VI

MAYBE LAIA SHOULD HAVE HAD SAID NO TO BRIE.

But she would have agreed on either way a few minutes later. It was just really difficult to refuse Brie, especially when she's particularly excited about something.

Aka the romance movie.

The girl lets out a huff as she fixed her bangs for the umpteenth time before braiding her long hair. She looks at herself in the mirror, deciding that she looks mediocre as usual, and shrugs. Well, it's not like braiding her hair or fixing her bangs in front of the mirror can change her appearance.

A knock on her door made her jump in surprise. It was her mother, as she expected. Fortunately, it wasn't Brie, or she would have had to change clothes again since Brie had always reprimanded her fashion sense, saying she dresses like a middle-aged woman.

Her mother smiles at her softly as she sat on her daughter's bed. "You look nice sweetheart. Are you going to the church?"

Laia gave her mother a deadpanned stare. Is she kidding? "Uhm no,"

Her mother's response was the confirmation to the girl that the older woman was not kidding on the question she asked. The older woman forces a smile. "Oh," It was obvious that she did not expect her daughter's response. "I thought you are, with the dress and flats,"

The girl turned to herself in the mirror again, realizing that her mother had a point (albeit she did not want to admit it), and sighs. She makes her way to her closet and opted for a tank top and high-waisted jeans instead. After making sure that her stomach won't be seen, she comes out of the bathroom and twirls around for her mother who nods, pleased.

"Now you look like someone the church would absolutely not let in," Her mother's words made them both laugh. "Just pair it with the new sneakers I bought you,"

"Sneakers?" Laia asks, confusion evident on her face. She had no idea her mother bought her another pair. She still had one that she used regularly! "But I still have--"

Her mother shakes her head. "Don't worry about it, sweetheart," She stands up from the bed and made her way to her daughter as they both looked at their reflections in the mirror. "Think of it as a gift for doing so well at school."

At the mention of school, Laia's smile immediately disappeared and was replaced by a frown. Of course, she was doing well at school. No. She was not!

Not with that asshole stealing her spot these last months! Not with the asshole mocking her openly and making fun of her getting a single mistake on quizzes!

And of course, we can't forget about how most of their teachers blatantly favor him, obviously raising his grades in their spare time while completely forgetting that Laia had done so much more than him since she was a freshman and then this asshole arrives out of nowhere and he gets everything served in front of him in a fucking gold platter.

Noticing how her daughter's mood soured, the older woman cupped her daughter's cheeks. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

It's not like I can tell you, Laia wanted to say but she stopped herself and shakes her head. "Nothing, it's just," She pulls herself away from her mother and busied herself on wearing the sneakers that she wore regularly, pointedly ignoring the new ones her mother bought. "You don't have to buy me anything."

"Sweetheart--"

"No," She looked at her mother and shook her head. "You're not obliged to give me anything, especially just because I'm getting good grades. Don't waste your money on me, mom."

Before her mother could respond, Laia had already left her room and their house. She knew it was almost as if she took the gift her mother probably saved up for granted, but she had a valid point. Money was scarce for them, and she didn't want her mother to apply for another job just to give her gifts and end up getting overworked and sick again.

Laia lets out a heavy sigh as she waits for Brie to arrive. The girl did text her yesterday that she will be picking her up, as her best friend knew how much can a taxi fare be, especially with how bad traffic was.

A few minutes later, the honking of a car made the girl look up from reading the new reading materials she downloaded a few hours ago. It was Brie, inside her new convertible, a gift her dad gave her last Christmas.

Laia remembered how Brie was crying that night as she called her, saying that she had not expected it at all, and she was so thankful to finally get a car of her own. Laia was incredibly happy for her best friend, but deep inside she felt the urge to break down and cry as she can probably never have the chance to get a car like that.

"Laia!" Brie calls out, waving her hands in the air. Her boyfriend was already there and was the one driving.

The girl was about to wave back when she sees the asshole sitting in the backseat, where she would obviously be sitting as well. She rolls her eyes but opted to go inside the car anyway. It's not like she has a choice. It would be riding a taxi and paying an expensive fee or riding with her friends (not including the asshat).

Upon sitting down beside the asshat, the asshat immediately turns away from his phone and grinned at her in all of his narcissistic glory. "Looks like we're seatmates here too,"

Laia turns away and decided to just stare at the cars and the people that passed them by. "Unfortunately,"

The asshat lets out a dramatic gasp. "I thought you would be glad to sit beside me," Laia even saw him pretending to think on her peripheral vision. "Most girls would,"

"Amazing," Laia turns to him for a split-second and smiles phony. "Just find another one later at the mall to sit on her side."

"Guys, are you fighting?" Brie asks from her seat.

"Oh, we're just joking around Brie," was what the asshat said.

Sure, joking around. Would this asshat take it as a joke as well if Laia accidentally pushes him outside the car?

That would be an amazing thing to do, the girl thinks as she opted to daydream about the asshat falling off the car and getting his face all bruised and wounded, enough for him to be absent for a month or so. Laia's sure all his girls and the teachers who favor him would be happy enough to lend him notes or even answer keys so there would not be a problem at all.

"Are you planning to murder me?"

It was Laia's turn to gasp dramatically. "Oh my gosh, how did you know?"

Her response momentarily left the boy beside her speechless. He suddenly lets out a laugh, proving Laia right that he was not only thick-skinned, conceited, and a narcissist. He was also fucked in the head. "Fuck, you're hilarious,"

Laia rolls her eyes, craning her neck to check if they were near the mall already. She cannot stand another minute with this asshat. She might choke him to death and end up incarcerated!

"Thanks, the clown in me is elated with your statement," is what she said instead of choking the asshat.

