Chapter 9

"Why are you so down?"

Vaughn asked me so I smiled to say 'it's nothing'. I was thinking about yesterday, I don't want to marry a man I don't love.

"What's the matter?" He asked again. Today is Saturday so I asked him that we go out.

"Because Monday is our exam." I excused but that's true.

"You should've been studying now."

"Oh! You don't want to be with me?" I tease.

"No, it's not like that. I mean, you should do a review for you to pass the test." He explained so I laughed. I was going to say that I was just joking but the waiter came to serve our food.

"Thanks" I thanked the waiter and she just smiled at me in response.

We quietly started eating at the foods. I thought something silly so I grinned.

"Vaughn." I called his attention.

He looked at me with questioning eyes.

"Is this a date?" I asked, teasing.

He seemed to be thinking before answering me, "No?"

He drank his water, so I laughed softly, "Take it easy. If you want, I can court you." I smirked.

He choked so I took a tissue to give to him and he accepted it. He wiped his mouth using the tissue I gave and looked at me. He didn't say anything so I spoke. "Slow down on what you drink." And I laughed softly.

"Who wouldn't be surprised by your sudden whining?" He defended.

I smirked more, "What's so surprising about that?"

"Vaughn, can I court you?" I smirked and he looked at me with amusement in his eyes.

"Just kidding." And I laughed because he couldn't speak. He can't take a joke, he's too serious.

When we finished eating, he brought me over because he said I needed to do a review and he still had things to do. I texted Ash that now we're just going to review because I'm going to church tomorrow by the way.

'Ash, are you free now?' my text

It was a few minutes before she replied.

'Yes, I'm here at the condo. Why?'

'Now let's review, I'll go to church tomorrow, be.'

'Funny, you just came there to flirt... Just come here, bring food some foods. See you!'

I didn't enter the condo because I was leaving too. I just went to the parking lot. I drove and stopped at the drive thru because she was starving, she's not even pregnant! I entered his condo after arriving because I already knew the passcode.

"Wow, the mud feels at home." she opened so I just winked at him and put the food I brought on the table.

"Get dressed. If I were a man, I might have raped you, get dressed, you fool."

Because she's only wearing a bra and shorts. That's how she dresses when she's alone.

"Why should I get dressed, hey, you all saw it." She said and removed the clutter from the floor.

"Oh my god, Ash!" I react to what she said.

"Why? Girl, we're naked buddies. I saw you naked and you're the same to me."

"Anyway. Get dressed, Luke is coming."

When she heard what I said, she immediately ran into her room, so I finished putting it away. What is she doing, why is it so messy? When I threw away the trash I found a condom. I didn't react because it wasn't new to me. I heard someone ring the doorbell so I opened it. Luke with his papers, probably his reviewers. He entered and Ash was dressed. We decided to have a review in the living room while eating the foods I brought.

"Ash, what's the tagalog term for toothpaste?" Luke suddenly asked so I also looked at the two of them.

"Copy teeth." Ash answered without a doubt, making us laugh out loud.

"Stupid!" Luke continued to laugh and looked at me. I know this question.

"Toothpaste is Pasimada in Tagalog but even Tagalog people don't use that word. I don't know why, but that's what brother told me before." I said because that's what he was going to ask, so I went ahead of him. He just nodded and continued to write and read his reviewers, Ash did the same.

"Guys, what if your family asks you to marry someone you don't even know, are you going to accept it?" I asked them and they looked at me with 'confusion' on their faces. They were thinking about what to answer so I just waited, "No! If you don't love, don't get married." Luke answered mischievously.

He immediately received a slap from Ash so I just laughed, no matter what. "My answer is no. I don't want to marry someone I don't even know, why would I marry a guy I don't love. Why do you ask, by the way?" Ash asked me back so I just smiled at her and continued reading my books.

I got back to the condo at 7pm, I had my dinner at Ash's condo so I'll just go to bed early. "Why did you come home late?" Aunt asked me when she saw me in the living room and she had just come out of the bathroom.

"Ash and I reviewed for our coming exams." I answered.

"Have you eaten?"

