Ever So (Saint Claire II)

Part 9

Part 9

I had my arms full of grocery bags when Kayla opened the door of her condo unit. I invited myself in while she remained at the doorway, frowning.

"What? Can't I visit my former home?"

I placed the bags on the countertop that contained ingredients to cook pasta. I opened the fridge to chill the bottle of sparkling drink I also brought with me.

Sumunod si Kayla sa loob na nakahalukipkip parin ang mga braso. It's not even seven in the evening and she's already in her pajamas and oversize gray sweatshirt, while I was still in my outfit from the studio visit.

Nothing had changed since I moved out of this place. My knack of interior design made the unit showroom worthy but I can't expect Kayla to continue the tradition of remodeling whenever she's bored of how  the place looks. She's just gonna be like 'what's the point of changing things if it can serve the same purpose?' Hello, aesthetic?

Kayla sat back on the sofa while I rummaged her kitchen. To be honest, I was worried about her that's why I'm here. Since meeting with her boyfriend before the jerk head to Baguio for work, she's been really  silent and refusing to talk about it. And she can do it for a long time if  not prevented. If not for my invitations to hang-out or my sudden barge-in like this, she's just gonna stay in the condo for weeks straight without noticing.

I checked the cupboard for additional ingredients I can cook with. But there's nothing in here except for a few condiments and most were already expired.

"Kayla!"

"What?" she muttered from the sofa.

"What have you been eating these past week? You don't even have supplies here."

"Food delivery?" She had the guts to say. "There are instant noodles in there somewhere."

I stretched my hands in frustration. In times like this, I really want her  out of that messy relationship. Not only because I don't like the guy-- hate is an understatement. But more importantly, I don't want to see Kayla like this... forgetting herself.

I washed the ingredients I brought with me on the sink. I already  expected there's barely anything I can cook with but not to this extent. Fortunately, I bought the complete ingredients to the spinach aglio olio with mushroom, including the fresh condiments I can leave in her  condo.

"You're waiting for a chat or something?" I asked.

"Not really."

"You're not good at lying."

It was clear as daylight how she constantly checks her phone on the coffee table while sitting on the sofa, hugging her knees close to her chest.

"It's been three days." She placed her forehead on top of her knees. "Hindi niya parin ako kiko-contact."

The spinach leaves crushed on my hands.

"He's probably busy adjusting," I offered.

I know the bastard was deliberately ignoring Kayla's messages. But I couldn't point it out specially when Kayla's already so down. If only I can set her up on a blind date or something.

I turned off the faucet. Isang bagay ang bigla kong naalala.

Bago ako umalis sa studio kanina, a member of Saint Claire kept pestering me. Jarvis, the drummer, had been asking me for Kayla's number.

I shook my head at the idea. What am I thinking? Nope, not gonna happen. A member of Saint Claire? I'll never let Kayla get involved in this mess.

I busied myself preparing the rest of the ingredients. I had the garlic minced, the mushroom chopped and the spinach washed. The pasta's already in the boiling water and there's enough olive oil. I wanted everything to be organized while cooking.