~~~ CHAPTER 40 - NOTES ~~~
"Welcome back to the University!" One of our internship professors began her orientation. "This year, you're to embark a very important task that will surely nourish your love and passion for charity work. Are you all ready?"
I am ready. I smiled widely and clasped my chest. I'm more than ready.
Summer had finally ended and it was the first day of classes. Before our whole-year actual exposure to the real world of social welfare, all interns were required to report to the University for an orientation by a panel of professors who were active social workers themselves.
Our fields of practice include child and adolescent welfare; community care of people who are ageing or who have a disability; community and mental health services; neighbourhood and local government services; and drug, alcohol and gambling rehabilitation programs.
I intended to experience all of those in one year. However, I would like to give more time for child and adolescent welfare. Of course, the Marianne Orphanage was at the top of my agency list.
The first day of orientation was long and tedious but all worth it. Before I left the convention room where the orientation was held, one professor called my attention. "Miss Ruiz?"
"Yes, Professor?"
"You are requested to go to the Scholarship Deparment," she told me.
"Oh, thanks for informing me," I said cheerfully.
A note. Of course, it would be my benefactor's note!
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"Here it is, Miss Ruiz," Miss Dela Rosa handed me a white envelope. "He can't really miss a first day in the University without a note, huh?"
"Yeah, he's really this involved." I grinned as I couldn't help myself from doing it. I was too happy seeing the familiar white envelope.
I missed him. Oh, my! I missed Mr. S. Eliakim!
"Thanks, Miss Dela Rosa. Bye," I waved my hand at her as I left the office.
There was a bench made of fiber glass just outside of the Scholarship Department Office so I settled there because I couldn't wait to read what he had written this time for me.
Finally, his familiar penmanship came into view.
Miss Ruiz,
How's your vacation?
So, internship this year! You've made this far and I'm really happy for you. I'll be just right here for you. All the best!
S. Eliakim
P.S. I had the best summer. Hope you had, too.
He was always this sweet. If only I could see him.
He had the best summer. Good for him.
How about me? Did I have a great summer vacation?
I had... because I stayed with mom for a couple of weeks. I was able to go back to The Fields and once again experienced country life. It was great but it was not the best... because I had never been so confused about how I felt.
If only I could tell you, Mr. Eliakim...
I really wished I could tell you how my heart had been so bothered and confused lately, especially after my birthday.
From a guy's perspective, could you tell me when do we tell that a man is sincere with his words?
Oh, yes! Perhaps, Mr. Eliakim could help me figure out things... from his perspective.
I was supposed to stand up to go back to the office when I felt somebody sat beside me.
"Hello, Miss Ruiz!"
I turned around to my left to where he was sitting.
"Sir, good afternoon," I greeted the Statistics professor, Prof. Sebastian Medina. I wondered why this good-looking man always appeared like a genie every time I got out of the Scholarship Department Office.
"Good afternoon, too," he replied, smiling at me. "I'm glad I pass by this office. Something in my mind actually just told me that you're here."
Oh!
"And why do you want to see me, Sir?" I asked, feeling a little awkward.
He smiled even more beautifully. "Just because!" he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, actually, I know that you always report here every start and end of the semester to get a note. I wonder what it tells this time."
Oh!
"I... I actually don't..." I wanted to tell him that I didn't share to people what my benefactor wrote every time, but I just decided not to proceed.
"It's just actually a joke, Miss Ruiz!" he quipped. "No, I don't want to know what's in there. I'm really not that nosy." Then, he winked at me.
Finally, I was relieved so I smiled at him.
"It's your internship year, isn't it?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, if you need my help, don't hesitate to approach me," he offered.
I thought for a while before giving him a nod. "Okay, sir."
"Seb... Call me Seb," he suddenly appealed.
"Sir?" I asked confusedly.
"Seb for Sebastian," he briefly explained.
Oh! Did he want me to call him on nickname basis?
"S-Sir..."
He chuckled. "Okay, I'm just kidding, Miss Ruiz. Maybe, next time, you can call me by my first name and I can call yours."
