CHAPTER 7

I don't turn around because if I do all the courage and I have gathered will fade away in seconds. I try to stop my tears and I can't really be strong right now. One of the guards checking my luggage smiles at me and tells me that I will be okay and I thank him. After checking in there is still another process waiting and I stop crying at least and get done with the process. After about an hour I am done and I get to board the plane. My dad had offered to take me but that I was growing up and I needed to start doing things for myself. Not yet 18 years but before then I needed to have learned doing for myself. Instructions were so clear the only thing I think I wouldn't know is my way to wherever I was instructed. There were cabs right after you are from the airport and I was to take one that will take me all the way to some hostels. I heard that students on full scholarship were given some classy apartments to stay in and some would be offered paid internships. A ten-hour flight seemed like a very cumbersome flight. I get to the plane and sit at the seat near the window. I was so afraid of heights but I am training myself to face my fears and try to be a strong girl. Someone comes in and sits and I don't check I am staring at my phone. I am staring at my gallery, photos of me and my family and Maritim too.

Actually looking at them makes me so emotional and I don't want to be a crybaby in public. Ten-hour flight, I can't even imagine being in here that long. I am going to a place I don't know that also makes me quite uncomfortable. Anyway, I am a big girl now, I have to act like one. I feel so warm in this sweater and I sit and stare out of the window. One of the flight attendants asks us to get ready since the plane is about to take off.

"I need everyone to put your seatbelts on, your phones should be on flight mode, I will be your pilot I will give you all the instructions about the fights, and will tell you all about the flight stops we'll make." I grasp the information that I need to do now since they will still tell us again in case of anything. I find it hard to listen to his 3-minute instructions. I look around and the person sitting next to me, although there is a space of one seat has a hoodie on and I can't even see him clearly not forgetting the masks already cover about half the face. I put my phone in flight mode and my seatbelt is done. This guy beside me doesn't even have his seatbelt on so maybe he is waiting for the pilot to be done so he can do it. I could hear noises of people fastening their seatbelts just after the pilot had finished his first sentence. He must be so weird. I am here panicking about vomiting while the plane takes off, there is a feeling it gives me.

"Welcome aboard", the pilot with some coarse voice finishes his short speech. And the weirdo next to me now starts fastening his belt and then I guess he puts his phone on flight mode or something I don't care to check what he does with the phone. I stare at my promise ring and I smile. The plane takes off and I had distracted myself by thinking of Maritim and I forgot I usually feel nausea. I hadn't finished my slideshow of photos and I continue viewing them. I find myself smiling at some poses my brother always made, some moments were magnified and I remembered them exactly the same as if it was this morning. I viewed a half and I would watch the rest later maybe after I arrive. I had a book I was reading and Maritim had recommended me to it. He told me he couldn't give me his copy since he liked that book so much and he rereads it almost all the time. I really totally understand him, there are books I have read too but I can't take them off that shelf and give someone else. There is some peace of mind here and at least this weirdo beside me isn't nagging. I bet he even fell asleep already. I had read about three chapters after I bought it, this will keep me occupied for a while. Carried in the book I notice some guy with red hair, just in the front seat. It was impossible for me not to see his hair when he stood to take out a book from his backpack. Coincidentally he was reading the same book as I was. "Legacy of pain" I saw its cover. He was quite tall and I only saw his cute soft hair. Why didn't he come over here, maybe he wanted the seat next to the window and I had occupied it. If he was seated beside me I am sure we would have already talked of so many books and I am sure we would have read common books. But instead of that, I had a weirdo seated beside me. I glance over the window and it is indeed a great view from here. I am managing my height phobia so well. I had done my research and Greece was quite cold. I hope my sweater will be enough to keep me warm.

I fell asleep too and I don't know for how long I had been asleep. The weirdo was awake and my book just fell off when I woke up. He picked up the book for me and gave it to me. He did bend to pick the book and turned it to see the title. "Aah, I see, I hope you love it, I have read the book and I loved the ending. Well, let me not spoil it for you. I don't know if you are a fast reader but if you happen to finish it while I am here we can really have a talk about it", he says with a passionate voice and I see that he isn't really a weirdo. He might be one but at least he loves reading. There is something about his voice and that's when I look at him keenly. I can only see his eyes and they are a blue color. Maybe I have just woken up and I am seeing him as a familiar person.

