TWENTY-SECOND TRIP

“Are you sure of this, Rae? You know how?" Maxim's opening question to me.

I just nodded at her. I simply looked at Levi who looked bad at me so I stared at him. They explained the mechanics to me. The way of dunking is like jumping on the water but you have to shoot the ball. We were about to start when someone else shouted.

"I'll join, too!" Hoseah shouted at us.

Everyone looked at her.

“Are you sure? Don’t you know—”

“I’m sure Jaxon. This woman is so popular,” she said then turned in the direction of Levi who only had a poker face.

It still stood as if looking forward. One of my groupmates whispered to me and then Jaxon quickly approached me so I smiled.

"Fortunately, you're in my group," he told me with a laugh and then carried me behind him.

"Be sure you know how," he also added and I just nodded to him.

“Game! Let’s start!” A man shouted.

My opponent is Hoseah. She will also shoot the ball for her group. I also noticed that a lot of people were watching us and I could only hear Hoseah’s name being shouted. I gasped and I was about to throw the ball but Hoseah did it and then quickly passed it to the man next to her. I thought she doesn't know how, but soon after the game, they were only three points ahead of us. While I was only two more scored.

As Hoseah grabbed the ball again Jaxon grabbed it and quickly passed it to me. Exactly because we are close to the ring! My eyes widened and I quickly glanced at Levi and the time. The game will end in just 10 seconds so I quickly dunked in the ring. Then I felt myself fall under the water and when I got up I heard everyone shouting my name.

The game was over so I went upstairs while Hoseah just walked out because she was so annoyed with me. Jaxon was still staring at me so I slapped him on the arm.

"Am I good?!" I tease him.

He just laughed and walked with me.

“Do you have time tomorrow? Let’s have lunch together again?”

I was surprised by his question so I looked at him.

“H-ha? Uhm, all right, it's okay,” I hesitated to answer him.

I saw his smile widen.

“Oh! I need to go home—”

“Are you coming home soon? I'll take you,” he uttered and went in front of me.

“No need, Jax. I can handle it,” I told him.

"It's fine, I'll take you," he insisted again so I frowned.

I was about to answer when suddenly someone slid his hand on my waist and gently pulled me closer to him. I really feel that way because I’m not wearing anything else but this two-piece.

“I told you to back off, Jax. Is that hard?” cold but emphatic he asked his cousin.

I saw Jaxon grin at him and shake his head.

“As if she’s your girlfriend. Stop being rude, Lev. I'm just offering to take her,” Jaxon said to him while smirking.

I bit my lower lip when I felt tension between the two of them. Levi cursed. I felt his grip tighten on my waist so I winced.

“She doesn't want to. What do you want?" Levi said to him.

I became alert when its voice rose.

“Stop it you two. My god!” I said to them and left them there.

I hurried into the house as I heard Levi calling me. I ignored that and went straight upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. He was still following me so I stopped him.

"I'll get dressed!" I shouted at him.

“Then get dressed, Lumiere! Why do you have to do that? That's my cousin!” he immediately said to me in the tone of a fight so I confronted him.

He even slammed the guest room door so I was even more bored.

"What's your problem? We are doing nothing! Don't act like you're my boyfriend! You're still engaged!" I shouted at him and looked at him badly.

I could feel the trembling of my whole body because of anger and annoyance at him. I don’t know if it’s because of what he did to Jaxon or because of what he’s acting like now. I can't understand him. He gives me a hint every time we're together but when he's not next to me, he's with another woman. As if he's telling me that he can only approach me because he feels he will be responsible to me for what happened to us. Nothing! If he thinks so, just don't!

I heave a sigh. I was startled when he quickly approached me and grabbed my face. Annoyed, I took his hand away and walked away from him. I don’t know if it was the pain I saw in his eyes when I walked away or what.

"I told you to trust me this time. Stop resisting, please," he told me emphatically but softly.

My tears were starting to flow when I suddenly remembered what had happened the day he came. That I almost died but he didn’t see that because he suddenly forgot about me when he saw Hoseah. I could feel the sudden warmth of my whole body while still staring at him. I strongly cursed that I shouldn't do it. I could feel the pain in my chest when I remembered how he ignored me then and now this is how he acts.

"Y-you don’t know what I went through when you left me in the middle of that fucking ocean while it was raining so hard! Then all of a sudden you showed up to me and act like you really like me?"

"Because that’s the truth! I like you!" he shouted back at me so I focused my gaze on him again.

"You left me! I was drowning that time but you didn't even look at me! I'm about to die, Levi! I was screaming for help but suddenly you're gone! It's like you've made your choice and just let me drown in there, so tell me how I can believe you?!" I shouted.

I saw the shock in his eyes. Terror overtook his face he could barely find the right word to throw at me.

I gasped as I tried to calm down. I could feel the pain in my chest and it was as if something was stuck in my throat because of the pain. I forcefully wiped away my tears and cursed repeatedly as I searched for my belongings.

"F-fuck! I know you're just acting like that because something has happened to us and you think I'm your responsibility, so please, stop it. I don't fucking need you," I almost whispered to him and suddenly took my things.

I was about to enter the bathroom when he suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his arms. I could feel his skin on my body because he didn't have an upper garment and I was still in a swimsuit. I felt like I was getting burned by the way he held me and every touch of his hand on my waist and back.

"I-I'm sorry. I did not know! I'm so sorry..." he whispered to me before he pushed me.

He turned me to him and gently wiped the tears from my cheeks and eyes. The pain and anger were so obvious in his eyes that I cried even more. I don't know what else to believe.

"I-I'm so confused, Levi."

"I know. I know and I regret that. When I left Tierra Fima, I was looking for you. I did not leave with Hoseah. I first came back here to Manila due to an emergency but then I looked for you. I went back to the island but you were gone, so I went back to the city to search for you because I wanted to tell you how I feel," he gently explained to me while still holding my hands.

"It’s a sudden feeling I know, but I’m serious, Lumiere. I want to pursue whatever we haven't finished before," he added.

I raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief. "W-what?"

I knew what he was referring to and that was what had happened earlier in their living room, so I immediately slapped him on the chest. Levi just laughed and pulled me closer to his body.

"I'm just kidding. I want you, Lumiere, so please, stop resisting," he said softly to me and kissed my eyes.

I was about to answer when suddenly, there was a knock on the door so I quickly pulled away from him, but he still wouldn't let me go so I looked at him.

"Someone's knocking," I uttered but he keeps on looking at me.

This man is really weird.

"Say it to me, first," he told me with a smile while still holding me.

I'm already panicking because of the constant slamming of the door, but this one doesn't seem to care! What is he saying?

"H-ha? There is someone, Levi!" I couldn't stop screaming at him.

I saw his forehead furrow even more as his jaw tightened due to the pressure.

"Just say it, Lumiere, come on!"

"Fine! Okay! Open that door!" I replied annoyed but he just laughed at me then went to the door and slammed it open.

"What the fuck do you want?" he shouted in a tone that was irritated.

I even heard a series of curses from him. I just kept staring at Jaxon who focused his gaze on me. I could even see his eyes narrowing at me before turning to look at his cousin.

"Mari is downstairs, looking for you," I heard Jaxon say to him seriously, and looked at me again.

Levi looks back at me. His expression went blank. The last thing I saw was strange trembling in his eyes.

Who's Mari?