Chapter 4
While I was waiting for Dota to finish loading for the game I created, I turned up the volume of the speaker until it reached its maximum volume. I'm alone at home. My sister is at work while we are out of school for two weeks because of what happened at ComLab. And because of that, the dota tournament was postponed. It makes me cry…
I turned to the small rectangular stainless next to the laptop and it was empty. After all, it took too long to load, so I got up and went to the refrigerator, carrying the rectangular stainless to get cookies.
When I opened the fridge, there were two paper bags left. I thought it was running out, so I took the two and closed the fridge. I opened the two paper bags and simultaneously poured the contents into the stainless one I was carrying and threw the paper into the trash bin next to the refrigerator.
I sing as I walk back to the sofa where I left my laptop. The song played is my favorite, so I can sing even though I'm not good at rapping.
"Besides being good at Dota and rapping, what else are you good at?"
"In many th–"
I was sitting facing the laptop when I heard a voice that seemed to be talking to me. I automatically turned to where it came from and my eyes widened at the unexpected person I saw standing in front of me, as he smiled at me.
"What are you doing here!? And how did you get in?!" I asked out loud.
"........"
I heard him shout in response as he pointed to the speaker but I couldn't understand anything because of the loud volume of the speaker. And since I couldn't hear him, I was forced to turn off the speaker. I put the stainless I was holding next to the laptop then stood up and stared at him with a frown.
"What are you doing here? And how did you get in?" I asked him again in an irritable tone.
"I was ringing the doorbell a while ago, but you obviously couldn't hear it because your music was so loud, so when I saw the door open a little, I went in." Ceejay explained with a smile.
I stared at the flower for a moment. I would have been so happy when I suddenly realize what kind of flowers he brought.
"What is that?" I asked annoyed.
"My gratitude." He answered briefly.
"Gratitude or mocking!?" I answered while clenching my teeth because of the annoyance I was suppressing.
Irritated, he put down the flower he handed to me and replied with a frown, "Are you really that difficult to be with? I'm thanking you for saving my life."
Dammit! You handsome creature! I'm really annoyed. Can't you understand me? -_-"
"What do you think I am!? Dead!?" Annoyed, I shouted at him.
His face frowned even more and his cheeks were reddened from restraining himself, "Can only dead people give flowers!?"
I'm really in awe of this handsome man. It's good to punch him in the face.
"Look at that flower you're carrying. It's a flower for the dead!" I shouted back.
"Oh, really?" Suddenly his voice calmed down and it was as if the wind blew away the annoyance he was suppressing, "Is that so?" He whispered to himself while staring at the flower.
And I was even more annoyed when he suddenly laughed so loudly.
I raised an eyebrow at him while crossing my arms, "That one question you haven't answered yet."
He first glanced in the other direction while smiling then faced me again, "I just stopped by to say hello and give this to you." At the same time, he handed me a flower, obviously anticipating my reaction.
No matter when you are, Ceejay. You are really crazy.
I just scratched my head and sighed, "If you were flirting, you probably haven't asked yet, you're already screwed."
He stopped laughing and glared at me angrily,"Hey, are you underestimating my flirting skills?"
"Even with flowers, you've failed. How about making the girl you love fall in love." I mocked.
"Don't challenge me, Rhea. Maybe later, when you fall in love, you won't be able to move on." He's still bragging.
I laughed so hard when he said, "You also showed your arrogance, you don't know how to pick flowers."
"Oh, really?" He replied with a smile, "I'll prove it to you. Flowers are not a basis for courtship. Its in the sensitivity–"
"–and pure intentions of the heart that truly loves." I suddenly added to what Ceejay said. And we are exactly the same time.
Come on!! Why did I do that?
Ceejay and I stared at each other for a long time. He was obviously wondering how I knew that and I was nervous to think of an excuse.
I would have been the first to apologize as to how I knew that when he spoke before me.
"Did I tell you that?" He asked in surprise.
"Aaa…. I think I read that on your Instagram. Because that's the one with the most likes." My excuse.
Suddenly his smile reached his ears and he replied, "You, you didn't say you were a fan of mine."
It seems that I gave him the wrong reason and I made his head even bigger..
"He he he.." was the only answer I gave him with a raw smile.
"You don't have to be shy, I'll show you how to flirt with a Ceejay Gonzaga." He still brags.
I pretended I didn't hear anything so the wind wouldn't blow the whole house away.
"Have you eaten?" He continued to tease me with his arrogance.
"N-not yet." My answer.
"Such a pain." He said, "Where is your kitchen and I will cook for you."
"You? Know how to cook?" I almost laughed.
"Don't make fun of me. I rarely cook for a woman." He hinted me.