"Thank you, but you know you can't be touching strangers' things. There is a spreading virus and you know you can be putting yourself or myself in danger", I say to him.

"Wait, might I have heard that voice somewhere, or maybe I am confusing you with someone else. If you had the virus then you wouldn't be here so I will assume that we are safe. Maybe I have heard the voice in one of my dreams. What's your name if I may?"

I debated my thoughts if I should tell him or nor and I just tell him anyway.

"Everett Valerie" he repeats but saying my second name first vice versa of what I had said. "I knew that you are familiar and that I have seen you somewhere" he is really trying his best to keep his voice low then he lowers his mask so I could see him well and his hoody that was covering his hair and his head too. I noticed those blue eyes, it was the cute guy from the scary hotel.

"I am Joel Bartram, we met when you had visited our hotel with your dad. Before you ask if I usually remember everyone no I don't. I only recall the ones that make my eyes appealed. We even took photos though I shared it through the photos app, I wanted your number but your dad made me swallow that sentence. Your endurance in your first step, the scary room made me admire that. When you left I prayed to my angels to lead me back to you. Look at what they did now." he is struggling to whisper since everyone is so quiet in here.

Is this the guy that came and sat beside me without even saying hi or even bothering to take a glance? The first time I saw this guy he was dressed so officially and when you look at him now you can't really think he can wear as such. I know he had said his name that time we were at the hotel but I didn't even catch it. I was amazed by his hotness that day. When he took off the hoody I now remembered that curly hair and he had dyed green. The green wasn't as conspicuous as the guy with the red hair. He is in sweat pants and a grey hoodie and some sneakers. Maybe he wears official only when he visits the hotel. I wonder where he was going.

"Anyway, Rett is this your first time in Greece? I might be so nosy but in case it is your first time don't worry I am here I will help you through moving around. I hope you have warmer clothes since it is so cold over there. I am a student at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens I won't be attending classes for the next two weeks so for the amount of time you are here you can consider a day and I will tour you around."

I don't even know which question I answer first or what statement I give. This is someone I left that place wishing to see him again, not forgetting at that time Maritim wasn't even talking to me. He then adds that he schools in the university I am enrolling in. I really prayed I make a good friend that will help me through getting to know the school environment and maybe around the city of Athens. I take a break and tell him I am enrolling in the university. I can see the smile on his face that tries to push his mask down a bit. He is excited, that he will see many times but just another time that he had wished for.

There are some flight attendants passing by for anyone to order a snack or whatever they want. I wasn't so hungry but I just need a bread sandwich and Joel, at least this time I can remember his name since I was paying attention. Joel, goes ahead and orders two sandwiches and I haven't even told him yet and now I am shocked for a moment. "Don't you want a sandwich?" he turns to me and I tell the flight attendant that I am fine with it with any drink.

Something mysterious is happening, coincidences are just happening in unison and I can't understand. I just stop trying to understand since I might get a migraine. But he is fun to be around with I can't lie. My dad made him seem so quiet and humble, he is still humble though. In a matter of minutes, we received our bread sandwich and some coffee. After we were done taking our coffee he whispered "Don't worry, I will leave you to read a few more chapters, I am so tired and sleepy. Don't rush to the end though. Take your time and enjoy each moment, we will talk about the ending and the whole book entirely another time. We will be or is it we are in the same university so no hurry."

He puts his hoodie on and he leans on his back and he takes his nap. I get back to reading this book that has now had a big audience giving me the excitement to finish it. In about two days I will be done with it or I might even read it overnight were it not for me to really finish up orientation and settling. I hate being new somewhere but then again I was so overwhelmed with being in a new place and adventuring. I am so deep into the book and I am already halfway. I think we are yet to make a stop so I go ahead and I take my playlist and listen to some of Imagine Dragons. I don't know, but I felt relieved, suddenly I felt that I wasn't so nervous about school again. This weirdo would help me through and I didn't have the feeling of not trusting him. He actually made my flight quite better than I assumed it would be. Most people in here are asleep or are reading a book. The passengers who sat opposite our seat on Bartram's side were a couple I guess. The girl was lying on the guy's chest and the other guy was asleep too. A nostalgic moment indeed, and I was thinking of Maritim. I feel my cheeks get wet and I am wiping the tears before I get carried at the moment and I am unable to control these tears. I stare at my ring and I remember our little promise and it's just been a few hours and I don't even know how to weigh all this is carrying.

