Chapter 8 Lesson

"Guys, we can finish these cut outs this week, but we have to find our personality on Friday to be interviewed. We need to make a magazine for that."

Alicia said we were the leader in the project. The project she was talking about was the magazine that we need to do for the last semester of this year. We also need to find a personality or celebrity to interview-in it. Alicia scolded our groupmates who were also her friends.

I just quietly draw what is what in the notebook in my chair because I also have nothing to do. They are all friends and I am the only one who is not in their friend group so I can't talk anymore every time we get together to work.

"Cy."

I nearly jumped when Jomar's face popped out of nowhere. He moved his chair closer to me and maybe because of the tiny space between us my instinct kicked in and I immediately separated myself from him. I smiled rawly at him because the big grin on his face shone on him.

"So you're great in fine arts?"

He softly said.

"A-ah no. I'm just having fun."

I immediately looked at my groupmates who were still busy in their respective worlds. I checked if anyone of them noticed the short conversation of us but no one seems to be interested to pay any attention.

"You told me that Oliver isn't your boyfriend? So you're now available?"

He brought his face even closer to me and I almost got up from my seat so that our faces wouldn't stick together. A big question mark plastered on my face, unable to understand what he's trying to say.

He smiled and I was very grateful when Mariel tapped him, the woman obviously didn't like me in this group. I have nothing to do with that, you can't just please everybody and my whole life sums that. I'm not really accepted by anyone, that's not new to me.

"How's that now? We can't in our house either, my step father is there, we're not allowed."

Said Alicia. We're talking about where we're going to do our project because it's not possible here at school.

"Wow! We can't do it any better."

One refused. And one. And one. I just kept writing what what in my notebook.

"Why not in Solidads! It's Cy's house!"

Jomar's screaming suggestion seemed like it was the best decision he had ever made in his life. Shocked I raised my eyes to see what they looked like and they're smirking as if I had no choice but to consent.

"I-it's not my house."

"Huh? Didn't they adopt you, so that's okay! We'll go swimming in the sea afterwards! Right?"

Alicia said happily until they were all happy with their plan. I just nodded.

"I'll let you know about Solidad first." They cheered.

At two o'clock in the afternoon and I was able to come home, I did not enter the Caffe today because I said goodbye for three days. Because we took three days to do a project that had to be done by hand.

I reached for the plant here in my room that he gave me last night. It still looks the same. There are sharp thorns but this is what makes it even more beautiful. It's even smaller in my palm so I keep letting it go.

Why would he gave me this? I still can't thank him. Not gonna lie, for I do not want to deny that Sir Levi caused me a strange aura. Every move he makes, every words that he says, I don't know what to feel because I'm unfamiliar with this kind of feeling. Maybe it's because in 2 years I've met someone new besides Solidad and Oli, maybe I'm new to the attention he gives me.

A few more minutes into my conversation with the plant I decided to go out. I first looked down the hallway and the office door to see if anyone was there, but there was none. I went downstairs hoping to find someone there and I was right because Sir Levi and Ate Celest were there in the office.

Sir Levi was holding some papers and Aunt Celest was crossing her legs and her arms unto her chest while talking to Sir Levi. I slowly descended so as not to disturb the two of them. I held on tightly to the stairs as I stopped, worried about making any noise.

"Levi I told you, you can always stay here if you want too."

Ate Celest said.

"What's the use of Vidalio Hotel Celest? If it wasn't for the job your father gave me, I won't be staying here."

He said without looking at her, still busy reading the handful of documents in his hands.

"But, It's not a big deal. Is it because I'm here? Well I'll be leaving at dawn, Mr. Levi. I'll be leaving without any trace."

Ate Celest said irritably to him and if I'm not mistaken it's still my streak of sarcasm. I was taken back a little. I haven't seen them talk like this before because I thought they would get along, but it's different from what I see now.

"No."

"Please."

