Chapter 03

She wondered why she was stupidly looking around at the vending machine. She wondered why she would always look up when the bell that hung from cafe doors ring. She wondered why the heck she expected something. Or someone.

She groaned in frustration and just typed on her laptop, trying to finish an essay.

After exam weeks there's this anxiety-ridden week where you wait for exam results and try to pass deadlines. Layla was sure she could get through the week. With a lot of effort, yes, but with much to gain. The only fly in the ointment was this freaking expectation and this freaking excitement to see a not so complete stranger.

With a groan she tried to suppress her thoughts, grabbed herself a cup of coffee and slumped down once again on the sofa.

While she was curled up with her laptop, Hadley was positioned quite strangely on the sofa. Hadley's feet were at the top of the sofa and her head almost fell from the sofa cushions. Hadley's face was covered with a psychology book. Amused, Layla grabbed her phone and took a picture of her hilariously sleeping friend.

She looked at the time on her watch and sighed when she only had two hours to go pass the essay.

After finishing the essay, she quickly went to the nearby printing shop and printed it. She couldn't help but look around again and frown at her foolishness.

She put her restless hands on the pocket of her jeans and heard the crumple of paper. She got the paper out and frowned even more as she remembered that handsome face and that jaw-dropping smile.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

She shoved the paper back on her pocket and breathed in and out to calm herself.

Why was she getting so giddy with the mere thought of him? Why was she always expecting him to appear? Why? Just why?

"Maybe I just need coffee," she murmured to herself and the person beside her threw her a glance.

She ignored it, grabbed the papers and paid. Then headed straight to a cafe.

Her eyes roamed around and she cursed at herself silently at her actions. She ordered herself  black coffee.

So that the bitterness could wake her up.

Maybe it was the coffee or maybe it was the three days that she has not seen him. As if he was a fairytale. A hot fairytale. A part of her was disappointed. And a part of her cursed at herself for taking back the paper.

She mocked herself at her previous words. 'So until we meet again. Purely by chance.'

She dropped her head on the table and groaned, now completely back to reality. And perhaps, completely hopeless.

Hadley poked the reading Layla on the shoulder.

"Pst," She called. Layla kept on reading, brown eyes focused on the paragraphs.

"Psht, Psht," Hadley twirled a blonde lock on her fingers and had a silly smile on her face.

"What?" Layla said, a bit uninterested with her eyes still on the book.

"College beach party!" Hadlye whisper shouted.

"Eh?" Layla replied. Looking at Hadley with probing brown eyes.

"Bonfire, alcohol, dancing, hot dudes, parteey!!!" Hadley advertised.

"When?"

"Tomorrow, 10 pm." Hadley immediately replied now bouncing excitedly on the sofa. "You coming?"

"Sure," Layla nodded and went back to reading.

"Oh my gosh! Really?! Super duper sure?!" she shrieked in excitement.

Layla just nodded.

Hadley released a high-pitched cackle, placed both hands on Layla's shoulders and shook hard.

"Omg, normally I would have to beg for you to come!!!"

Since the party was on the beach, Layla just dressed in an off- shoulder white dress with flared sleeves. The dress ended above the knees showcasing her tanned legs. She wore brown sandals, light make-up and no accessories. She had a tiny brown sling bag and then donned on a denim jacket.

Hadley on the other hand, donned on an orange tube top and white shorts. She had a headband on, and wore flip flops. She had a whole backpack full of chips and flashlights and even brought a ukelele with her.

"I have completed my completely approachable, chill person look. Let us commence!" Hadley dramatically said and kicked arms with Layla.

Layla just went along with it and smiled softly at her silly friend. She was gonna unwind, drink, and completely forget about Caius. Preferably by getting along with another man.

When they got to the venue, a crowd already formed on the center, with a lot of people roaming around, chatting, laughing, and drinking. There was a makeshift stage on the east. It was surrounded by fairy lights from above which was supported by poles from the corners. Then there was two columns of long tables beside it. And in those tables were drinks and food manned by a man in a Hawaiian polo. On the west side of the beach, there were people gathered on a bonfire. They were adding wood to the medium sized bonfire, or just sitting down beside it.

Layla made her way to the drinks and got herself a cocktail glass. The man behind the tables smiled widely at her and poured her cocktail. She returned the smile and roamed her eyes everywhere.

People she knew and didn't know mingled around here. For some reason she felt that the burden on her shoulders lightened.