He taps me and leans in to whisper. I take out my earphones and look at him. "Did you even hear the announcement?" he asks, "Okay I know you didn't, so there is a stop for an hour so we can continue our journey for the next five hours." A ten-hour flight can really maybe you so tiresome. "What about I pay for whatever you eat? I will pay actually, don't debate. Why did I even ask you?"

Was I even left with anything to say, he seems to have traveled a lot. We alight and we don't even know where we are going so we joke around that if we get lost we will be together. I don't even know which city we are in but it's late in the evening here and there is a nice sunset. I am so obsessed with sunsets, and this one is so beautiful. We won't lack a way back to the airport we will use google maps, what are they for anyway. We start off by getting ice cream at some ice cream van. Look at me doing one thing on my bucket list that I thought I wouldn't do. Hanging out with a stranger and having fun with them, was a part of letting my fears go. I am lucky I found a good stranger, a funny weirdo. As we are walking around we pass the first eating place and say that we are going to stop at the third one we see. I don't know how far the third one will be but we still go on with our plan. This might get us late and we might end up not eating anyway. This was a nice stop for sure, there are beautiful things on the way. We see some bookshop around and we are already in, checking the books and we are to get a book each. You know choosing books takes time, so we pick at random and we are back again, we pass the second place and we are checking the time and we have to settle here or rather we won't get time. Actually, the second place looks beautiful, the sunset reaches its seat so perfectly. Of late I have been so obsessed with photos and I disturb Bartram and he doesn't stop calling me Rett. No one has ever called me that name. It irritates me and so I choose to pay back and I am already calling him Bart. Now, this is worse and he is so annoyed by it.

I order my pork steaks and he gets beef with some rice. These waiters are so slow and time is not really on our side. We would have first had our food before we started our mini-tour. We had about 25 minutes left and our food is not yet at the table. Finally, the waiter heard our plea and our food was served. We didn't have that time to eat and have stories, more so we have another five hours or more to have any conversation we pleased. I think nowadays, I am developing a hobby of eating.

'Remind me the name of that hotel we met, your hotel I heard.' I ask him.

"Oh 'our', it is called Grande Hotel. It is my dad's but I am part of the board that chairs it." he says as he keeps eating.

"I actually thought you were a waiter at first, I questioned that suit though. It was so extravagant for a waiter. I don't mean that waiters don't dress so well but in that place, I know those waiters can afford such suits."

"Oh yes, I do act as a waiter once in a while and a chef too. On that day I was actually a waiter, didn't I serve you some dessert?" he chuckles.

"Well, maybe you only served us. A choosy waiter, you serve those who entice you huh! "We are done with our food and we pay and start our way back. Luckily we didn't make any meanders. Well of course there will be a queue and we are on our way back to the airport.

I almost panicked but we reached a minute late and actually found that the last two people were walking in. I don't even know what would have happened if we were late. Adventures have begun and I am just on a journey actually. This was a sign that this choice was a great one indeed.

"I don't think I will sleep again, more so it will be night by the time we are in Greece. Actually, it is very cold there mostly at night. As I said earlier, you will need extra sweaters or an extra person for the warmth." He is just passing these small comments and I am ignoring them hoping he doesn't keep insisting. But he is saying it jokingly so I also don't take him so seriously. We are so engaged in our conversation. The plane had already taken off and while the flight attendant or was it the pilot was giving instructions we were still talking and the red hair guy was asking us to be quiet until they are done giving instructions. I don't if he wanted to hear the instructions or have his peace while reading.

I don't believe that this weirdo here is doing medicine. Okay, he doesn't look the part but if I go back to his first impression back at the Grande Hotel he did seem like a serious guy. I have been with him for a few hours and I am starting to question this now. But anyway who doesn't have fun. How does he manage to skip classes for a whole two weeks and still manage to keep his grades high or rather keep the recommended grade for medical students?

"You don't believe I am a medicine student? Okay, which course do you think suits me? If it is about me skipping classes for two weeks I was joking, I will miss them but for the first three days. Don't worry, the university isn't that hard. You might have classes 6 hours a day or less, then you have a whole day to do nothing or do something else. So anytime you want to go for trips you'll hit me up." said he as he takes out his phone.