"Oh… Don't torture yourself. Let's just buy a dish outside." I laughed at the explanation.
"Are you lazy to cook or just don't know how to cook?" He grumbled.
I frowned again, "Okay, if you really want to cook, just go straight and the kitchen is at the end. The fridge is full, so you can do what you cook." I reply.
"As long as you don't buy a dish, I'll actually cook." He even went straight to the kitchen.
I held my breath as I watched him walk to the kitchen.
He is always very demanding. I won't be surprised if what he cooks will be delicious. He really likes to cook but it's just surprising why he took a different course and not culinary.
Just wait? Why? When I was still alive, he took a culinary course, but why now, BS-IT? You Fallen, you've changed a lot. You really hate me. I hardly know what is happening in my own life. I'll just play Dota while waiting for him to finish.
I turned to the laptop. And the loading was finished a while ago. I just need to choose my hero. I lost my mind about the dota because of that man. Before I could even sit down, my eyes were suddenly fixed on the keyboard. Should I really play or watch him cook?
Soon the sky suddenly darkened, as well as the whole surroundings. Time stopped moving and even I froze. What else can I see now???
Fire?
A fire suddenly flared up in front of me at the same time as a single loud cry. It gradually grew until it ate the whole house. And I was sweating running through the blazing fire.
Before I could panic, the surroundings suddenly became bright again. The fire dissipated like a bubble and my eyes widened as I looked around the house. Everything seems normal and I don't see any smoke that could start a fire.
Ceejay cooking.
When I remembered him, I suddenly ran to the kitchen. When I got there, I saw that he looked troubled. He automatically turned to where I was standing when he noticed my sudden arrival.
He looked at me from head to toe when he saw my strange reaction. He was obviously surprised.
"Are you okay?" He asked in surprise, obviously hesitating to ask.
I tried to calm myself down before answering, "You? Are you okay? You seem troubled?"
"That's how it is." He answered and looked back at the stove in front of him, "I've been trying to turn on this gas stove for a while but it won't."
"That doesn't work anymore. I forgot to tell you so I'm already eating outside." I explained in a tense tone.
He frowned at the strange tone of my answer, "How about the electric stove?" He pointed at the electric stove next to the gas stove.
"That's broken too. It's been a while since that one." I answered immediately.
I'm really the best at lying.
"Are you playing with me?" He started getting annoyed with me, "It's not easy to prepare something to cook and then end up with nothing." He was still complaining while returning the recipes he had prepared to the fridge.
I felt guilty. He didn't understand. I need to do that to avoid the fire. I don't want a repeat of what happened at ComLab.
His face was really disappointed. He feels that I was making fun of him.
"I thought you were just joking. I didn't know you were serious about cooking." I apologize.
He didn't say a word. He just continued to put away until he had put it all in the refrigerator. I was still staring at him as he took off his apron and placed it on the table.
"Stay here. I'm just going to buy a dish." He said as he walked towards the door.
I couldn't speak anymore. I just watched him as he walked towards the door until he finally came out.
I'm really felt guilty. His effort is a waste. He was so serious about cooking for our lunch.
When I made sure he was far away, I tried to turn on the gas stove and it didn't fail, it turned on right away. I'm telling you, our gas stove is just fooling me to use the broken electric stove and cause a fire, especially since Ceejay will be cooking.
I immediately took out all the recipes he had prepared earlier. It looks like he plans to cook kare-kare. That's why, I started cooking what he prepared so that when he comes back, he can taste it.
"Rhea! Rhea!"
I hear a familiar voice gently shaking my shoulder.
I slowly raised my head and saw sister Cyrel frowning at me.
Sister Cyrel???
"Table manners, Rhea! When did you learn to sleep in front of food!?" She gave me a quick sermon.
I suddenly thought. By the way, I cooked the Kare-kare recipes that Ceejay prepared and served on the table for him to come back, we are about to eat. I stared at the food for a while and it looked like they had cooled down and that guy hadn't arrived yet.
"Did you cook Kare-kare?" My sister asked then took the serving spoon that was next to the bowl of kare-kare and tasted it, "It's delicious. When did you learn to cook?"
"Why are you too early?" I asked in surprise.
"Really? Is 8 pm too early for you?" He answered while sitting in front of me, "After all, the table is ready, I'll eat first before getting change my clothes."
It's late? Looks like I slept for a long time. And let it go, that bastard never came back. He really sulked. But that's better than regretting because the fire ate him again.
I just looked at my sister while she was enjoying the food. She liked what I cooked and her gluttony came out.
While I was drowning in the thought of whether I should go to them or not. Maybe I'll just go after all it's my fault. Oh no, he was insistent that's why I lied to him. Well, anyway! I'll just go.