Enjoy youth while we can, I guess.

She gulped down her drink and got stronger alcohol in which she drank from shot glasses.

The blaring sound of some techno music shot from the speakers and from beside her she could hear, and when she turned to look, see a group of people who seemed to be cheering for something.

"Body shot! Body shot! Body shot!!!"

Layla's eyebrow shot up when she saw a woman down a shot then lick salt from a man's abs all the way to the man's cheek.

People cheered from all around her as she did so and when the woman grabbed the man for an intense kiss the cheers got even louder.

"Man, these things are wild."

She whirled around at the direction of the voice and saw a boy who was looking at the hyped scene.

The man wore a simple white polo shirt and black board shorts. He had on sandals and a handkerchief was tied on his forehead and pushed his hair back.

"Hi, I'm Kyle," he offered a hand at her.

She took it and shook. "Layla."

"Im new to this things," he said and gestured to the people with his bottle of beer. "I'm surprised."

"Good surprised or bad surprised?" she asked with a faint smile.

"A little bit of both, I guess," he laughed. "I didn't know that behind Catherine's ginormous glasses hides a... Active woman."

"Hmmm... Active woman?"she teasingly asked.

" If I describe her otherwise it would sound so rude."

"Cause you're Mr. Polite," She inquired.

He stepped closer to her and shrugged. "Well, yeah," he said. "I'm always polite. Definitely."

"That makes you sound so suspicious."

"Whaaat? No..."

"It does."

He just laughed and held both hands up in surrender.

"I might not be always polite  but I am to a beautiful lady," he said and smirked at me. "Shall I politely ask you to drink with me?"

Layla laughed at his smooth offer and grabbed another shot glass. "That's if you can catch up," She quickly gulped the shot glass.

"Maybe I will," he took a swig of his beer.

They both took alcohol and positioned themselves on the side of the bonfire.

"Uhmmm..." Layla poked Kyle who now leaned, red-faced, on a tree. His eyes were shut and on his right hand there was an unfinished beer bottle.

She hesitated before, grabbing the unopened bottles and then standing up. She bit her lip, quite guilty that she was leaving him there and turned around.

Only to be met with a hard chest. Her faced bumped hard on that chest, and she stumbled backward due to the impact.

A quick hand quickly caught her back and she exhaled a shuddering breath.

"Couldn't keep up with you?" A familiar voice said.

Her eyes widened as she quickly stumbled back to look at that familiar face.

"It's you!" she couldn't help but gasp.

"Oh?" he cocked his head to the side and a teasing smile played on his lips.

There he was, wearing a short-sleeved Button down and cream board shorts. His dark hair was ruffled by the ocean breeze and his blue eyes seemed to become even more blue in the dark.

"We meet again,"he greeted her. Then his gaze went pass her and to the body slumped on the tree.

" A friend of yours? "he asked her in what seemed to be a casual tone.

" Uhh... Maybe? " she bit her lip and avoided his gaze.

Why is he making her guilty all of the sudden. As if he caught her cheating!

He raised his brow and focused his gaze on her again." You should drink with someone that can keep up with you," he looked at the empty beer bottles and internally mocked the guy for his low tolerance.

Seriously, just eight bottles. And one of them's just gin.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Uh, attending a beach party?" and looking for you. And watching you with that guy.

"Oh, you've been here long?" She asked again in a strange tone.

He titled her face upwards so that her eyes met his. "Long enough, I say," he said in a low voice.

She felt her cheeks heat up under his intense gaze and tried to avoid his eyes again.

A chuckle reverberated in his chest as he saw her getting awkward and shuffling her feet.

"You know what they say," he said as he pulled her over and let his hand rest on her waist. "Fated people meet in series of coincidences purely by chance," he bit his lips to prevent himself from grinning widely as he walked with her to a picnic blanket.

She looked up at him and felt her heartbeat get faster.

I was already succeeding. Succeeding in forgetting you. But here you are.

He gestured for her to sit on the blanket as he himself sat down and he opened a basket to grab high quality wine and two wine glasses from inside.

Things he ordered his men to prepare when he first glimpsed her.

"Did you just seriously carry this basket and picnic blanket here?" she laughingly said as he took out chips.

"Only for you," a smile flickered on his face.

And just like that, a second date ensued. Never mind that they were in the middle of some wild beach party or that they were eating chips instead of steak or something fancy. They enjoyed each other's company more then they'd both expected.

