Chapter 39: Chapter 39

She’s been awake for more than an hour but couldn’t find the strength to get out of bed. She couldn’t even take off the itchy jeans she slept off in. Somehow, her eyes were glued to the globe chandelier as she hugged a pillow to her chest.

This sluggishness and impediment were because of Dominic abrupt text message. She never knew how affected she’d be with just a simple text. It’s just a text—she keeps telling her mind.

If it was just a text, why can’t she get up on freshen up? Why can’t she unpack? Why can’t she even get up and go check on breakfast?

She sighs and toss the pillow across the bed as she rolled to her side. Her eyes caught sight of her phone lying on the side drawer. She groans softly and closed her eyes. If not because she needed that phone, she would’ve thrown it away because that phone alone reminds her of Dominic. He bought it for her just few weeks before she moved to his pack. Now she was left with his mocking memories.

She heard a door open and she knew it was Max coming out of his room. She jumps out of her bed and quickly sauntered into the bathroom. He must be ready for work and she wouldn’t want to miss him before he leaves.

She found a new toothbrush and used it. She washed her face and stepped out without even drying her face.

He was standing by the coffee machine, leaning over the counter as he waited. She huffs air out when she noticed that he hasn’t even taken his bath.

He turns to look at her as she walked into the kitchen. “You’re up early,” he said as he smiled. “Coffee?”

The last time she tried coffee, she almost threw up. It tasted like torture. “No, I’m good.” She settled down on the bar stool.

“You’re not going to work?” She asks, watching as he fixed himself a cup.

He turned around and leaned his waist on the counter. “I am.” He takes a sip. “By noon.” His eyes caught sight of her yesterday’s outfit. “Too tired?” He asked mockingly. She looks down at her jeans and smiled sheepishly. She should’ve at least changed before coming out.

“I’ve never been tired like I was yesterday. I’ll go take a shower now.”

“I’ll make some waffles.”

She stripped off her clothes the moment she entered her room and hit the shower. Half an hour later, she was in the kitchen with Max eating breakfast.

“So, New York,” Max started. She peered up at him with a slight distressed appearance. She knew what he meant by that matter. He wanted to talk about why she was here. She knew it was coming but she never thought he was going to bring it up so soon.

“Yep,” she replied and took the last bite of her waffles. Max didn’t know how to cook but his waffles sure damn tastes like he’s one of the top five best chefs. “Your waffles are amazing,” she comments and took a sip of her orange juice.

He chuckled softly and nodded. “It’s literally the only thing I’m good at.”

The kitchen falls silent after that.

He set his eyes on her for a moment and smiled sympathetically. She has no doubt that he was wondering what happened that she had to leave home. He knew that she had split up with Dominic but he doesn’t know the reason. He doesn’t know that she chose to leave Dominic because of Aaron and blamed it on lying to her. She had lied to him—a tons of time but he didn’t leave her. She knows Dominic doesn’t deserve what she did to him but she loves blaming everything on him even after now that she doesn’t hate him.

“I feel like there’s more to the reason why you left home.” She was torn away from her train of thoughts by his deep, soothing voice.

She focuses on him but didn’t say anything, because it seems like he has more to say. And his mouth moved. “Is it just because of Dominic?” he asked carefully without any intention of upsetting her. Alice wasn’t offended. She only smiled and looked away.

“Well…” she halts to take a deep breath. She can’t lie to Max—he’d find out the truth sooner or later. And she’d not like it if he finds out another way. It was better to come out clean and let him discipline her.

“Don’t get angry…” that alone just made his eyes to narrow. “Aaron sort of came back and… I don’t know. Maybe…”

“You’re back together with that asshole?” The mention of Aaron’s name makes his spine to stiffen. He knew this had to do with him.

“Max,” she calls out agitatedly. “Dominic lied.”

“Dominic lying had nothing to do with your breakup, Alice. I know you left him because Aaron was back.”

She closed her eyes and massaged the bridge of her nose as she sighed. Was she that transparent.

“I’m worried about you, Alice,” he says with trepidation palpable on his face. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She slumps her shoulders as her head hung low. “I know,” she mumbled. “It’s the reason why I’m here.” She looks at him while she talked. “I need to thinks things through and figure out who I want or what I even want.”

He smiles at her and nods. “I understand.” He got up to his feet. “Just put your happiness first,” he said, patting her back before he left to his room to get ready.

Alice moved to the living room just as she unlocks her phone. She sat on the cushion with a groan out of aggravation when the first thing she sight was Dominic’s purposely ignored text. For a moment, she had forgotten about the text, now she has to deal with contemplation of whether to text back or not.

What exactly does she reply with?

He texted her that he heard she had gone to New York and he hopes she’s in a safe place. P.S he wishes her all the best.

