Chapter 13
Liz:
Monday
First day of officially being Vince’s fiancé. Sigh. I think I’m starting to regret the day I said yes to him.
I skipped school today to spend time with my parents; they’ll be flying back to England tonight. And since their flight was in the evening, we’ve got the whole day for our bonding.
We spent the day at the hotel. We ate breakfast together in the morning; spent hours taking wacky pictures on my phone (yes, we love taking pictures); and helped Mom prepare lunch during the noon.
After lunch, Dad suggested a game. I don’t remember the exact name he called it. Here’s how it goes: he placed a small box about six feet away from our ‘line’, handed me a deck of playing cards and instructed’ “The one who shoots most playing cards to the hat over there wins the game.” And chuckled.
My jaw dropped after hearing that. I let out a slight laugh and reacted, “You’ve got to be kidding me Dad.”
He laughed so hard at my reply. “It’s called ‘challenge’.” Holding his own deck, he positioned himself on the line and looked intently on the hat, aiming to shoot.
Situations like this really make me laugh. I mean both Mom and Dad act like they weren’t professionals at all. Who would even think that an owner of one of the most powerful companies like Dad would ever come up with such games? Ha-ha. This is typically like us – no pretense, just having fun. No pretense huh.
Mom is busy working in the kitchen baking some brownies and cookies while Dad and I are still trying our very best to shoot at least one playing card on the hat.
The smell of the freshly baked cookies and brownies made Dad and I rush to the kitchen area.
My eyes widened at the sight of them; they just don’t look delicious, they’re utterly plenty!
“Uhm, Mom…” I started. “…you’re not trying to feed the whole city, are you?”
Mom laughed. “What are you saying?”
“Don’t tell me I have to eat all of them!? Mom…” I pleaded. “..I can’t.” Alright, I said that because Mom, when she gets overly joyful, bakes cookies and unfortunately, I have to eat them even I’m full.
“Don’t worry, honey.” She pulled a box and filled them with brownies and cookies. “Here, these are for your fiancé Vince.”
Oh, I almost forgot. I was so blissful the whole time that I forget that I am already engaged.
I smiled, sadly though, to Mom and nodded.
I am quietly eating my share of cookies when Dad broke the silence. “Oh, I think we need to get ready.”
Mom agreed.
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After minutes of car travel to the airport, we finally got there.
Honestly, I felt the urge to go with them. I miss home, I miss my library, my babies (by this I mean my stuff toys, I usually talk to them because aside from Mom and Dad and Sebastian, there’s no one I could talk to), and of course, I’m gonna miss my parents.
Dad must’ve noticed my silence that he put his arms around me and gave me a hug. “You’re going to miss daddy, aren’t you?” He smiled at me. “I’m going to miss you too.”
He hugged me again, this time he hugged me tighter. “Promise me you’ll always be happy. Always.”
I gently nodded. As I nod, I didn’t notice that a tear fell down from my eyes. He kissed me on my forehead.
Oh Dad, I love you and Mom. SO MUCH.
Mom tapped Dad on his back and exclaimed, “Hey! You are making her cry! I won’t forgive you.” And she smiled, first to Dad then to me.
They are always the same parents I have as a kid. They never changed. I smiled to myself.
“Oh…” Mom added “before I forget, Sebastian will stay here a little longer to take care of some possible investors for the company. Here’s his number, so you can call him up whenever you have problems.”
They gave me kisses and said good bye. Good thing Sebastian will stay. Sigh. I will miss you Mom, I will miss you Dad.
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I took a cab back to Coax’s Mansion where I was now staying.
As I was heading towards the door, I hear voices shouting inside the house. Who could that be? And why is there a need to shout?
I reached for the knob, quite hesitant to open it up. What if a thief went in and hostages everybody? Oh no.
I turned the knob, slowly opened the door and quietly stepped in. I froze to see Vince and his Grandma. Not because I saw them, but because I saw them that way.
“You are bringing nothing to this family but a bad reputation!” Grandma screamed angrily at Vince, throwing a brown envelope on him.
Vince shouted back, with a much louder voice, “Then you should’ve not kept me in the first place! Besides, I don’t even want to be in this family anyway!” he stomped his way up into his room. He obviously seems mad.
“Don’t you ever turn your back from me Vincent Coax! I’m not done with you!” Grandma continues as she watches Vince walk out.
And Vince, with his attitude, ignored her Grandma.
“Rupert!” Grandma calls for her driver. “Start the engine. I’m definitely not staying here tonight.” She turned to Maddie, one of the maids, “Hand me my bag Maddie.”
Grandma turned, and our eyes met. I slightly bowed my head to signify my greeting but she ignored. She walks towards the door, where I am standing, and walked past me.
She’s so cold. And scary.
Right after Grandma left the house; I approached Maddie, whose picking up the brown envelope on the floor.
“Uhm, what exactly happened?” I asked.
“Here.” She handed me the envelope.
I am surprised that I am not moved with what I saw when I opened the envelope. There were pictures and newspapers inside. I pulled the newspapers first. “Vincent Coax Womanizes Right After His Engagement” – that’s what most newspapers say in the headlines. And there are pictures of Vince and Elaine all over.
