For the first time since she she was working here, Nica stepped into Old Evan’s small apartment. The store had closed, and the man had invited her in for dinner.
She had tried to refuse, but this man was a definition of stubbornness.
She met a man setting the table, his home was very neat, one won’t think it was an old man who lives here.
“Take a seat, girl.. I’ll get the water.”
“Let me help you,” Nica offered.
“Take your seat.” he waved his hand, and she sighed, obeying.
As they settled down, the man served her enough vegetables.
“Thank you, sir.” Nica bowed a little.
“Hm.. apart from that punk Vincent, you’re the second person that managed to make me smile,” he said, and Nica expression changed a little at the mention of Vincent.
“You live alone,” Nica muttered, expecting to see someone live with him at least.
“I had a wife who died a few years ago. We had no children. My relatives are far from here, so I live alone.”
Nica lips parted in surprise. “I… I’m..”
“Don’t apologize. I didn’t tell you so you could have pity on me,” he cut in as he began to eat.
Nica cleared her cleared her throat and had a bite of the meal.
“Hmm.. this tastes really good. You’re so good, Uncle.. were you a chef?” She asked, having another bite.
“Hm.. I cooked a lot for my Lola. I enjoy seeing her smile whenever she tastes my meal.” Old Evan eyes lit up a little at the me time of his wife’s name.
“She must be a great woman,” Nica said with a smile. She hadn’t smiled for a long time.
“Hm… and sweet, too.” Old Evan added. “What about your parents?”
Nica’s smile disappeared. “I came from the orphanage. My adopted parents are not good people… they adopted me after they were told they had a slim chance of giving birth.. but they did after three years of adopting me…” The man stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue. “My adopted father constantly sexually abused me. My adopted mother stayed united about it… and their son turned out to be a physco.”
“I heard from Vincent.. he told me everything,” Old Evan said. “Sorry about the rough past, Nica. The good thing is, it molds you into what you are now,”
What she was now?.. she was just a pregnant woman not knowing how to tell its father.
As if reading her thought, Old Evan asked. “You haven’t told me who got you pregnant,”
Nica fought the urge to tell him, and she lowered her gaze.
“Y.. you’ll get to know him soon.”
Old Evan nodded and continued eating. Nica also joined him.
Valerie slings her backpack over her shoulder, heading to the store to get some drinks for herself and the crew. She stays with them temporarily.
After that, she headed out and approached her bike. However, her eyes met with a familiar figure standing beside it.
“R… Rhea?” She stuttered, wondering how she got to find her. “How did you…”
Rhea crosed her arms, cutting her off. “Thane.. Thane helped me find you. What are you going to do now… run off?”
She sounded upset, and Valerie knew that. But she was trying to avoid any complicating things in between them.
“Look, I was.. just busy, okay?”
“Busy to ignore me for weeks. Yet you speak to Morticia? What did I do wrong, Valerie? Just tell me. I thought we were friends… all of a sudden, you started acting like I irritated you. Like you hate me.”
“I don’t hate you, Rhea.” Valerie cut in and sighed. “I just… I just…”
“You just what?!” Rhea snapped.
Valerie didn’t know she would get this upset. Seeing this made her heart ache, and all she wanted to do was to pull her close for a hug, but instead, she tucked both of her arms in.
“I just thought it’ll be okay.. if we stay apart from each other,” she mumbled, and Rhea scoffed.
Valerie bit her tongue hard, not caring if she’ll bleed or not. It’s better this way than to see Rhea hate her for what she might do if she stays close.
Rhea let out a soft laugh, an upset one.
“You still don’t want friends, huh? You prefer to be on your own bottling up your feelings all the time, right?” Rhea asked, and she stayed quiet. “You don’t want friends,”
“I don’t want to be friends with you,” Valerie cut in. I want to be something more, and I hate it.. her subconscious added.
Rhea nodded, hurt flashing in her gaze.
“You know what.. fine. Go screw yourself, Valerie,” she said.
Valerie’s fist clenched as Rhea walked past her. After a long while, she swept her hair backward.
“This is crazy,” she mumbled. Looking back, she saw no trace of Rhea.
“Tranquila here,” Jace said excitedly as Valerie stepped into the apartment.
She dropped the bag of drinks without a word, pulled off her jacket, and went straight to the small gym at the back.
“Who upset her this time around. She normally goes to the gym whenever she is angry,” Jace muttered, and the other guys shrugged.