Cath

All of a sudden, lunch became my favorite part of the day. With Kyla, Gabriela and Gavin joining our group for lunch for the past week, it has been more fun. Although Belle and her cronies, still try their best to annoy the heck out of all of us, they fail to dampened our moods.

I kept finding myself alone or at least by Gavin's side throughout the day and I just knew that Gabriela and Andrea has something to do with it. Since I told Andrea about my lunch with Gabriela, she took it upon herself to befriend her, and Gabriela didn't even hesitate to accept this friendship, and together they made an unstoppable teasing team. If you don't know that they just met like a couple of weeks ago, you'd think that they've been friends their whole lives.

"You can drive Cath home, right Gav? Me and Andrea has something to do." Gabriela said, as we got to the building's parking lot.

"What? Can't I come with you guys?" I asked as the elevator doors opened.

"Nope." They said simultaneously and started sprinting towards Andrea's car, leaving me with Gavin.

"Yah!" I called out to them but before I can catch up to them, Andrea already has the engine running and a couple of seconds passed and the car was already speed out of the parking lot.

"Aish!" I exclaimed in defeat as I imagined the two laughing their heads off while driving away, knowing everything that happened between me and Gavin.

"Cath!" I almost jumped out of my skin when Gavin suddenly shouted my name from across the parking lot. I blankly stared at him for a while. He then shook his head while having a big smile on his face.

"Aren't you coming?" He asked in a elated voice and without thinking, I followed him to his car like I was possessed. He opened the passenger side of his car and ushered me in before going around to the driver seat.

I sat there, not even uttering a single word as we drove off from the parking lot. I kept my eyes on the road in front of us. Yes, I've spent the past couple of day with Gavin, but at those times, we were always surrounded by other people. This is the first time that I get to spend alone time with him after what happened inside the elevator.

I could feel his gaze fixated towards me every time we were at a stop, but I just couldn't make myself meet his gaze. I guess, out of embarrassment or maybe, I'm just scared. Scared that I won't be able to control my emotions as soon as I stare deep in his chocolate eyes.

He then stopped the car. I looked around but I couldn't recognize where we were. I unconsciously swallowed my own saliva out of sheer panic and confusion.

"Cath." He called out in a soft voice. I turned to his side and just as I thought, his piercing gaze were on me. His eyes caught mine and it felt like I was paralyzed.

"Look, I don't want things to be weird between us because of the ki..."

"Stop." I cut him off because I know that with just hearing that word, my face would heat up like a nuclear bomb and I don't know if I can take anymore embarrassment.

"Okay. It was my fault. I want to apologize for stepping over my boundaries that day." He explained giving me a smile that could melt anyone on the spot. I know that it isn't fair for him to take all the blame for what happened because I know deep down some of it was also my fault, I responded to his kisses and no matter how much I deny it, or refuse to talked about it, I knew that I liked the feeling and emotion that came with that kiss.

"Its fine. What happened was partly my fault anyway." I said to him, returning his smile. He then started the engine again and we drove off.

"Thank you for the lift." I said with a big smile on my face as I took off my seat belt. I got out of his car and was about to wave good bye to him when he suddenly rolled down the window of the passenger seat.

"Just so you know, Cath. I don't regret kissing you that day. Good night." He said then rolled up the window then drove off, leaving me dumbfounded of what I just heard.

It took me a couple of minutes before recovering from my initial shock. Did I hear him correctly? Did he really said that to me? Maybe I'm just really tired. I walked up the stairs to my apartment when I received a call. I let out a sigh as soon as I saw the caller id and immediately declined the call.

Why haven't I changed my phone number anyway? I asked myself as the same caller id lit up my phone again. I blocked my mom's number and finally reached the front door of my apartment. I opened the door quietly and head inside. I heard a voice coming from the bedroom. Looks like Zab is talking to someone through her phone. I was walking pass the bedroom to the kitchen when I noticed that the bedroom door was slightly ajar and I caught a snippet of Zab's conversation.