Huh? What was wrong with Prof. Medina?
"Okay, bye for now, Miss Ruiz." Prof. Medina stood up.
I had to think again before replying, "Bye, Sir. Have a good day."
"You too," he said before he finally walked.
As I was looking at him disappearing from my view, a big question mark appeared in my mind. How did he know that I always reported this office every start and ending of every semester? Was he watching me all this time? And what was with his desire of us calling each other on first-name basis?
Did Prof. Medina have an interest on me? Seriously? Oh, suddenly, it felt so awkward. If he did have an interest on me, it couldn't be. He was my professor.
I stood up and felt the envelope in my hand. Oh, yeah! I had to go back to the office. I needed to do what I just planned.
Trying to delete Prof. Medina from my mind, I entered the doorway and went to Miss Dela Rosa's table.
"You forgot something, Miss Ruiz?" she asked.
I bit my bottom lip.
"Any problem?" she asked again.
"Miss Dela Rosa," I finally got the guts to ask what was in my mind, "do you somehow know how to contact Mr. Eliakim, my benefactor?"
She furrowed her brows like she didn't expect it. "Miss Ruiz, all the university benefactors' identities are all kept confidential. Even myself, I don't have any slightest idea who are these people and how to contact them. It's just a top management thing. I'm just placed here to supervise and monitor the scholars," she explained. "I'm sorry if I can't help you on that, Miss Ruiz."
So there was really no way for me to have a contact with Mr. Eliakim.
"Okay, I'm sorry, Miss Dela Rosa. It's just my stupid idea."
"No, no, no! Don't be sorry. Most scholars come here and do the same. However, I only have one answer for them."
Feeling disappointed, I just bid her a good bye. Just when I was in the doorway, I thought of something else. I went back to Miss Dela Rosa.
"Yeah, Miss Ruiz?"
"If I write a letter to my benefactor and leave it here in your office, will it have a chance to be delivered it to him?"
Miss Dela Rosa sighed heavily. "Miss Ruiz, I'm afraid that wouldn't be possible either. Cheques and other benefits from the benefactors for our scholars are just delivered to the top management usually by middlemen. Philanthropists are very secretive people, you know. We don't have any idea who they are and from where they come from. Actually, the notes from your benefactor usually come via the Office of the University President."
What? Mr. Eliakim's notes always came to me via the University President?
Wow! Mr. Eliakim must be a very important guy to have such kind of arrangement with the University President! And I must be that important too... Really?
I shrugged my shoulders. "Okay, I give up, Miss Dela Rosa."
She sighed in relief. "That's my girl!"
Still clasping the envelope, I walked outside.
So I really have no chance to communicate with you, Mr. Eliakim. I just only want to ask you a lot of questions: How do I know that a guy is sincere with his words? In your perspective, being a guy, will you say I love you to a girl if you don't even feel it? Will it be possible for you to fall for a girl you hate? Please, help me figure out things, Mr. Eliakim. I'm dying now. I need a guy friend...
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So officially, my internship began and I started it at, where else, the Marianne Orphanage. Mother Clarita was even happier that I got to spend my weekdays with them. Of course, the kids loved it, too.
If I was busy, Javier was busier with his last year in his pre-law. His visits to me had become less frequent but he always made sure to call me just to say hello and let me know that he was thinking of me.
Academically, Elena, Diego, and Kara were busy, too. But, in spite of all, I managed to maintain my communication with them, not often though, but it was satisfactory. I was glad that I could already contact Elena and Diego freely, unlike those years when I was hiding from them.
I also made sure to check on mom whenever I had time. She was missing me and a tear would always fall from my eyes every time I heard her voice. I missed her too but I had to be strong and stick to my choice to be independent and live my dream.
One day, I received a call from Miss Dela Rosa to report to the University, specifically to her office. I made an excuse from the orphanage. I was thinking that it was a note again from Mr. S. Eliakim and I couldn't miss it. So I went to Miss Dela Rosa's office but I was mistaken. There was no letter coming from him but, somehow, her news gave me hope.
