He starts to walk closer towards me without even looking at his way and his eyes fixed on me with his blank face.

 

“What… what are you doing? Your… oh gosh. Pleasedonttouchmewithyourbareskin.” I was leaning back as much as I can, with my eyes closed and my body bent as if I was protecting myself, just so to not touch his bare skin. He stopped moving and I peeked at him if he already backed away from me. He’s not, and he’s a few inches standing away from where I am, trying to suppress his laugh until he finally burst laughing.

 

I straightened up and glared at him. “What is wrong with you?”

 

“You… you look so funny and cute.” He said in between his laugh. But then he tries to stop laughing and starts to became serious again as he clears his throat.

 

Again, he started to approach me until he was towering over me and all of a sudden, he tiptoed and opened the cabinet above me, got a new bottle of the liquid soap, and went to the sink beside me.

 

“I’ll help you clean up.” He said so calmly.

 

“Yah!” I exclaimed and glared at him.

 

He turned his head and looked at me. “What?”

 

“Are you crazy?” He looked around his sides as if I was referring to somebody else, before he pointed his finger to himself.

 

“Me?” He asked, playing confused and all.

 

“Aish. I’ll do that. Just… go put some clothes on.” I snatched the bottle away from him and try to shoo him away from the sink. Thankfully, he didn’t refuse to go.

 

That guy is kinda weird, like what the heck did I even like about him? What did I even see in him, of all the guys I’ve met? Shrugs. Anyway, after all of this I’m gonna forget him soon like nothing happened. Like I didn’t know him all along. All things that happened in here should be left in here. Right. Yes, of course. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

I checked my phone and sat on the couch after washing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. I saw that my cousin, Koleen, recommended a driver already. I opened her message and told me that they had talked to one of our family friend living here who happens to have a car. They already agreed and will be ready to pick me up anytime. She told me to contact their son since he’s the one who owns the car and drives it. I searched on his name and started to chat him about the travel.

 

Luke was his name and I remember him. We were kinda friends during our younger years and he was three years older than me. But you know, things got different when we move on with our lives. But we still sometimes get in touch. They sometimes join us during some holidays, so we still talk somehow but not like before. His father and mine are really close friends since their college days up until now and they still talk. Old good friends. As I was about to chat him, I got a message from him instead.

 

‘Hey, Clara.’

 

‘Oh. Hi, Luke.’

 

‘Your dad told me you were stuck here in the City?’

 

‘Yeah. Should be at home yesterday, but I wasn’t able to due to the storm.’

 

‘I can pick you up anytime today. When do you plan to travel?’

 

‘Is it okay if we go later this afternoon? I mean, if that’s alright with you.’

 

‘Sure. I think that’s better. Where will I pick you up?’

 

‘Alright. I’ll be at the SM around 3PM.’

 

‘Great. See you later then.’

 

‘Thanks so much, Luke. I owe you one. :)’

 

‘Haha. I’m fine with a coffee. :p’

 

‘I’d love that, too. Okay, it’s on me later. ;)’

 

“What’re you laughing at?” Jake suddenly spoke as he sat beside me. My smile quickly faded and it changed into a glare. He just shrugged and grabbed a book instead.

 

“I’ll be leaving later at 3PM. I’ll be getting ready now.” I told him and stood up.

 

Finally. I’m finally leaving this place and forget everything. I’m finally leaving and I’m quite excited I already got my baggages ready and on-the-go. 3PM came so fast and I’m about to move out of his apartment. Luke already informed me he was already on his way about 30 minutes ago. Jake came out from his room and I stopped him to tell him that I’ll be leaving now.

 

“Uhm, hey.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m…going now. Thanks for uhm—“

 

“Oh. Sure. Let’s go. Are you ready to go?”

 

“What? Wait.”

 

“What?”

 

“Not again.”

 

“I’m taking you to your meeting place. I’ll see who’s gonna be driving you home.”

 

“He’s someone I know and my family knows. So you don’t need to worry and get all the details.”

 

“At least I wanna know that you’ll be leaving safely.”

 

“…”

 

“I think that’s not a thing for you to worry.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Look. I’m… thankful for everything you did and for letting me stay here in your apartment. I’m so thankful and grateful for that. But, please. Can you not make it hard for me?”

 

“Make it hard for you? What do you mean by that?”

 

“To… to leave. And…and forget everything. I’m sorry.”

 

It was silent around us.

 

“I’m really sorry, Jake. And thank you.”

 

“I’m still gonna take you there. Let’s go.” He got my luggage and one of my hand-carry bags and started moving out. We went inside the elevator and made our way to the parking to get into his car.

 

The whole ride was silent. I felt kind of a little guilty, after everything he has done then I’m treating him like this. Somehow, I’m thankful for the days I spent with him, but I needed to forget it all. I didn’t know why but I had to. Something’s inside my head telling me that I should forget everything I had in this place including him. Honestly, it was supposed to be just him but it seems that everything in this place kinda connects and reminds me of him.

 

Several minutes passed and we were finally in our meeting place. He went down his car to unload my things. As soon as everything was out, I looked for Luke and found him making his way already towards us.

 

“Hey, Clara!” He greeted and hugged me.

 

Luke pulled back and he saw I was with someone.

 

“Uh, a friend of yours?” Luke asked.

 

“It’s Jake, a former co-worker.”

 

“Oh, hi. Thanks for taking care of our Clara.” He smiled at him and patted his back.

 

Luke got my things and bid goodbye to Jake. But I told him to go first as I need to talk to Jake for a minute.

 

“I’m really…sorry.”

 

“You’ve done nothing wrong. Thanks for spending your last day here with me.”

 

I nodded.

 

“Are we ever gonna see each other again?” He suddenly asked.

 

“Uhm. I don’t know. I don’t know if I’ll come back here again. Uh, thank you for everything. For the time and help.” I smiled at him softly.

 

“Why would you want to forget me?”

 

I also didn’t know the reason why. Maybe because of him I feel quite pain. I feel like I’m suffering and I needed to get away from what’s making me feel that way. Maybe because of the thoughts that’ll never even happen the way I want it to with him. Maybe because I’m hurting because of him.

 

“What if I tell you that I like you, too?”

 

That made me look up to him. “What did you just say?”

 

“I was asking you why would you want to forget about me?”

 

Am I just imagining things? Did I hear that right or is it just my thoughts that are whispering in my mind? That felt surreal.

 

I took a book out from my bag and gave it to him.

 

“Here.”

 

“What’s this?”

 

“It’s the book I have with me since I came here. You can have it now.” I looked at him and softly smiled.

 

“I have to go.”

 

Before he could even talk, I already turned around and made my way to Luke’s car without glancing back. It kinda hurts me inside and guilt is slowly getting into me as I take each step to the car. Each step I took made me feel little bit of regret, mixed emotions, doubts, and guilt. I sighed, and hopped on the car.

 

It took us almost six hours before arriving in my hometown. We almost had a problem passing by the roads going here after the storm has hit the place.