I went home soaking wet. My umbrella didn't help at all against the heavy rain. When I arrived, I saw Mira's car and knocked on the driver's side window. When she saw me, she immediately got out, holding an umbrella and carrying her backpack. Even though I was curious why she had a backpack with her, we went inside first.
I headed straight to the bathroom before asking her anything. My clothes were drenched, and even my bag had gotten wet. After a few minutes in the shower, I went to my room to change. Mira was sitting patiently on our old sofa, waiting for me. Of all the days she could visit, why did it have to be when the rain was pouring so hard?
After getting dressed, I went out of my room and prepared something for us to eat.
"Do you want to watch television?" I offered.
"If I wanted to, I would've turned it on earlier," she chuckled, then looked back at me. The living room and kitchen were close enough that we could easily hear each other.
"What are you preparing?" she asked.
"Our dinner."
"You didn't eat dinner at the mall?" she asked.
"You know I'm not fond of eating out. I prefer having my meals at home."
She nodded while watching me prepare our food. I decided to make tuna-and-egg sandwiches since I still had some in the fridge.
"Why did you come here without telling me?" I asked.
"I wanted to surprise you, but I was surprised when you weren't here."
"And you even brought a backpack, like you're planning to spend the night," I said.
"Because I am," she answered casually.
I stopped what I was doing and looked at her. She had slept over before, but she always asked for permission. This time, she was telling me she'd stay without even asking.
I frowned. "You didn't ask for permission."
She chuckled. "I couldn't sleep at my condo, and I wanted to talk to someone. You know you're the only person who listens to me without judging."
I almost said that I sometimes judged her, too, but I kept it to myself and shrugged.
"Am I your only friend?" I asked sarcastically.
"No, but I'm your only friend," she shot back with a grin.
I rolled my eyes, carried the two plates to the living room, and placed them on the table. I also got some water for us to drink.
"You know I don't drink coffee, tea, or juice, so I can only offer you water," I said.
"That's fine. I'm trying to be healthy now. I need to watch my figure and start dieting."
I raised an eyebrow. "You're already thin. What's with the diet?" I asked curiously.
"For Damian to like me," she said, resting her cheeks on her hands, trying to stop herself from blushing, but it still showed.
I shrugged. If only she knew what Sir Dominic had done last time, she would've screamed her lungs out.
"If he likes you, he'll like everything about you," I said.
"But beautifying myself isn't a sin, right? Besides, I'm doing this for myself too."
"Yeah, your usual lame reasons. Haven't you learned your lesson before?"
She pouted at me. See? Now she regrets saying I was the only friend who didn't judge her. In truth, I judged her a lot, but always for her own good.
"I told you, I like him. I see my future with him."
"I know you like him, but isn't it too early to say you see your future with him?"
She leaned back against the sofa. "I don't know, but there's something about him that I can't take my eyes off. I even dream about him."
Yeah. She was definitely in love. I sighed deeply. Should I stop her? Why would I, if it made her happy?
"I'll support you," I said.
Then I remembered Sir Dominic. If I became friends with him, Mira would have a chance to get closer to Damian. Could I do that for my only friend? It would make me uncomfortable, but it would also make Mira happy.
"Thank you, bestie."
Bestie. She treated me as her best friend. I secretly smiled at the thought, but guilt lingered inside me because I wasn't able to fully reciprocate her feelings.
She suddenly hugged me, catching me off guard. Physical touch was the last thing I wanted. But remembering what the doctor had said, that I should start opening up, this was my first step. I hugged her back, which surprised her too. She probably thought I wouldn't, knowing how uncomfortable I was with physical contact.
After staying in the living room for a while, we decided to go to my room. Mira immediately lay down on the bed as soon as she entered. I followed her.
"Are you sleeping here too?" she asked.
"Yes. This is my room."
"I thought you were going to sleep on the sofa and let me have the bed," she said.
I frowned, then remembered that every time she stayed over, I let her use my bed while I slept on the old sofa. I was never comfortable sharing a bed with someone. But this time, I didn't feel uneasy or awkward.
"I want to sleep well tonight," I reasoned, which made her smile.
"What are you smiling at?" I asked. We were lying on the bed, facing each other, so I could clearly see her expression.
"I'm just happy," she said, still smiling.
"Because of Sir Damian?" I guessed.
Her answer surprised me.
"Because I feel like you're starting to open up to me."