"I've found a way how you can keep in touch with your benefactor, Miss Ruiz. I'm not sure if this will work but let's just try. The bearer of the notes, a staff in the University President's office, will be dropping some papers today in my office. Perhaps, you can write your benefactor a letter and I'll make an arrangement with this staff to give your letter to Mr. Eliakim's middleman. From there, let's see if Mr. Eliakim will give you his number," she explained.
I was gaping my mouth the whole time as I listened to her. Yeah, why not try?
"Oh, thank you, Miss Dela Rosa. Okay, I'll write to him right away."
So I wrote a note.
Mr. Eliakim,
Hello!
Sorry for interrupting whatever makes you busy right now. I know I'm not supposed to do this but I really want to know you. I'm almost graduating and I'm already excited to meet you on my graduation soon. However, before that, I want to have a little glimpse of you. Perhaps, we can keep in touch through our phones. Here's my number... ###
I'm not forcing you on this. I'll understand if you won't.
I'm grateful for all the things you've done for me.
Very, very grateful forever,
Althea
♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
My effort of reaching out to him didn't succeed. Two weeks had passed and I never received a text or call from Mr. Eliakim. I didn't take it negatively though. In fact, I understood he was a very busy man or, perhaps, too old to use a mobile phone. Somehow, I just laughed at my little impatience of not being able to wait for our first meeting on my graduation day.
Okay, I'll just wait for that day, Mr. Eliakim.
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On Monday, the next week, as I was doing some paper work at the orphanage, a delivery arrived. When the bearer handed me a white envelope, I knew right away what it was and from whom it was. Jumping from my chair, I reached out for the envelope and smiled.
A note!
I thought there would never be a chance that I could befriend the man behind my studies but, as I read his message, I found out I was wrong.
Miss Ruiz,
I've just received your message and I smiled going through it. You have a very nice penmanship.
Why do you suddenly want to know me? Anything wrong?
Yes, I also think about your graduation and it's giving me jitters. I don't know why. I think, you'll receive an award. I've never been mistaken with my gut-feeling. Remember last time I told you you're going to make it in the Dean's List? And you really did! This time, I've got a strong feeling that you're going to receive an award during that day... Mark my words.
Anyway, if you need something, just tell me. You can keep in touch with me through a letter. Just give your reply to the bearer of this note.
Have a wonderful day!
S. Eliakim
After reading it, I was quite dumbstruck. Oh, my goodness! Mr. Eliakim, are you for real?
I couldn't exactly explain how I was feeling right now. It was like receiving a love letter from someone very special to you.
Indeed, he was special to me. He was my benefactor and I owed him a lot. He would always be a part of me.
But, love letter? What was I thinking? This man, for sure, was a happy granddad who could even regard me as a granddaughter, so why was I thinking of a love letter? And he was here to share his excess blessings to me. That was all.
Yet, I couldn't help it. I was giggling, like really giggling as I read the note. I even got goose bumps especially when I reached to the portion where he signed his name. For me, he had a very beautiful signature --- the most beautiful signature I had ever seen in my entire life. How could a man got so beautiful strokes? Would it be possible to be attracted to a signature alone?
Perhaps, apart from the note and his signature, what excited me was the unexpected fact that my letter reached him. I had to thank Miss Dela Rosa for this!
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Choosing a pink piece of stationery, I began writing my letter.
Mr. Eliakim,
Hello! I really love it that you replied. Until now, I can't believe it. Thank you, sir, for sparing me a moment of your precious time.
Really? An award? Well, if indeed I get something like that, I'll dedicate it to the most important woman in my life, my mom, and to you, of course, for being the best benefactor in the world. Why do I feel that you're a great husband and a great dad? For your wife and children to allow you to support a lot of youth in the country, they must have loved you that much. I want to be like you. I want to help the underprivileged and the needy especially those who are like me, the orphans. I want to have my own foundation and reach out more beneficiaries in the future. Someday, I'll be like you.
