Chapter 10: Chapter 10

009

Just you try and stop me. I'll be waiting in line, just to see if you care...if you care

"What's your favorite color?" Loud randomly asked as soon as I opened my eyes. "Is it yellow? You always wear yellow. I looked inside your closet. You have a lot of yellow-colored shirts."

"W-what?" I murmured.

I scratched my eyes. Loud immediately tapped and moved my hand away from my eyes. I could smell his coffee fragrance even with my eyes closed. I was still sleepy, and he was disturbing me.

I knew that he owned this house...trailer house, but it doesn't mean he has the right to wake me up whenever he feels like waking me up.

"What's up with you?" I replied lazily.

"I'm curious, so what is your favorite color?"

I gathered all my strength to stand from the bed, but it was like a magnet pulling me.

I hate him. I hate his house.

I've been staying here for a week, and I felt so comfortable that I could easily fall asleep like it was a home.

"If that is a pick-up line, I am sure as hell I am going to throw you out of your trailer!!" I yelled in frustration.

"I'm dead serious. Answer me," he chuckled. "C'mon, what is your favorite color?"

I glared at him. "Does it matter?"

I almost felt a mini-heart attack when he said, "Everything about you matters."

Okay, Gab. You won't fall for that, and you can't fall for that. He might just be using you.

"It's not yellow," I answered as I stood up. "Since you wake me up, arrange the bed," I added.

I slowly walked out of the trailer and smelled the warmth of fresh air. Breakfast was already ready. It was the usual pancakes with maple syrup that he likes and brewed coffee.

"It's not yellow?" He creased his brows. "Why do you have a lot of yellow shades?"

"I wear yellow because it makes me look happy," I told him. "For the record, I hate pancakes."

I grabbed the towel in the clothesline and went inside to take a bath. I heard him ask what I liked for breakfast, but I ignored him.

I spent half an hour inside the shower room. I couldn't understand why he chose to live in a trailer house when it looked like he could afford to buy a house or build a house. Like, hello? The lot in this village where he parked his trailer was actually huge. He owned it! He freaking owned it, so why live in a trailer?

Well, I don't have the right to complain because I wasn't paying rent and I don't have any plans on paying unless he started living in a house with a bigger shower room where I could sing and dance while taking a bath.

"Fck!" I almost screamed when I bumped into him as soon as I opened the shower door. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What do you like for breakfast? I'll cook for you," he plainly said.

I blinked. He freaking waited for half an hour just to ask me that question, wow! Unbelievable!

I no longer know what to think. Honestly, I wanted to curse him...kill him...torture him...cause he was definitely killing me.

"Why would you do that?"

"I like doing things for you," he winked.

"I hate the things you do for me," I scoffed.

I was caught off guard when he said, "Because you're afraid to fall for me."

What the fuck! Why would I fall for him? He's not even charming...whatever! I hate lying.

"Don't pretend that you like me because I know you're just using me because of my family."

"I liked you even before I knew your family," he stated.

"What?"

He looked serious. I turned to him. I surveyed his features and I was pretty sure I haven't seen him in my entire life.

I couldn't remember him or even bump into him. I knew I'd never seen him before, so it was impossible.

"You're kidding me," I shook my head. "I don't know you."

"You don't know me, yeah!" he nodded. "But, I know you used to sing in your hospitals."

I raised a brow. That caught my attention. It was true. Back when I was in high school, I used to spend my free time at our hospitals. I randomly sang at our patients because I wanted to make them feel better. I always thought hospitals sucks, so it's my way of saying everything will be okay.

"What do you--"

"From up above, I heard the angels sing to me these words....and sometimes, in your eyes..." He started singing the song.

It was the song I used to play to random patients at our hospitals. My favorite song.

"I see the beauty in the world." He straightly looked at my eyes, and I almost cried when he told me what I used to say to those patients, "You're a miracle in this world."

"H-how?" I asked, confused. "I've never seen you."

"You told my mother she was a miracle," he smiled as a shot of liquid fell from his eyes. "But the truth is, you were her miracle."

I blinked. My mouth was hanging as I tried to remember every patient I could recall. My memory wasn't helping. Who? Among all the patients inside our hospital, who?

"What's her diagnosis?"

"Find the doctor who operated on my mother, then let's ask what will happen if he knew it was an AAD," he replied with a fang in his throat.

"Care to explain what's AAD, future doctor?" I added with sarcasm.

"Search it or better search your hospital files."

"You are an intern in our hospital. Why not search for it?"

"I did."

I waited for his response, and I already knew there was something wrong when he said, "It was a VIP case."

"Speechless?" he asked after a while.

"Your dad," I remembered. "How did he die? You said my family killed your parents."

"Oh, not really, but part of it. My father became a drunkard and died of depression because of what happened."

There was sadness in his voice and for a moment I wanted to hug him. Yet, I shrugged the thought away.

"Is that the reason why you wanted to become a doctor?"

I was hoping he would say no, because if that's the reason, then I would truly be disappointed in him for the rest of my life.

