Another Encounter

The moment I arrived in New Yastrid, I asked the cab to bring me to my condo.

I have a condo in New Yastrid, whenever we go bar hopping, we always stay here, well Chelsea always drives us back here since she's the only one who doesn't drink much.

I'm currently walking inside the mall, I'm shopping like the one I planned.

My video cam is on since I'm filming for our school assignment.

"Andrea?" I stopped in my tracks when I saw Irene's mom, Aunt Irina

"Aunt Irina," I said and air-kissed her

"I thought you were in Seryphil." She said and I chuckled before putting down my video cam and stop taking a video.

I just have to cut the part where Aunt Irina called me 'Andrea'.

"I'm here for Christmas vacation, Aunt. What brings you here in New Yastrid?" I asked her

"Bianca's coming home on Christmas, I feel like I'll be aging faster because of her. She doesn't even want to have a boyfriend," she said and sighed

I chuckled after hearing what she said.

It wasn't a secret to us that Aunt Irina is suspecting Irene was a tomboy because of her boyish ways.

"Don't worry about Irene's love life, Aunt Irina. Someone is courting her in Seryphil." I assured her

"Once I called him and I heard a gunshot, tell me, Andrea, where were you really?" she asked and I recalled what Irene told me her excuse was

"Ah we were in the theater room at school, we were watching an action film we need to make a reaction paper on." I lied smoothly and she sighed in relief

"Good. You girls need to keep yourselves away from danger and life-risking activities, but I know you will stop doing so when you have a reason to. " Aunt Irina said and I smiled

"By the way, please, remind Bianca that I'm serious about marrying her off to my friend's son." Aunt Irina said which made me chuckle

"You can expect that Aunt," I said and chuckled

"Irina, It's nice to see you here." A woman said and air kissed Aunt Irina

"Carla, mi amiga, you're also here," Aunt Irina said

"I should go ahead," I excused myself

"Wait, is she your only daughter? She's very pretty," the woman asked

"No, this is Andrea, she's Bianca's best friend."

I almost chuckled when I heard Aunt Irina say I'm Ire's best friend.

We fight and quarrel like cats and dogs most of the time and besides, Lavalee is Irene's best friend, not me.

"Andrea, this is Carla, she's my cousin, she's the one I'm saying I'll marry Bianca if I don't have a boyfriend." Aunt Irina said and I smiled at the woman

"Mom, are you finished - oh."

My eyes widened when Bryle walked up to the woman and talked to her

Wait, what?

Mom?

This woman is that asshole's mother?

"Will you meet?" his mom asked and Bryle nodded

"I didn't know you were here, Jess," Bryle said

"I didn't expect to see you here, Bryle," I said and turned to Aunt Irina and Bryle's Mom

"Nice to meet you, Aunt Carla. I have to go ahead, Aunt Irina, Aunt Carla. " I said and turned my back.

I sped up walking away. I suddenly realized something because of what happened earlier.

Aunt Irina said that she'll be marrying Irene off to the son of her friend, who happened to be Aunt Carla and Aunt Carla is Bryle's Mom which means – HOLY SHIT!

Irene's seriously going to flip if she finds out that Aunt Irina is arranging for her to marriage with Bryle.

"Jess,"

Suddenly, somebody held my wrist and made me face him.

"Jess, wait," He said and held my shoulder

"What do you want?" I asked him with a glare

"If you're going to tell me that you're sorry, please, for goodness sake, leave me alone!" I said and removed his hand from my shoulder and wrist

"It's not about that, Jess." He said and I glared at him

"Then what?" I asked coldly making him stop

"Can we speak calmly?" he asked and held my hand

"Alright," I said and took back my hand

I followed him inside Starbucks. I sat down on a chair and he went to the counter to order.

When he sat in front of me he stayed silent. I looked at him sternly because of his silence.

"If you're not going to speak, I'm leaving," I said and stood up

"I'm sorry,"

I smiled sarcastically at him after hearing what he said with his head low

"I told you if you're going to say you're sorry, just leave me alone," I said and glared at him

"I'm sorry for – Save it. I don't need it." I said and turned my back on him

I walked away and opened my videocam again.

"My usual routine during Christmas is shopping for two days, visiting my loved ones, and going home to our ancestral house to spend time with the family. Today is my last day of shopping." I said while the camera is facing me

"I'm currently going to the kid's section to shop for gifts for the younger siblings of my friends," I said and went inside the shop

I bought a headband and hairpin for Freia, that girl is still a child, and a toy gun for Fuego even though I know he'd prefer a real gun.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw a doll on the shelf. I took it and paid for it, I asked the cashier to wrap it up.

I bought a pair of black ripped jeans for Aqualyn, three books for Autumn and Winter, then a dress for Spring.

I also shopped for the girls, like Zhyrene and Enyalius, then after that, I went home to my condo.

"I'm back to my condo again. This condo unit doesn't have many things since we only stay here when we get wasted after bar hopping." I said while facing the camera

"I'm going to wrap these gifts first," I said and pressed the pause button.

I charged the video cam and then started wrapping the gifts.

I wrote a small message card and then my gaze landed on the box of doll that I asked the cashier to wrap earlier.

I took a clean piece of paper and folded it into two, I designed the paper and turned it into a Christmas card.

I know it's old-fashioned to write letters nowadays but not for me, it was the only way of communication between us, my only way of keeping track of the occasions and events.

I placed it with the wrapped gift, and after that, I took a backpack and placed all the gifts there.

I took my video cam and resumed taping with my video cam

"I'm back. I just have to ship the gifts off to their addresses because I'm not sure where they are as of now. Anyways, let's go," I said and went out of the unit, I made sure to lock it but I was surprised when a man appeared in front of me

"Can we talk?" he asked so I paused the camera

"What?" I asked him and he suddenly hugged me

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." He said and I sighed

"I don't need your apology, Bryle." I said and rolled my eyes

"Please forgive me. I'm sorry, Jess. I'm sorry because I didn't believe you, I'm sorry because I believed what others said, those who hurt you. " He said and hugged me tighter

I knew this would happen one day.

Though, it wouldn't happen if Lavalee didn't help me hide away from Bryle and let him find out things on his own.