I raised an eyebrow. This isn’t that much of an issue, at least for me.
“Uhm, Miss Liz…” Maddie said, “It’s not that I’m meddling with you or something but, I think… I think Sir Vince needs you now.” She bowed and left.
I am having thoughts of whether or not I am opening his door or not. I reached for his knob.
No. There’s no way I’m doing this.
But he needs you.
O come on, he doesn’t.
He’s totally upset.
So?
He might kill himself.
I’m sure he won’t.
But he’s an idiot; a narrow-headed guy so he might as well consider suicide.
Oh my gosh, no.
I immediately opened the door of his room and went in.
He was standing alone at the porch. He was facing back so I can’t see his face. I felt relieved that I didn’t find him dead.
I take slow steps towards his place. “Real men don’t cry, especially jerks like you.” I said, trying to sound composed.
“I am not crying,” he replied. “ and I’m not a Jerk.” There’s a cold feeling in his voice.
I stood beside him and he looked at me. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I came to see you.” I said avoiding making contact with his eyes.
“Yeah right.” he replied, walking towards his bed. “Leave me alone.”
He sat to his bed. I followed him. “Sorry, but I don’t take orders from people, especially if it was from you.” I sat beside him, keeping distance of course.
He didn’t answer. Silence filled the room. After few minutes, he was the one who broke the silence.
“By the way, where have you been? You didn’t come to school today.” He asked without even looking at me.
“I spent the day with Mom and Dad. They’re on their way back to England.” I answered. To avoid the nerve-wracking noise of silence again, I told him everything I did with my parents -- the picture-taking thing and all the fun that we had the whole day. But he didn’t seem interested.
All he ever replied was, “Oh I see.”
“So…” I started again. “What happened to you and Grandma?”
He released a sigh. “Nothing. You won’t understand.”
I raised an eyebrow. “That’s an understatement. Then make me understand.”
“There’s no way you can Liz!” he raised his voice at me. “You have a perfect family, okay? You are so close to each other, you can laugh with each other and… sigh. Unlike mine.” The sadness in his voice and in his face moved my heart. I was burdened. Then he continued, “My family’s broken. Mom and Dad separate ways and had a family on their own. Where am I to go?” He sighed. “They are always busy, even Grandma. For years I’ve been celebrating my birthday with Dave and Elaine. I am always compared to their children, to how brilliant and smart Bryan is to how gifted and talented Erika is. Unlike me. I’m not smart, I’m not talented. I’m not like them.”
Tears are welling up in his eyes as he says all these things to me. And as I hatch those tears, I felt my eyes starting to water up with my own tears.
I lay down his bed with my head hanging on the edge of the bed.
He stumbled with my sudden action. “What are you doing?”
“Nothing.” I answered.
“Well, this is my bed.”
“I know.”
“Could you at least take your shoes off?”
My eyes widened. “Oh I’m sorry.” I immediately sat up and bend to take off my shoes.
While I’m taking my shoes off, he asked, “Seriously, what was that for?”
Slowly I sat up, still beside him, and looked away. “For tears not to fall down, turn your head upside down so it’ll go back to your eyes.” There was a brief silence. Then I continued, “You don’t have to be like them, or anybody else. You don’t have to be smart or talented or whatever it is that you are not. You are fine the way you are.”
Wait, did I just say that? I can feel my heart beat accelerating and it pounds stronger and stronger in his silence. I can feel him staring at me. What’s happening? I can’t move. I can feel my face heating up.
I have to get out of here. Oh! Right, the cookies! Give to him and then go.
“Before I forgot, uhm, here.” I handed him the box of brownies and cookies Mom baked earlier. “My Mom made it for you and Grandma. It cheers me up when I’m sad. It may work on you too.”
I stood up ready to leave when I felt his hand grab mine, stopping me from leaving.
After his long silence, he began to speak. “Can you…stay here, uhm… just a bit? With—with me?”
I turned to face him. He wasn’t looking at me instead; he is staring on the floor.
Sigh. “I guess I don’t have a choice.” I could’ve said no, but…I stayed.
I sat back beside him, but he moved himself closer to me. I froze, not knowing what to do. My heart is beating fast again and it beats faster when he rested his head on my shoulder. I really hope he can’t hear the loud pounding in my chest.
“Thanks Liz.” He said. “…for staying with me; for making me feel…better.” With this he placed his hand over mine which rests on my lap.
I looked at him. His eyes are closed. Why are you doing this? I’ve never had this close view of his face until now. My eyes examined his face as it goes down from his eyelids, down to his nose and to his perfectly curved lips.
I didn’t know he was hurting this much, I said to myself. Maybe he’s not that much of a jerk.
I didn’t notice I was staring to long at him when he spoke, “Why are you staring at me?” he opened his eyes and sat up.
I shifted my gaze from his face to the floor.
“What?” I laughed a little. “I’m not sta—“
“Yes you are.” He was serious. Oh my gosh.
“No.” I strongly defended. In my desperation, I added, “How could you know? Your eyes were closed.”
He chuckled. “And how did you know that I closed my eyes?”
