Red String of Fate

Chapter 10: Almost Mellow

"Get a grip, Alexa. You're nothing but a one-night stand to him. Laro lang to lahat sa kanya. Get that fact inside your head and get over it!" She ordered herself before she groaned and closed her eyes as Alexander's smile crawled inside her mind and stayed there. Sighing, she opened her eyes and pulled a face towel from one of the racks. She was patting her face dry when she heard a soft knock. Hurriedly, she stepped out of the bathroom and opened the door. A young man in black and red uniform and a matching cap looked up and smiled at her.

"Atty. Alexa Carbonel?" He asked.

"Hindi pa ako abogado but yes, I'm Alexa Carbonel." She answered.

"Mam, may delivery po para sa inyo." The young man said and Alexa nearly arched her brow. Delivery para sa akin? Galing kanino? She thought as he handed her a single white, long-stemmed rose, a paper bag and a gift-wrapped box. "Mam, paki-sign na lang po dito." He said. She wanted to ask paanong naka-akyat sya sa opisina nya when in fact, ang deliveries hanggang baba lang but she saw the embroidered logo on his polo and realized that he's working for their courier service. "Salamat po, Mam." He uttered smiling before he left.

"Kanino kaya galing to? Kay Lee Ann?" She mumbled to herself. Sweet si Lee Ann at ang hilig ng batang mag-iwan ng cute notes sa kung saan-saan. She opened the paper bag and looked in confusion at the Japanese bento box. She opened its plastic cover and her mouth watered instantly. Pero ayaw nyang kaninin hangga't di nya lam kung kanino galing. She put the lid back and stared at the gift-wrapped package. She tore the gift-wrapping and arched her brow at the brown box. "At ano naman to?" She asked herself before she decided to cut the suspense and took a pair of scissors from her drawer to cut the box open. She looked inside the box. "A frame?" She said as she curiously pulled the frame out. Her jaw dropped and she stared at the framed photo in disbelief before she laughed aloud. "Ang lakas talaga ng saltik mo, Sandoval!" She announced laughing as she stared at Alexander's smiling photo. "My goodness, baliw talaga tong lalaking to!" She shook the box, and a note with her name on it, fell off. She couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she opened the note.

Alexa my love,

Here's something to see you through while I'm away. I made sure that the frame's sturdy so you can hug it to your chest all you want. I'll return your hugs as soon as I get back. Don't miss me too much, love.

The man of your dreams,

Alexander

She couldn't stop smiling. May sense of humor ang loko. She thought as she stared at his framed picture again. "Hay naku, Sandoval nakaka-praning ka talaga." She said grinning. Her phone rang and she let it ring five more times before she answered the call. "Hello." She said.

"Hi, love." Alexander said over the phone. "Did you like my surprise?" He asked. He immediately called when he received a text confirmation that Alexa has already received the packages. He was eager to know her reaction.

"You know what, Sandoval you're really demented." She said but he could detect a trace of laughter in her voice and he couldn't help but smile.

"Love naman, kung anu-ano na lang tawag mo sa akin."

"Wag mo nga akong tawaging love."

"Alright. Lust naman, kung anu-ano na alng tawag mo sa akin." Alexander said and Alexa burst out laughing.

"You're impossible!"

"But you like me."

"Whatever. Fine, salamat sa food and everything else. I have to go. Bye." She said.

"Bakit ang bilis? Teka lang, 2 minutes na lang."

"Alexander, di ba nasa business conference ka, bakit parang di ka busy?"

"I'm actually busy." Alexander replied.

"Busy doing what?"

"Taking my clothes off." He replied.

"Err... and you're telling me this because?"

"Because I want you to know that I feel hot just talking to you." Alexander answered and Alexa snorted.

"Aren't you too young to be eccentric?" She said.

"Biro lang, love I'm about to take a shower." He retorted smiling.

"O sige na, bye because I'm super busy." Alexa said.

"Hintayin mo ako, love okay? My hot body will be there with you soon." He joked and Alexa didn't reply. "Love?" He asked and looked at his phone. Alexa has already disconnected the call. He stared at his phone for a long time before he laughed. "Damn you, Alexa." He said. "And damn me more for liking you."