“You sure are a badass, you know that, right?” Aiden smiled as he walked slowly beside Tiffany.
“Really?” Tiffany chuckled then glanced at Zoey who was still clinging to her.
“Swears, it was mad crazy,” Zoey shook her head.
“Did you perhaps learn how to fight?” Aiden asked, what Declan had said earlier slightly bothering him.
“N… No,” Tiffany hesitated before she answered.
Won’t they find her weird?
She knew herself that she was weird, but she wouldn’t want the two people she was growing close to see her as one.
Huh, well, it’s inevitable.
”No?” Aiden and Zoey chorused.
“I… I just… I… ”
“It’s fine. You don’t need to explain yourself, okay? Don’t force it,” Aiden smiled and Tiffany gulped hard.
“Oooh…” Zoey placed her hand on her chest, pretended to be shocked by what Aiden said.
“Come to think of it, Aiden. I always knew you were different from the other guys, but this… Wait, do you like Tiffany?” Zoey winked at him and he choked on nothing making Zoey laugh.
“Stop it,” Tiffany scolded through gritted teeth.
“Well, you wouldn’t blame a girl for being curious. Right, Aiden?” Zoey smiled as they stepped out of the school compound and Aiden coughed.
“Is that not your driver?” Tiffany pointed at the middle-aged man standing beside a back Lexus car.
“It’s him. I’ve told him to stop coming to pick me, it’s not like I’m still a kid,” Zoey pouted as she waved at the man.
“You still are. Bye, little one,” Tiffany teased.
“Excuse me,” Zoey hissed.
”Bye!”
“I see you can’t wait to be alone with Aiden. It’s fine, I understand. Bye! I’ll give you a call, don’t forget we’re hanging out on Sunday, okay?!” Zoey shouted, walking away from her.
“Whatever, just go!” Tiffany waved her hands at her then smiled as she watched her enter the car and as the car drove off.
“Where are you going?” Aiden asked Tiffany who had started walking.
“Home,” she answered curtly.
“I’ll drop you off,” he smiled.
“No, thanks.”
“Don’t give me a hard time today, please. Let me give you a ride,” Aiden blinked his eyes.
“Are you planning on giving me a piggy ride? Your bike is nowhere around here,” Tiffany looked around.
“Oh, I parked it at that door. I’ll go get it,” he pointed at the store opposite where they were and he hurriedly crossed the road.
Tiffany watched him get on the bike, started it then began to ride it towards her, she stepped back as the bike stopped in front of her and looked at Aiden who was still smiling.
“Hop in,” Aiden said.
“Actually… I’m not going home. I’m going to the sandwich bar along district F. I… I work as a salesgirl there,” she bit her lower lips.
“The more I see you, the more I want to know more about you. Come on, I’ll take you to wherever you’re going,” Aiden flashed her a smile and Tiffany nodded her head then got on the bike cautiously.
Aiden handed over the helmet to her and after he was sure that she had worn it, he stepped on the gas.
15 minutes later…
The ride to where Tiffany was going was very silent and the only thing they talked about was Aiden asking Tiffany if she was okay with the speed at which he was riding which she said she was okay and had no problem with it.
“Thank you,” Tiffany whispered as she removed the helmet from her head.
“It is my pleasure,” Aiden smiled, collected the helmet from her, got down from the bike, and then looked at the sandwich bar.
”So, you work here?” He glanced at her.
“Yes.”
“How then do you cope with it and coming to school. It must be tough. When do you close?” Aiden asked.
“I’m used to it already, so it is not tough at all. I close by nine,” she answered with a slight smile.
” Nine? That is… Huh. Are you okay?” Aiden bore his eyes into hers.
Tiffany smiled then nods her head. It felt so good hearing someone asked if she was okay.
She had no one to ask her that. No one.
”I’m fine,” she held her bag more tightly and Aiden nodded his head.
”I’ll get going, the earlier I begin work, the more my paycheck at the end of the day,” she smiled.
“I understand,” he smiled back and watched her turn to leave.
“Wait!” he hurried towards her and grabbed her wrist.
“Wait…” he said nervously and watched the lady crease her brow.
“What is wrong?” Tiffany queried then glanced at her hand which was held tightly by Aiden.
