Chapter 13

Those shoes were precious to me! I bought those with my own money I won from an academic contest. I've been taking care of it for 4 years and to think that it ended up being snatched by a monkey, it was sad!

"Did you just arrive, hija?"

I turned to the direction of that voice and found our landlady with a basket of wet clothes on her hold. I turned the faucet off when her eyes glided from me to the running water.

"Ah, yes. Just now."

Her forehead creased when she saw me barefooted. My toes curled backward, conscious by her stare.

"Where are your shoes?" She asked when she noticed that I have no footwear near me.

I smiled awkwardly. "We were robbed."

She caressed her chest in an exaggerated manner because of what she heard. "Gosh! There are robbers everywhere in a clutter!Be careful next time, gosh!"

I nodded and chuckled awkwardly. She bid me goodbye before leaving and went to the backyard of the boarding house to hang the wet clothes under the heat of the sun in there.

"What's happening in this generation already?! Wherever you go, you'll encounter a robber or someone of the likes! Back on our days, it was so peaceful that there's no evil lurking on the street corner!"

I heard her ranting until she disappeared from my sight.

I went inside without footwear. Good thing that the yard of the boarding house was filled with bermudagrasses so my newly washed feet weren't dirtied.

I sat on my bed which made me bounce a little. I leaned backward with both of my hands on my side as support. My eyes wandered but stopped in the corner of my room. My basket of dirty clothes was not there anymore. Ate Nea and Camila sent it to the laundry shop which I was super thankful for. If they didn't include mine, it won't be entertained until tomorrow. My unform was included in my laundry too so I was really saved by those two. It's not like I'm the only customer so it was a 'first come, first serve' system they have in there.

I woke up when the light of the sun went inside my room. I groaned when I saw that I haven't pulled down my blinds so the sunlight went inside my room. It hurts when it touches the skin, especially at this hour.

I got up from my bed and checked my phone for any messages but it was only Mom who's checking on me.

Me:

I'm alright and the date was fine. You should visit Ciudad with Dad sometime soon. Anyway, I'm in Durem now.

I changed clothes first before going out of my room to go to the laundry shop to fetch our clothes. Ate Nea texted me that they'll not be home tonight and it seems like they won't be able to go home early tonight so I'll be the one who will get theirs for them. The laundry shop was just near but what's hassle is that I'll be fetching three baskets of clothes.

At this point in time, this is when I think that I should really learn how to drive. I think I'll just hail a taxi, then. I've got no choice if I don't want to walk the boarding house from the laundry shop for how many rounds.

When I didn't receive any messages from my boyfriend, I've concluded that he's probably tired and fell asleep. I must remind him not to oversleep because he might not be able to sleep tonight comfortably.

I dialed Tita Reeva, Revi's mom. During the third ring, she picked it up quickly.

"Amelia, my dear!" Her usual enthusiastic voice welcomed the call.

"Hi, Tita. I haven't received any message from Revi so I think he's sleeping right now."

"Oh, yes. You're right and he's sleeping inside his room. After coming back from where you two were, she immediately headed straight inside. I checked him earlier and he's deeply sleeping."

I nodded. It was a long drive especially that he's solo driving from that long travel. Of course, he fell asleep because of tiredness.

"Why, hija?"

"I messaged him not to oversleep but I don't think that's enough to wake him up. I resorted to calling you, Tita because that might be something he would do and he might not be able to sleep tonight so quickly."

Tita Reeva laughed on the other end. "You're so caring, Amelia. Revi got you right. You're indeed a catch!"

I laughed at that.

"Okay, I'll do that. Thank you for calling me, hija. I miss you, let's shop together soon!"

"Sure, Tita."

She promised me to wake Revi up before bidding me goodbye. When I arrived at the laundry shop, our clothes were already folded properly. It was ironed and folded so the pay was worth it.

"Are you alone, Miss?" A teenage girl who tends to my request asked me.

I nodded before eyeing the three basket near me. "If that so, how would you manage all these?"

"I think I'll just hail a taxi," I replied.

She helped me bring the basket of clothes near the entrance of the shop. I waited for a taxi to pass by but the taxis that often passes by were filled by a passenger.

I think I spent half an hour waiting for an empty taxi to pass by but until now, I haven't seen one. I convinced myself to wait for 10 minutes more and there might be a taxi which will pass by who happens to be empty but if there's none, then I've got no choice but to walk and bring the baskets one by one! Just the thought of it is tiring already, gosh!

I was about to find a taxi online to come to fetch me up when my phone went blank. I shut my eyes closed when I realized that my phone battery is hanging at only 1 percent. I forgot to charge my phone earlier!

I turned around to head inside the laundry shop when I heard a car honk which made me turn back. My eyes squinted at the sight of a familiar car but my eyes widened when the car window rolled down and I then saw Tita Amira.

"Amelia, hi!"

I didn't see her for quite a long time!

"Tita!"

"Are you waiting for a taxi, perhaps?"

I nodded.

"Did you try hailing a ride online?"

I waved my phone before me. "Dead batt, eh," I said and accompanied it with a chuckle when honestly, it was like I was snatched off my last string of hope!

"Where are you heading to?"

I glanced at the three baskets placed at the entrance in a row. "I fetched the clothes we laundered. It was plenty so I needed a taxi."

"Come, we'll get you home."

She's sitting in the shotgun seat so I think his son is the one who's driving.