He comes and sits to the seat that separating us, 'social distancing'. When he comes close I recognize that cologne and it is the same as the one I bought Maritim. They weren't so different from the one he was using before, the one he gave me. I loved the new one, though the first one had already given me a part of him. I didn't ask him to give it to me but I love the fact that he gave it to me, I will wear it on days I miss him so much that I can't control it. I know some days I will be able to handle it, mostly if I am busy but most days I will be at home I am sure those waves will carry me.

He is showing me photos of so many places I had on my visit list. As much as this is just school, I take it as a new life adventure. I get to do things differently and live life as I have it. Just after I started my thirty-day challenge I decided to make my days count. I have to be in the moment. I think he has visited so many places so he stopped even showing me since they were so many. The weather started changing a bit and it was getting cold. I felt the need for a nap. I haven't really traveled for this long. I can feel some fatigue kick in.

"Rett" he is whispering to my ears and I feel his voice so close. I don't know how I got to sleep on his shoulder, I remember before I got carried I tried my best not to lean on that side. "They are saying it's just twenty minutes before we land. I bet you can notice the weather has changed. You really seemed tired and there was no harm in you needing some extra support. What instructions had they given you when you arrive here?"

"I was to take a cab from the airport to the Cascade. I assume that's where I would get to get a house or is it a hostel? I am not sure but I know that's where I would get to be staying." I say to him.

"Wait what! Cascade? That's not a hostel, it is way far from a hostel. It is more of a furnished house that is given to students highly ranked or those who can afford to pay all that money for accommodation." He still wears his astonished look. "Don't get me wrong though, I saw your dad and I am sure that is no problem at all to you."

I debate on whether I should tell him it is a scholarship, but since I know my dad can afford whatever price it is I go ahead and laugh along. For a stranger, he has heard a lot from me. I wouldn't tell him where I would be residing but since I didn't know the way and I figured out he would help through I decided to trust him.

We are now waiting for our bags and he gets another sweater from his backpack and gives it to me. I am shivering and he tells me I am lucky it isn't raining outside. We get our bags and we head to get a cab. The cascade apartments aren't really that close. I am exhausted and I need to rest well and maybe start the rest of the processes tomorrow. I offer to pay this time and he is almost resisting and I stand by my word even before he opens his mouth. Twenty minutes and we were there already. The person who guards the hostel is even asleep. We wake him up and the janitor who is a lady who is also asleep by his side wakes up. I feel guilty for waking them up but I have to. She asks me for my details and she directs us to wait in the lobby. We are carrying so many bags and I bet she thinks I am moving in with Bart. I want to explain to her but I leave it. I don't think if I see her tomorrow I will recognize her since I am exhausted and on top of that I tend to not recognize people I see at night. She doesn't even ask me so many questions she goes ahead and gives me instructions. I stop this weirdo before he makes any other step. He had made a call to one of his homeboy to come to pick him up from the Cascade apartments. If he were to come in he shouldn't be here for more than ten minutes.

I was instructed to go to the fifth floor, the fifth house. I am eager to see how the house will be since Bart had given it some praise. Well, it is somewhat furnished, there is a brown two-seater leather couch. A study desk I presume, at the far corner, there is a TV screen and at the corner, there is a kitchen. I love the house, I didn't expect it to have any of this. I thought students do get to buy themselves. The walls have a touch of orange and grey and those are my best colors. I am already jumping on the couch as my eyes survey the room. There is a black carpet that's really blending in and I am contented.

"You see, I told you about the house. You get some special treatment here." I had left my bags and suitcases at the door and he was a sweetheart and he carried them to my bedroom door. "I will leave these ones here unless you want me to cross this line" I am glad he does have some manners. I thank him since I didn't get lost on my first day in this new city. His phone is ringing and I thank God his homeboy has arrived. We didn't bring his bags up here, so he just went back and I believe he still was to find them in the lobby. He left his number in case I am in need of his help should I reach him. I texted my family group and I informed them that I will call tomorrow. I do text Maritim and I inform him I am safe and that I will be calling him tomorrow.

I love that the kitchen counter is so pretty and large enough. The kitchen hasn't occupied much space but I have no problem whatsoever. I actually didn't need a large house since I would be all alone. The keys I was issued had three keys one for the main door and I guess for the bedroom door and maybe the gate. The lady must have been so confused from her sleep but I am sure she will explain everything clearly tomorrow. The bedroom has some pallet bed and I had prayed that I find something like this. If I hadn't found it this way I had promised myself to do some renovation. The only thing that disappointed me us that there wasn't any bookshelf in this house. I am not sure if I can add or remove anything from this house. I find my bed is already made and I close all the doors and I retire to bed.