Why did I write a letter to you? Well, something has just bothered me so much lately and I do need a guy friend to help me figure things out. I don't think I'm ready to share it now. Perhaps, next time.
Again, thank you so much, sir.
Althea
Smiling widely, I gave the letter to the man who brought Mr. Eliakim's letter and who patiently waited for my reply at the receiving area. He said he worked for Mr. S. Eliakim.
Though I wanted to ask him about my benefactor on what was he like personally, I just held my piece. It would be too much prying already.
As the note bearer walked away, I couldn't help but marvel on the possibility of establishing a tie finally with my father figure.
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One Friday evening, while at the cake shop, as I was preparing to go home to my apartment, I was surprised when someone peeped in the kitchen door. There was only one guy who would always do that every time he visited me here.
"Javier! Hi!" I exclaimed disbelievingly.
He grinned and entered the kitchen. "How about a dinner date?"
"You didn't tell me you're coming."
"Well, I missed somebody," he said cheerfully. "So, dinner?"
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You just knew you were that special to someone when he would make big efforts for you. That was what I'd always feel about myself when I was with Javier.
After changing a decent dress, I went out with him to a high class restaurant. It wasn't the place where he would usually bring me. It looked classier and fancier than our usual place.
"I've just learned that this is the best restaurant here in the South," he informed me. "That's why I have to bring you here."
We sat across each other on a table nearest to the bar. The place was indeed beautiful and had its romantic ambiance. It was dimly lit. Tables were also placed exclusively as they had been arranged in considerable distances from among each other.
"Yeah, this place is so beautiful," I said.
We both ordered our food. While waiting for it to be done, a waiter offered us wine to drink. I had a little red wine and was quite relieved that I had a drink, relieving my stress for the day.
"So, what's new for Javier Suarez?" I asked him.
He gulped his wine and said, "Research. That's what's keeping me busy nowadays. How about you? How's social work?"
"Oh, Javier! It's the best! I really enjoyed it. It's like I'm not studying; it's living life to the fullest."
Our food arrived and both of us started to eat. While taking our dinner, we continued with our chitchat.
"You're so conscious with food," I commented as I noticed that there was not much meat on his plate.
"Well, according to my---"
"Nutritionist," I put on the word as I smiled.
"No." He smiled as well. "According to my dietician, I have to eat---"
"You have both? A nutritionist and a dietician?"
He nodded his head. "Yup. Well, my family has this tradition of putting health on top of our list."
I paused for a while to think.
In the palacio, we actually ate anything... except now for Mommy Carol who was more careful with her food because of her condition. And Nigel... that man was a voracious eater. He could eat anything and everything under the sun. How was that guy able to maintain his lean, muscular built?
Oh, why was I thinking of the jerk?
I was facing Javier and, here I was, thinking of Nigel! Oh, screw me!
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After my wonderful dessert, I made an excuse to Javier to go to the washroom. I noticed that I had to pass five tables before reaching the sign going to the washroom.
It was supposed to be a normal night out with Javier. Yet, as I was heading towards the fourth table, my world came to crumble before me as I spotted the man that I had just thought a few minutes ago.
Nigel was sitting on a chair across a slim lady who had her back at me. I was in total shock to see him at the moment with a woman I didn't even know. I paused walking for a little while. He was talking and smiling at her that he didn't even notice me.
Didn't he just tell me he loved me? How come he was dating with some woman tonight? He was here in the South and I didn't even know! It had been exactly a month since we saw each other on my birthday.
Something pierced my chest that I wanted to announce to him my presence by slapping him right there and then. Thankfully, I was able to take control of myself.
Why should I be affected? He was someone that I long had given up. So why should I care if he was dating someone else?
I decided to restart walking... and I had no choice, I had to pass by their table.
I was heading nearer to them when he finally caught a glimpse of me. His eyes widened in shock to see me. Eyeing him accusingly, I walked past him. I felt like I just did a walkathon race to be able to reach the washroom.