I fell silent and stared into her hazel-brown eyes, those sparkling eyes.
"I didn't regret coming here," Mira said when I didn't respond.
I looked away, staring at the ceiling.
One step at a time, I reminded myself. I wanted to tell Mira everything about my situation, how I truly felt, everything, but not yet.
"This is progress for me," I finally said. "You and I sleeping in the same bed like best friends. Even though I've always thought of you as one."
Yeah. It had been years since I met Mira. My first year at work was tough, but because of her, I managed to get through it. My grandmother knew about her, too. Mira attended the burial and helped me with everything when my grandmother passed away. She waited five years for me to open up. During those years, I wasn't able to show my emotions or share anything with her.
Now, guilt filled my heart. The guilt of not being true to myself, while Mira had always been true to me.
"Thank you… And I'm sorry for everything, Mira," I said while still staring at the ceiling.
She didn't respond. When I turned to look at her, I heard soft snores. She was already in a deep sleep. I smiled, gently held her hand, and gave it a light pinch. I would be forever grateful that I met Mira. I hoped our friendship would grow stronger in the future. I also hoped I could overcome the depression I was dealing with.
The next morning…
Mira and I woke up at 6 a.m. Since we decided not to eat breakfast at home and planned to buy food from a convenience store instead, we thought waking up a little later would be fine, but not this late.
"Mira, hurry up!" I shouted. She had already been in the bathroom for thirty minutes. We didn't want to get stuck in traffic.
"Done!" she said, stepping out of the bathroom with a white towel wrapped around her body.
I rolled my eyes. "You took so long."
"That's my fastest," she replied.
"If we're late, it's your fault," I said before slamming the bathroom door and taking a quick shower. I finished in ten minutes. We couldn't afford to be late.
When I came out, Mira was applying light makeup.
"Just do that at the office. We're already late," I said.
"Okay, okay. Don't nag me," she replied.
"If only we woke up earlier, we wouldn't be rushing," I muttered.
She didn't answer back. She knew I was annoyed. She quickly drove us to the office. After parking, Mira told me to go to the convenience store first to buy our breakfast. I checked my watch. We still had fifteen minutes left. I nodded, and we practically ran to the store.
I grabbed a ham-and-egg sandwich and milk since I wasn't able to make my usual smoothie. Mira chose a tuna sandwich and a chocolate milk drink. After that, we ran again, crossed the road, and rushed into the elevator. We were both panting and sweating, like thieves escaping a crime scene.
We clocked in at exactly 7:00 a.m.—not late, not early. We went to our desks, and I placed the plastic bag on my table. I ate my breakfast while answering emails and taking orders.
Mira, meanwhile, was busy finishing her makeup since she hadn't completed it at home.
We didn't talk much throughout the morning because we were both busy. When the clock struck 12 noon, signaling lunch break, I turned to Mira, who was already preparing to leave.
"Do you want to eat at the canteen?" she asked.
"It's probably crowded," I replied, then suggested we eat out instead. There was a newly opened Japanese restaurant nearby. I knew about it even though I rarely ate out because I saw it on Facebook.
"Okay, Japanese it is," she agreed, and we left right away so we wouldn't waste time.
When we arrived, only a few customers were inside. We were able to order immediately, which made me feel relieved. I hated staying in crowded places for too long. That was one of the reasons I avoided eating out.
Mira ordered Japanese curry with shrimp tempura, while I ordered ramen and gyoza. As we waited for our food, three familiar men walked in.
My eyes widened. I quickly looked away, trying to hide. But then again, Mira was Mira.
She called out to them.
"Sir Dominic!"
Yeah, Mira. Perfect timing. How were we supposed to enjoy our lunch now? I wasn't ready to face the annoying man who had hurt me with his words the last time.
"Oh, Mira, right? You're with Seraphina?" he asked.
He didn't see my face since I was hiding it. Only my back was visible to him.
"What are you doing?" Dominic asked.
I pretended to rummage through my bag, then finally faced him.
"Sir," I muttered. I didn't know what else to say.
He flashed his widest smile at me, sending a shiver down my spine. He didn't look disgusting. I just hated the attention I got from my boss. I glanced at the two men with him. Lucca was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt paired with black slacks and black shoes. Two buttons were undone, making him look even more handsome. Damian was wearing a tuxedo, as if he had just come from a meeting. Dominic, meanwhile, wore a blue suit paired with blue slacks and shiny black shoes.
