Heartbound Part Two (Lovestruck Series)

Day 16.2 | N/E

#HeartboundWP

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Day 16.2 | N/E

NADIA SENDS A TEXT to Yanyan, informing her that she might be home late and that her younger sister has to take care of her own dinner tonight. Nagbalak siyang umalis earlier, but there's suddenly a surge of customers that made her feel bad about leaving Kuya Rennie and the rest of the small team of staff to take care of it all, so she stays.

Fortunately, after half an hour or so, the crowd dies down, and the quietude comes back in. She decides to stay for a little while longer, helping clear out the tables while working on the new inventory sheet her aunt asked her to do. This is her job for now while the construction for their new location is still ongoing.

She stops laughing at the story one of the part-timers her age tells her while cleaning up when she sees a familiar figure outside. She blinks a few times, just to make sure he's really there and that her vision is not toying with her. Right outside the door, Eli crouches to the height of his niece whom he's with. The yellow and orange decorative lights outside the café mimic dappled sunlight, making his skin appear more golden in contrast to the marbling pale blue and light purple sky.

"Labasin ko ba, Ma'am? Papasukin ko?" a staff asks.

Nadia turns to him and shakes her head, lips in a tight smile. She returns to organizing today's receipts. "No. Hindi naman sila nakaharang," she says, while her hands are busy on her phone, sending her best friend a message because it's the best alternative she has for screaming.

Hindi na nakipagtalo ang kausap niya at nagpaalam na lang na pupunta sa kitchen. Nadia merely nods his way before looking back outside where Eli and Zo are. They're still talking, maybe even arguing? Even from this distance she can see the identical creases on both of their foreheads.

She quickly looks down on what she's doing when Zoa's lower lip juts out after Eli speaks, and her uncle does the same. Nadia bites the inside of her cheeks when she catches herself almost smiling at their resemblance. She doesn't think that the two look that much alike, but on some instances like this one, they can easily be mistaken as siblings. Their significantly large age gap may not even be that obvious to some, considering that Zo is a little too tall than kids her age. Would it really be that bad to find this adorable?

She drops her pen on the table and slaps both her cheeks lightly. Who is she kidding na harmless 'to? She's still crushing on him, as much as she hates to admit. Pero come on, who can blame her? Especially now that he's in his uniform and he has always looked good in white.

Her eyebrows raise when she sees Zo slapping Eli's hand away. They're definitely arguing, and now she's sure. She gathers the receipts, clips them, and quickly tucks them away in the drawer. Despite her heart rate exponentially increasing in every step she takes towards him, she continues to make her way to the door.

Eli and Zo put their conversation to a halt when she pushes the door open. Nadia bites the inside of her lower lip to stop herself from beaming upon seeing the similar expression on their faces—like they have just been caught red-handed. So cute.

Especially the uncle.

What?

No!

Her cheeks heat up, and she prays that he doesn't notice. Pakiramdam niya ay nababasa ni Eli ang nasa utak niya ngayon and that's just beyond embarrassing. Having a crush is embarrassing. She wishes she can stop, but, look at him!

"Is there a problem?"

The kid throws her uncle an accusing glance. Eli just purses his lips and doesn't say anything. Nadia slightly moves out of the way when Zoa stomps her way inside Butter. She wonders what that can possibly be about.