Chapter 19

Revi was talking to her mother through the phone while I am eating a slice of apple when both of our attention automatically flew to the door when someone opened it without knocking.

"Coln's here, Mom. I'll be there soon." I heard Revi before he ended the call and went to approach Gael who's wearing a simple white shirt and black shorts paired with white branded shoes and a duffel bag lazily hanging on his left arm.

"Hey, bro." Revi greeted his best friend before bumping their clenched fist to each other. "Thank you so much. It will be just this time. I'll come back right after making sure that Dad is okay."

I saw how Gael snorted. "Nah. It's no biggie."

Revi fetched his polo shirt which he took off then which was hanging on the backrest of the sofa before going to me.

Revi caressed my cheek dearly while looking at me with his soft eyes. "I'll be back soon. I just can't feel at ease if you're alone here while knowing the girl who did this to you will be released a few hours later."

I smiled at him before nodding. "I'll pray for Tito Demi's immediate recovery."

"I'll go now, love."

Revi secretly glanced at Gael's way who's busy looking around. When Revi looked at me again, his lips are now in a grim line.

"Amelia," he called.

"Hmm?"

I was a bit taken aback when Revi held my chin and gave me a sudden, fluttery kiss on the lips. I think it lasted for 10 seconds before he distanced himself and kissed me on the top of my head.

My lips parted in surprise but before I could say anything, he immediately turned his back on me and walked towards the door.

"Thank you, bro." Revi said before going out of the room without sparing me a glance.

My eyes were glued to the closed door with my forehead creased. I felt new about what he did. Revi and I were not used to kissing whenever there are other people around us. He won't kiss me on the lips if it's not just the two of us. He'll just give me forehead kisses so this time, I got weirded out.

He even went out of my room without glancing my way for a second which made it weirder. I don't mean that I wanted him to look at me before finally going out but I was not just used to his sudden move earlier.

He just went out after kissing me on the lips, making me feel like it's not his plan in the first place. What was that? Was it just a slip idea?

Gael cleared his throat which made me look at him.

"That was a romantic exit," he said, referring to what Revi did.

I looked away and looked down on my plate filled with sliced apple which was on top of my legs that were covered with my blanket, feeling embarrassed now.

"Did Tita Ana knew about what happened to you?" He asked before sitting on the sofa beside his duffel bag.

I withdrew my thoughts about what Revi did earlier. I think that wasn't a big deal for Gael to see. It was honestly embarrassing but it made me think that I shouldn't be. Revi is my boyfriend and Gael is his best friend so I convinced myself silently that there's no point in feeling embarrassed when there's still shame left inside me.

"Revi called to inform her," I answered.

He leaned before he laid his right arm comfortably on the backrest of the sofa. "I couldn't quite conceive that you were involved in a physical fight. I guess my idea of you being the angelic and innocent type is wrong when actually, you aren't."

I shot him a glare. "I didn't even expect myself to be involved in a catfight too! You know that I am not into it!"

"Well, who knows?" Gael asked before he shrugged. I let out an annoyed sound before leaning on my adjustable bed. I know that Gael has always been rude but I still can't get used to it.

"Don't sulk, Amelia. I like fiery girls," he said which made me look at him.

"Aubrey, the girl who I fought yesterday night is surely the fiery type."

Gael raised a brow while a smirk was plastered on his face. "You're right. I could see how bad you got. Your face says that you lost."

I meant that as a joke but what I just heard from Gael as an answer surely irritates me!

"So you like Aubrey?" I asked with malice. I am not against him, liking Aubrey who got me hospitalized. Besides, what is my right to dictate his feelings, and who's the woman who took his interest? I'm just... well, I'm the girlfriend of his best friend and... I am his childhood friend. I don't know now though. I acknowledge him as my friend but I don't know with him.

"I haven't met her. Do you perhaps have a picture of her?"

"Jeez. Could anyone in random take your interest, Gael?!"

His laughter roared, dominating the four-corner room. "If what you meant is because she's the woman you fought with is there's no way I could like her. I don't have care about that, Amelia. I was out of the issue."

"That's not what I meant. It's just that... you're hitting on just anybody," I said. My voice was going softer and softer in every word I uttered.

His playful smirk faded and channeled his straight and serious face. He looked at me intently which made me feel awkward.

I was never stared this long except by my boyfriend, Revi. Even my boyfriend's stare got me embarrassed already, what more if it's someone, not him who would stare at me intently?

"Actually, there is someone," he mumbled.

My brows furrowed, totally not getting what he just said. "Ha?"

"The girlfriend of my best friend," he said which made my forehead creased.

"What do you mean?"

"A woman I wasn't hitting on. She's the girlfriend of my best friend," he clarified.