Deep in my thoughts, I got up from my seat and went to the kitchen to heat up the remaining kare-kare in the pot.
"Aren't you going to eat?" Sister immediately asked when she noticed me standing up.
"I'm done." I answered from the kitchen, while looking for tupperware from the yellow hanging cabinet above the electric stove.
"Hey, the food didn't seem to have decreased when I arrived." She said while her mouth was full of food.
"I prepared that for you." I lied as I turned off the gas stove and carefully moved some of the tupperware I had prepared.
"For me, but you put two plates on the table." He reasoned, "Who were you here with earlier?"
Here is my protective sister again. Drama starts again.
I sighed as I closed the tupperware that I had put the kare-kare in, "It's Ceejay. He said goodbye earlier to buy some food but he didn't come back." I explained and put the tupperware in a paper bag and headed for the door.
My sister frowned, "He bought a dish, why did you cook?"
I opened the door and turned slightly to see my sister looking at me, "Long story." And I left the house and left my sister eating alone at the table.
As I was walking towards the jeep stand, my feet suddenly stopped walking. Do I really need to do this? I feel guilty. I will get back to him. Because I can't tell him that it will start a fire when he cooks. Besides him laughing at me, that is against the balance of the future. I will lose my wings.
I was in front of Ceejay's house when I suddenly had second thoughts. I'm nervous. I don't know what will happen. I did it before but I feel different now. Whatever! Come what may! I'll just face what's waiting inside.
*ding-dong*
I rang the doorbell twice and soon the door opened. I sincerely smiled when I saw that Ceejay opened the door. It was obvious from his face that he was surprised by my arrival.
"Rhea??" He exclaimed in shock.
Of course, he didn't mention where he lives but I know.
"I thought you were going to buy a dish? You never came back." I started.
"What do you need?" His cold question.
This handsome man is really sulking.
"Here." I handed him what I brought and he just stared, "Aren't you going to accept it?"
He was looking at me when he accepted what I handed him then he carefully opened it without saying a single word.
"I cooked what you prepared so it wouldn't go to waste." I continued as he opened the tupperware.
"I thought your stove at home was broken?" He wondered.
"I cooked with the neighbor." I lied with a smile.
"Really? Maybe you just bought it somewhere." His sarcastic answer.
"It's up to you If you do not want to believe." I reply.
He was smiling ear to ear as he closed the tupperware then replied, "Alright. Is it good?"
"I don't know." My short answer.
"Why don't you know, you cooked." He asked.
"We have different tastes. Maybe what tastes good to me is fat to you." My excuse.
"You have a point too." He said, "Come in and let's eat together."
"No need.' I immediately answered, "I'm done eating. Besides, I really just came here to deliver it."
"You can't say no to me." He insisted.
"No nee–"
I couldn't finish what I was saying when he suddenly reached for my hand and pulled me into their house.
I couldn't refuse, I'm already inside…
- John Carlo Laporre's POV –
I was walking in an unknown place full of happy people. I'm not familiar with that place. I don't even know where it is. I don't even know how I ended up in a place I don't know and I don't know where.
I just continued walking while observing the happy faces of the onlookers. None of them familiar to me. But they are very happy in that place as if there is no trace of the pain they are harboring.
Until I saw a young woman standing next to a bench under a tree. She seemed to be alone so I approached her.
As I got closer, I gradually recognized her. Even though she turned her back to me, I was sure who she was because of her blonde hair. I sped up walking because of the joy I felt. And when I was close to her, she faced me.
I was suddenly stunned to see that her face was very blurry, because of the light that surrounded her. I can't look directly at her face that I want to see so I can prove it's her.
After a while, something red floated on his body that gradually covered her body.
My eyes widened as I stumbled backwards. She slowly walked towards me.
I was horrified by what was happening to her and my heart was beating so hard that it felt like my chest was going to explode. I was stuck in my place. I couldn't even move my legs.
Until she reached me and hugged me tightly.
"C-Christa??" I doubt it. The name I wanted to call came out of my mouth spontaneously.
I was about to touch her when her body became brighter. It was so bright that I could hardly see her. It continued to light up until I couldn't look at her anymore and I closed my eyes.
I could feel the blinding light slowly fading so I carefully opened my eyes.
I rolled my eyes and my feelings calmed down when I realized that I was in my room.
I sat on my bed and thought about my dream again. This is not the first time I have dreamed about Crista.
Does she really not accept in her heart that she is really gone? Or is it also the result of my nightly praying?
Whatever the reason is that my intelligent mind cannot understand, God will take care of whatever it is. I left Crista's life to him.
I will just pray to the Lord for the peace of her soul.