Sir Levi's eyebrows meet while Ate Celest looks so desperate which is not so her. Solidad don't beg. Never. I was about to fall down the stairs when Sir Levi suddenly turned to the place where I was. He might think I'm eavsedropping their conversation.

Am I? I'm not. No--?

"Yes?"

He said, reason for Ate Celest to turn to me as well. Ate Celest's wrinkled face was immediately erased and it immediately soothed when our eyes met.

"Yes Cyreese? Come here?" She softly said.

My heart immediately softened at what he said. I don't really intend to disturb them both today but I have no choice because if Celest leaves tomorrow, I won't be able to say goodbye.

Who's not eavesdropping now? My hands were clasp together while walking in their direction and next they looked at me.

"Ate Celest, I would like to let you know if I can bring my groupmates here for the project. If I can't, I'll just take them to the hut on the beach."

"Well, It's okay but I never knew you had friends? It's been two years and your only male friend I see with you."

I don't know why I turned to Sir Levi's seat and saw the coldness of his gaze on me.

"Uhm, my groupmates will be coming this time."

"Well, at least she knew how to make friends with some girls."

Sir levi who frowned at me. There were only two women in my group and five were men so I didn't know what he was referring to.

"It's okay. Serve them snacks if you want too. It's a good thing that you are now making some friends. It must be so hard for you Cyreese."

I could see the pity in his eyes. I felt a strange warmth in my heart, only Ate Celestg can tell me this. They are like his mother who is very soft -hearted, they are intelligent and blessed in all ways.

"Come here." She begged to hug and stand up.

I felt the heat around my eyes and when I hugged him my vision blurred completely.

"Bring them here more often. It's like you can talk to someone. Because often we're not here."

She brushed her soft hand in my skin. I nodded and was ashamed of my attitude today. I immediately said goodbye to Ate Celest and Sir Levi's gaze still could not escape me. I don't know what time I woke up when I saw Aunt Celest leaving. I just watched him get in his car and leave as well. I watched her hair bouncing and going with her flaws. She's wearing a casual clothes that made me admire her more.

"Oli, does Melai know how to color her hair?" Melai is his sister.

He didn't stop flipping the fish that had been thrown on the shore as I asked him. I saw his brother dye his mother's hair because she already had a lot of white hair.

"Ah? Yes, he can." Shrugging his shoulders. I just nodded and looked at them. I touched my hair and look at it looking at what I look like.

"Oh? Why? You want to dye your hair too?"

"Huh?" I was shocked to turn to him.

"Uhm, not really. But do you think it's okay with me if I apply color?"

I mentioned remembering how Ate Celest's caramel like hair bounce into her shoulders. And also at the side of my thoughts, remembering how she use to brush her hair with her fingers while talking to Levi.

"Why are you coloring Cy? For me, your black hair is okay. You're natural and beautiful. You might look even more beautiful than that!" He exclaimed.

I winced and laughed as he joked with me. For how many days it bothered me. I don't know if I'm influenced by what I see in the magazine or if I'm just pushing Celest too much. Before going to the office, I spend more time brushing my hair.

It's relaxed now even though what I normally do is just navel it because it seems to be a hindrance to me. I listen to our teacher so I know the word puberty, so maybe that's all I'm going through.

"You forgot to put an arch here." He corrected me. I followed his drawing on the part he corrected. I touched my hair falling in my shoulders. I saw him lift his head a bit and stopped from what he's doing but I didn't met his eyes and he just continue checking my work.

He still has a lot of corrections that I just listen to. My hair is a bit windy because of the open terrace here in the office. And the last time I fixed it Levi finally looked up at me.

"Is your hair bothering you? Should I close the door?" He concernly asked.

I was nervous about his question for reasons I don't know, so I couldn't answer right away.

"You didn't tie your hair today."

A pinch of joy in my heart suddenly get into me. I can't even admit it to myself but it seems to be the reason why I did that. And another talk that he noticed my hair was loose now. I smiled at him and fixed my hair for the nth time. His lips rose looking at me.