There is just a good view here, one can see the beautiful buildings and the sun rising. It's 11 a.m, I text my family and it is around 6 p.m in the evening and we get to facetime with them. They aren't as happy as they used to be, but as keep talking their moods change and they are glammed up a bit. I am so excited about the place already and I haven't even visited any place yet. I don't know why it feels better to be in a new city away from my family that doesn't seem to be happy by me being away. My dad already begins his stories and we are laughing already and my mom joins in the storytelling. I am happy to see them smile and at least my twin siblings aren't the way I left them yesternight.

The bathroom was amazing, a small bathtub with a hot shower. I took a shower and dressed up to go finish up with school. The janitor gave me more instructions and elaborated them so well then she explained to me how I will get to school. I didn't want to bother Bart. The school is so big and I am sure if I start to wander around I might get lost and on top of that it is so easy to see new students. I didn't want to look like one.

I luckily find a good receptionist who takes me through the process and also shows me around where most of our classes will be based. On top of all that I am offered a paying part-time internship. I will be helping the school hospital four hours a day and I will start on any day I am interested in. I will have my own money I can spend on anything I want and my dad will be sending me money too. I am not a spendthrift but at least I will get money to go for trips. I will save up and visit museums that aren't so close. My life has now begun and I am so happy. I won't be that free and hence I won't be bored so soon. I hadn't called Maritim and I am sure he is busy too. I will call him once I am at home. I do walk around to get familiar with the environment. There is a stunning environment here but I will eventually get to know almost every part of the school, no hurries. I will begin my internship in a week's time and my classes begin next week too. We facetime with Maritim and things are a little tough but they say love wins. We have to fight, I get to watch some shows and I finish my book too. We get to talk about it with Maritim and indeed Love wins in the end.

The weekend is here and I haven't been out of the house all week. It has been so calm in here I don't even know if there are people in these apartments or they are just some cool guys in here. It is just some nice cool serene environment I even think they pay more for this peace of mind. I take my clothes for laundry and I do find some girl along with the elevators who is the first person I have seen in here and she is very welcoming. I finally decide to call Bart and when I call him it's a girl that picks up his phone and I am now regretting it. If I hang up I might seem what it's not so I go ahead and ask if Bart is around. The girl responds with "He is around yes but I can deliver your message to him. You still want me to give him the phone or do you want to speak to me a little more?" it is so awkward right now I will just hang up because I am so confused about how his 'girlfriend' is so composed.

I get to read Maritim's blog once again since he does write so beautiful pieces. I am so bored right now so I get to read the comments today and one of them just catches my eye. 'This must be a very beautiful rebound/replacement I hope'. I can't even read the username. I am confused right now since there is something I am not grasping here. What does this mean? I am blowing his phone right now since I need an explanation and I didn't care if he is busy but he has to explain to me what this girl here is saying. I feel somewhat betrayed and lied to.

He explains that they had broken a month ago before he invited me to prom but he had no intentions of rebounding with me. Maybe I was a tool or thing to me the ex-girlfriend jealous. I don't think I even recognize that girl but he says she is a junior and maybe they are classmates with Elsa and Alasdair. Was all this even real, he would have just told me since me finding it out before he tells me means there is something wrong. That is the reason he didn't text me back on our first make-out. He simply didn't want to go that far with me and I was there waiting for him to text and later fell into his trap. I don't even want to hear his name or think of him.

I remove my ring and go out to get some air as I cool down. I know he will try to apologize, as much he is so talented in giving so sweet apologies I won't fall for them anymore. I loved him so much and I now felt like a fool especially for buying the ring. Was he even wearing it?

I talk to my twin and ask them to stalk him and give me feedback. They were going to school from Monday too. I need to get out of my mind. There was a mall around me and I went to get some food and ice cream it should help. It was quite cold here and that ice cream might make me weak so bad so I might opt for a coffee. There are so many beautiful people out here and many have beautiful smiles. There is a queue and I can't stand there and wait for all these people. I sit as I wait for it to grow shorter. Then I see, Bart from afar and this isn't that opportunity where I can hide or camouflage. He has some good eyesight and he is already approaching me with his crew of five. There are three guys and two girls. He is in some casual fit. Some sweater that resembles that of Maritim. And in a tight trouser that goes to his ankle. There are always some of his aspects that remind me of Maritim and especially now that I don't want to. His fragrance is already in my aura and I am hit by regrets for buying Maritim that cologne.