That’s messed up. And infuriating.

She knew Lily was the one that told him the news and she told her on purpose just so she’d tell him. She pleased that he knows but she’s irritated that he just texted her that. It meant he was moving on and he wants her to also move on? He already has a new mate? Does he even think about her like she thinks about him every day?

Alice heaves a sigh and disregard the text and her unreasonable thoughts. She was here to heal worry about the people she’s isn’t even sure whether they thought of her or not. She’s not going to let any of the men befuddle her from her get away domicile and wreck it.

She was pouncing on what she had told her heart not to minutes ago when Max walked out dressed for the day. If she looks at him, wondering whether she zoned out for so long or Max just gets ready so quickly.

He was wearing pale blue long sleeve shirt with black pants. His brown hair seemed more curlier than it was earlier before he took a shower. He must’ve washed it. Max loves taking care of his hair that’s why it’s always full and rich, even though he never changes his hair style from being curly. It just fits his personality so much—quiet and acquitted. Him and Daniel are literally the only innocent men in her life. She doesn’t know about her father but these two make her hate men a little less whenever she was together with them.

“I ordered lunch for you, it will be here in about two hours,” he said, glancing at his wrists watch. “I might be home a little late but call me if you need anything.” He took the TV remote from the coffee table and hand it to her. She watched him turn it on before handing the remote to her.

She smiled and nodded. “You look good. No wonder all the ladies in your office drool over you.”

He smiled enthusiastically as his dimple became visible. He kissed the top of her head and bid her goodbye. He walks about the front door and that was it—she was left alone for the whole day.

She looks at the TV and sighed. She wasn’t a fan of watching TV. She doesn’t even do it at home. She prefers sitting in her room all day and read a book or distract herself with whatever she has in her room.

**

She placed the phone on her ear and swallowed hard. She didn’t speak, she just kept mute and wait for him to talk first.

Few seconds later, she hears him heave a sigh and he sounded frustrated. Like he had travelled for days looking for her whereas she just wasn’t responding to his texts and calls.

“Alice…” He calls her name and halts. She closed her eyes and sighed, letting his soothing voice seep into her body. Oh, how she’d missed his voice. She’d missed his fingertips brushing against her skin. His words tingling her ears. Now, she doesn’t know if she still feels that way.

“Why are you ignoring me, Alice? It’s hurting me… a lot.” She doesn’t want to believe it but she could feel the agony in his voice. It makes her want to run back inside and pack her things, and go back home to him.

“I’m not ignoring you,” she replied and he chuckled. The sound of his chuckle makes her to shift trickily.

“You are. You don’t answer my calls, you don’t reply my text.”

“Aaron…” She calls out the same way he did when she answered the call. She hears him breath out and it makes her to hold the ledge. She got bored of moving from the living room to the kitchen, from her room to the balcony. She decided to brave up and step out of the apartment. She discovered the rooftop and here she was staring out at the beautiful night view of the city.

“I just time to think things through.”

“It’s been nine weeks,” he reminded her. “Wasn’t that enough?” That question just irritated her but she was willing to let it slide.

“What happened? Why did you disappear and just decide to show up?”

He inhales a huge breath, slowly sitting up on his bed. “Your boyfriend, Dominic…”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” she affirmed through gritting teeth.

“Okay, he’s not. Just… can I come see you now? I know it’s getting late but I feel like it’d be better if we meet in person and I answer every doubtful question you have for me.”

She rubs her temple as she rests her elbow on the ledge. She was afraid he’d say that. “I… I can’t right now,” her voice was so low that even the person beside her wouldn’t hear what she said.

“Why? Is something wrong? Are you okay?”

She sighs and rolled her eyes. It is now that he cares to know whether she was fine or not. That’s a little bit too late.  “No, I’m fine. I just… I moved,” she blurts out.

“You what?” He muttered. His voice lowered to a few octaves.

“Look, I’ll explain everything tomorrow but right now, I can’t.” She proceeds to end the call even after he pleaded.

She sighed tiredly and rub her eyes. She looks down and it was at the time she realized how far up she was. It doesn’t bother her because she wasn’t afraid of heights. She turns around to take a look at the rooftop properly because Aaron called her exactly when she walked in.

Her heart jump in her throat when she turned around. “Oh, Jeez,” she mutters, trying to stabilize her heart beat.

He shoulder-shrugs and walked to the ledge. She rolled her eyes because he doesn’t seem apologetic for creeping up on her that way. He brought his beer up to his lips instead and took a small gulp of it. He looks at Alice and she could see the astonishment written on his face.

“Your hair,” he says, looking at her silver hair flowing over her shoulder. “It’s…” he halts, looking for the right word to use. “Is it real?”

