.

"What are you doing here?" I asked Indigo when I saw him in our house in the afternoon. It's four o'clock already.

“Hi. I already rested!” he immediately spoke because he knew that I would preach to him because he's putting us first again.

"Did you eat?" I ask.

"Are you making me fall?" he asks so I can't help but roll my eyes. I immediately turned my back on him.

"We will ship it now?" he asked when he saw that I had finished all the work. I didn't left anything so I can also rest.

"Yup," I said, nodding at him.

"Then should we start our live selling again?" he asked. I laughed softly because we were so busy with life. In the end, I also agreed. We just rested a few hours before that. We soon began to work again.

When the live sales ended, I was shocked when they started singing.

"Happy birthday to you ~ Happy birthday to you ~" Indigo stood up to visit my siblings. I can't stop biting my lip because of that.

"Happy birthday, Big Sister!" They let out a wide smile while I just remained gasping because of them. I don't really usually celebrate my birthday since Papa left us but my siblings often remind me of that. It's only today that they really don't greet me. I never thought they would have something like this.

"We didn't buy you a cake when you graduated, Ate, so we just saved up for your birthday," Irah said so I immediately hugged them because of that.

"I hope you just saved it for yourself," I said, messing up their hair.

“Hmm, you always buy cakes for us and you always save your money for us, your siblings. That's why it's our time to make your day special too, Big Sister,” they said with a smile. My heart is full. I’m just happy right now.

"I mean Kuya bought it but it's our money," they said, referring to Indigo. I turned to him because of that.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

"Make your wish, Ate," Irah said so I just closed my eyes to ask.

I just wish for my family to be healthy and happy. And for that one person to stay by my side.

Indigo go outside and came in again with food.

"I cooked carbonara, you said you like it," he told me. He smiled broadly as he approached me.

"Happy birthday, Ingrid."

"How did you know?"

"Of course, I'm Indigo,” he said arrogantly so I couldn't stop frowning at him but can't also hide the smile on my face.

He handed the small box to me. I laughed a little when I saw that it was chalk.

"You said you'll be a teacher first before you'll enter filming, right?" he asked. I nodded because that's my plan for now. I like my course so I told him I will first enter as a teacher before I enter the industry as a producer. We can't really get all the careers we want to pursue so it's only natural to be practical especially if you want to survive in life.

We celebrated my birthday with Mama. We are so loud even at night. Until I fell asleep, my smile was really because of an unexpected event.

But in the next few days, I was really annoyed because of Steffanie who spread bad news about me. It was spread how greedy I was for money. Even the thing about Papa leaving us she also told other people. She's already in college but she still acts like a high school student. Unfortunately, we are grouped in research.

"When are we going to do the research?" I asked them.

"Oh, I'm still busy with other things. You're smart, maybe it's just a few hours for you," Gina said to me. What does she think of me? Magician?

"Right, you can do that, Ingrid, you're used to that," Steffanie said with a wide smile. I couldn't help but clench my fist because of it.

"If you don't help, I'll just get your name crossed out on this research," I coldly said, never minding their insulting look.

"Wow, or maybe you want us to remove you? Your scholarship is still important to you, isn't it?" Steffanie laughed when she asked me.

Our professor doesn't like selfish people, so if I say that I'm going to be alone, I'm sure he'll get angry. But is it really being selfish when you desire to pass while your groupmates have nothing else to do but hang out?

In the end, I could do nothing but do the research on my own.

"I'm sorry, I'm just doing something in the library," I said to Indigo who was waiting for me at the main gate. He smiled at me.

"Why do you look like a mother, Ingrid?" he asked me. My lips immediately parted and tried to look at myself in the mirror.

"I know! But do I have to say that?” I glared at him.

“Mother of my future child. You're still beautiful even if you look so stressed,” he said, smiling at me so I turned to him before hitting his arms.

“You look like a fool. Stop flirting,” I said, still shaking my head.

"Let's go. Scramble! I know you're having a bad day,” he said, holding me by my wrist. I can't help but smile. Whenever I’m with him, I feel like I can relax.

The days just went on when I had so much work to finish that sometimes my brain got tangled up. I wouldn’t even have realized I would have fallen asleep at the convenience store if I hadn’t just felt someone putting on his jacket me and it has the familiar manly fragrance. I knew it was Indigo right away.

Even with too many things to do? It's fine because I have him.

I was about to get up to greet him but I almost lost my breath when he whispered softly to me.

"I think I'm already falling in love with you," he said softly. It was enough for me to hear. It's accompanied by the loud roar of my heartbeat. It was as if a prisoner wanted to get out of his prison.