"Eat this first before taking your medicine." He utters, and I just keep on staring at his TV even though it is turned off.
"Come on, eat up. This will help you feel better.” He persuaded.
"But I feel so fine already." I lied, because I still have a mild headache. My head feels heavy.
"No, you still need to eat and take your medicine." This time there’s a seriousness in his voice.
But his gesture sends warm feelings to my heart. I can truly feel his concerns for me, which I longed for from my mother. She never gives her time to me when I needed a mother when I have a fever. Only my aunty took care of me, but it wasn’t enough. I think I am grateful for this cold; I got a chance to experience being taken care of.
I cannot fully show how thankful I am to him, but I truly am. I’m just too embarrassed to tell or show him.
I mentally rolled my eyes and averted my gaze from him. I moved back a little after I saw a spoonful of porridge in front of me.
"I can eat on my own. You don’t need to do this." I said, looking at him, then at his hand.
"You’re my patient here. This is one of my responsibilities." He assured.
"I-" I tried to protest more, but he had already shoved the spoon into my mouth. I can feel the porridge all over my mouth. How dare he shove the spoonful of porridge into my half-open mouth?!
"You look like a baby!" he snickered. "Let me wipe it for you, buttercup." I smack his arm, but he just laughs at me.
"Are you even thinking? And stop using a nickname! I'm not even a baby." I snatch the towel from his hand and continue wiping my face.
"Sorry," he utters while suppressing his laugh.
I moved to the other side of his bed, but he caught my arm. I glared at him, trying to remove his hands from me.
"But you’re my baby, and do you want to know?" I just stared at him weirdly and waited for him to continue, "I can be your baby too." Then he winks at me.
"I think you are the one who is sick. Can you hear yourself? I never thought you were like this." I said it in confusion. What I heard is that he is a cold person who only knows how to smile and make a silly joke with his teammates.
"I also can’t understand myself Alexa. How can I be like this with those people at the university when they are all fake? Women only want to get into my pants. Some only want to use my popularity for their selfishness.” He almost whispered. I can sense a sadness in his tone.
I never knew that he felt like this. I don’t even know him in the first place. I just heard a little information about him when people started spreading rumors about us, but before that happened, I had no idea at all.
"But why are you being like this to me? As if you’re comfortable with me, correct me if I’m assuming things."
"Yeah, I think you’re right; in fact, I’m very comfortable with you." He looked at my eyes and said, "I want you to know that I—" He was cut off by a loud crash downstairs. I can tell by the sound of it that it was made of glass. It was followed by shouting.
I’m ready to get up, but he held my shoulders and said, "Stay here; I’m going to check what’s going on downstairs. Please stay here. I guess this isn’t the right time for me to say it." He smiled at me, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
I got a feeling of uneasiness. I grasped his hand, trying to stop him, but he just patted my head and said, "You don’t have to worry; I’m already used to that commotion. It's probably my mom’s fault."
"Even if I want to hold your hand longer, I have to check on my mom first." I could feel a sudden rush of blood on my cheeks when he said that. I throw his hand away and look away from him. I can hear a low chuckle from him before he closes the door.
Did he just expect me to do what he said? No way, I will get out of this house and go home. I suddenly remembered to look at what time it was. I sigh with relief when I see on his digital clock on one of his nightstands that it is only seven in the evening. My mother doesn’t have an exact time to be at home, but she’s aware that I usually come home before or after ten. But I don’t want to take a risk; I need to go home right now, even though I don’t know if she will get angry if I get home late.
I get up from his bed, and once I’m standing with my two feet, I stumble backwards. Luckily, I was able to hold onto the nightstand to find some support. Once I regained my balance, I scurried to his bathroom. I scanned it thoroughly, but I still didn’t find my clothes.
Where are those?
I close the bathroom door behind me after deciding to leave my clothes here. I was startled when I heard shouting. I went to the door, and I slowly turned the knob. I peek my head outside, and once I make sure that no one is here, I slowly move outside and close the door of his room.
The cries downstairs are made clearer with each step I take out of the room. When I reached the stairs, Travis was stopping his mother from destroying more stuff. I descended gradually, and as I neared the bottom step, I abruptly felt a stinging slap. My head violently twisted to the right. Only Travis' furious shout and a loud slap were audible to me.
"Mom!" I can feel the rage in his voice.
"Who the hell is this girl?!" her mom asked. I’m still frozen to my spot and unable to move. I can sense that Travis stands in front of me with a protective stance. It’s like him protecting me from his own mother. I slowly moved my head to meet his broad shoulder. I was facing his back, but I can tell that he's already sending draggers to his mother. My head hurts, but my left cheek is throbbing.
"Is she one of your father’s sluts?" I flinched when she yelled. There’s a vicious tone of anger in her voice.
"Of course not, mom! She's someone who doesn’t deserve your insult."
"Don’t you dare talk to me like that!" She yelled and tried to attack me, but Travis stayed in front of me and stopped his mother. I stepped backward and hit the newel post, thinking that she could still lay her hands on me.