“Actually… Declan looked into you and the things he said about you got me worried,” Aiden let go of her hand then scratched his forehead.
“What is that?” She frowned.
“He said things about you not having parents and…” he stopped talking as he noticed the change in her facial expression.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to annoy you…” he pressed his lips together.
“It’s okay. I’ll get going now. Thanks for the ride,” Tiffany spared him an unreadable glance then turned to enter inside.
“Idîot!” Aiden hit his head then bit his lower lips.
“That look…” He hissed.
“I should have asked for her number, stupid me saying things Declan said to me which might have annoyed her,” he hissed again.
After a while of lamenting and staring at the bar, he walked towards his bike, got on it, then drove away.
~
“Who is that guy? Is he your boyfriend?” Amelia, Tiffany’s boss asked Tiffany as the latter entered the counter and wore the apron around her neck.
“Come on, answer me,” Amelia placed her hands on the table beside her.
“Why are you prying?” Tiffany frowned then turn to look at her boss.
“You should not blame me for prying. I’ve never seen you with anybody before, so seeing you with a guy is kinda… He even held your hand!” Amelia widened her eyes.
“You were watching me instead of serving your customers?” Tiffany creased her bow.
“Two cups of Caramel macchiato, please!” a man stopped in front of her.
“Okay, just a minute,” Tiffany answered then turned to take the order of the customer.
“So, is he your boyfriend?” Amelia dashed after her.
”One serving of Nutella sandwich and egg sandwich, please,” another voice came up and Tiffany heaved a sigh of relief.
She knew the kind of boss she had, she was never gonna let her customers standing just to gossip.
“So…”
” Are you not going to leave now? I’m here already and I’ll do a better job, bye!” Tiffany interrupted her before she continue with her again.
”That was what I was going to say,” Amelia rolled her eyes.
“Okay.”
It’s not like she doesn’t wonder where her boss always goes all the time, but it’s not like she cared also.
“I’ll see you tonight,” Amelia smiled at her then walked out of the counter.
“Hi,” a high school girl stopped in front of her.
“Welcome,” she answered.
“You answered me today. The next thing you’ve always said after ‘my hi’ is, what do you want,” the lady flashed her a smile.
Tiffany knew the girl, she was an everyday customer.
“The usual, right?” Tiffany said instead and the girl chuckled.
“Yes. One Iced-Americano and roast beef sandwich,” she smiled.
“Okay,” Tiffany answered then proceeded to take her orders.
==
Wesley~
Martha sat beside her husband, Theodore who was always spacing out, eating the freshly baked cake she had just baked and sipping her favorite wine from a glass cup.
As she stared at her husband, she couldn’t help but feel reckless just as she had always been anytime she looked at him.
Why wouldn’t she be?
It only brought back memories of what she did and what she heard.
Thinking her husband was also in the mountain of Sabalem seventeen years ago as Nova whom she had sent there intentionally hoping that she would never return.
When things were still normal and in its place, Martha had always believed her husband cherished the pregnant housemaid, Nova.
He bought her fruits whenever he’s returning home from work every day and helped her ease her craving as a pregnant woman.
She couldn’t help but think that her husband was the father of the unborn baby in Nova’s belly since her husband had brought her home saying he wanted her to be a house help.
Even though she had refused, her husband didn’t listen to her.
It was until Nova’s belly began to bulge that she realized she was pregnant and thought that her husband was the father.
On the day her son, Aiden was going to celebrate his one-year birthday, Theodore said he was going to hang out with Lucas then promised to return before the party began.
Then she thought it was a perfect time to send Nova out of the house and then she told her to go to the Sabalem mountain to get peaches and must not return if she doesn’t get them because her son was craving for it.
Huh, to think that her husband had also gone to the same mountain which was considered forbidden, and then returned brain dead is…
“Actually, the demon Theodore had released… I saw it enter a baby in the mountain. I couldn’t get a good look at the mother who was lying on the floor beside the baby. But watching from afar, something was amiss with the mother, she had turned black. I don’t know if it was my eyes but… That is what I saw.”
Lucas had narrated to Martha when they returned home that day.
