The Enemies

CINDY

FINALLY! After a long wait, the lecture has ended. It was really boring inside the classroom, especially during class hour. You can’t talk to your seatmate because the teacher will get angry. The scenery is limited. You can only see a bunch of black heads and a green black board. Lastly, the language that my teacher is using seems out of the world. Gosh!

Maybe you used to think I’m a smart kid and a bookworm. You may have that idea because I love reading books and usually, booklovers are smart kids that top the class. But nah! I'm not like that. It's because my older brother has a big library at home so I’m into reading but that doesn't mean I'm clever. Of course, I'm still a rich brat who doesn't care about studying so when there's an examination, I immediately ran to Happy for her to teach me. She’s really reliable, I’m telling you, that’s why she’s my life saver during the epidemic cause by the examination.

"Cindy! Are you done fixing your stuff?" Happy all of a sudden appear in front of me.

I nodded.

"Are you going home already?" she asked again.

"Yes, we don’t have a maid so I have to go home early."

"Oh? Why did you remove the maids? You will have a hard time especially that your house is not as small as the house that we used to live together."

I shrugged. I know that she’s worried but for me, it’s better this way than to endure having maid at home.

"I have my own reasons. Let's not talk about that. I know that you’ll end up scolding me again."

"Well, it can’t be help. When I’m with you, I end up feeling that I’m a nagging mother."

That made me smile.

"Finally, you didn’t deny it,” I teased.

"Ah! What? Did I just admit that I look like a nagging mother?”

Her expression made me giggle a bit. But it came to a halt when I realized that Happy is giving me a strange stare.

“I’m glad that you still know how to have fun, Cindy. I miss this,” she said and that surprised me a bit.

Indeed, it's been a while. It's really good that we're together again. I’m really thankful to what Mariana did. I thought I would spend my last year in high school without my best friend. I thought I will adjust to this new environment alone. I thought I will conquer a place out of my comfort zone all alone. I’m glad. I’m really grateful that Happy is beside me in this trying times.

"Anyway, come on. Since you said that you want to be a dedicated wife and go home early!"

“Hey, I didn’t say that,” I opposed. I’m not going home early because I want to please Eijun. Those will never ever going to happen. I will not let it happen, over my dead okay body.

We walked to the door and we were almost out when the path were abruptly blocked by Karen Legazpi and her minions.

Karen signaled my remaining classmates who are still inside of the classroom to leave. Out of fear and in less than a minute, we’re already the only one who’s left. Then Karen turned to me with a smile on her face.

"Hi! I'm Karen Legazpi." And she held out her hand.

Because I’m responsive, I accepted the offer but when I’m about to reach her hand, she swiftly slapped me with her other free hand. My face turned straight to the right.

"Aww, I'm sorry. My hand suddenly moved alone," she said with a voice of sarcasm while waving the hand she used to slap me.

"What the heck is your problem?! How dare you to do that to Cindy!" Happy shouted furiously. Her face turned red because of anger. Happy charges to approach Karen but one of Karen’s minions suddenly block her way and push her down to the floor.

"Sorry, little extra. We’re not asking for you interruption," Karren added.

That’s the moment my head starts boiling. I said it before, right? Fight me and make fun of me all you want but just don't oppress my best friend.

I tried to approach Happy to help her but then, Karen pulled my arm in a different direction of strength causing me to fail my balance and also tumble on the floor. I hurt my butt but I held in the groan. I will not give satisfaction to these idiots.

"Where are the spoiled brat twins? Looks like they left you," she mocked while eyeing me dangerously and walking around me.

"They are not Cindy’s minions that need to be with her all the time. Hence, Cindy doesn’t need minions because she’s not a coward like you," Happy answered the with scorn. Karen glared at her in return. Of course, she’s annoyed of what Happy just said because it’s hit the sensitive part head on.

But I became alert when she approached and gripped Happy's cheeks. I tried stopping her but we are really out numbered. Another minion stopped me from doing so.

"I’m not talking to you, extra. So don’t answer my question that’s not for you. Understood?!" she shouted in Happy's face. Then she released Happy’s face violently. It pained when I saw how Karen’s hands left a red mark in my best friend’s face. Then she turned to me and tried to approach me.

But Happy didn’t let her do so. She held on Karen’s legs and that cause Karen to almost fail her balance. Bad thing, she’s really used in wearing high heels and she regained her balance fast.

"Ah, she’s so annoying. Girls?!" she said with annoyance. She signaled her minions and with a single eye contact, they received the orders from their boss.

The minions went to Happy. Each one hold’s each of Happy’s arms and lifts her.

"What are you trying going to do?" Happy asked and on guard. She tries to break free from their holds but she can’t shake them.

"It's none of your business. Girls!"

With that, they dragged Happy out of the room and closed the door. Happy struggled as they did that but because it was one against two so she didn’t won against them.

Now, I’m left alone with Karen’s group but that didn’t scare me. Actually, I’m a bit relief. Good, Happy’s out of the battle field and she’s in the safe zone.

"Don’t get be afraid. I’m just going to talk to you," Karen assured but I don’t need that. She offered me a hand so that I can stand but I ignored that and stands alone. I’m not going to fall to the same trick twice.

I shake off the dust on my butt using my hands. Actually, I wanted to laugh of what Karen said. What was that again? Don’t be afraid because she’s just going to talk to me? After she slapped me and pushed us down and she also gripped Happy’s cheeks and drag her out of the room, then just going to talk to me? How absurd. So her definition of talking is with an introduction of physical assault? She’s crazy. I would like to protest that logic but instead of resisting, we’ll go along with this madness so it will be over the soonest.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Tell me what kind of relationship do you have with Eijun?" Her question stunned me.

Eijun? That jerk? What’s his connection with all of this?

