How We Broke Up

23

NOW

Ro didn't hide how shock she was with what Stephen revealed on his brother. And though his brother Ron was drunk, Ro saw how shocked he is.

"Good to see you bro. Let me call Rob so you can meet him too." Ronald heavily shakes his phone based on his screen. He then added Robert to the video call. He joined and Stephen introduced Clayton.

Ro moved, she was behind the phone, signaling Stephen to end the call. Stephen was a bit hesitant to end it, but he did.

Before the official goodbyes, his brothers invited Clayton to join them on their dinner.

The call ended. Stephen greeted Ro and Clayton with a wide grin, "Are we all set?" Ro looked at her furiously, but she agreed, it is all set. I don't have a choice.

"Are you fine with that Mr....?"

"Clayton." He slowly nods. "Yeah, fine as wine."

"And since you've taken my notes. My plan worked." he pointed out with his lips and fingers the colorful notes that's sitting on the floor along with his tiny box.

Ro shrugged and walked into her room. "Plan? What plan are you talking about?"

Before entering fully, he talked.

"I've already told you. These notes were merely for someone I'm going to date next."

She peeped on her door, "What? Like a sob story something?" Clayton slowly nodded. "If that was true, then you're cheap. How can you do that?" Clayton just laughed at her. "Aren't we gonna talk about our set-up?" Why is he so... "Come tomorrow? If you're free." She said without hesitation, and she shut the door. Whilst Clayton and Stephen stepped outside the apartment. Stephen apologized for her best friend being grumpy, he said he understand.

"Are you just plainly rude or what?" her eyes were as huge as an owl, and she shouted at the top of her lungs. If there are neighbors near her apartment, enough to hear her shout, they will surely report her. Luckily, there is none.

Before the chaotic start of the day, Ro woke up by around seven in the morning. She refused to fully wake her system, she slept again. After an hour, she was awakened by a continuous rang of her phone. She opened her left eyes only to see her best friend's name on screen. Then, it disappeared.

11 missed calls.

She throws her phone on bed, slept again.

She gave herself a few more minutes to sleep then woke up. She stood up, walks into the bathroom. As usual, her daily affirmation.

She walks out into her bathroom and went for the kitchen. Unexpectedly, someone is on her kitchen, cooking. He looks at her, smiled. She laughed at her mind, why is he smiling? It irritates her.

she rolled her eyes and walks towards him. "Why are you here?"

Ro quickly denied as she sits on the kitchen counter stool, then Clayton laughed softly.

He settled the spatula on a plate, she didn't notice how fast he walks onto her, but she was shocked when she found him near her. Personal space!

Clayton slowly occupied the small distance between them. She can clearly feel his breath on her nose, her breath tightens,

she was taken aback, made her almost lose her balance, he pulls her closer.

Now, I remember.

Clayton whispered there he is, and he lets her go.

Clayton goes back into cooking, then Stephen supplemented me about some details. He suspected that Ro was still sleeping, so he tried to call her. When Ro wasn't answering, he decided to come. He made Clayton come too, since he got his number last night.

They're friends already? Tch.

they were currently eating. She stayed silent. Ro knows these two is waiting for her response, but she gave nothing.

Her brain is on the process of absorbing and analyzing. But clearly, she already said yes to the plan.

She'll enter this fake dating trope. But with this guy, oh shoot me.

Ro caught Stephen whispering to Clayton as if he was sharing something embarrassing about her. So, she looked at him as if she was ready to kill him. He laughed.

"I think we don't need to go into many details about this fake date thing-y. All we needed is a solidified story of us." Clayton nodded.

"I don't think that's necessary. After all, this is a one-day deal."

As they were savoring their breakfast- bacon jam toast, they started discussing the story of how they met and went on dating.

He introduced his self again to Ro; she did the same.

She was about to suggest when Clayton cut in, Stephen laughs at his suggestion. Stephen noticed that Clayton was looking at Ro, he is waiting for her response.

That seems to be familiar...

So, Steph called her attention. "What?"

She sarcastically yawns and let out a giggle which made him grin.

She answered, touché.

Stephen just kept looking at them. He does not know if he will be happy that both of them were working together or irritated that they are fighting first thing in the morning.

They continued working on their story until Stephen needs to leave. He only said earlier that they will leave the country for Matthew's business trip. Tonight.

Unexpectedly, Clayton didn't leave when he left. Ro feels like she needs to send him away for her to have peace since she'll be working on some articles.

As soon as she was finished with the kitchen duties, she finds him, he's at the living room.

He laughed at her. "Don't you want it?"

"What? No! Go get yourself someone not me." She left him to grab her things on her room.

When she came back, she saw him, "Seriously? Can't you ask for permission?" he nods, she doesn't know if he's agreeing with what she said then he turns his head around. He's by her drawer again with those notes. "Didn't think I need to since...it's mine"

She walks closer to him and said, "Technically..." she pointed at him. "Half mine."

"The notes?"

"The notes. What else?" he murmured something. "What?" she asked, he stooped down to reach for the drawer.

"You see I have this little box here-"

"Not my problem if you can't get them all without coming back here. Again. But can you please ask me first-

"Can I go through your stuff." She just shakes her head for this man.

"How did you meet?" they both looked at each other and laughed. "We met just a few weeks." Ro answered. "At their building where she interns." He continued, then they chuckled.

Ro cannot read their minds as her family listens to them. But theycontinued. "He asked for my number. I bet he can't stop thinking about me." Rosaid, she looks at Clayton who grabbed her hands and nodded. Ro was shockedwhen he did this but she played along.