She rolled her eyes. It been barely twenty-four hours but the outcasts were awestricken by her hair. Imagine if they knew who she actually was. “Isn’t obvious?” She retorted; her eyes were anywhere else but on him.

“Bad night?” He asked. She doesn’t look at him until he stretched out his hand. He was holding out the bottle of beer. Alice winced, looking between him and the beer he was holding out.

He waves it off and took another gulp. “You seem underage anyways.”

Alice shoots her brows up as a faint gasp escape her lips. She was taken aback by his comment. “I am not,” she affirmed through gritting teeth.

He chuckles, revealing his pearly white teeth. They were so perfect that it made her wonder if he was a teeth model. It made her wonder if he was a model.

He had a Mohican cut and scythe-shaped eyebrows. His Roman nose and half-dome cheekbones sat above an oaken jaw. His wrestler’s shoulders were part of his burly physique. He walked with a tiger like tread and his nomad-blue eyes twinkled. They were Saturn round and were a-flush. His derring-do personality and bass voice were a big part of his ambitious character. He was wearing nifty clothes and his spicy aroma was appealing. It almost looked like he doesn’t drink at all.

“You have to be seventeen? Eighteen?” He guessed as a peek of displeasure washed over his face.

“Eighteen,” she replied simply and took her eyes away from his perfect looking face.

“Hm,” he nods his head in agreement. He took the last gulp of his beer and settle the bottle on the floor beside him. He leaned both his arms over the ledge and looked out. He sighs and run his fingers through his hair sporadically as he murmurs under his breath. It was apparent something was bothering him.

“It seems like you’re the one with the rough day,” she said, looking at him. He chuckled softly and shook his head. He doesn’t answer straightaway. He brought out his phone and typed for a moment before he shoves it back in his jeans pocket.

“Someone broke into my coffee shop last night and my girlfriend broke up with me this evening,” he said casually as though it wasn’t something outrageous.

Alice winces on his behalf. She can’t imagine the pain he’s in. She literally can’t imagine it because he was holding a stoic expression and he doesn’t look like he was going through shit until he says it.

“I was waiting for her to end things though. She was a burden,” he said and laughed it off.

She looks at him quizzically and he sensed that she doesn’t get what he meant.

“She demands too much. I mean not attention or quality time. She demands expensive gifts and money. I’m just twenty-seven year old guy who just inherited his parents coffee shop after they passed away.” He exhales through his mouth and shove his hands in his pocket.

She stared at him for a moment before she shook her head and turned away. She doesn’t know his complete story but he seems like he’s been through a lot and was trying so hard to hide it. He really is good at hiding it.

“I know you must be thinking I’m insane for meeting a stranger and telling her about my pathetic life.” He waves it off and run his fingers through his black hair.

“I’m Ryan, by the way,” he spoke again, extending out his hand for a shake.

She smiled and nodded, taking his stretched hand. “Alice.”

“Is this really your real hair? Can I touch it?” He asked, still holding her hand. It’s implausibly soft and he doesn’t feel the urge to let go of it.

She rolled her eyes and snatched her hand away. “No, it’s not. I dyed it, together with my right eyebrow and lash so it would look real. I’m also wearing lens to match the vibe.”

He could see the annoyance wash over her face and he smiled because he finds it cute. He finds her cute.

He looks at her dainty nose down to her pink pouting lips. “You’re just unbelievably beautiful.” He didn’t intend to say that out loud because he just gasped and turned away.

She could feel a smile wanting to spread on her face—she lets it. “Thank you.”

He nods his head and returned the smile. They spent the next ten minutes in complete silence. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence anyway. Maybe because they both are going through so much and they needed that peaceful time to think things through.

“You live in this building?” He asked her and she nods. “What apartment?”

She lifted a brow, then sent a quick, mistrustful look over his face. It made him to laugh. “I live on the fifth floor, room twelve.”

She turned and leaned on the ledge as she folds her arms over her chest, just like he did. “I’m still not telling you where I live,” she said.

His mouth curls into a slight grin, and it made her smile too. “Fair enough. I’ll have to find out myself then.” He bends down to pick up the bottle of beer he dropped earlier. “As much as I’d love to keep chatting with you. I have to wake up super early tomorrow to get my café renovated.” He stretches out his hand again. He just wanted to feel the softness and warmth of her palm again.

She takes his hand and shake it. “I have to leave also. My friend must be back from work by now.”

He lifts a brow as he smirked. He nods his head as he shoulder-shrugs.

He lets go of her hand and began walking backwards while he stared at her. She laughed shaking her head—there’s just something about Ryan that she finds likable.

He returned the smile before turning around and leaving her to her negligent.