CHAPTER 2: Meeting the bridge

"Why are you here?" A girl wearing a black racerback tank top paired with gray jogger pants with her hair up in a messy bun said, emphasizing every word.

"Isn't it rude to no let your visitors get in first, Aurora?" Tito Theo replied, crossing his arms.

"Tch. Aurora your face." She said rolling her eyes before turning back and went in.

I feel a little shaky as I lift my luggage and went inside the condo. I don't have a good feeling about this.

"Stop worrying. She'll be fine with it. Trust me." He said tapping my back with a grin plastered on his face. I went in and sat beside Tito Theo when he gestured me to do so.

"So?" She gave Tito Theo the 'will-you-tell-me-now' face.

"No juice or anything?" It's obvious that Tito is just teasing her but she stood up and went to the kitchen to get some juice for us.

I heard Tito laughed beside me. My eyes went to the woman having her 'done' face while holding a tray which has two glasses of grape juice.

Tito took a sip first before laying his back on the sofa and smiled at his niece. "Thane, this is Grey. Grey, this is Thane." I smiled at her but her eyes went on my luggage. I looked at her and gave her my awkward smile. She just looked at me before looking at my luggage.

"Why does he have that?"

"He's Grey, your Personal Assistant starting TODAY. He will stay HERE that's why he has THAT luggage. He will--"

"WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Thane exclaimed as if her uncle just told a joke.

"Do I look like I'm kidding? Stop interrupting me, will you?" Tito Theo crossed his arms. "You might be able to handle things on your own for now, but sooner or later, I know you will be having a busy schedule. We're just worried that you can't handle the stress. Plus, you're not in your home so no one would be around to cook, wash your dishes, and whatsoever. No one will do that for you here. That's why I hired Grey to do it. Plus, it's dangerous for you to be alone."

"It's not that I'm body shaming or something, but this Grey is so thin. How can he manage to do that, huh? I look even stronger than he is." She said, calm this time. Wow, she said she's not body shaming but she just did.

"I won't hire him if he's not reliable, Thane. Don't you trust me?"

"Yeah, I don't. It's obvious that you want a request from dad that's why you're doing this. You're doing it every time. What is it now?"

"Oh? How'd you get that? Well, it's business matters so I'm not telling you. You have no choice but to accept him. Unless you want to go home—"

"What? No!"

"See? You have NO choice." Tito Theo glanced at his watch. I think it's from Patek Philippe, the Tourbillon Minute Repeater Perpetual Calendar 5207. "I have a meeting so let's wrap things up." Tito Theo stood up and so do I. "I trust you on this, Grey. Take care of her for me." He gave me a meaningful look.

"I won't disappoint you." I'm an introverted person when it comes to the people I'm not close with. I don't even know how to start a conversation. I'm just being loud when I'm with Ali, but I'll try because I don't have any choice but to do it.

"I'll look forward to that." He said before tapping my shoulders. I sat down as I watched them make their way towards the door. They're probably talking but I can't hear it clearly because of the distance. Thanes pouting her lips when Tito Theo kissed her forehead and went out.

She's now walking towards the living room. Her gaze met with mine so I tried to look at things to divert my eyes. God, help me.

"I don't need you here but since I don't want to go home, I don't have any choice but to accept you." She sassily said then sat down. "I'm fine with you, minding your own business than sticking your nose in mine. I don't think you're the type to do that so that's good." She sighed. She explained about the rooms. This has 3 rooms, the master bedroom, and 2 guestrooms. "The other guestroom, I used it as my walk-in closet. That has no bed so you can't stay there. Since I've just moved in here, the last room was untouched. I didn't bring my friends yet and I don't have plans to do it so the room wasn't fixed." I nodded. I guess I will do the cleaning since it will be my r---

"I know what you are thinking. Don't worry. I'll call someone to clean that. I'm not that mean as you think I am, so relax your shoulders" She interrupted my thoughts. I exhaled my breath. "I just didn't expect you here, in the time that I wanted to be alone." I gulped. "I don't want to be rude but I want you to keep your distance from me." She added before standing up. "The janitor will be here in a minute so relax your butt first. There's food in the fridge if you want some. I'm just in the veranda"

I checked my phone then Ali's message popped up.

From: Ali

How was it? Is everything alright?

To: Ali

Yeah. Everything's turning out as how I expected it. Don't worry.

I know she didn't treat me like I expected but I still trust Ali's words about her. I also think she's not that okay right now when she said she wanted to be alone. That made me guilty. She must needed space for herself but still, I accepted the offer.

I was drowned in my thoughts when the doorbell rang and shows a lady and 2 men on the monitor. I was about to stand up when I saw thane making her way to open the door.

They started cleaning and fixing my bed where I wanted to. Actually, I was just nodding because Thane's the one who's suggesting where it should be placed.

"I'm not minding your business. I'm just suggesting to make your room look nicer. So don't think too much." She even said that before going out in the room. I just laughed before lying on my bed.

I stared at the ceiling. This feels new but my nervousness eased, maybe a little.