Destiny

My mother was once said that you cannot have anything. No one can. Whatever they do, they cannot possess something that destiny will not permit.

With your hard work, if destiny will not let you have it, you will not have it. Even in fairytales, Princess must be in a grave danger in order to be saved by the Prince and have a happy life after growing up in a harsh environment.

People who are on top of the society were not all born with a gold spoon in their mouth. Most of the rich and influential person did their best and risked all they have just to get where they are right now. Even my ancestors that were born with nothing but a small nipa hut and a meters of land sacrificed their comfortable sleeps by destroying their house so they can plant various of crops. Today, they are one of the most influential persons in agriculture.

Maybe the reason why my mother is so strict when it comes to my spending money. She didn't like it when I spend too much in just a split of second. She always reminds me of how her grandparents worked just to give us the status that I am proud of.

I grow up in that mindset. If I will not have it, I will not like it. I only want things that I am a hundred percent sure that it will fall on my hands. But fortunately, my family is capable of giving me anything I wanted. If I want everything, they will give me everything. They give me wealth, love, and confidence. I don't need to work hard for what I have wanted. The reason why I don't work too hard.

This was the first time that I moved and planned and decide just by my own.

Now that what I've been seeking all these two weeks is now standing firmly in front of me. Does destiny permit our story already?

"Do you know me?" his voice was loud and clear.

Even though we were surrounded by the loud music from the DJ echoing in the whole building, his voice was received by my ears clear as crystal. Or maybe his natural voice was just loud and clear. I imagined dozens of times on what kind of his voice are, and he didn't failed my imagination. He has this abit hoarse, monotone, a hard pronunciation and manly kind of voice. It send thousands of bolts to my whole body when I hear him.

And even though there is dancing neon lights illuminating around us, his face was breathtaking.

In this position, I can clearly see how thick and trimmed his eyebrows. His messy black hair. His long and abit curled eyelashes that looks so feathery when he blink. I can see how his angled jaw clenched together. His proud and tall nose partnered with his thick red lips. His lips was redder maybe because the lights was behind him.

"Miss?" he called.

He tried to hold my hand that was still holding his arm to release his arm from my grip. Is he gonna go now? I can't let this moment go in vain! Oh my god, we still haven't talked! I didn't even get to introduced myself. I need to make an excuse to make him stay.

Meeting him coincidenced here is like destiny telling me to grab this chance! If I let this chance go away, I might not have created another path on meeting him. I will not allowed that. I need to make sure we have reason to meet, accidentally or not, permitted by the destiny, or forcing my way to meet him.

I blinked a couple of times before smiling sweetly at him and stand straight on my own but pretended to hurt my ankle.

"I think.." I hold on his arm again and moves my body closer on him, "..I twisted my ankle.."

His eyes went down to look at my ankle. I immediately lifted my right foot and tried to hold it while groaning because it hurts. I looked up at him and hear him sigh.

He then hold my shoulders gently like I am a very fragile porcelain. He guided my supposedly 'weak' body to a near free chair. Because I am holding on his arm, I can feel his muscles being tensed as we walked. Every time he sighs, his breath went directly to my face. It smells like a mint and without any alcohol mixed on it.

"Where are you hurt?" he kneeled infront of me.

I almost gasp when I saw his knees on the ground. I clenched my fist as I can feel my breath getting heavy at his sight. I can't be wrong, this is the man I met on Louise's birthday party weeks ago. His images that night was so vivid to me like it happened just yesterday. I can clearly described how handsome his face and masculine aura that night.

Plus, I have his photo, although it's not as clear as crystal, I can say that he has a model-like features. And now that he is physically here, I can't help but feel ashamed. My descriptions of him can't give any justice!

His back was facing the dancing neon lights on the bar. His face was overshadowed by his own shadow when he tilted down his head to look at my 'hurt' ankle. But even though his face looks dark, his eyes illuminates the lights and shined. It's like a dark tunnel and at the end of it, was a light. It's scary when you're just staring at it, but you'll find yourself falling deeper on it.

He looked up at me making my shoulders to flinched. I cough abit as I feel my cheeks flushed, I looked away. He caught me dawdling at his face! That's just so embarrassing!

"Is this the part you're hurt?" I almost jumped on my sit when I feel his long fingers wrapped at my ankle and gently lift it to put on his leg.

My heart just started beating loudly, louder than any music. His fingers feel like a bit rough on my skin. It was also long that he can wrapped my ankle completely. His palm was warm on my cold foot. I didn't know that it was cold until he touched it.