Layla was warm from the company as much as the decadent wine. Caius was ever as charming as ever. And she was completely and utterly seduced.

A drop of liquid fell and Caius paused his action of biting into a chip when he felt drops falling on him. He quickly looked around him and saw that there was no place they could run to for shelter.

"Do you have a car?" he asked her.

"I rode with my friend, Hadley,"she replied.

" Where is she? "

Layla roamed her eyes around but couldn't find her best friend. She grabbed her phone from her bag and texted Hadley.

Layla:

Where are you?

Layla was surprised when Hadley immediately replied.

Hadley:

Otw to the car for some car sex. 😁

Layla didn't bother to reply.

"Uhh, she's busy," Layla scratched the tip of her nose awkwardly.

"Well..." he trailed off with a glint in his eyes. He then tidied his clothes and then casually stood up and held a hand infront of Layla.

"Let's ditch this party?"

Layla didn't take any second thoughts when she slid her hand into his and stood up.

Then, raindrops seemed to began falling faster and without thinking she followed him as he ran.

The downpour became heavier yet they ran. And she had no idea where they were going. All she knew was that she was soaked, exhilarated, and laughing along with him.

They went out of the sand, into the brick road of the boulevard. They ran through the empty sidewalk lighted with vintage Street lanterns until they reached a building. Completely soaked they went in said building, receiving the critisizing stares of the guards.

They went inside an elevator and he pulled her close when she shivered from the cold.

Caius pressed the penthouse button and understanding began to dawn on her.

"As you can probably deduce, we're going to my penthouse. It's near the beach," he explained.

"Which explains why you didn't bring a vehicle with you," Layla realised why they ran.

"Yep," he replied.

The elevator opened with a resounding ding and they finally entered his pent.

The theme was white and dark brown wood. The design modern. It seemed like some place out of a magazine, with its floor to ceiling window, black sofa, glass coffee table and flat screen TV. A typical bachelor's pad.

"Take off your jacket that must be heavy," he said and then went pass Layla and into a room.

She complied and took off the wet denim jacket.

"Where should I place this?" she walked towards the room he went.

He came out holding a shirt and sweats. He was still wet and now his button up clung to his torso, his hair also hung down, strands going past his eyebrows.

"I have two bathrooms here," Caius tried not to look at the now see through white fabric of her dress. "You could wash up and change into this there. And you could just put your wet clothes on the spare hamper there."

She took the clothes from him. "Thanks."

And then she went pass him and into the comfort room he pointed at.

Caius hung the towel on his neck after drying his hair. Wearing a fitted shirt and sweats he came out of his room and his eyes immediately zeroed on the girl looking at the downpour outside.

He walked towards her and took it her appearance at the same time. His shirt was too big for her and the sweatpants too long that it reached the floor. He knew that she already saw him approaching as their eyes met on the glass window.

"Hey," he said as he went beside here.

"Hey," Layla quietly replied.

"Thanks for this," Layla said and gestured at her clothes then pointed at the ceiling. It made Caius involuntarily smile.

"You're welcome."

"I promise I'll go when this rain stops," She said as if reassuring him.

"You can stay," he said  then bent down and went closer to her.

"What?" her eyes widened as she stared back at him.

He wore the faintest smile and told her slowly. "You can stay for the night."

"I-I don't think—" She stammered in her reply. She didn't think that he would suggest that!

"Don't think what?" he raised an eyebrow and straightened which made her look up.

"Umm... I think It's better if I just go..."

He laughed at her uncomfortableness and knocked on her forehead. "I'm just saying that you shod stay here since its actually already 1:30 am and it's still raining. I have a spare bedroom."

"Oh," Layla looked away as her cheeks reddened. She wanted to run away from him now.

"Why? What were you thinking?" he teased her.

"Huh?" she tried to act innocent.

"Were you think that I—"he let the I trail off as he stared suggestively at her.

"That you? " she still continued to act innocent.

" That I would insist for you and I to—"

"I think I'm sleepy," She feigned a yawn. "Would you mind showing me to the spare room?"

He chuckled at her attempt to slip away and decided he was generous enough to let her. "Of course."

He walked in front of her and opened a door.

"Goodnight," he said just as she was going in.

Layla looked at him and saw him smiling gently down at her. She smiled back.

"Goodnight, Caius."