"Look at the beautiful I told you about she is Re.." even before he finished I stare at him waiting to pound on him soon after he finishes saying that name. "Sorry she is Everett Valerie and we are from the same hometown back in New York and she is a freshman."

Oh, my word! Why does he have to give all those details? Anyway, I say hi to each and every one of them and he asks if I have my order and I tell him that I was about to. Some girl, who seems like a dude somehow, was carrying a bag and of course, that was food. "Well you can join us since we had also come to get some food, this is more than enough", she says to me with her deep voice but it isn't that deep though. I am already stammering and I wish I said that I said I had made my order. Bart is already pulling me from my seat and they all refuse to take no for an answer. All their eyes are on me and it seems so hard to say no. I walk by Bart's side and I tell him I am only getting to have lunch and then he will drive me back immediately and he agrees to it.

It's not like we have even been friends with him for long but he acts as if we have known each other for so long. I also ask him what he told them about me, and he says that he was explaining to Chloe who was calling since he knew it was me. He didn't even introduce them to me, so I don't know the names. They are the only ones who know mine but I was actually not interested in knowing them anyway. I had even forgotten about Maritim until I saw a whole paragraph of him explaining himself but I didn't read it. I would read it later.

It seems like all his friends came from extremely rich families for them to have cars in school. There were two SUVs that you wouldn't assume belonged to students. I wanted to go with Bart since I felt more composed when around him than I would be with these other strangers. I end up staying in the stud's car with the Chloe girl. I was in the back seat minding my business and I don't even know how far we are going. I am having many regrets today. I wish I just stayed home and made myself something to eat. They try engaging me in their conversation and it is so weird. I think Chloe might be her girlfriend. I tell them what course I am taking and they say they take Fashion and design. Maybe this explains why Bart does dress so well. The stud was in some vintage wear and she did look amazing and you would easily confuse her for a dude. Chloe was in some orange dress and some fluffy coat. I don't know how much money their parents these students but they didn't even look like students. They must be working or something.

We arrive after some twenty minutes drive and we are in a gated estate with some beautiful mansions. These people aren't done amusing me. Bart and the other guys were coming out of the vehicle while we were parking. We follow them and now I don't know whose house we're going to. From the outside one would judge the mansion to be a four-bedroom house. I follow them in and they are asking me to cheer up and try not to act like a freshman and I don't even know how I should act. Their living room is quite large and this house seems to host several people. I take my seat and the other dudes who were with Bart introduce themselves and say their names. One of them is quite built and seems to be hitting the gym and they start involving me in conversations. They aren't a bunch of weirdos like his friend Bart. There is one guy who isn't really speaking as much as these others and I wonder how he even fits here.

I am served my wings and my pizza and we get to eat while listening to some music. After Bart is done serving us he goes ahead and squeezes himself on the built guy's coach and I try not to see it as unusual. I think his name was Devon. He goes ahead and puts his arm around Bart's shoulder and it looks like a romantic scene since he goes ahead and stares at his eyes and smiles at him. Okay, it is now getting so weird and I struggle to act normal.

"Wait did I introduce my friends to you? My bad my head must have been so far", this is when he remembers he didn't and Chloe is already telling him that they introduced themselves and he says he will re-do it since I mightn't have heard their names well. I think he remembers that I didn't get his name the first time he told me his.

"Anyway, this sweetheart beside me is Devon," he gives him a peck and honestly I am so confused right now. I don't know if I will even get the other guy's names now. I seem uncomfortable and I don't understand why. He is so handsome and all good-looking. What did we girls do to him so he could go for guys? It shouldn't bother me anyway I have a boyfriend. This is even better at least I know that he won't try and make me put my relationship with Maritim to a test. It was actually already falling apart but he has sent some text that I haven't even read.

"That one is Derek and he is so single actually, then there is Ezze and Chloe."

Ezze goes ahead and saves me this awkward moment and she starts saying how we should all go for an adventure tomorrow. She turns to me and asks me where I want to visit. It is my first week here and it seems I will start adventuring even before I start attending school. I do want to visit places and maybe I will come around and get used to these people. I really had a museum in mind I wanted to visit so much.