I nods my head as my mind became black. He was watching my reactions and gently twist my ankle. At first, I was just staring at his face but when I saw his thick eyebrows furrowed, I crunched my face and say 'ouch'. Now, he looked at me with a doubt on his eyes.

"I-it hurts!" I panicky said, "I don't think, I can walk properly to my car," I mumbled the last word as I made sure to sound pitiful.

I need more time. Just another ten or at least five minutes to introduced myself, it will all be enough. I need to build a good second impression. I hope he don't remember what happened that night. And if he still remember that, I hope his first impression of me isn't that bad.

He tilt his head while staring at me. I almost stop breathing at that. He opened his lips but stopped when someone said something on the microphone.

"Paging to Sharika Rose Miraflor! Your friend, Anika, is here! Get your ass here!"

I gasped when it echoes in the whole place. The people near me laughed as they pointed at me and shout my position.

"Sharika? She's here?"

"Sharika is here, Anika!"

Different comments and loud voices filled my ear. I was shaking my head at them. I planned on ignoring them and asked Lepinius to guide me outside to have a private conversation with him. But Anika start running towards me while laughing so hard.

She's drunk as hell. She pushed anyone who's blocking her way, and Lepinius who's standing and blocking my front get pushed aside by Anika. I gasped when he got pushed but his balance was incredible that Anika push only made him step sideways.

"Sharika Rose! I've been looking for you! You, bitch!"

Anika immediately grabbed my hand and pulled my body with all her strength. I tried to shout at her and free my hand but she was strong as hell!

This girl! Ugh!

I gave up on struggling to let her go my hand. I looked back at Lepinius. He was now talking to another guy. They are both looking at my direction. My eyes met with Lepinius but his face was very snobby. His lips was in one line and his eyes was looking at me with a serious stares. He then shake his head slowly as if he was disappointed once again before turning his back on me and gone in the sea of the crowd.

I feel like I partied less that night. I also declined many drinks that offer to me by my acquaintances, friends, classmates or some guy who wants to introduce themselves to me. When someone who passes that has the same built as Lepinius, I can't help but to follow him and got disappointed after.

Gladly, my friends was so busy enjoying their selves to notice my weird behaviour. Shain and his girlfriend was nowhere to found. And I'm glad that I don't have to deal with them. My mind was already preoccupied by Lepinius and a small unimportant thing like that is just a waste of time.

As I was thinking of Lepinius, I realized that my taste in men was so low. I can't believe that I have experiences with guys who just likes to satisfy their hunger for beautiful woman.

If I didn't got the chance to talk to him earlier, I would definitely flirt back to these guys. But my body, and mind aren't in synced anymore. These guys looked like a teenager now. Their features aren't that defined unlike Lepinius. Their behaviour was like a kid who wants a candy. They keep on talking to me even though I have no interest on them.

I feel like Lepinius was not the same as them. The way he touched my ankle was so gentle as if I will break if he put just a bit of his strength. Until now, the part he touched was warm. It tickles me whenever I thought of his kneeling in front of me. But when I remembered the way he looked at me before turning his back leaves me speechless.

He was also like that when he saw me on Louise's birthday. He has this disappointed look while shaking his head slowly as if I disgust him. His eyes said thousands of things that can make my heart sting. But still, my mind can't stop thinking about him.

I will make sure that he will look at me with different emotions. He is like a challenge I would love to take anytime, and would want to win even though the chances aren't that high.

Because I lose interest in partying, I went home early. I exited the bar without saying anything to my friends. Luckily, my bodyguards are useful at times like this. They drove me home. My brother who called my bodyguard earlier was waiting on the gate. He opened the passenger seat and helped me to get out.

Even though I drink less, I am still tipsy. I struggle to stand straight on my own.

"Careful, princess," my brother gently said.

I smiled at him unconsciously and holds on his neck.

"You shouldn't drink this much. You're still underage, princess. Mom will scold you again tomorrow," his low voice was soothing.

"You'll back me up though," I giggled.

My brother shake his head while smiling. He then looked at my bodyguards and talked to them for abit. I can't understand what they are talking but I know that it's just a report on what I did on the bar.

I didn't know that my bodyguards was present inside the bar. Well, whatever. I went there to party but ended up as a killjoy. I can't just party to the max when my mind keeps on thinking about Lepinius. My eyes was busy following men who I thought Lepinius is.

My eyes feel heavy as I closed it. Lepinius face pops up in my mind immediately. I feel my brother carry me in a princess style. He kissed my forehead and that's the last thing I remembered before waking up because of a terrible headache.