"If we do have a relationship, it's between me and him," I said calmly, stating the obvious fact.

"No, you got that wrong. It's between you, him and me. Simply as 'us'," she said with hand gestures.

And how did she get involved? What does she really want from me? If Eijun is her target, she would have barked at him and not at me.

"What is really your problem?" Because I'm pissed, I can't help but raise my voice.

"My problem?" she repeat and she pointed. "YOU!!!"

"How come I’m your problem?" I wiped my face using my hand because of her saliva showered my face. Yuck. What if I catch her stupid bacteria? It will get me sick.

"Earlier, I saw you and your buddies. You entered the VIP room! Do you know what kind of room that is?!"

My mouth turned into an O. I’m super amazed at the nonsense she asked.

"Yeah, I know," I smiled. "That's the monkeys' room."

"What did you just say?!" She seemed angry of what I said. It was as if I am telling her that she’s a monkey, even though I didn’t. She seems so affected when what I said wasn’t referring to her.

"Why? What's the problem? That's the truth!"

"Eijun isn't a monkey, maybe you are! Ugly duckling!"

Monkey? Ugly duckling? Now, that confuses me. How can a monkey turn into an ugly duckling? Maybe, she really lost it. She indeed lost it.

"Believe what you want. Since I've answered the question, may I now go?"

I started walking but she blocked my path again.

"No, not yet," she said so I stopped. "What's your relationship?"

Tsk! She’s persistently annoying!

"You see. I must know this." I looked at her intently. "Why do you care so much? What does it have to do with you if we do have a relationship?"

"It’s because he is my boyfriend," she answered out of blue. Her tone is also mixed with pride.

Boyfriend? Oh, that's why. Eijun has a girlfriend who is alike to him, they are both annoying.

"If he's your boyfriend, it looks like he hasn't told you anything yet. A piece of advice, talk to your boyfriend first before barking at me."

Before she could ever react of my wonderful statement, I already went outside of that classroom.

When I got out, Happy, Marina and Mariana startled me with their hugs.

"What happened? Did they hurt you?" Mariana asked as she examined me.

"Nothing, we just talked."

"And what did you talk about?" Happy asked.

I just shook my head. "It's not that important. There's just one person who have a commitment to a certain person but he’s not telling his real status."

The confusion is on their faces. They didn’t get what I meant.

"Oh, never mind. Let's go."

*****

I’M home and I changed my uniform with my usual home clothes. I am also currently cooking a meal for the two of us. Of course, the jerk is included because I don’t have much choice. Surely if I didn’t, he’ll call me names and will irritate the hell out of me again.

I’m in the middle of what I’m doing when I heard a sound of a parking car.

"It seems like the jerk obtain a new car."

And since I know what he needs right now, I went out and went straight to the gate. I opened it, wide enough to get the car in.

He parked the car smoothly. Then when he got out, I saw sparking gems around him like stupid fireflies. That statement means that he act so arrogant when he get out of his car and on his face, I saw a stupid face of happiness that I will never get. It’s like he is bragging that he has a new car. He looks stupid. I ignored him and just closed the gate.

"Have I not told you that you will have a hard time when there's no maid around to assist you?"

Tsk! Now, he’s acting like my parents. It’s so annoying.

"Why do you care? You're not the one who will suffer so leave me alone," I said and I went inside.

I’m in the kitchen preparing food when Eijun came down from his room. I can see that he’s fresh from bath and changed into his home clothes.

"What our food? Don’t tell me you prepared an inhumane dish again?"

"Whatever, jerk. I’m not forcing you to eat so if you don’t want the food, go make your own"

"Okay then," he said. I thought what he meant by ‘okay then’ is that he’s making his own food but I’m shock when he took a seat on the dining table and starts getting rice from the bowl on the center.

Eijun is really annoyingly unpredictable. Tsk!

*****

WE finished eating. Since we don’t have a maid, I’m the one who tidy up the dishes. I put it in the sink. I will wash it later but for now, I went back to the dining table to wipe it clean. It only took few minutes. Then I went back to wash the dishes but … someone's already washing it.

"You move like a snail, Ella, so I'll do the dishes. Don't worry, I know how," he said while doing what he just said.

I didn’t know that he also has a good heart or is it conscience? Since I had nothing else to do, I just sat on a high chair beside the counter.

I watched him. I watched how his muscular arm flexed and how his broad shoulder moved. I also watched his white nape and his dark hair. And when he glanced at me I saw how perfect his jaw line and the shape of his nose were. I don’t know but I find this side of Eijun cute.

"Why are you so quiet?" I looked away when I realized he had caught me staring at him.

“Did you miss someone?" he asked again.

I thought about his question.

Miss someone?

"Y-Yeah," I don't know but I feel suddenly sad.

Yes, I miss him. I miss my Big Brother. I also miss my old life. I miss the genuine laughter when I’m with my brother. I miss our memories together. I miss my old self that was so carefree and happy. I miss them so much

"Ah, you miss me? But Ella I’m in front of you. You can’t long for me even though I’m just several feet away."

I glared at him.

Is this man deaf? Or is he that arrogant to think that he is the one I’m missing?

"If you miss me so much, Ella, don’t worry, I can visit you later in your room and we can have some fun."

This jerk!

"Over my dead and sexy body, you arrogant jerk!"

I went near him to get back to him by kicking his feet but he saw my motive. He dodged my attack and even got the chance to put soap on my left cheek. Ugh! I’m going to kill this jerk. To get back, I pulled his hair and pull his left ear as hard as I could.

He let out a loud groan. Hmp! Serve him well. Then I walk out. I was about to reach the stairs when I heard him shout.

“I’ll be right there, darling. Just wait for your battered husband and he will take his revenge later!”

That pervert! I need to lock my door to keep him out.

*****