Chapter 40
Auntie Monica walked us to my room.
That's right. My room. Not ours. Axel is the one sharing it, not me.
"Here we are," my aunt said with a sweet smile.
"Thank you, Auntie Monica." Axel beamed.
"Oh, no worries, Axel. You're like family to us now."
"You've known him not even twenty-four hours," I said under my breath.
"Ay, Lauren. How could you speak so ill?"
"I'm just stating some facts here, Auntie."
"It's okay," Axel smiled.
"See," she softened. "You're lucky he forgives easily. He's like an angel."
I scoffed, "Angel?"
Her brows came together as she looked at me furiously.
I may look like a brat right now, but I don't care. I ignored her.
I know I'm not acting very rational but I can't help it. And it's not like there's some ancient rule that you cannot be petty sometimes.
"Take the bed, Axel. Let Lauren sleep on the floor." She turned her back from me and opened the door to her room.
"What?" I protested. "You can't honestly let me sleep on the floor. I'm your niece, he's a stranger."
"That's right, Lauren. Families have to be hospitable to guests." She shut her door and it almost hit my face.
I looked at Axel and I felt my right eye twitch.
"It's not my fault," he said as I walked closer to him.
"Yeah, right, cause nothing's ever your fault." I nodded and entered the key to the room.
Our bags were placed in front of a queen-sized bed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" he said as the door closed behind him.
"Do you really have to ask?"
He smiled bitterly, "I just don't understand why you're mad. I didn't do anything."
My mouth opened in shock. "Oh my God, do you hear yourself?"
"Hey, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here."
"Excuse me?"
"You think you'd be here if I didn't fly you out?"
My teeth grind against each other.
I turned to face him. "Why did you fly me out anyway? We still haven't had that conversation."
He exhaled, "It's a long story, let's talk about it tomorrow?"
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. I'm beat."
I was debating in my head if I should demand an explanation now or continue tomorrow, but he's right, I'm also tired. If I add more drama, my body may not physically handle it anymore.
I nodded, "Alright. But you owe me an explanation."
He nodded then sat on the bed.
"Wait..." I cleared my throat, "Wait a minute. Why are you on the bed?"
"Because I'm about to sleep?"
"Aha, no siree. On the floor. Now."
"Why?"
"There's no way I'm sleeping on the floor."
"So? You can sleep with me."
"Um, what?"
He smirked, "I meant, you can sleep on the bed with me. Beside me. Nothing else. I swear! Or... we could do that too. It's on you."
My eyes turned into slits, "You're really something, you know that?"
"Oh, I know."
"Oh, I didn't mean in a good way."
He just shrugged. Unrelenting.
Unbelievable.
"I'll take my chances with the floor."
He shrugged again. "Your call. But don't say chivalry is dead, I offered."
"Chivalry has a lot of aspects without regard to being a gentleman. You can be chivalrous without being nice to women. Look it up."
"Whatever, smarty pants." He said as he slumped on the bed.
I took the pillow from his head.
"Ow."
"I need beddings."
"Are you sure you'll really sleep on the floor?"
"Affirmative."
"It's hard."
"Well, then why don't you sleep on it?"
"Because it's hard? Oh, come on, you can sleep on the bed."
My brows raised, "I'll sleep on the bed?"
"Well, yeah, if you want to."
"Of course, I want to!" I hogged the bed, kicking him out of the way, "Move."
"Hey!" He fell ass-first on the floor.
"Good night, James."
"I meant you can share."
"You said I can sleep on the bed."
"Yeah! With me!"
I chuckled, "No. There's no way we're sharing a bed."
"But Auntie Monica said I can take it."
"Yeah, and I say you don't. So here's your pillow," I threw a pillow at him. "And here..." I struggled to get the well-tucked duvet out without leaving the bed. "is your bed." I threw it next to him. "Put it on the floor."
He gathered everything and stood to put it in place properly.
"So bossy in the bedroom."
"Hey!"
He chuckled, "Lighten up, Grant. I was just kidding."
The next morning, Auntie Monica's knocks startled me awake.
