Chapter 23: Chapter 23

Lora and Catalina said their goodbyes once they alighted from the bus at the bus station. Lora went on the road leading to her house in an exciting mood. She can’t wait to get home and try all the clothes they have bought.

The only problem here is that she doesn’t know if she would be able to wear them, yes, they look beautiful and she loved herself in it when she saw her reflection in the mirror back at the saloon but what she does not know is she would feel comfortable wearing the clothe in front of Alfredo. “the clothes are too classy and the shopping was a lot of fun for her.” She thought, feeling grateful to Catalina for doing this with her today even though she had refused to go shopping with her before. Lora kept smiling to herself as she recalled how those shoes and bags and wondered how she was going to look in them after she tried them out. Why haven’t she thought of this before? She asked inwardly, her face still lit up in smiles, to think she have the money to purchase these beautiful things and yet did not, she thought and glance at the shopping bags in her hands.

Lora giggled and walked on in those exciting thoughts when all of a sudden she got a feeling that someone is following her.

She paused abruptly and glanced behind her for a while but she saw no one following her. She continued walking again with so much consciousness this time, then paused again and glanced behind her when she felt that someone was still following her, yet she saw no one.

The street was getting darker this time and fear had crept into her mind. This is not the first time she had imagined someone following her. So instead of walking this time she ran as fast as she could without looking back.

Lora ran to the door in front of her house, she quickly scrambled for the keys in her hand bag and opened the door.

Once inside the house, she slammed the door behind her, dropped the shopping bags she was holding and locked the door as fast as she could with both of her hands trembling in fear.

“What was that?” she asked herself standing steal with her right hand on her chest to catch her breath for a moment. Is she losing her mind imagining things or is someone really following her, she thought as she felt her heart in her throat.

Then she remembered a certain time when she was on her way back from school, a man who she was unable to see his face because he was putting on a hood jacket had followed her all the way from school.

At first she thought the man was going on his way when he entered the bus, but it became clear to her that, he was following her when he walked on behind her after they came down from the bus, and disappeared a few inches away from her house. That day she was so scared to death.

Since that incident she had the feeling most times that someone is following her especially when it’s getting dark. She shook her head and slowly picked up the shopping bags from the floor and went into her room.

***

Catalina sited Alfredo from afar standing on the bend before her house. “What is he doing here?” she asked herself as she walked on.

She has been avoiding his calls since this afternoon, since she was shopping with Lora and also because she felt a little guilty. “Why is he here?” she asked inwardly again feeling so uneasy because she wasn’t expecting him here at this time, it’s already past 7pm.

Alfredo sited Catalina too as she walked towards him, he felt relived now that he had seen her because he was worried that she was not taking her call. “You are not picking my calls, may I ask why?” Alfredo said as Catalina approached him, his brows furrowed as he peered at her, feeling angry that she did not pick up his calls and wondered where she had gone to.

“I have been busy.” She replied stopping in front of him. “What are you doing here?” she asked furrowing her brows at him, even though she was not happy she was doing that to him especially since she was already developing feelings for him. “It is past 7pm, what was so urgent you can’t wait until tomorrow?” she asked again, forcing herself to raise her lips a little in scorn, as she peered angrily at him, hoping that he would just leave and not make her say words that she does not mean to say and may regret latter.

If not for the change of heart she had because of the recent development in her house and the fact that she has now felt a little of what her friend Lora feels because of her parent’s separation, she would have been very happy to see Alfredo, she peered down at the bag in her hand which Lora had gifted her, wondering if she had made a right choice to go and see Lora in the first place because seeing Alfredo angry at her like this, made her heart ache and she wondered if she had fallen in love with him already without knowing it.

“We were supposed to meet earlier today, remember?” Alfredo said after a while, sounding and looking so astonished by her questions and expression as he never expected her to act this way towards him. Here he was feeling so worried because he does not know whether she was alright and could not go over to her house to ask her parents about her whereabouts because they do not know who he was yet and instead of acknowledging him, she was acting this way. “Why, what happened to you?” Alfredo asked, sounding a little husk as he peered at her, knowing that something was wrong, he was with her some days ago and she was alright with him, they even talked over the phone and she asked him if he had broken up with Lora yet.

“Nothing, Alfredo, you should have left already when you did not see or hear from me.” She said, walking past him afterwards, ignoring the look on his face. She could see how confused he looked but could not bring herself to talk to him properly and just wanted him to go away.

Alfredo moved forward immediately and grabbed unto hand, turning her around to face him. “What’s the matter with you Catalina?” Alfredo asked knowing something is not right as this is unlike her to behave this way towards him, “are you mad at me because I have not yet told Lora that I am breaking up with her?” he asked, peering into her eyes and thinking that would be the reason for her behaviour.

Catalina bit down her lower lip, recalling how she had spoken to him on the phone after he told her that he was unable to break up with Lora yet, she had told him to do so as quickly as possible and Alfredo had promised her he would do so right away, that was the main reason why she had gone to Lora’s house in the first place but her feelings changed after she saw Lora,“ I can’t do this anymore Alfredo.” She said, softly pulling her hand away from his grip, as she does not want to do this with him anymore especially after seeing how happy Lora was today.

“Do what, what are you talking about, Catalina, you are getting me confused right now, you were not like this the last time we met?” he asked, sounding and looking more confused, you encouraged me to break up with Lora, remember?” he asked, searching her eyes.

“Yes I did Alfredo, I did and I think I regret it now because this thing between us, I don’t know what to call it, but this has to stop.” She replied. “I can’t do this anymore, I don’t want to be the reason for Lora’s total break down, I mean she’s gone through a lot as it is and if she finds out about this...” she paused and looked down at her feet, not knowing how to contain the anger she was feeling right now.

She doesn’t really know whether to be angry at him or at herself for feeling something for him in the first place, she knew she was a little crazy and had wanted to be spontaneous with him for a while and move on as she knew that he was also flirting with other girls and she wonder now how things changed and become this way.

“Hey stop it Catalina, don’t do this to yourself, to us.” He said taking her hands. “She’s never going to find out, not until I’ve ended things with her.” He continued. “She can find out latter when she must have moved on with her life.” Alfredo was saying when Catalina just lifted her gaze to him and interrupted him.

“I went to see her at her house today Alfredo, she’s not looking so good although she’s doing her best to hide away the pain and hurt she feels inside and I could still see that, I see it all and I am not going to do this with you anymore because I don’t want to be another reason for her pain.” Catalina said pulling her hands away from Alfredo’s.

“Besides I am not the only one in your life, am I? I and Lora are not the only girls in your life..” she asked and said, looking into his eyes. “And you know that I have been with other guys too, I can have any other guy if I wanted but Lora, she has wrapped you up in her heart as the perfect boyfriend for her and she believes everything that you say to her.” She added looking away from him after a short pause.

Alfredo tightened his jaw muscles as he watched her speak, still wondering what has gotten over her, he did not come here for this and was beginning to think that it was time he tell her seriously how he felt about her and push their relationship to another level, especially now that they have graduated from school. “You were not the only one, Catalina but I plan on making you the only one, and that is if you are willing to make me the only one too, look I have a feeling that you have feelings for me so you do not have to deny it.” Alfredo said his gaze still on her.