The asshat lets out a boisterous laugh, amused. He even wiped off some tears using an obviously expensive handkerchief. He turns to Laia. "Well, tell the clown in you to please go out sometime to replace the boring you,"

Laia felt her fists tighten and she (forced) convinced herself to calm down and not let the asshat rile her up and ruin her day further.

"The clown in me would rather not," The girl smiles again, and it took every fiber of her entire being to steady that smile. "She worries that your brain might not be able to keep up and understand her humor."

Asshat was about to say something back when Brie yells from her seat. "We're here!"

Upon parking, Laia quickly opened her side of the door and inhales the fresh air around. Being away from the asshat really brings back positive vibes!

Not for long, unfortunately, as Brie called her over to where the asshat was. The four made their way to the fifth floor, where the cinemas were. There were already a few couples lining up by where they sell the tickets.

Brie wiggled her eyebrows at Laia and the asshat. "Make sure the ticket lady will believe that you're a couple!"

Disgusting, Laia thinks as she fought the urge to barf. She'd rather be a nun and serve the Lord forever, thank you very much.

However, despite not wanting to touch any part of the asshat's body, especially his hand, the asshat grabbed her hand and entangled it with his. He pulls her towards where they sold the tickets. "A ticket for a couple for Stuck With You," The asshat pulls Laia closer, and Laia wanted nothing but to punch the asshat in the face but she retained the smile on her lips. "And the free popcorn too, thanks,"

The lady nodded and handed the asshat their tickets. Before they could leave and make way for Brie and Jake, the lady smiles at them and says, "You suit each other well!"

Those five words were enough for Laia to grimace completely and pull herself away from the asshat, walking briskly towards the entrance of the cinema and walks inside, not bothering to wait for the rest of her companions.

Laia sat on the farthest seat from other couples who were already flirting and whispering sweet nothings to one another. It didn't help that the music before the movie started was a love song.

Life is cruel for young Laia Racquelle Lopez.

Just like an annoying pest, the asshat easily figured out where the girl was. He was holding five bags of popcorn, and behind her were Brie and Jake holding hands. Out of all the chairs that the asshat could have had sat on, he decided to spite Laia even more by sitting next to her. Fortunately, Brie sat on Laia's other side and Jake on Brie's side.

The only thing that kept Laia sane the entire movie was the popcorn.

Just like most romance films, the movie started with a chance encounter between an introverted girl named Jessie who meets this happy-go-lucky guy named Ben when they both got stuck in an elevator. After getting stuck together in an elevator for a couple of hours, the two protagonists had no choice but to have a conversation, well more like it was Ben who did it as Jessie was incredibly shy. Their conversation started to drag on as they debated a lot of topics, particularly when it comes to their beliefs and perspectives regarding historical events.

Because the two weren't traumatized about getting stuck in that elevator, they ended up on it at the same time again and just like their first encounter, got stuck there again. This time, the boy confessed that he recently just had a fight with his girlfriend, and the girl admits to recently breaking up with her boyfriend. They kiss at the end of their second encounter.

Laia had no idea why they did. Technically it was still cheating, the boy having a girlfriend and all.

Not that her opinion mattered, as everyone cooed and cheered.

Except for him and the asshat, whom Laia realized was already sleeping. She decided to get popcorn from his bag instead. For now, the girl would settle for her revenge being emptying the asshat's popcorn bag the moment he wakes up.

Their third and fourth encounter was inside the elevator as well. On the third encounter after getting out of the elevator, the boy invited the girl out to an arcade and they ate dinner together at the boy's favorite restaurant. On the fourth encounter, they spent the rest of the night (for it was evening when they got stuck on the elevator) watching the stars and kissing. It was obvious that they were already in love with one another, but one thing was stopping them. The boy's girlfriend.

The ending of it was quite unsatisfying for a romance film. Ben ended up resolving his conflicts with his girlfriend, Anne. Jessie, sadly, sees them eating together in Ben's favorite restaurant and left before Ben could see her.

That was it.

Most of the couples screamed out their disappointment with how the movie ended. Even Brie was agitated and was still complaining even upon their arrival to a restaurant that Jake suggested.

As Laia expected, the food there was expensive. The money she brought with her was enough to pay for a meal, but it would mean she would have to save again for weeks to get the same amount again. She sighs, already used to it.

Brie, noticing how her friend stopped right in front of the restaurant, walked back to where she is. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'll pay for the four of us! I did plan this outing,"

Laia shook her head. "That's too much Brie," She looks away. "You already paid for everything earlier,"

"Gosh! It's fine Laia," Brie pulls the girl towards the table where Jake and the asshat were. She pushed her to sit at an empty chair. "It's the least I can do after all the tutoring you did for me for free!"

The girl was still reluctant but complied. Jake reassured her with a gentle smile. Laia did not bother looking at the asshat.

And of course, instead of shutting his mouth up, he just had something rude to say like always.

"I didn't know you were just best friends with Brie for her money," The asshole even had the audacity to look at the girl with pity on his face. "Well, it's not like I expected more from you,"

"Samuel," Jake warns, but the asshat did not stop.

"I mean, you couldn't even pay for a taxi fare, how could you pay for the food here--"

"You know you can't judge a person by how much money they have right?" Laia grits her teeth, her fists clenched below the table. "And yet of course you can,"

She stared right through his eyes. "Because even though how much money you have in your Gucci wallet or whatever brand your wallet is, they still can't cover up the smell of your disgusting attitude," Laia rolls her eyes, laughing sarcastically. "I just wonder sometimes if your parents are aware of how the child they raised turned out to be abhorrent ."

Laia smiles at Jake and talks before the asshole could respond. "Tell Brie I'll be leaving first," She looks at the asshole again, who continued to stare at her. "Not because I don't have money to spend, but because I'd rather spend it on a restaurant without someone disgusting near me."