"A museum? What even, count me out please?" Chloe is already opting out and I am actually glad she did. She had some attitude. "Derek, I am in for it, I have also wanted to be in that museum but I never got time to visit. We are all looking at Devon and Bart and they say that they will be having some plans so they will be at home the whole day. Clearly, we needed to give these guys some space now.

Looks like it's just us three. Devon and Derek had some resemblance and that seemed to be his brother but I kept all the questions to myself. Eventually, they will tell me or I will just find it out myself. Everybody was now buried in their phones except Derek who was the only person watching some show on TV. How will I even get Bart out of that couch so he could drive me home as he promised?

I go ahead and check my phone too and I check Maritim's text. He explains himself and I am believing him. He said he broke things off with Olive since she didn't like him for being him. He flattered me for being so understanding and how he found himself falling in love with me. He found no reason to tell me about Olive since he didn't see it as important and he never ever thought of her at any time. I haven't fully forgiven him for not telling me, I didn't have my ring on and I felt guilty. He insists on face timing me and it is not the right time nor place but I can't tell him where I am. He send me a pic of him still in his apron the one I got him and by seeing his handsome face I glam up a bit. I informed him about my internship and as usual, he was happy for me. I miss his cakes and doughnuts so much. I feel so bad inside since I wasn't his first girlfriend and I wonder if he loved her so much more than I did. We never stop loving people. At times we get used to the fact that we can't be with them for a particular reason and we go ahead and get somebody else and try falling in love with them again. The fact that one person can be in love with two people at the same time is also very heartbreaking.

Derek was already on my side by the time I remember I am still at this house. He is a tall guy, with some brown short hair. He seems so cool and always quiet. He goes ahead and tells me that Devon is his younger brother. I thought he was the youngest actually. He goes and asks if I want some wine and Ezze has already poured out my glass and she is already handing it to me. I don't know but the three of us are already having a conversation. Chloe had found her way out had gone to some room upstairs. I take small sips of this wine since I am a lightweight and I don't want to mess up my evening. We are already challenging each other for some scrabble and we are arguing and we are really fighting over the dictionary a lot. Derek is a geek in this and I am not giving in. Actually, these two are really a vibe. I have just being with them for about half an hour and we have already made our slang and laughing at each other.

The love buds had already made their way out and I had to get home now. Derek had offered to drive me home but as he searched for the keys it seems Devon had them in their room and he couldn't bother them, since they wouldn't even open the door. Ezze had her keys but she never let anybody drive her car so she was the only one who would drive me home. At this point, I just wanted to be home it didn't matter who would take me home. So I say goodbye to Derek, we agreed that we would meet tomorrow at around noon. Ezze forces me to finish my glass and I take the remaining sips as she stared at me. I think all of them stay in this house, it might sound funny but I know they do fight sometimes. I assume Derek is the only one who stays in his room alone. He is so quiet, maybe he doesn't even talk to girls. He is good-looking and seems humble so I don't think it would be so hard for him to find a girlfriend.

"Okay Eva, we can now get going," Ezze says as she wakes up from her set and opens the door for me. "Do you even know your way back? I assume you know where you stay though?" she asks me just as we are outside the house. It's true I can't really figure out the way back but I am sure she knows Cascade. I go ahead and tell her I need to get some chocolate and milk. "Well now you do want me to use up my gas huh!" she replies. I now start wondering why then she offered to drive me back home.

"I will take a cab then no need to stress yourself out," I reply to her as I turn on my phone to order one. "Hold up, I am just playing, anything for you baby girl. Come on" says she as she goes ahead and opens the passenger seat and asks me to get in. This is what Maritim always does, opening the door for me then he gets to the driver's seat. She starts the car and we are headed out.

"You planning on staying at the Cascade forever? Or do you have plans of moving out at one point?" she asks as she drives into the highway.

"I haven't thought of it yet," I reply to her as I check out the beautiful houses around here and I am beginning to think it over now. She is driving so smoothly and she isn't speeding as fast as I saw Bart drive earlier after I met them.

"Have you ever liked a girl?" I thought I hadn't her well until she glanced at me and she was like Huh!" We aren't even at the mall yet and I am already starting to get uncomfortable now.

"Never thought of it either. I actually have a boyfriend!" I was already spitting just so she can know where she stands in case she wanted to try something.

"Cool down, okay I won't make it weird anymore." I waited on her to say she has a girlfriend too but if she did it would also make me uncomfortable. There is silence and we are at the mall already. She slows up and asks me to go and get whatever I wanted and I will find her waiting for me.