I wake up with a pounding headache. I can’t remember how I fell asleep last night after what happened. My heart aches. I put my hand on my chest and gently stroke it. I remember the words my mother said to me last night at the restaurant. Tears well up in my eyes, and I quickly wipe them away when the door opens and Syntho enters, carrying a tray of food. I realize that I’m not in my room. I’m in a different room, decorated in beige and white.
 
“I brought you to my place. I designed this room with this theme because I knew you’d love it,” aniya before placing the tray on the bedside table.
 
“How did you know that…” I stop myself when I remember I told him my favorite colors. “Can I stay here for a few days? I don’t want to go home after what happened,” I already let out some of my heavy burdens I carried with me for years last night but... if I see my family again, I might burst into tears.
 
He sits on the bed, right beside me. “You can stay as long as you want. I’ll pick up the things you need from your place later this afternoon,” his expression is serious, as if he wants to tell me something. 'Missy, I can still hear your inner monologue.'
 
“You didn’t tell me about the deal you made with my parents. Did you think I’d forget about it?” I've been thinking about it for months. 
 
“No, clearly not."
 
I sit up on the bed and lean against the headboard, hugging a soft pillow. “Explain."
 
“You won’t be mad?” he raises an eyebrow at me. 
 
“Depends on what you’re going to say." And I shrug. 
 
He sighs. “Let’s start more than four months ago. I made a deal with your parents. If they broke any of my rules, I had the right to break it." 
 
“So, I assume they broke one last night?” I ask. 
 
“Two of my rules. I’ll give them 15 million after you graduate if they never break the rules I set. I guess it didn’t last long,” he says, calmly. Why does he look proud? Okay but 15 million? I’m stunned. Fifteen million is a lot of money. “It’s a small amount, and it took them months to break my rules,” he adds.
 
“What is it that they broke last night?” I'm curious too.
 
“Rule 26: Never ever make Shantal Lombardi shed a tear. I guess they forgot to read the rules thoroughly, and focused on the money. And Rule 28: Lay a hand on her, and you lose five million in a matter of seconds,” he states.
 
“Why are you willing to spend millions on me? At first it was ten million, and now it’s fifteen? And you’ve been spoiling me too,” he also gave me a black card which I didn't dare use. 
 
“I love spoiling what’s mine. Besides, money isn’t a problem when it comes to spending it solely for you. Now, enough chit-chat and have your breakfast. I don’t want you to be malnourished while I’m sitting here next to you,” He gets a small folding table and sets it up on the bed. He picks up the tray from the bedside table and places it on top of the folding table, in front of me.
 
“That’s why I’m getting fatter, you know." I groan. 
 
He gives me a warning look. “Enough, you’re not fat. Your weight was 34 kilograms before I became human. 34 kilograms is considered malnourished for your age,” geez no need to remind me I was malnourished. 
 
“I’m no longer 34 after you showed up in my life just so you know." 
 
“That’s why I check your weight at the end of every month. Don’t you dare say you’re fat because your mother told you so."
 
“No need to bring her up,” I mumble, starting to eat. He waits for me to finish. He doesn’t rush me. He just sits there, waiting for me to finish my food and savor every taste.
 
“How’s your cheek?” he asks after I finish my iced coffee. And he gently looks at my cheek.
 
“It still hurts a bit,” wincing slightly when he touches it. I see his jaw clench and his stormy eyes looking at it intently.
 
“I shouldn’t have let your father lay a hand on you,” he is kinda look scary now. 
 
“It’s alright. I deserved it anywa—”
 
“No, you don’t. I was about to pull out my gun and pull the trigger last night, but I stopped myself because of you. He’s still your father, even after he hurt you. However, I’m not pleased with the mark he left on you,” yeah, it shows. 
 
But is it weird if I say I like this side of him? Is it weird if I say I’d let them hurt me more, if it means I get to see the dark side of Syntho?
 
'Missy.' 
Shoot, yeah, sure, he can hear my thoughts. Damn, how did I forget? “Yeah?”
 
His eyes fix on me. “You know what happens if they hurt you more, right?” And his fingers slowly cup my chin, making me face him as he leans in closer to me. “I would burn this world down if anyone dares hurt you again, or even lay a hand on you, like Charlotte and your father did. I would make it look like a mistake,” he whispers that make me feel shivers right straight to my bones. 
 
I blink, literally blink twice, as his words slowly sink into my mind. Why the hell does it sound so hot coming from him? What the hell is wrong with me? I should be scared after hearing those words from him and after feeling those shivers but what's this feeling?
 
“Oh, darlin’, there’s nothing wrong with you, because the real you has been craving to be embraced by a morally grey man."
TWO WEEKS have passed since the restaurant incident, and I’ve been at Syntho’s place for two weeks. Surprisingly, his house isn’t far from MIPS. Although Kellan and Killian have been hounding me to go back home and told me to apologize to my parents. They said that I hurt them more than they hurt me. Was I wrong? Was I wrong to finally speak my mind to them for the first time in my life? Although I was wrong, because we were in a public place, but I couldn’t bear to hear any more hurtful words from my own mother. Of course, I was hurt when she called me fat and said there were no fat engineers. However they didn’t say anything when I was malnourished. I learned to cook my own food after Diana passed away. I learned to do my own laundry and take care of myself, because they were too focused on her death that they forgot they had another daughter.
 
“Homie, are you going to the reunion tomorrow?” Silas asks, looking at me, as he sits across from me at the table.
 
“I don’t know. I have something to do tomorrow, and the quarter finals are coming up,” I’m still managing to maintain my grades. Graduation is in two months.
 
“You’re so boring. You should go. It’s just us from our batch at MIPS,” duh I know but I don't like attending reunion. 
 
“Well, I’m busy tomorrow—”
 
“Come on, it’s Saturday. You can study on Sunday and the next few nights. Come on, go with me,” he is persistent and it annoys me. 
 
“I don’t want to go." 
 
“Homie, please,” clasping his hands in front of me, as if he’s praying.
 
“I’m busy, Silas,” I say, rolling my eyes. I know he won’t give up.
 
“Pretty please, Shanny,” looking at me with his puppy dog eyes so I glare at him. 
 
“My mind’s not going to change,” will he please stop giving me that 'puppy eyes'? It's pissing me off.
 
“You can bring Syntho with you. Just go, please!” ugh how annoying. 
 
“Nope. I won’t be there, and neither will Syntho."
 
“Shantal, my homie, please!” his voice is getting on my nerves. I wanna zip his mouth so bad right now. 
 
“It’s still no." 
 
“Soren, my man. Help me out here, will you?” Silas even dares to glance at Soren, who’s busy on his phone. Soren is always lock up with his phone during free time. 
 
“Don’t you dare indulge him—,” 
 
“You should attend. What’s wrong with attending a reunion… unless you’re avoiding someone,” Soren says, without looking up away from his phone. 
 
“I’m not avoiding someone, or whatever it is,” There’s no one I’m avoiding at the reunion tomorrow. I just never attend any of them, because I think it’s a waste of my time.
 
“Good. That settles it. Show up then,” Soren says finally looking at me with his typical stoic expression.
 
“I still won’t.”