"Stop it, mom!" He demanded sternly, then he grabbed his mom by the waist and threw her onto his shoulder. Her mom was still trashing, but he held her tight. I moved aside to give them full access to the stairs. I guess he’s going to put her in her room.
I’m hesitating if I should go without saying goodbye or if I should wait for him.
"Whoa!" I was startled when a hand reached for my arms, and there, if I recall correctly, I saw the old woman, Miss Liv.
"Umm…How can I help you?" I ask her nervously. She’s looking at me weirdly.
"Hello, darling, I am Liv." She held my hand and took me onto the couch. She told me to take a seat. I’m contemplating, but eventually I sit down.
I tried my best not to look at her eyes. It feels so awkward right now.
"I think I saw you before." She said, still looking at my face, "Have you been here before?"
"No, this is my first time here and probably my last." I answered here. I look outside to avoid her gaze. It’s already dark. The rain has stopped, but it is still shady.
"I don’t think that this will be your last." She said with a smile, "But since you're the first girl Travis brought here, I agree that this is your first visit."
"Maybe you saw me before, but it’s not in this house but outside. I am the one who walks Nana, Miss Denny’s dog every morning." I said to change the topic and ignore what she just said.
"Hmm, I see. But the first time I saw you in the doorway, I thought you were someone I knew, but let’s forget about that. I’ve been working here for decades now; I've met a lot of people since Travis’ dad was still a child. Maybe I got mixed up with their faces. Is this a sign of aging?" She asked jokingly, "I am glad to finally meet you. Travis is always telling me stories about you."
"Miss Liv!" We both snap our heads in the direction of the stairs, and there he goes, hurrying up to us.
"What’s wrong, big boy?" She made fun of him, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Please bring a glass of water to mom." He requested.
"Okay." Then she looked at me and said, "I think we should stop this conversation because an aloof big boy came to ruin it, but I promise you I will continue to tell you." She smiled at me, and I gladly returned the gesture.
“It’s unfair…" He pouted, "You’ve just met Miss Liv and talked to her for a couple of minutes, but you already gave her your smile." He looks like a kid that didn’t get a chance to have candy.
"Oh, don’t be jealous, big boy. You probably get more than a smile soon."
She has already taken a few steps, but she stops and looks at me. "Are you going home already?" she asks.
"Yes, I need to go home now."
"Why don’t you have dinner here?" She moves closer to us again and stops beside Travis, saying, "You know this big boy out here is always lonely. If it’s okay with you, would you please join him for dinner?"
"I don’t think I can eat a dinner. I have just finished the porridge." But in fact, I just ate one spoon of it.
"I haven’t fed you well, and you also didn’t take your medicine. That’s a good idea, Miss Liv." He said he was ignoring what I had said and dragging me somewhere.
"Oh, that’s great! Let me instruct someone to attend your mom, and I will prepare your dinner." She says while beaming a smile. Then she disappeared into the hall.
I stop and glare at him. "Didn’t you hear me?"
"What? Ah, you said you wanted to eat dinner with me, right?"
"Eh?!" I exclaimed.
"Don’t overreact with this. Come on, it’s just a dinner. Don't worry, I will bring you home."
"But still, I need to go home already! Or else my mother will kill me."
"Then let’s both get killed if that happens. Please join me for dinner. I haven’t gotten a good dinner since they started fighting." He said while gazing upstairs. I can feel the sorrow in his voice. Even though I want to go home, I just shut my mouth and follow him to their dining area.
Just like any other part of their mansion, their dining area screams money too. It looks like it is shining because of the decorations all around the area. There is one dining table at the center. There is a glass wall on one of the ends of the table wherein you can see their magnificent pool outside. It is glimmering because of the lights reflecting on it. The left side is a wall with paintings and pictures of them, while the right side looks like a counter through the kitchen. There are stools in there.
"Let’s sit and wait for Miss Liv."
"Can we just sit on the stool?" I asked him. I don’t want to sit at their main table. It feels so intimidating.
"Okay, if that’s what you want."
We seated ourselves on the stool and waited for Miss Liv. I’m thinking about how it feels to live in a mansion like this. It was just so perfect. It looks like they already have what they need and want. The only problem they will think about is how they spend or use all of their assets. I smiled bitterly.
I look at my right side, where Travis is sitting. He’s very quiet this time. His silence is unusual. It is a good thing, but it is still doubtful.
"Hey," I called him but he still stares in front of him, "Are you okay?"
I think he’s in deep thought. I put my hand on his shoulder to get his attention. Luckily, he turns his head and his eyes are now focus on me.
"I didn’t know that you wanted my full attention. Don’t worry even though I’m thinking something you still in my mind every seconds. And thanks for your concern; I really appreciate it."
"You’re so conceited!" He laughed at me, and it feels great to hear it.
"It slipped my mind, but let me see your cheek." He abruptly touched her cheek. I was too stunned to move. His face is just inches from mine. I can’t stop myself from studying it. This is much closer than the first time I studied his face.
"Oh, my apologies." I was startled when I heard Miss Liv and suddenly push Travis. He almost fell from his seat.