"Is it okay? I noticed it's just as beautiful when relaxed as when my sister Celest."

I compared. To make him understand my point betterand I want to say. His lips twitched as he leaned on the table that was in between us. He didn't answer my question so my mouth was unstoppable due to nervousness.

"Oli'ssister knows how to dye hair. I was planning to dye it too but I don't know if it's right for me." Raw laugh I said.

I was a bit startled when his hands made its way into the strands of my hair as he tucked it behind my ears.

"It's okay. I like it this way." He smiled.

My mind seemed confused and all I could hear was what I heard. In the brevity of what he said and in the same that Oli said I looked for a difference in why I felt differently when he said that to me.

Then I realize there was no difference on what they've said. The only difference is him.

It was Saturday and this afternoon was the day my groupmates would go to do the project. I preoccupied myself with household chores first because it was Saturday and there were no helpers today. The sun was not high when I woke up but when I finished my activities it was hot. It was almost ten in the morning when I decided to prepare my food. Brunch. After all, I am the only one here at home.

I feel so busy in the kitchen trying to cook something to fill my stomach.

"Pepper." I said to myself as I tasted my cooked adobo.

In my haste I forgot to put it. I tried to reach for the pepper container in the top cabinet but it knew I was hungry because it was bothering me.

"Arggh."

I moaned as I tried to reach it, I jumped on it but because my legs didn't have the strength I just sat down. Instead of standing up, I just buried my face in both palms.

I was about to get up to pick up the bar stool but I was shocked to see Sir Levi putting pepper on what I was cooking.

My two eyes widened at the sight. He put down the pepper container and held out his hand to me. None of myself accepted that and sent him standing up to me.

"Are you okay?"

He said and reached for the lid of the pan. He covered it and he turned to me.

I smiled at him, "I thought I didn't have anyone here at home. Fortunately, I cooked more than one serving."

Because I would have eaten that for dinner also.

"I went out for a jog."

He leaned against the counter behind him and drank the contents of the glass in front of him. I haven't even noticed that before. That explains why in the morning I knew I wasn't really involved.

"Y-you don't have a work today?"

I almost closed my mouth at what was said, as if I had lost myself for a moment. I noticed how his lips parted for a moment and after a few seconds he faced me with the left side of his body supporting.

I followed my gaze to his hand resting on it,

"I do have,"

He said, almost whispering.

"How about you? It's a good thing that you know how to rest."

I can't answer what he said because his gaze just seems to take me to another dimension. I bit my lip and took off my sight on him. I laughed raw so he wouldn't notice why I was stunned,

"We'll do the project today, and tomorrow."

I nodded and every second I looked back into his eyes that still follow my gaze and movements. I don't know what tor say next because he didn't say anything and he didn't move in his place.

"Let's eat. I'll prepare."

That's all and I immediately turned my back on him. The lunch was not as bad as I expected it to be, I repeatedly explained to him that I did not know how to cook social meals like he had served in the past. And he kept on convincing me that what I was cooking was delicious.

"How's your works by the way?"

"I can't continue. I don't have time."

I looked at my plate and I could hardly move it for no apparent reason. I used to be tired and hungry but now I feel nauseous when I eat it.

"Stop addressing me with your 'po.",

He immediately interrupted what I said.

"We have ... what? 7 years gap?"

He asked himself.

"Shit. That's seven years."

I didn't hear the last thing he said but I saw how his brow turned into one line and his mouth filled with grim. So He's 24? And how did he know my age? Oh maybe because of my grade.

"Still, Levi would be good."

He sipped in his coffee he had brewed earlier. I nodded and was forced to say anything that would make him angry.

"What time will your friends be coming here?" He closes in silence.

"This afternoon-" I immediately looked up at him and swallowed,

"This afternoon ... this afternoon."

When I repeat.

"Then you rest, come to the office after, I'll teach you some lessons."

I looked up at him again and my eyes barely twinkled at what I heard from him.