I snapped. "Oh... right," I said, fully understanding what he said.

We were silent for the passing hours and we didn't even try starting conversing. I don't know what's the exact reason why we got this awkward air in between us.

I reached for the bottle of water on the side table but Gael stood up from his seat and got it for me. He opened the lid before giving it to me.

"Uh..." I trailed off after drinking enough water to quench my thirst.

I don't know how to strike a conversation!

"What's 'uh', Amelia?" He asked, waiting for me to hand the bottle back to him.

"You were from the... gym?" I asked before giving back the water bottle which he immediately accepted before placing it on the side table.

He turned his back to me to pull a stool. He placed the stool not far from the side of my bed before sitting with his arms crossed and his legs spread not that wide apart.

"Yeah. I was there when your boyfriend called me."

"I... I'm sorry. I'm fine staying here alone but Revi doesn't feel comfortable so... that's what happened."

"It's fine, though. He even let me borrow his reviewer even if I didn't ask for an exchange."

I gave him a little smile before nodding. "When is your next race?" I asked him when I remembered.

He shifted on his weight, obviously so into this matter. He seemed interested in my question because I could see his ghost of a smile but it faded away after he cleared his throat.

"This weekend," he replied shortly.

"Will Revi go and watch your race?" I asked with a hint of interest.

He shrugged. "I haven't invited him yet. You know what he usually does during weekends."

"I'll try to tell him about your race and he might come to watch you. Besides... I want to watch it too. It's been so long since the last time."

His brow raised. "You're free to watch. I'll give you a ticket pass as soon as you're discharged."

Oh, yes! It just gave me a strong determination to recover fast. I am so excited to get out of here! I unconsciously smiled big which made me grimace in pain. I caressed my left cheek while slowly clenching my teeth.

"I never knew laughing could be that painful," he said while letting out a deep chuckle.

I glared at him which made him purse his lips. "Could you hand me the mirror? It's inside my bag, I think."

His eyes wandered, looking for my bag and when he saw it on the side table, he reached for it and searched for the thing I requested inside. He handed my hand mirror before putting my bag on the side table.

I stared at my reflection in the hand mirror. I gained bruises on my face but what was most evident was the bruise in my left cheek where Aubrey slap... no, hit me with her powder foundation.

There were scratches on my right cheek and near my right eye. But the biggest scratch I got was on the side part of my forehead. Thank goodness and the other wounds besides that were not that noticeable but my left cheek bloated a little.

My hair was not a mess, thanks to the bandage encircling on my forehead.

I groaned as I placed the hand mirror beside me which made me wince in pain because of the sudden movement of my arm.

Gael's eyes glided from my face down to my arm wrapped in bandage who just bled a little. Gael stopped laughing at the sight of it.

"You really lost," he said, pertaining to my fight with Aubrey, making it sounds like I was in some sort of competition.

"Aubrey's good at it."

He shook his head. I thought he'll make fun of me but I didn't hear anything from him which I was thankful for.

I cleared my throat. "Do I look bad?" I asked, asking Gael the same question I threw to Revi. It's not that I don't believe Revi but I wanted to hear Gael's answer too.

What was the reason? I don't have anything to say in particular.

He looked at me with his brows furrowed. "Why are you asking me that?"

"Because why not?"

"My answer doesn't matter," he said plainly.

I shifted. "Why wouldn't it matter?"

Gael sighed. "If I'll say no, you'll feel remorseful. If I'll say yes, does that change a thing? Anyway, I said my answer doesn't matter, Amelia. Drop the question."

I am starting to adapt to his rudeness tonight.

"Your answer does matter, Gael." I said in my serious tone. He looked at me with wide eyes but he immediately looked away. "So, what's your answer?"

When he looked back to me, he stared at me with heavy intensity, channeling his cold and rude demeanor.

"You should ask your boyfriend and not me. Besides... you have no right to throw me questions like that."

I eyed him annoyingly. He's frank so why can't he answer my simple question? I was just asking if I look bad or do I look fine. I was about to drop the question then but I continued because I was just being silly but his rudeness gave my silliness away!

"Ang why is that?" I asked with a hint of obvious annoyance.

"Are you my girl?" He asked cockily.

I stifled a smile, ready to get cocky either. "I'm a girl but I ain't yours."

I noticed how I caught him in surprise but seconds after, he was so quick to change his shock expression with a playful smile so I think the expression I saw from him earlier was just in my head.

"Then, are you willing to be one?"

If it's not because of his playful smirk, I might lose my composure and I might believe that he's actually serious for a moment. But what was I expecting? Gael... never gets serious with a woman.

"No," I said, chuckling.

"If you aren't willing to be one, you better stop asking me about that. I'm not up to answer it."