"Look Elise, I'm not coming back home. Both me and Zoe lived our lives trying to please them, and now I know that what Zoe did a few years back was the right thing. I did everything for them, for their stinking finance empire, but what they want me to do is just too much. I can't give them what their asking for this time." Then a short paused followed her sentiment.

"I can't... I just can't... I can't give up on Charlie." She continued followed by sobs. I stiffened as I heard her end the phone conversation. I quickly walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator as I heard her came out of the bed room.

"Zoe, how long have you been here?" She hesitantly asked as I took out a pitcher of water from the refrigerator.

"I just got here." I said gulping down a glass of water, trying to mask my guilty face.

"Oh." she said nodding at me with a still tear-stained face.

"Did you have dinner yet?" I asked in an attempt to change the subject and it work. She immediately pouted at me like she was five and quickly crossed the room, cuddling me.

"I don't want to cook tonight. Can we order take out?" she asked with her puppy dog eyes that no one could resist.

"Whatever you want. You go order something to eat while I take a well deserved hot shower." I said to her, pinching her cheeks. She swatted my hands away from her face, scowling at me before sprinting towards the couch.

I know something isn't right the moment I found Zab at my front door, and I was a hundred percent sure that it has something to do with our parents. Hearing Zab's conversation made me remember why I left our home a few years back.

My parents weren't a fan of my decision in taking visual arts in college, but I was able to convince them with a deal. I would be majoring in visual arts, but I would also take finance and business subjects as my minors. I knew it was going to be hard, but it was the first time my parents compromised with me about something, so I decided to take my chances.

I did my best to do everything at once, but I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to bring stories alive, so I started making online comics, for fun at first. Despite doing my comics, I was able to graduate with flying colors. I wanted to do comics for my career but my parents have a different plan.

They wanted me to work in their finance company, marketing department, but during this time, my online comic suddenly caught the attention of a lot of people and I began getting royalties from it. Some publishing company also contacted me, wanting to publish my work. So I tried convincing my parents about it, but they shut me down.

"Comics? Are you serious Catherine? You are the heiress of one of the biggest finance company in the country but you want to make comic books?" My father yelled at me in rage, as soon as I brought up my offers.

"But Dad." I tried reasoning.

"No buts, Catherine. We let you get your way through college because I thought you would come to your senses and snap out of this delusion of yours but clearly you have not outgrown this childhood fantasy of yours!" this time it was my mom's turn to yell.

"You are going to do what I say as long as you are living under my roof! You are going to work in our company, and that is final!" My dad yelled slamming his fist at the dinner table.

"Then I'm leaving!" I yelled slamming my own fist in frustration and walking out of the dinner room going straight to my room.

I immediately started packing all my things into my suitcases as soon as I entered my room. I know it was a rushed decision, but I'm not going to let my parents dictate my life, not anymore. I was in the middle of folding up my clothes when I heard a sudden knock on my door. My door slightly opened and Zab's head peeked inside.

"You're really leaving?" she asked walking inside my room. I nodded in response to her, not knowing how she would react. She then sat down in my bed and started helping me pack.

"Please keep in touch." She said as we finally closed the last of my things.

"Don't worry. I will. And someday, I'll be able to take you with me." I promised to her hugging her tightly. I left that very night and stayed at a hotel for the mean time. I had my savings on a personal account that I opened as soon as I started college so my parents don't really have any control to it, and just the week before that I already got my first pay for the publishing of first volume of my comic.

I immediately looked for a cheap place to rent or buy and that's how I got my apartment. I gave Zab my address when we saw each other after her first week as a college freshmen.

Its been three years since that happened and Zab is now in her last year as a finance student, just like what our parents wanted. She came this far in following them, but now here she is defying our parents.

Something definitely happened. Something that has to do with this Charlie fellow that I heard earlier. Just what did our parents asked from her that made her walk out that house and to my doorstep?