"Can we join you?" Dominic asked without even consulting his friends.
I looked at Mira, who was busy staring at her crush. If I declined now, I'd also be taking away her chance to get to know Damian better.
"Yeah, sure," I said, forcing a smile.
Dominic and Mira looked pleased, while Lucca and Damian remained expressionless. What should I do? I was doing this for Mira, for her happiness.
We moved to a bigger table, enough for five people. Mira and I sat beside each other, while the three men sat across from us. Mira kept staring at Damian, completely unaware of how obvious she was. I could sense Damian's discomfort. While the men were busy ordering, I tried to get Mira's attention.
"Ouch! Why did you pinch me?" Mira whispered.
I glanced at the men, who were focused on the menu.
"You're being too obvious," I whispered back.
"Am I?" she asked, genuinely clueless.
"Yes. He probably thinks you're a creepy woman who keeps staring at him," I continued in a low voice.
"I can't help it."
"You need to be more demure, Mira."
She pouted. I had the sudden urge to grab that pout and throw it into a trash bin.
The men finished ordering and returned the menus. Dominic, seated across from me, smiled.
"Did you change your mind?" he asked, without giving any context.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Friendship," he clarified.
Oh. Right. His offer. The one I had rejected before. Why bring it up again? But then again, this could be Mira's chance to get closer to Damian.
"Okay," I said softly.
"You mean it? You already rejected me last time."
"I realized I don't have many friends. It would be beneficial for me to have more," I reasoned, hoping he would believe me.
"I told you," he said casually, without even questioning my change of heart. Shouldn't he have asked why I rejected him before?
Our food arrived first. We told the men we could wait, but they insisted that we eat ahead of them.
I nodded and didn't mind that they were watching. I was starving, and being demure at that moment wasn't an option. Mira, on the other hand, tried to impress her crush by eating slowly, like a child. I shrugged, which caught Dominic's attention.
"Any problem?" he asked.
"No," I replied, then stuffed the entire gyoza into my mouth to avoid saying more.
"You're cute," Dominic suddenly said.
I choked.
The coughing worsened, tightening my chest. Dominic quickly handed me some water. I drank it in one gulp, and the pain eased.
"You shouldn't eat the whole gyoza at once," he said.
I frowned. It was his fault I choked. If he hadn't said that, I would've eaten in peace.
"Why are you eating here, by the way? You're rich, you belong in a five-star hotel," I said, trying to shift the topic.
"We wanted to explore. We heard this place just opened."
I nodded and went back to slurping my ramen. Mira was eating painfully slowly. I almost wanted to eat her food myself. I grabbed a shrimp tempura, dipped it into the sauce, and ate it with satisfaction. I didn't get to enjoy meals like this often.
After a while, the men's food arrived. To my shock, they had ordered a lot, claiming it was meant for sharing since we were all together.
"I'm full, thanks," I said. His treat during my birthday had already been too much. I didn't want a repeat.
"You're skinny. You should eat more," Damian said.
It was the first time he joined the conversation, and he said it while looking at Mira.
I glanced at her. She looked completely stunned, clearly daydreaming. I guess Mira had a point. This was progress for her.
Dominic kept insisting that I eat more. He even ordered ice cream for dessert. In fact, they ordered almost everything from the menu, and the food just kept coming.
"You're wasting food," I said to Dominic, and I truly hated seeing it.
"What makes you think we're wasting food?" Lucca finally spoke, his dark aura filling the air. I would've preferred if he had stayed silent. His words felt like curses.
"You ordered too much," I replied, still looking at Dominic and deliberately ignoring Lucca.
"Is it your money?" Lucca shot back, instantly making my blood boil.
I raised an eyebrow at him, silently telling him I wasn't talking to him.
"You may not be talking to me, but I'm part of this group. I have the right to comment," Lucca said angrily before continuing to eat.
I frowned, no longer hiding my annoyance. His foul mouth and unfiltered words irritated me. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
"Hehe, Lucca. Seraphina was just concerned that the food might go to waste," Dominic said, clearly trying to defend me. "I understand her."
Lucca didn't respond and simply continued eating his lunch.
I had already argued enough, yet Mira was still too busy staring at her crush to notice anything.
Left with no choice, I ate the ice cream Dominic had ordered. It felt like I was trapped in this situation. But I allowed myself to be trapped for Mira. This could be her chance to get closer to Damian.