Louisa's p.o.v;
When I woke up, brushing off my yawn, I remembered Ace. I hurried outside the room and noticed the apartment being empty. I checked Bernie's room and came to the conclusion that he left. I let out a relief sigh and walked to my room. After getting a shower, I got into my casual clothes and boiled some instant noodles to eat. While eating, I looked at the door. Bernie said he'll be here by morning. It's already 10. Why hasn't he come back? Is he going to stay there for another day? After waiting for some time, I locked the room and came downstairs. After giving the spare key to Mr Hernandez, I headed to the college.
After 20 minutes of travelling in the bus, I got down at the stop near my college. It takes a 5 mins walk to reach the college from the bus terminal.
Inside college, while I was on my way to the class, I saw Lucas being all smiley to the girl beside him. It's the girl I saw before. Are they dating? Who cares!
"Louisa!"
Who's calling my name? When I turned around, I saw Bernie running towards me. When did he come? Did he come straight to college?
"Louisa, I went to the dorm and looked for you. Didn't expect you'll leave soon. Why are you here at this time?"
"The librarian asked me to be early so here I am. I thought you're going to stay another night."
"Nah! Not there. I was waiting to leave actually." And laughed.
Bernie and I walked inside the college together and talked on the way about what happened at the pre-wedding party.
I interrupted, "Maybe you should take a leave and go with her to celebrate your official relationship."
"We planned it on the weekend. She's a nerd too. Like you."
"I'm not a nerd."
"Yes, you are. Then, where's your first hour?"
"The main building. What about you?"
"My faculty block."
"Okay, let's see at the lunch break."
After we parted our ways to get to the specified building, I saw Lucas standing near my class alone. I tried to walk past him but he stopped me by calling my name.
"Louisa, I want to talk to you."
"There's nothing to talk about between us."
"I've been waiting to talk with you."
"I didn't ask you to wait for me. If you have so much time, go fuck your whore."
He grabbed my hand and asked, "How could you speak like that?"
"My mouth, my words. What's with you?"
"Seems like you're mad at me. Let's talk later." And walked away.
What the hell does he want with me? All those three years of relationship vanished in a few seconds when he cheated on my back. What was he thinking while cheating me? She's dumb, she won't know even if you cheat, so go ahead and cheat however you want. Did he think like that?
After the class got over, I walked to the cafeteria to get a drink. While I was waiting for the drink, I saw Lucas standing behind me. I ignored him and took the drink from the counter.
Lucas, "Louisa…"
"Save it. I'm still mad at you." And walked quickly to get away from him.
While I was on my way to the next class, I saw the bullies standing and talking to each other. I lowered my head and tried to sneak away but got caught.
Ryder, "Hey, Lou! Over here!"
Even after getting punched, I wonder how they have the guts to call me.
I stood in front of them and asked, "What is it?"
"Who's the guy in your apartment?" He asked very loudly where everyone passing by could hear it.
"A friend of mine."
"Friend? He looked like he's in his thirties. You and him are friends? Do you want me to believe that?"
"I thought you'd be ashamed to show your faces again with all those bruises but you're so bold."
"You're the one who should be ashamed. Not us. Leeching over a guy in his thirties. Is he rich? Is he married? What is the relationship between you two? Tell me."
I said, "Why do you care?"
When they were about to say something, the gym teacher passed by so everyone went back to their places. I tagged along with the gym teacher and walked away from them.
When the fourth hour got over, I saw Bernie walk into the class after the teacher left. He took a seat beside me and asked, "Everly is waiting for you. Let's go."
"What? Now? Where?"
"At the music club. Shall we leave?"
I nodded and took my bag and walked out of the class together with him. Why does this Everly want to meet me?
After a while, we went to the music club in Everly. Bernie waved to the person inside while standing outside the club along with me, the door opened and they walked out. Since she was facing Bernie, all I could see was her flawless hair dangling in the air. When Bernie said I was standing behind her, she ended the conversation with him and turned to look at me.
I greeted, "Hi."
She gave me a smile saying, "Finally met you! I've been asking him to bring you along with him but he's postponing everytime. I wonder how he got time to bring you here. Did he really ask to come?"
"Yeah, I'm Heloisa Alves. Nice to meet you."
"Drop with the formality. I already know your name. And, are you free today? We planned to go out for lunch in the nearby restaurant. I would like it if you tagged along with us."
"Sorry, I can't do that. I work at a library."
"What about this weekend?"
Before I answered, Bernie said, "She's free. I'll bring her with me. You make the plans and we'll be there."
Everly asked me, "Is it okay for you? This weekend?"
I nodded and said, "Yes."
"Well then, I'll check the places for a day out and get back to you."
"I'll then take my leave."
At library,
"What took you so long?" The librarian asked me.
"I was talking with my friends. What work do I have today?"
She pointed out the science section and said, "New books have arrived in the science section so arrange it according to the guide."
"Okay."
I received the guide from her and walked to the science section of the library. Since I joined here as an assistant, the only section that receives lots of books in this college is science. Once I graduate, I'll fill up the philosophy section too. Why don't people think philosophy is more interesting than science?
While I was arranging the new books in the rack, someone was standing behind me. Who's it? When I took a look, it's a guy in glasses. A nerd. Is he looking for a book?
"What is it?"
"I'm searching for 'theory of everything by Steven Hawking'."
"Hold on. I remember seeing it in the third row… ah! Got it! Here it is." I gave the book to him and when I tried to continue my work, he didn't go and was still standing there and looking at the books.
"What book?"
"Brief history of time."
I took the book and handed it to him and asked, "Then?"
"Universe in a nutshell."