I stayed there for about ten to fifteen minutes. Thinking that Javier might wonder what took me so long, I decided to come out but made sure to have neatly wiped the tears that generously appeared in my eyes and did some retouching on my face.
Mr. S. Eliakim, he's still a jerk. There's no need for me to ask you anymore about sincerity from a guy's perspective. I now know the answer. Sincerity is never his thing.
I opened the door and my eyes were greeted by a huge man's built in business suit. He was facing me and I almost bumped my face on his chest. "Why are you here?" was the first words that came out from his mouth.
And he even got the nerve to ask me why I was here?
"I have a date," I answered him quickly, trying to find a space where I could escape from his towering figure.
"Date?" he asked, grabbing one of my arms.
"Will you please back off? Javier is waiting for me," I said, trying not to shout at his face who the hell he was with because, honestly, the discovery of him dating another woman was killing me.
He tightened his grip of me. "You're with Suarez? No, you're not going back to him."
"Excuse me. May I?" a woman's voice interrupted the both of us. It came from someone, a plump forty-something woman, who obviously wanted to use the washroom but she couldn't get in because Nigel and I were blocking the doorway.
Nigel's hold loosened and I found an opportunity to escape. But he followed me and grabbed my arm once more.
"For heaven's sake," I nearly squealed, stopping halfway the hallway, "can't you leave me alone? Why don't you just go back to the woman you are with?"
"F-ck!" Nigel raked his hair with his other hand. "It's not what you think, princess. I'm not dating anybody."
"Then who's that woman you are with?"
Would he still lie? He was already caught red-handed and he would still manage to lie!
"No! I'm not dating her! It's just a business meeting."
Business meeting at dinner time in a fancy restaurant?
"Business at dinner?" I sarcastically asked.
"Yes, dinner meeting. Purely business. That's what it is all about, Althea."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Business meeting with a lovely girl? Great! Just great, Nigel!"
Just when I thought that he would make our exchange into a heated argument, the jerk smirked. Yes, he just smirked like he was amused of me!
"Let me go," I said, clenching my teeth.
"You're jealous, Althea," he declared in a low tone, locking his gaze with mine.
"I'm not!" I denied.
"You are, princess." He pulled me down the hallway to go back to the tables.
"Let me go, Nigel."
"Okay, fine, I'll introduce you to Ms. Ferrera, heiress to the Ferrera Group of Companies. She's just a business associate, nothing more, nothing less," he stated as he was pulling me to their table. "We've just some business deal tonight and, I swear to you, I've planned to visit you to your apartment after this."
"You're not visiting me tonight."
"Yup, I'm no longer visiting you 'cause I'm bringing you to my place tonight instead. You are not going with that Suarez anymore."
I really hated this man! Who told him that he could do anything he wanted to do to me?
Finally reaching their table and facing very close to the woman, I noticed right away that she was indeed a real beauty. What immediately caught my attention was her long, lush, and curly lashes... or were they fake?
Nigel approached her, "Ms. Ferrera, I'd like you to meet my fiancée, Señorita Althea Ruiz."
Fiancée? Was he really using that term?
Somehow, the smile in the woman's face faded. "Fiancée?"
"Princess," Nigel turned to me, "as I said, this lady I'm having dinner with is the heiress of the Ferrera Group of Companies, Señorita Carina Ferrera."
"How do you do?" she feigned a smile, offering me her hand. That was a fake smile, I could just sense it, no need to have a debate on that.
Hello! It was obvious that she was attracted to Nigel and that she was quite surprised hearing his words.
I clasped her palm and said frankly, "He is just kidding. I'm not his fiancée, Miss Carina."
There! I was giving her hope to her attraction to this arrogant man.
"Althea," Nigel bore my eyes with his piercing gaze.
"Stop all of these if you don't want me to make a scene here," I said, whispering to him in a firm tone. "Now, let me go."
He slowly released my arm.