Whenever she tries to fill the puzzle, Martha couldn’t help but think that the baby the demon had entered was Nova’s baby.
But thinking about it again, Nova wasn’t due for birth.
Oh, God.
“Mum!” Aiden collected the glass of wine she was holding which made his mother snap her thoughts.
“What have you been thinking?” He frowned his face and gulped down the wine down his throat.
“Aiden, it is alcoholic!” Martha hissed.
“I am eighteen for goodness sake, I’ll be nineteen in two months. Don’t think of treating me like a kid,” he eyed her then sat on the arm of the chair that was between his mother and father.
“It is in two months?”
“How would you even know? You’ve always been busy anyway,” he leaned forward, grabbed the fork, and stabbed a piece of cake in the tray.
“I’m sorry, son,” Martha apologized.
“Wait, the president of Wuhan Yuan partnered with you? How is that even possible? I heard it is very hard to meet him,” Aiden mumbled amidst mouthful.
“You know the kind of mother you have. I get everything I want,” Martha raised her chin in pride.
“Yeah, of course,” Aiden nodded his head sarcastically.
“How is Declan?”
“Call him and ask him yourself, don’t call his name in front of me,” Aiden hissed and stood up.
“Did you guys fight?” Martha frowned.
“Whatever,” Aiden began to walk away.
“Son.”
“What?” Aiden stopped walking and turned to look at his mum.
“When will you move back home? Are you not bored of living on your own?” She worried.
”No, in fact, it is very okay living alone,” Aiden answered then began to ascend the stairs.
“This boy…” Martha shook her head.
==
9 PM.
Aiden waited till it was nine on the dot before he stood from the corner he was sitting and opened the door of the Sandwich bar and entered.
“We have closed for… Aiden?” Tiffany creased her brow as she dropped the towel she was using to clean the table.
“Hi,” he smiled.
“What are you doing here?” She frowned.
“I… I was passing by and decided to come to check on you,” Aiden lied as he scratched his forehead.
“You didn’t have to. You can leave, I’m fine as you can see,” she said then grabbed the towel she had dropped.
“I… let me help you with cleaning,” Aiden offered.
“Thanks but no thanks. Can you just leave?” Tiffany frowned hard.
“I don’t want to. I’ll wait for you till you are done,” he smiled.
“That is not necessary, Aiden!” Tiffany snapped.
“But…”
The door opened which interrupted him.
“Are you done, Tiffany?” Amelia asked as she entered.
“Yes, I’m rounding up with cleaning,” she answered and resumed cleaning, sparing Aiden one cold glace.
“Hi, handsome boy!” Amelia smiled at Aiden.
“Hi, ma’am,” he bowed slightly.
“Were you the one who dropped her earlier today?” Amelia asked, obviously interested in what was going on between the two.
”Ah, yes,” he answered.
“Are you her boyfriend?” Aiden choked on nothing as he heard the question.
“Ma’am!” Tiffany glared at her.
“Sorry. If you are done, come see me then we go home,” Amelia smiled then walked away.
“You better don’t let me meet you here when I return,” Tiffany eyed him then walked away.
Aiden smiled and then walked out of the shop.
~~
After a few minutes had passed, Tiffany walked out of the shop and Aiden stood from where he was sitting.
“I thought you were not going to come out,” he flashed her a smile.
“What are you doing here. I thought I told you…”
“You said I should leave there not leave entirely,” Aiden interrupted her.
”I meant that… Arrgh!” She hissed and Aiden laughed.
“I didn’t bring my bike. I’ll just escort you home, okay?” Aiden smiled at her.
“You can’t!”
“I know, I won’t follow you home, I’ll just escort you. Okay?” he said amidst laughter.
“It’s late and dangerous for a lady to be roaming by this time of the night,” Aiden added when she didn’t say anything.
”Nothing scares me, okay?” Tiffany gritted her teeth.
” I know you are a strong lady but can you just pretend to be fragile for once?” Aiden bore his eyes into her.
“I…”
“Let’s go,” Aiden grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him.
“Don’t protest, just let me walk you home like this,” Aiden looked at her and smiled.
“Fûck, my heart,” Tiffany hissed inwardly as she felt her heart beating rapidly.
*
TBC…