"I already did, aunt. I'll go to my room, I'm tired." I said and she just nodded in response. I kissed her cheeks before entering my room. I put my papers on the study table and went into the bathroom to take a shower and change my clothes. I did my skin care and got my phone to open my instagram account.

Vaughn is online so I decided to chat him.

AmberNyx: Hi! What are you doing?

Just seconds and he was typing.

VLeo: Just reading books, you?

AmberNyx: I'm doing my skin care routine while chatting with you ^_^

VLeo: Did you review?

AmberNyx: Yupz! I went to Ash's condo earlier so we could review together.

AmberNyx: We also ate dinner and watched netflix after HAHAHA!

He sent a picture of a book about science and there are some highlights in it. Wow my future boyfriend is hardworking, kidding. I took a photo, too. I put a peace sign on the camera and smile and then sent it to him.

VLeo: Pretty.

I smiled as I read his reply. I looked at myself in the mirror and both my cheeks were red. That's dangerous, Nyx! I laughed before typing a reply.

AmberNyx: Yes, I know! Goodnight, I'll sleep well. HAHAHA kidding!

VLeo: Goodnight. Have a good dream.

AmberNyx: My dreams are good when you visit my dreams ^,~

He didn't reply so I turned off my phone. I made my bed before going to bed. It's tiring to review, I feel like my brain has flown to another country.

"Let's go." I told Aunt. It's Sunday so we will go to church again. I'm wearing my ruffle print dress and white sandals. Auntie is wearing her flower lace dress and black sandals. Suit us! We only used one car and she insisted that she drive because her soul might come out again, oh no.. I got in the passenger seat and she was in the driver seat, I wore my seatbelt and she started the engine already.

I'm just using my phone while on the flight. I turned off my phone when we were opposite the church. I went out first and fixed my dress and Auntie followed, we went inside together. I look around because I might see Vaughn. I didn't make a mistake because they sat in the back, he's with Val and Bella. I wonder why there are only three of them.

"Let's go," I said to my aunt and pointed to where Vaughn and I were next to each other. Good thing there is more space.

"Hi." I said sitting next to him, and aunt sat next to me.

"Hi Amber," Vaughn's sister greeted so I greeted her back.

Vaughn just smiled at me because the Mass was about to start. Aunt asked me why do I know them, so I told her that the guy beside me is my friend and she just nodded. Friend soon to be boyfriend, joke! I focused on the Mass even though I was distracted a bit every time I looked at Vaughn's side. I can smell his manly scent, gosh the scent! Calm down Nyx, you're not allowed to mess around here in the church! When it finished, I snorted. I bid a goodbye to Vaughn as well as Aunt Val and Bella.

"Bye Sister Val. See you next time." I said and she kissed my cheek and smiled.

"Bye, Amber. See you next time." She also said and loaded Bella and left first.

I was going to yell at Vaughn but Auntie is here beside me.

"We'll go ahead now. See you when I see you." I laughed softly and so he did.

"Bye, be careful when driving... Bye, Aunt." He said to Auntie and Aunt just smiled at him.

"Is he really a friend?" Auntie asked. I looked at her and pouted, "He's a friend. Let's go now." I changed the topic and she didn't say anything and just drove away. I saw someone selling flowers so I told aunt that I will buy first.

"How much?"

"Only 150, Ma'am."

I took money from my wallet and paid 200. I told him to keep the change and he thanked me so I just smiled at him. When I got back to the car, I told auntie to go to the cemetery to visit Brother's grave. Aunt didn't complain and just drove to the cemetery. When we arrived, I saw a familiar car. I looked around and I was not wrong. Mom is here, visiting brother. Aunt was about to come down but I stopped her.

"Why?" She asked.

"Mom is here." I answered weakly and she looked at my behavior where brother's grave was.

"Next time we visit," I smiled, "Let's go."

Aunt looked at me worried, "Are you sure?"

I just nodded in response. She was already driving away so I was quiet the whole trip until we got to the condo. Mom don't want me to visit brother. I don't have the right to visit him, she said, I am the reason why it happened. Mom never treated me as a family. He was only forced because of my brother and now that he's gone, I no longer exist. I only exist whenever they just need me in their business.