The Runaway Girl and The Billionaire

Chapter 16: I like that

With her nerves going wild, Lana rushed to rinse the shampoo from her hair, not wanting to keep Xy waiting. She'd had so much fun boxing with him and getting to know each other. He was easy to talk to, and she found it hard to say goodbye when it was finally time to go their separate ways.

After rejecting him so many times, it was only right that she was the one to initiate their breakfast, but man did it feel weird. For someone who was typically shy and soft spoken, Lana felt far out of her comfort zone inviting Xy to breakfast.

Thankfully, he didn't allow her to back out when she got cold feet. It was just so foreign to her to be facing rejection, although Xy happily accepted her invitation.

Soon enough, she was dressed, and after a few minutes in front of the mirror, she decided she was ready to go on what she refused to think of as a date, not wanting to get ahead of herself. Lana couldn't plan her life weeks in advance because Dan could show up any time. So there was no way she could consider anything would blossom with Xy.

Still, she was excited as she walked down the long tunnel at the gym, happy to see him waiting at the end. Even more handsome after he'd showered, Xy was smiling, his hair wet and shiny.

"You look nice," he greeted her.

"Oh stop," she waived him off.

Having only prepared to shower and walk home, Lana had only packed a black sweat suit to change into. While it wasn't the most fashionable outfit, she still felt incredibly beautiful whenever Xy looked at her.

"You're forgetting I just saw you covered in sweat," he teased.

"Well, when you put it that way, this is a serious upgrade," Lana admitted, and they laughed before leaving the gym.

The sun was just beginning to shine, lighting up the hilled streets of the city, but the wind made it quite breezy.

"I can't believe it's already fall," Xy acknowledged.

"I know. I'm not used to this changing weather, either. I'm going to need winter clothes," Lana shook her head.

To most people, it was just a bit chilly outside, but to a native of Batangas, it was freezing. One of the great benefits of that city was the consistently warm weather.

"Where are you from?" Xy asked.

"Batangas," Lana answered, with a hint of pride that could only be topped.

"Oh, so you're used to year-round summer. Where's the fun in that?" Xy teased.

"You're joking, right?"

"Come on. Surely you're not trying to tell me you don't feel something is wrong with a hot Christmas?" he asked.

"You sir, have obviously never spent Christmas on the beach," she reasoned.

It was a tradition for her family to spend the winter holidays at their Bahay San Jose Balayan beach house. On Christmas day, her mother would pack a cooler full of goodies, and she would play in the ocean from sun up to sun down. It never occurred to her that many children around the province, and the rest were wishing they were. Meanwhile, she was happily working on a sand castle.

"Is this the place?" Xy asked, as they arrived at Denny's Uptown trendy restaurant on the corner.

"Yes! Tina said they make the best pancakes in the city," Lana recalled, walking through the door as Xy held it open for her. "Thank you."