"WHY did you bring me here, Erik?" Mia couldn't look directly at Erik, but she still couldn't hide the objection that came with what she said.
She was referring to the young man's house. She expected that he would take her to her house but something else happened. It's not because she doesn't want to be with the young man. The truth is, she is having a feeling of discomfort after he discovered her true occupation.
"What's the problem if I brought you here? I have no plans to harm you," answered the young man, unfastening his seatbelt.
"I know that," she said with a sigh as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
"Mia," the young man to her. "Look at me," he ordered in his usual kind tone and that's what she thinks is the reason why she seemed to voluntarily follow him.
"I'm sorry if you got involved in this mess," that's what she said instead.
Erik's warm palm gently touched her left cheek. After that, he pulled and hugged her tightly.
"I know you're going through something, and maybe too you're shy to talk about it. But because you're important to me, I'm going to ask you a question," he said, releasing her from his tight embrace and looking her straight in the eyes.
Mia nodded. "Okay," she replied.
"After graduation, you know, when we left. What happened to you?" asked the young man in a tone that seemed to say that she needs to answer it or in other words, she was obliged to answer that question.
"After high school?" she asked.
The young man nodded. "Yes, let's go inside so you can be more comfortable," he said to her.
Mia didn't say no to what Erik wanted to do. After all, what he wants to know is nothing compared to the favor that he did to her earlier. If he didn't come, that man must have hurt her.
On the other hand, even if she didn't admit it, she knew that she secretly felt thrilled about what Erik had done. He paid Rosanna for a month, which meant she didn't have to go to Pegasus, but still her salary continues. That was because she didn't agree with what the young man wanted to happen earlier that he wants to shoulder her monthly allowance.
Well, they both know that something has happened to them and those happened twice. And if Erik paid the bar just to bring her home, it won't be impossible that what they shared passionately can happen again. Not because of the fact that if people will look at her job literally, she has to pay him back.
And that's what she didn't want to think about. She didn't want to put in her mind that Erik paid for her to be her freely. The same reason why she did not agree to the young man’s first statement that he would shoulder and pay her salary.
"Here, let's have coffee first. I never thought I'd see you in such a place but that's not important. What I want to know now is how did the owner tell me that she's been with you there for a long time?" the young man began after he placed the two mugs of coffee on the table where they were facing each other.
"How did you know I was there?" she asked the young man remembering that she had not mentioned anything about her job to him.
The young man shrugged. "I was told by your neighbor. I came to see you, I want to apologize, I even brought something, oh, wait a minute," when Erik seemed to remember something, he stood up and hurriedly entered his room.
Shortly after that, he came out with a single-stemmed white rose.
Mia's eyebrows immediately met because of that. "You brought this earlier when you talked to my neighbor?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yes, why is there a problem? You are single, and I am single, which means I can court you. I really want to marry you, you're the only one who doesn't want to," Erik said at the end, and Mia could not help but notice what seemed to be a plea in his voice.
Mia just sighed at everything she heard. What else can she do? Anyway, what Erik did was better. It was impossible that no one had noticed this morning when he left her house. At least if her neighbors think that the young man is her boyfriend, it will seem like what he did would be normal just in case.
"Thank you," she said with a modest smile then accepted the flower.
The young man nodded. "All right, tell your story," he said, leaning back in the chair and staring at her.
"Okay," Mia reached for the coffee mug and took a sip. "Everything Rosanna told you is correct. I used to work at Pegasus. After high school I was accepted to a private school, I was a full scholar there and I took Veterinary Medicine. I was in my second year when my mother got sick. But it wasn't just a simple disease, it was serious, lung cancer, so even though she didn't want it, I was forced to stop studying to work and earn money for her treatment. Because I'm not a college graduate, I had a hard time finding a job. So eventually I landed working on that bar. To make the story short, Nana Rosita also died, and I was never able to go back to school. Bernie saw me again at Pegasus. Actually, our communication was cut off after high school. He courted me and this time I fell in love with him so even though I don't usually and don't go out, I did that when he became my boyfriend. He was the first man in my life, and I actually gave my virginity to him,” Mia admitted.
Erik just kept staring at her during that moment. She thought that he wasn't going to speak so she continued but before she could voice the rest of what she wanted to say, the young man had preceded her.
"So, does that mean Bernie courted you again when he saw you working at the bar? Are you serious about that?" Erik asked as if he couldn't believe it while the tone of his speech showed the intense anger that he seemed to be trying not to reveal to her.
Mia nodded then took another sip of coffee from her mug.
"Damn him! He took advantage of your weakness. Why? Was it because you were working there? Because he couldn't get you when we were in high school so that was the chance, he saw to own you!"
At that point, Erik was really angry and that was what she saw in the young man's eyes.
"Hey, it’s okay. The things that I am telling you now are all over. There's nothing I can do, and it makes me feel even more sad because your reaction only proves all the mistakes that I have made. I became so fragile,” Mia couldn't stop the mixture of intense regret and sadness in the tone of what she said at that moment.
"That's okay, I like everything about you, no matter what or who you are.”
What is the intention of those words from Erik, Mia did not know. But if there's one thing she's sure of, it's the happiness that quickly caressed her heart because of the revelation the young man said.
"Thank you," she said,
"But wait, you said earlier that you started falling for Bernie when you were in Pegasus? Does that mean you didn't like him in high school even though you were always with him?"
Erik's question quickly made Mia's throat dry. But despite the impact the young man's question had on her, she still chose to answer.
"You're right, during high school I only thought and see him as a friend," she admitted.
"Really? Is it okay if I ask you why?" the young man asked again.
That's when Mia gathered her courage and looked straight at the young man before she opened her mouth again to speak.
"I had a crush on someone else in high school, and he was my first love. The truth is that he never left my heart, especially during the times when Bernie and I were having problems and it got even worse when I found out that he's been cheating on me.”
When Erik remained quiet, Mia continued with all the other things that she wanted to say.
“It's just that in high school my crush didn't seem to see me. But that's okay, I'm happy that he's my first love, and I know for myself that until the day I die my love for him will remain in my heart and I will carry that to the afterlife," her long story.
At that point, because she kept staring at Erik she saw a beautiful smile tear his kissable lips.
"He's lucky, but also stupid because if you say he didn't see you, for me there's no man who won't notice you. The truth is, you're always the standout. No matter where you're placed. Because you're the most beautiful of all, especially in my eyes."