After All There Was You || Macolet AU

33

Earlier that day...

A man, presumably in his early 30's, got out of a white Aston Martin DBX 707 after he parked his car in front of SMU. From his clothes, you would assume that he was someone very important-dressed in a black blazer over a tight purple shirt and a loose, dark patterned tie. His loose white pants contrast with the dark top, held up by a thin black belt with a big silver buckle.

And your assumptions were right, because he is important to this university.

"Once you enter the campus, you better be at your best behavior. Got that?" The man warned a girl with reddish-purple hair seated at the passenger's seat.

The said girl let out a bitter chuckle. "You sound so much like lolo."

The man glared at her. "Dani." He called, his voice as cold as ice.

This time, the girl, known as Dani, faced the man and her facial expression mimicked the man's current one. "Yes, kuya Matt." She answered briefly before looking away again.

The man, now known as Matt, let out a sigh. "Look, I just don't want you to experience another verbal beating from lolo again, alam mo naman na siguro kung pa'no niya tayo itrato, diba?"

"So what is he gonna do? Force me to enroll in a boarding school again sa U.S. that would send me to a therapist... again?" Dani spat out with venom in her voice.

"I'm not letting that happen again, especially after what he did to dad." Matt stated, placing a hand on his little sister's shoulder. "Kapag napasa na sa'kin ni lolo ang title of being the university's president, I'll make sure that you'll be able to enroll again at SMU and then reconnect with dad."

Dani removed her brother's hand from her shoulder, looking at him with her lifeless eyes. "Save it, kuya. Ano pa bang dapat kong balikan sa university na 'to? I'm pretty sure no one wants me around anymore, especially si M-"

"Siguro nga, but you can always begin again, sis." Matt told her before opening the door of his car. "Let's go na. Lolo's waiting."

Nauna nang lumabas sa kotse si Matt before Dani followed, exiting the car from the passenger's seat out of her will.

As soon as she got out of the car, her eyes caught sight of two figures near them-one of them being too familiar for Dani's eyes-embracing each other in a warm and comfy hug.

Dani swore that she must be seeing things. "Probably the side effects of the SNRIs that I took this morning. Oh, wait, do those cause mean hallucinations?" Dani shook her head.

Isang bagay lang ang p'wedeng magpatunay sa kaniya na totoo ang hinala niya sa kung sino ang isa sa mga estudyanteng tinitignan niya ngayon-if Dani can get a good angle of the student with ginger hair.

And she wished she didn't wish to see the gingerhead's face, because Dani felt her heart broke into a million pieces seeing that warm smile being caused by another girl.

---

"Matthew, I'm so glad you're able to come in such short notice." A man already past retirement age, probably at his late 60's, greeted Matt as soon as he and Dani entered his office. "The company's running okay naman while you're gone, right?"

Matt nodded. "Yes po, lo. I've already informed everyone that I have an important meeting to attend. Once they heard your name, they already know what to do." He explained, letting out a chuckle at the end.

"Looks like I still hold power against them, 'ey?" The old man, of course, didn't fail to notice Dani's presence since she and Matt arrived. His expression shifted to a serious one once he made eye contact with the girl. "I see you're back from the States. I hope you've learned your lesson from there."