"Would you hate me if I said yes?" He looked at me, begging, though I wasn't sure what that for.

"Does it matter if I hate you?"

"It does."

"Well, I am disappointed," I honestly replied. "And, I was wrong to expect a lot from you."

"Gabby," he sweetly said. "I wanted to become a doctor because I wanted to save lives."

"So?" I raised a brow.

He picked the cup of coffee, took a sip, then stared back at me with curiosity. "I'm dying to ask, why become a lawyer when you own one of the biggest hospitals in Asia?"

"How many times should I say, they're not mine." I rolled my eyes. "So, don't you ever say that again."

"Then, why?"

"I want to prove the innocence of my family," I told myself.

...and there's no way I'd tell him that.

--

"Where are we going?" I asked Var.

He pulled me out of the music room while we were practicing for the battle, and now we are heading out of the university. It's six o'clock in the evening. I was supposed to go to the bistro before Var decided to take me somewhere.

"Date," he smirked.

"Date?" I gave him a what-do-you-mean look. "Are we even dating?"

"We're not dating because you don't want to date me, but we will go on a date because you promised me a date," he stated.

We stopped in front of his car. Damn! That's fucking Bugatti Divo!

I missed my brother's car, well he's the only person in our house that I missed.

"Date? We're just going on a date, and you're using your Bugatti Divo?" I shook my head. "That's freaking special."

"You are special." Var smiled.

I stared at him for a minute, trying to figure out if he was telling me the truth. I knew Var since I started college. We used to be in the band before I decided to leave, then later he left the band. Not exactly, he was still part of it, but he never sang again. I used to think I was the reason.

"Why do you decide to sing again?" I asked, curious.

He opened the door before looking at me again, "Because I found a reason to be with you again."

"You like me?" I stated. It was obvious. He was there since the first year, trying to help me with whatever he could offer. He would ask me to write papers for him. He would pay lots of money. It helped me survive every day.

"I like you, Gabriella. I have liked you since the first year," he sincerely smiled. "But, aside from the fact that you don't want to date..." he sighed. "I can't like you. I wasn't supposed to like you."

"I get it." I nodded. "You were already promised to someone, right?"

His smile faded as he shook his head. "Yeah. So, just let me help you. And, allow me to be with the girl I like tonight before my engagement tomorrow."

"Okay," I smiled. "You can say no, Var. You have your choice that cannot be chosen by others."

What he said next, feared me, "If I choose you, would you choose me?"

"No." I said it directly. "Don't choose me, because I am not worth it."

"I wouldn't know unless you will allow me to choose you."

I could sense he was asking me to choose him, so he could choose me and walk away from that arranged marriage. For a second, I thought of choosing Var because I wanted to help him. I know the feeling of being controlled by someone, and if choosing him would help him get away from that choice he didn't make, then it would be better. Though, I also knew that choosing him...choosing me, would just make everything complicated.

"I am here as a friend, Var," I assured him. "So, how about you buy me a drink as a friend?"

"You don't like me?"

"I don't have time to like someone," I said, which is actually true.

"But, you can make time to like Elarde," he said bitterly. "Anyways, I have the files you're looking for."

"Really?" I clapped my hands. "You were able to stalk him, investigate him, whatever it is," I said, excited. "Where are the files?"

"Date me first."

"Do I have a choice?"

He smirked. "I'm afraid you don't." He led me to his car and drove.

--

"Where have you been?!" Loud yelled as soon as I stepped foot on his land.

I spent the entire night listening to Var's sentiments in life. I know he needed a friend, so I decided to give him one because he gave me that when I needed it.

I lost track of time and it's not like someone's going to look for me, or I thought there's no one...until Loud appeared.

He was standing with his left hand on his forehead and he looked frustrated as he faced palm.

"I've been trying to call you. Where the hell is your phone?"

"What the fuck? Why are you shouting?" I hissed. "You don't have any right to shout at me even if I am living in your trailer!" I yelled back.

I get that he's concerned but he should not be. We're just strangers living in a trailer van.

I could sense he was about to raise his voice again, yet he closed his eyes and inhaled.

"It's 2 in the morning, Gabby. Where have you been?" His voice was calm and sweet.

"Why do you care?" I looked away and walked to the porch. Damn! Why is he giving me that look?

He's manipulative!!

He stopped in front of me. I was shocked for a second. I thought he was going to land a fist, so I quickly stepped backward ready to fight.

Yet, what he did left me dumbfounded.

"You made me worried sick," he sweetly mumbled as he hugged me. He caressed my back and I felt goosebumps.

I immediately pushed him away as I could sense the heat on my face.

"What the hell?" I angrily said. I tried to breathe air but felt like losing. My chest was pounding so hard.

"Sorry, " he sighed. "I just thought I'd lose you."

"I am not yours, so there's no way you'd lose me in the first place." I coldly said.

I walked fast behind him. But before I could enter the trailer, he left me with words that didn't seem right.

"I love you."