"Lauren? Yoohoo! Are you awake?"
"Shit," I cursed under my breath.
Axel groaned below, not wanting to be disturbed.
"Axel? Axel! Wake up!" I hissed.
"What?" He said sleepily, not opening his eyes.
"Come up the bed!"
His eyes fluttered open. "Did I hear that right?"
"Yes! Come up the bed."
"Is this a trap?" he asked groggily.
"No, just come."
"I can't do that on command."
"Jesus Christ, it's early in the morning." I grabbed his arm in a sorry attempt to pull him up.
"Ooh. Like it rough, huh?" he said as he plopped down next to me.
"Spare me." I stood from the bed.
"Hey, where are you going?"
"Just sleep. Or at least pretend to. You're good at that."
"Ouch." He said but pretended to sleep anyway.
I exhaled a breath before opening the door.
"Hey, Auntie," I fake yawn.
"Oh, did I wake you up, honey? I'm so sorry."
"Please, it's okay. What is it?"
"Is Axel awake?"
I shook my head, "Still asleep." I opened the door further to let her see him sleeping on the bed. Her eyes glanced at the floor with the beddings.
"Anyway," I closed the door behind me and walked towards her. "What did you want to say?"
"Oh," she said, forlorn. "I felt bad about how I left things with you last night. I shouldn't have reacted that way."
"Oh, no, it's okay, Auntie."
"No," she said firmly. "It's not okay. I haven't seen you in ten years and I left the night with a lecture. I'm the worst aunt."
"No, please, don't say that." I hugged her.
She waved her hand as he got out of the hug, "Let's not be emotional about this, okay?"
I smiled at her, "Okay."
"I forgot to give you something last night. Wait a second." She went inside her room and not a few seconds later came out with white fabric in her hand.
"Here," she handed it to me.
I unraveled it to find a white sundress.
"That was your Mom's. I figured you should have it."
It's an A-line dress that zips up the back, made of cotton lace and ruffle straps.
"It's lovely. Thanks, Auntie."
"I've already washed it so you can wear it later when we go out."
"Where are we going?" I asked as I folded the dress.
"To the groceries. You have to buy pasalubong for your family and friends."
"Oh, that's right. Uh, okay."
"Fantastic. Let's go grab breakfast?"
"Now?"
"Yes. What better time to eat breakfast than in the morning?"
I laughed. "You got a point there."
"Of course, I always do. So? You coming?"
"Yeah, you go first. I'll just take a shower then I'll meet you there, 'kay?"
"Okay, honey. Be quick. And wake up Axel to eat breakfast."
"Alright," I replied and kissed her cheek.
I watched her leave before entering the room again.
"Breakfast?" Axel rubbed his eyes as he sat on the bed, sporting the craziest bed head.
"Yeah," I nodded. "I'll have to go shower first because we'll go off the island after breakfast; buy some stuff. You could go ahead if you want to." I beelined to my luggage to get my toiletries.
"That sounds fun."
"Yeah," I said dismissively.
"Maybe I could come with?"
I looked his way and found his expectant expression. I can't help but laugh, "There's no way."
"Why not?"
"Well, do you want people to find out where you are?"
"Right," he nodded. "Well, I guess I'll have to stay here."
I shook my head, "You guess..."
I hit the showers and decided to wear the white sundress Auntie Monica gave me.
Problem is, the zipper got stuck.
I exhaled one more time and tried to close it again.
I groaned in frustration. Fuck. This is beginning to wear me out.
"Grant, you okay?"
"Yeah, just one second."
I tried to zip it up again but it still wouldn't budge. I reach for the two flaps to see if they could meet each other. And in fact, they do. It fits well. It's just the zipper that's giving me a hard time.
"Are you sure you're okay?" his voice sounded more alarmed than before.
I exhaled, defeated. "Yeah, I'm just having a hard time with the zipper."
"Are you dressed?"
"Uh... yeah?"
"Okay, I'm going in."
"What? No-" before I could finish my protest, he's inside the bathroom.
