Inside Charmaine and Myolie's Apartment - 10:00 am:

Charmaine stretched her arms and peered at the clock on her nightstand. Her head ached and her body felt stiff. She looked down and noticed that she was still in her black dress. Then the night before came back to haunt her. Benny had betrayed her in the worse possible way and she was finished with him for good. She pushed the covers back and sat for a few minutes trying to orient herself. She could smell eggs being cooked and the fresh aroma of coffee. A cup of coffee is what she needs. She rubbed her forehead and decided on a shower first. Myolie or Ron would keep her breakfast warm. Slowly she made her way to the bathroom and let the hot steam of the water take away her aches. She emerged ten minutes later in a bathrobe with dripping wet hair.

She saw the plate of food on the table along with a steaming cup of coffee. She sat down cross legged on the chair and eagerly gulped the coffee.

"You're awake," Raymond said as he sat down beside her.

Startled, Charmaine turned wide eyes at him. "What are you doing here?"

He pointed at the plate and smiled. "Eat first."

Charmaine eyed him suspiciously as she picked up her fork. She moved the eggs around the plate looking at it with revulsion. After a couple of seconds, she lay the fork down. "I'm not hungry. Where's Myolie and Ron?"

Raymond brought the plate back to the kitchen and came out with a pot of hot coffee and refilled her now empty cup. "Myolie's father had a heart attack last night and they've been at the hospital."

Alarmed at the news, she turned to Raymond. "Is her father alright?"

"Yes. She called earlier and said they'll be back soon."

Warily, she asked, "But why are you here?"

Giving her a bright smile, Raymond said, "I've never left. Been here since last night's dinner."

"Why?"

"Because Myolie asked me to stay and take care of you. You were drunk when you came home last night. And since she needed to leave and see her father she asked me to stay."

Charmaine took her cup of coffee to the living room and sat down moodily on the couch. She recalled telling Myolie about her break-up with Benny but she didn't remember anyone else being there. She remembered holding onto someone last night as she slept. Could it have been Raymond? No, she thought. At least she hoped it wasn't him. Maybe it was only a dream. Her head started to pound again and she winced at the sudden pain.

Seeing the expression on her face, Raymond sat down beside her. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern.

Charmaine turned to look at Raymond as if he had suddently grown two horns. "Why are you being so nice to me all of sudden?"

Not wanting her to know how he really felt about her he decided to lie. With hesitation he said, "Because Ron and Myolie are my friends and they asked me to take care of you."

She knew he was lying and came to the conclusion that he pitied her now because of her break up with Benny. "Stop pretending. I know you're just feeling sorry for me!"

Raymond held her shoulders with his hands and looked at her. "Of course not. Break-ups are very common in relationships."

Extricating herself from his hold, Charmaine stood up abruptly to stare down at him. "I don't want your pity!"
she cried and ran inside her room slamming the door behind her.

Raymond followed her to her room and found the door locked. He knocked. "I'm not feeling sorry for you." There was nothing but silence on the other side. "I swear I just want to be a friend when you need one." He heard her moving around in the room. After a few more minutes of silence, sad and defeated he left.