After giving him the book, I asked, "Is that all?"
"Yeah. Thanks for the help."
I gave a nod and continued with the work. While I was arranging, I saw some books being misplaced. Why these people doesn't get it? I took out the books and placed them on the table and went to the librarian and said, "Did you tell everyone to leave the books on the table once they are done with it?"
"Yeah, look at the tables over there."
"But I found some books in the wrong places."
"Maybe some did it before I said or when I'm not here."
"What if we put a poster saying that don't misplace books instead leave it on the table?"
"That's actually a good one. I'll take care of it."
"Don't stop pasting on the walls, do it on the table too."
"Okay. I'll do that."
I returned to the science section and arranged the misplaced books and new books into the racks. Once I'm done, I started clearing out the tables with the books.
"I need a book. Can you help me with it?"
It's the guy who looked for the books in the science section.
"Yeah."
I walked along with him to the science section and asked, "Name?"
"Elegant universe."
"Okay."
While I was looking for the book, I asked him, "Is it for your assignment or quiz?"
"A quiz."
I gave the book to him and said, "All the best for your quiz."
After I cleared out every table, I went to his table and asked, "Do you want any book?"
He shook his head and continued reading the book.
After I came out of the library, I walked to the college entrance. I saw Lucas standing near the gate. I ignored him and walked past the gate.
"Louisa!"
I ignored and continued walking on the sidewalk.
Lucas jumped in front of me and said, "I want to talk to you."
"I bet you're girl will be waiting for you. Go to her."
"Louisa!"
"What is it?"
"Let's talk. It won't be long."
"Okay, but you shouldn't bother me hereafter."
"Okay."
"What is it?"
"It started as a friendship in the beginning but later I realised it was more than friendship. I began to like her while I was in a relationship with you. I don't know whether it's wrong or the right move but I liked her. I tried to avoid her but I couldn't because I fell in love with her. She too loved me back. I felt guilty while talking with you, being with you. It felt like cheating to me but I liked her more than you. What do you want me to do? I waited for the right time to convey this to you but your friends stalked me and took pictures of us and sent them to you. When I asked, why didn't you question me?'' You said you trust me. How can I tell that what your friends told you was the truth and break your trust? I couldn't do it. Finally, I got caught by you. I'm sorry for putting you in that situation. The girl I'm dating asked me to tell you many times but i didn't do it so she felt guilty too when you caught us like that. We're both sorry what happened, Louisa."
I let out a sigh and asked, "Why are you telling me this? What do you expect me to do after hearing this shit?"
"We're sorry for what happened."
"Oh, so, I have to forgive you two for what you did to me, right? Okay. I'll forgive you. Since I forgive you, we don't have anything else to talk about, right? Can I leave?"
He nodded at me.
"And, don't ever talk to me again. I hate you and that whore."
He grabbed my hand and said, "Don't call her like that."
"I'm not wrong. She's a whore."
"Don't say that."
"You're an asshole and she's a bitch. You two are biggest fucking bloody pussies I've ever seen…"
Suddenly, he hit me on my cheek.
I grabbed his collar, "What the hell!!!"
Someone separated us, it's the guy at the library.
I yelled at Lucas, "Get hold of that bitch before she fuck someone else behind your back!"
He dragged me out of the scene while I was cursing at Lucas.
After a while, I snapped my hand out of his grip and walked on the sidewalk.
"I didn't know you could get mad like that. Who's that? Ex-boyfriend? I heard when he confessed to you. Sorry for eavesdropping. I came to talk with you but stopped after seeing him confess to you."
"That's not a confession. If he really felt sorry for me, he would have done it when I trusted him blindly when everyone said he's cheating me. He didn't. What he did today was to lift up something in his mind to get free of it. Now, I was just a mere memory to get rid of."
"You're still mad at him. Does that mean you still like him?"
"Still…" I let out a fake laugh and continued, "I'm just mad at myself for trusting him blindly. Let's not talk about him. By the way, I didn't ask what your name was. What is it?"
"I'm Diego, faculty of medicine. I hope we get along well."
"I'm heloisa Alves, from literature and philosophy. Thanks for blocking his hit before."
"You still got a hit though. Sorry for not blocking it."
"It's fine. It doesn't hurt now."
"How many years?"
"What?"
"You and him."
"Why do you want to know?"
"I was in a relationship too. Didn't end well."
"Three years. What about you?"
"Well, you're ahead of me. It was two for me."
"How did yours end?"
"He and I didn't have time for ourselves which eventually made us split."
"Yeah, time is one important thing to keep a relationship steady. Not many people realise it."
"That sounds deep."
"By the way, are you seeing anyone?"
"Me?"
"Yeah, why should we bother about the people who left? We can start living our life."
He smiled and said, "People when they hear that my partner is a guy, they give a weird expression on their face and end their conversation with me. But you're different."
"Love is love. It doesn't matter who we're in love with."
"You're so philosophical."
I laughed and said, "Which direction do you take?"
"K Street."
"Oh, that's opposite from mine. Will you come to the library tomorrow?"
"Yup! The quiz is on Friday. Till then, library it is."
"Okay, we'll meet tomorrow at the library then. See ya."
After he left, I headed in my direction. Since it's been a long time, I talked with new people, it felt fun. Moreover, Diego reminds me of one of the Bodyguards who kidnapped me. He had the same name too. Even though they're names are the same, they're completely different. When thinking of bodyguards, that guy came into my mind as well. Ace. Getting shot by a gun must include some underground illegal businesses. How did I get involved with a guy like this? Even Though he helped me from those bullies, he brings the trouble along with him. I hope he never shows his face ever again.