I turned back to the woman, smiled at her, and said cheerfully, "Miss Carina, I'm actually having a date right now. See the man on that table near the bar?" I pointed a finger to where Javier was settled. "That's my date right there. So, will you excuse me? Have a wonderful dinner with Mr. Sarmiento!"
I walked out on them and went immediately to Javier. The guy didn't have the slightest idea what just happened. I told him we needed to get going.
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Ten minutes after I settled myself on my couch at my apartment living room, I heard the ringing of the bell in my door. Wearing an oversized tee shirt, I was sitting on the couch and scanning some magazines on baking.
The sound of the bell penetrated through the deepest part of my ears.
So irritating.
Oh, he couldn't be that serious!
My heart beat madly.
You can't be appearing tonight at my apartment, Nigel.
How could I not know that it was that brute at the other side of it? The beating of my heart corresponded with the ringing sound.
Trying my best to disregard whatever was going on at my door, I left the living room, went to my bedroom and lay down on my bed.
From where I was, the ringing was no longer that strong and noticeable, still it was perceivable to my ears. Lying on my left side, I covered my right ear with a pillow so as not to hear the sound.
The ringing went on and off for several minutes... until I could hear it no more.
Thanking silently to God, I finally took off the pillow from my ear and lay on my back.
For like an eternity, I was just staring at the ceiling. I couldn't sleep... especially that my mind kept on replaying the scene at the restaurant --- Nigel taking dinner with a lovely, wealthy heiress. My heart wanted to deny the jealousy, so much jealousy, that I felt, yet no matter how many denials I would have to make to myself, it wouldn't still change the fact that I was dying with too much jealousy now.
Nigel was somebody whose constant company were wealthy and beautiful people. The rich were only for the rich. There was absolutely no way for a striving woman like me to be in the same level with him. In fact, my being a servant's daughter was one big reason why he could never accept my engagement to him in the past.
Could his feelings for me be altered from hate to love like what he was claiming now?
I doubted it.
Nigel was the type of guy who could easily be tempted by hot, beautiful girls. How could I even trust his words? How could I believe that he even loved me --- the simple girl who just loved to cook and bake and care the orphans? Comparing myself to all the famous, well-off women surrounding him, I, Althea Molina Ruiz, was just an ordinary.
If he indeed left Maria Stella who was rich, beautiful, and perfect, how much more a girl as ordinary as me? Well, if he indeed left that Maria Stella... And now, he was dating another...
I sighed deeply. This pathetic princess would never have her happy ending...
I sighed deeply again. Okay, so he had finally left my place. He just surrendered just like that. Great, now I was to get my peace of mind.
I decided to fall asleep.
Five minutes...
Ten minutes...
Fifteen minutes... had passed and I couldn't sleep.
Thinking of something to do instead, I rose up from my bed and went back to the living room. Pausing, I stared at the door with the thought that, minutes before, Nigel was at the other side of it.
Slowly, I found my feet stepping towards the door. When I was already standing close to it, I leaned my chest and left cheek on it.
I missed you. Don't you know you've been in my mind 24/7 since you told me you love me during my birthday?
With a very heavy heart, wishing somehow that Nigel was still there at the other side, I decided to swing the door open.
And I almost choked up as I was struck with an unexplainable feeling of both elation and shock.
Nigel was sitting on the floor and was leaning his back on the wall across me in the hallway. His left leg was straightly stretched on the floor while his right was placed with his knee up. His right forearm was placed on top of that knee.
He looked up when he heard the creaking of the door and our eyes met.
The bastard didn't leave after all.
What was I going to do now?
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A/N
If you would like to eavesdrop the first ever 'real talk' between Thea and Nigel, don't you miss the next chapter next week entitled...
Drum roll please...
Bam, bam, bam...
Well, make a guess, guys!
Haha!
The author is... sssssshhhhh... concentrating on drafting it, and she's nervy... like OMG.
Nervy! Nervy! Nervy! Jumpy! Jumpy! Jumpy! Butterflies in her stomach!
Wish sapphiregirl22 luck for the next chapter! ~_^
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