"Need any help?"
"No, I got this." I moved away from him and tried zipping up again.
"Come on, let me help."
"No, seriously, I can do this. I could just change."
"Don't," he shook his head. "You look lovely in the dress."
I was stunned for a second.
"Here, let me help."
He walked behind me and I watched in the mirror as he gathered all my hair and twisted it carefully to the side.
He zipped it up effortlessly.
"There," he said as he patted where the zipper ended lightly.
I moved my hair back.
"Thanks. Um, take the shower. I'll, uh, meet you at the breakfast table."
"Okay," he nodded with a smile and I left him inside the bathroom.
* * *
Axel was insistent on coming with us to the grocery store after breakfast when Auntie Monica said that people don't really care much for celebrities here.
"Oh, don't worry about the people. They are very discreet when it comes to celebrities. You know, people of Olongapo like to play it cool, like they don't care, but in reality, they are screaming on the inside."
Yeah, just like how they were screaming on the inside yesterday.
And now we are walking down the aisles of a warehouse-style grocery store with Axel as my tail and always looking down.
He's earned a few glances here and there like people are trying to make out where they saw him before. And others straight up recognized him but kept their mouths shut.
I saw some salespeople at the end of the aisle, all clustered, taking glances at us, and whispering like bees.
I picked some pancit canton from the shelf, "See, I told you to stay."
"But your Aunt is right. They aren't doing anything."
I scoffed, "Just you wait."
And right on cue, a guy in his late thirties walked up to us.
"Hi, you're Axel James, right?"
"Hey, uh, yeah."
"I'm so sorry to disturb you, Mr. James, but I'm a big fan."
"Oh, well, thank you." He shook the guy's hand.
"I hope this isn't too much of an ask but can we take a picture?"
He smiled, "Sure thing. But can you keep it on the down-low though?"
"Sure, sure."
"Just don't post it anywhere, at least until Wednesday next week? I don't want people to follow me."
"Of course, I understand."
They took a picture quickly.
"Thank you so much, Mr. James. I'll leave you be. Enjoy your stay and safe travels."
"Yeah, thank you. You too." He replied and the man walked away.
"Wow."
"Yeah, he's so respectful," he said as if he can't believe his eyes.
"I know." I nodded in a daze. "Okay, let's be quick before others recognize you and end up in mayhem."
"Alright." He agreed and we worked double time.
* * *
The sun was setting when we got back to the island.
After getting groceries, Auntie Monica gave us a tour. We went to see the dolphin show – the same one Charlie took me to when were kids. Then we went to the zoo and fed tigers.
They've put cooked chicken on top of the vehicle we were in and drove through where the tigers were. My heart felt like jumping out of its cage when a tiger jumped on top of the car and ate the chicken.
"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you." Charlie sang with a cake in her hand as she walked towards us.
Whose birthday is it?
"Happy Birthday, Dear Axel."
What? My head jerked his way. He was smiling like crazy.
"Happy Birthday to you."
He was about to blow the candle but Auntie Monica stopped him. "Make a wish first."
"Alright. I wish Lauren would have dinner with me tonight." He blew the candle swiftly.
"You aren't supposed to say the wish out loud, but okay," Charlie nodded. "Happy Birthday, Axel!" she gave him the cake.
"Thanks so much, Charlie. How did you know?"
"Google, duh. The real question is, why didn't you tell us?"
"I don't think there's a nice way to say it's your birthday without sounding needy."
Charlie frowned, "True." She turned to me, "Oh, how about that wish, Lauren? Will you make it true?"
"Ay, she has to," Auntie Monica said.
"But-"
"Oh, come on, it's the boy's birthday. Are you going to deprive him of his wish?"
Great. I'm stuck in the corner again.
He smiled sweetly, expecting my answer.
"Okay," I exhaled.
"Yes!" he said victoriously.
I smiled tightly, raising my brows in the process.
Damn, this boy really has his way to get what he wants, huh?
--------------------------------------------------------------------
GLOSSARY:
Pancit Canton – Instant chow mein noodles