My eyes widened. “Uhm…it’s just…it’s just a…”
“HA-HA!” he laughed. “You really are! Just admit it Liz. I can even feel the warmth of your breath in my face.”
He cupped my face with his hands and forcefully made me face him. “You find me cute don’t you?” he said, batting his eyelashes.
I was trying to get rid of his hands but failed. He’s strong. “No! Get your hands off my face!”
“Unless you say yes.” He laughs again and makes these cute facial expressions. “I am cute, am I? Tell me. You really find me cute.”
Oh no. Here he goes again. He won’t definitely stop. “No no NO!!!”
“Come on Liz.” He moved his face closer to mine. “I know you do.”
“Gross! Stay away from me Jerk!” I pulled him away and he fell. I immediately stood up and started walking towards the door to not give him any chance to trap me again. “I’m going to bed.”
“Liz.” He called out. I stopped in front of the door. “Thank you.”
I smiled to myself and, without turning to face him, I waved a hand.
I didn't know he can recover that fast.
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Vince:
After what happened last night, I became more comfortable with her.
Everything seems to be normal in school. I went from class to class with Dave as usual, but now, with Liz too. But I am never a seatmate to her.
Lunch time came and it went the way it always used to be – except for the fact that Liz was with us instead of Elaine.
I couldn’t describe the way Dave and Liz argue even over the least thing. It wasn’t any serious fight though. Kid’s fight, petty quarrels. They look cute especially when Liz bites her lips in annoyance of Dave and how she blows a strand off her face. She looks adorable. And every time they fight, I couldn’t help but laugh to myself.
Across our table, I caught a glimpse of Elaine looking at us. I realized that she has been avoiding us, or me, since yesterday. But why? Is it because of Liz?
I spent the rest of the school hours thinking over Elaine’s cold behavior lately. Is she okay?
The bell rang, class is over. I asked Dave to take Liz into my car and wait for me there. I excused myself saying that I’m going to the rest room. But I wasn’t really going there.
Just as Dave left with Liz, I hurried myself to find Elaine. I needed to talk to her; I have to make sure she’s fine. I was running around the school grounds when I saw her walking her way out the school premises.
I am a fast runner, so I approached her before she could leave. I grabbed her by the hand.
“Vince?” she said.
I was catching my breath. “Elaine, are you—“ Before I could finish talking, a huge wave of reporters and people from the press surrounded us and bombarded us with questions.
What’s the real score between you and Mr. Coax?
Is there something going on between the two of you?
How will you explain the pictures of you in her apartment?
These are some of the questions they’re asking. I am trying to push them away but there’s too any of them.
Some of our sources say that you two are dating even before you got engaged with Miss Van Hossen, is that true?
“I’m sorry, I can’t answer your questions.” I say, trying to find a way out.
Please Mr. Coax, we only want the truth,
I was getting irritated when a voice shouted that silenced them all.
QUIET!!!! Said the voice.
The crowd of reporters split in two and I saw Liz standing. She walked towards me and faced the reporters.
She looks really annoyed, I can tell. She started talking, in a loud voice. “You don’t want the truth, you like stories. You should be ashamed of yourselves tearing down a person in public with your ‘stories’ (note the sarcasm).” They were all silent, even I. “You want the truth? Then here’s the truth: This man, “she pointed to me. “Is my fiancé. And this ring proves it.” She showed them our engagement ring. Pointing at Elaine she continued, “And this girl is my fiancée’s friend, since they were kids. And the date between the two of them is nothing, nothing but a ‘friendly’ date. You understand?”
I thought she was over, but I’m wrong. She grabbed my shirt and pulled me to her. “And I want you to clearly know that this man is…” She pulled me closer to her, leaned her face and…kissed me.
My eyes widened in surprise and my body froze for a bit but relaxed as she kisses me. She pulled away gently, looked at me in the eyes, wrapped an arm around my waist, and rested her head in my chest and continued, “This man is mine. Understand?” She smiled at me. “Now please, if you would excuse us. We have to go home.”
We walked past the crowd. My mind still processing what happened. I didn’t even realize that we left Elaine standing there.
On our ride home, Liz and I sat beside each other at the car, I let Dave drive. I was silent. I can’t believe what happened.
Dave must’ve noticed my silence. “Dude, are you okay?” he asked me.
Right after asking that, I began whining.
“Dude? Hey what’s wrong with you?”
Every time Dave ask me the same question, my whining became louder and louder. That maybe made Liz infuriated.
She yelled at me. “WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR PROBLEM?!”
I sobbed. “It’s your fault silly.”
“And why is it my fault?”
I frowned. Instead of answering I touched my lips and whined again.
“That’s just a kiss Vince!” She exclaimed.
Dave was shocked, “You—you kissed him?”
I whined even louder. “That was my first kiss! You’re so…mean. Waaaaaaaahhh!!!!”
“Stop acting like a baby! That wasn’t even a real kiss!” She scratched her head. “There’s no love in it, okay? So it doesn’t count. Now shut up.”
No love in it? That’s not a real kiss? I began to smile and jumped in my seat. “Really? Really Liz?”
She simply nodded. I sighed in relief.
“That was…my first kiss either.” She said quietly.