"No, it's okay Tita. And besides, it seems like you're off to somewhere."

Deep down, I really want to hitch a ride but this isn't the time for me to flaunt how thick face I am.

I saw Tita Amira push Gael if I am not mistaken that he really is the one who's driving. I proved that it was really him when he went out of the driver's seat wearing a plain black hoodie and maong pants with his hair pushed back with a black cloth.

"Mama will nag me if she won't get you to hitch a ride, Amelia."

"B-but--"

He closed the car door and went to me. He raised his brow at me before his eyes glided to the baskets behind me.

"Just agree to it already and don't torment me," he said with gritted teeth, afraid to let Tita Amira hear.

"Amelia?" Tita Amira called.

"Y-yes. Thank you, Tita."

Tita Amira went out of the car and left the shotgun seat's door open. Gael went to the laundry shop's entrance to get the basket of clothes. Tita Amira opened the backseat's door to put the baskets of clothes there. The car they were using was big and spacious in the inside so I think all three will fit just right.

I just stood in my place, unmoving, until Gael finished collecting the baskets.

"Oh my! The backseat was just exactly fitted with all three of them. What to do?" I heard Tita Amira, as if on cue, I went near them.

"A-ah, let's just do it like this-"

Tita Amira smacks his son's arm before laughing. "Send Amelia's clothes on her boarding house, Gael."

I immediately became uneasy.

"What? That's an all-girls boarding house, Ma." Gael said, knocking some sense to his mother.

I saw how Tita Amira's brow was raised. "If that so, bring Amelia with you. Is that a problem?"

Tita Amira then pushed me towards Gael who immediately dodged who looks like he was already expecting that Tita Amira would do that.

I was about to trip in front when my slippers were entangled but a good thing, Gael held my arm and let it go until I could perfectly stand up again.

I could hear Tita Amira's giggles because of some reason I do not know. Don't you think so, Amelia?" She asked for my approval.

"W-well, yes. I think that's fine."

Tita Amira clapped excitedly and pushed me inside the car lightly.

"Just wait here, Ma. I'll be right back," Gael said to his mother who was smiling before closing the door of the shotgun seat after I went in. He walked around the car before going inside and started the engine.

I said my thanks to Tita Amira once again before Gael drove me back to the boarding house. He waited for any cars or motorcycles that would pass by on both lanes before tilting the steering wheel for a turn towards the direction of my boarding house. Even if he's a race car driver and it is only natural for them to drive aggressively even if it's a public road, he still abides by the rules.

His eyes were focused on the road. Well, it's not like that I want him to look my way but I at least don't want us to stay silent. He rolled the windows down and that's when a soft wind blew a few strands of his hair.

"Y-your hair is long," I commented.

The end of his back hair has now reached his nape. Even a few strands of his hair in front fell off his forehead. He only pushed it with the help of black cloth to prevent it from falling and covering his eyes. I saw him with clean-cut hair before and such other decent hairstyles but this is the first time I saw Gael with his long, black hair.

He glanced my way for a second. "I grew it on purpose. Why? Does it look bad?"

I immediately shook my head and let out a smile. "No. You even look good with your long hair."

He stared at me for quite long but eventually looked away in an instant. I would like to think that he was awkward but I found nothing of the likes on his face. This guy just doesn't feel the awkwardness. It's the other way around. He doesn't feel a little awkwardness at all but he sure does make people feel awkward around him.

Gael cleared his throat and shifted on his seat. "Of course. I look good at everything."

He brought the two baskets inside the boarding house while I was the one bringing mine. The boarding house was quiet and empty, maybe because it's weekend. Some of my board mates go back to their hometown and spend a day or two there and will just come back before Monday where classes start on weekdays. If that's not it, they're probably out to the university to take care of some requirements or papers now that the Midterm was over.

I pushed my room door open with my feet. I'll go to the grocery store to gather foods good for a week after putting my basket of clothes on my bed. I charged my phone first before going outside.

I was shocked to see Gael still in here and was comfortably sitting on the couch of the living room. Thank goodness, the lady wasn't here!

"Why are you still here? Tita Amira must be waiting, "I said as I neared him.

He stood up from his seat and walked passed me, going out before me. "Mama wants you to join us for dinner."

My mouth gaped at what he said. "No, it's alright. It's humiliating already. You already helped me with my-"

Gael turned to me when he reached the last staircase. "Who knows what she'll do to me if I'll fetch her without you?"

I sighed and agreed. Tita Amira could be scary at times and she's mostly physical with Gael who doesn't even care at the very least. Maybe that's how they show their love for each other. No one could judge that.

I waited for him to open the door for me but he just walked passed me while playing his keys on his fingers before opening the door of the driving seat. Before going inside, he looked at me with a question in his eyes.

"What?" He asked, wondering why I was frozen in my place.

I snapped.

What was I thinking? Maybe because I grew used to someone who always opens the door for me so that explains why I was acting that way and was waiting on my place firmly, waiting for it to exactly happen. Damn, this guy is not Revi at all! I've known Gael for so long and I also know that he doesn't have an ounce of courtesy that a gentleman does have so it was stupid of me to think that he'll open the door for me!

I opened the shotgun seat's door and hurriedly went in. I buckled my seat belt when I heard Gael chuckled after starting the engine.

"I'm different from your boyfriend, Amelia. Opening the car door is not a gender role, right?"