PRESENT DAY...
She prepared coffee for them just like what they agreed on last night.
Mia didn't know if she was just excited about the breakfast she and Erik were going to share. Add to that the fact that he was the one that set this up so she just can’t help but feel the thrill in her chest.
She even found it difficult to sleep because of the thought of what happened between the two of them that were not given the chance to do during their younger years.
Mia doesn't want to think about the painful and sad things she went through before. Because being happy is really one of the reasons why she ran away from her ex-partner. That was right because she wanted to be happy.
She thinks it was past six in the morning when she heard consecutive knocks on the gate so she hurried to go there.
"Good morning!" Erik greeted her cheerfully, then raised the bag he was carrying that she knew was full of pandesal.
"Good morning," she answered with a smile then opened the gate wide for the young man to enter. "The coffee is ready, come to the kitchen," she told him.
Erik just nodded and then followed her.
"You could build a gold factory with all of these."
When Mia heard that, she immediately stopped her steps and turned to the young man who spoke behind her. That's when he saw Erik looking up at her many medals and certificates that her Nana Rosita had actually framed when she was alive.
"By the way, Mia, do you want to continue your studies in college?" the young man with a serious aura on his face confronted her afterward.
Shock is not enough to describe how she felt because of Erik's question to her.
"W-Why did you ask?" after recovering from the shock that's what she asked then followed by a soft laugh. Even then, she couldn't hide the trembling in her voice.
Erik shrugged her shoulders. "Don't you want to be a vet?" he asked, then approached the long antique wooden cabinet where picture frames of her and Nana Rosita were placed.
"Yes, that's my ambition. But not all dreams are given the chance to come true. Often dreams stay that way, especially if it's impossible and it's too late for you to fulfill it," she said meaningfully with a bitter smile.
That's when Erik picked up a small frame. He saw the admiration in the young man's eyes as he stared at it. Then returned it from where he took it then turned his gaze to her.
"No, there is no such thing as ‘too late’ for someone. Especially someone like you," the young man answered her meaningfully.
Mia release a light sigh because of what she heard. "Maybe you are right. Or maybe no, because I don't know either," that's what she finally thought to say. "Let's have breakfast. The coffee might get cold. And also I have a schedule to clean and do the laundry at your house today,” in the end, she decided to say that in her desire to relieve the sadness that she suddenly felt again.
Erik then nodded and followed her. "But if you ask me, I'm willing to help you. You can continue your studies, after that I'll take you to Canada, where you can become a Vet on my grandfather's farm," he said as he sat down.
Mia stared at Erik's handsome face.
"You are going to take me to Canada?" she still couldn't believe what he said.
The young man nodded and then picked up the cup of coffee in front of him. "Yes, that's possible. Grandpa has a farm and I'm one of the managers. If you finish and become a full-fledged Vet, I'll hire you because I'm sure you'll be good in that field," Erik answered casually and winked at her with a smile.
Mia's face quickly warmed up because of what the young man did.
She may not have even admitted it, but she really felt excited when Erik said that to her.
Will he take her to Canada?
It's like she wants to think that the young man's true reason is different if she bases everything on the sparkle in his eyes and the way he stares at her. But because it's not good to assume, and it's like it's too early to think about anything, Mia chose to believe what he said first.
"The laundry and cleaning can wait until tomorrow, I think. Because I want to take you with me. We're going somewhere," Erik took a pandesal and put liver spread on it, and then handed it to her.
Mia was stunned, moving her eyes around the bread that the young man was handing her and his handsome face. "I-It's okay," she said as she reached for a pandesal from the paper bag, but she heard the young man startle, so she stopped.
"Come on, take it," insisted the young man, so she couldn't do anything.
"Thank you," she said as she began to eat.
Erik smiled before opening his mouth to speak. "I want you to feel comfortable with me, Mia. What's even better is to train yourself. Because I will always be with you, from now on," he said, emphasizing the last words he said.
The young lady couldn't stop herself from smiling at what she heard. "It's really necessary because you are my boss," that was true inside her.
Erik shook his head. "That's not what I meant. The truth is, I want you to be my friend, Mia. The truth is since we were kids, I want to get close to you. The only reason that stopped me from doing that is I find you very intimidating. That's why I can't always approach you and talk to you like I used to do with others," he said and then sip his coffee again.
Mia sighed because of what she heard. "I'm just like that, I'm sorry. But it's not that I didn't want to be your friend. It has nothing to do with us being rivals in class, maybe I'm just really shy," she admitted.
The smile that broke Erik's lips because of what she said was understandable. "Would you like to go to church with me? And then later, let's go to the mall. You know, let’s go kill some time," Erik asked her kindly after a while.
"But am I not going to do the chores in your house today?" she asked in surprise.
"I told you; those can wait until tomorrow, right? Didn't you say you need to recover before you can start your new job?" he once again asked her a question.
Mia was quiet for a moment and thought. Then nodded. "Okay, if that's what you want," she agreed in a cheerful voice.
"Great, now I need your opinion. What else do you think is missing in the house for it to look livelier," asked Erik who took another pandesal then stuffed it, and ate it.
Mia watched her former classmate with amusement. "At your house?" she asked clarifyingly.
Erik nodded.
Mia shrugged her shoulders and spoke with a smile. "A wife, you have to get married for your house to look livelier. And then kids," she didn't know where she got the courage to say that, but it was too late to take it all back.
Erik's eyes sparkled with amusement as he stared at her. And when the young man's beautiful eyebrows raised, Mia's chest suddenly heaved for reasons she couldn't explain.
"A wife?" Erik's tone was still amused.
She just nodded and quickly looked away from the young man.
"Honestly, I have a feeling that the girl I want to court is not ready yet," he said staring at her with a viscous expression.
The pounding in Mia's chest intensified because of Erik's words. "W-Why not?"
Erik just shrugged his shoulders and then stood up. "I'll meet you later at ten o'clock?" he answered instead.
That's when she stood up and followed the man who left the kitchen. "All right," was her short answer.
"I'm sorry I left your rice and eggs again. Later, promise," said Erik.
"Okay," she replied.
They were at the gate when Erik spoke again.
"I'm serious, if you ever change your mind, I'm willing to help you with your studies. There's still a big chance that you'll achieve your dreams, just believe. And when that happens, I know, wherever Ms. Sanchez is, you will make her proud," Erik's last words to her before he walked home.