Dark Billionaire Series : Marked by Him

8

Unedited

8. Cookies

It's been two weeks since my sister and I had a talk. I contented myself by just watching her from afar. She always seems busy. Well after all, she's part of the student council in this school. That's what I thought. I smiled a bit when I looked at my right hand. I made a chocolate cookies last night. I remembered when we were kids - our Mom always baked delicious cookies. I noticed how Summer got excited and loved to eat those. It was my first time to bake and I hope she will like it. I stopped infront of the student council room. I had knock twice before I heard someone said, 'come in'. I gently opened the door as a cold air inside the room welcomed me.

"Hello." I greeted as I looked around. I saw a petite girl wearing a big eyeglass with her hair styled in a messy bun; doing something on her table. She looked at me with curiosity.

"Hi!" She enthusiastically greeted me back. "Ako nga pala si Anya Rodriguez!" She said. I somehow understand what she had said. I thought I should answer her in the same language.

"Ako-h si Winter Howe. Kinigagalak kita m-makilalah." I said as my eyebrows knitted. Did I say it right? When I look at her, she burst out laughing. I felt my cheeks burning.

"Sorry, sorry." Her eyes got watered as she laugh out loud. "You're so funny!"

"Did I say it wrong?" I ask.

"It's kinagagalak." She stops laughing now. "Not kinigagalak." But I can see her struggle not to laugh.

"Ah. Kinagagalak."

"Very good." She clap her hands. "As I said a while ago, I'm Anya Rodriguez and the student council secretary." She offer a handshake and I gladly took it.

"I'm Winter Howe." I introduce myself again. "I just transferred in this school weeks ago."

"I see." She reacted. "Kaya pala ngayon lang kita nakita." She said but I didn't understand some of her words. She seems to notice it. "What I mean is, that's why it's the first time I saw you here."

"Thank you for making me understand."

"It's fine. So, may I know what your business here is?" She asks.

"Ah. I just wanted to ask if Summ-Yanna is here." I stop myself from mentioning my sister's real name. I don't want her to get mad at me. "Is she here?" I hopefully asks.

"Yes!" She smiles at me. "She is on her office on the right side." She pointed the small room on the right corner. "You need to talk with her?" I nod my head.

"Yes. Can I come there?"

"Of course. Come on." She leads the way to Summer's office. I saw her knock on the room before entering her room. She told me to wait a little. After a few seconds she told me to go inside.

"Thank you, Anya." I politely said.

"You're welcome!" With that, she left me and go back to her seat.

"Hi Ate Summer." I said as I enter her office. She didn't said anything, not even look at me. It made me sad but it didn't discourage me. "I bake some chocolate cookies..." I saw her stop what she's been doing and turn her gaze on me.

"Did I told you to leave me alone?" Her eyebrows raised. "Then, what are you doing here?"

"I bake some-" She cuts me off.

"I don't care. Leave." I am about to cry but I stop myself. Don't cry, Winter. You can do it.

"It's your favorite." I try to smile. "I made this for you. I hope you like it." She stands up and slams her office desk with her both hands. It made me yelp.

ave!"

"But-" My shoulders sagged. "Here, at least get it." I murmur. I wait for her to take the small basket from me, where I place the chocolate cookies. I felt happy when she took it from my hands. "I hope you like... it." But quickly faded when I saw her threw it to the wall.

Even though I felt like bursting in tears, I walk slowly to the cookies she threw. I look at her one more time as I felt her cold gaze on me. I shook my head in disappointment and picked up the cookies one by one.

"What are you doing, Young Lady?" Wallace asks as I am busy reading the instruction from my tablet phone on how to bake cookies.

"I am reading on how to bake cookies." I murmur.

"Cookies? I thought you didn't like cookies?" He curiously asks. I smile a bit and look at him.

"It's not for me." I trail. "It's for my sister."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Young Lady." He said. "She'll like it for sure."

"You think so?" My heart leaps the thought of Ate Summer liking my cookies. "I'll do it now!" He just chuckles as he watches me making those cookies. He even helped me understand some cooking terms I do not know. I just hope that Ate Summer will really love it. I smile the whole night with the thought of that.

"Anyare?" I heard Anya's voice as she enters the room. "Narinig ko kasing sumisigaw ka...." She suddenly stop from what she is saying. "Anong nangyari dito? Bakit may mga cookies na nagkalat? At... bakit nagpupulot ka dyan?" I felt her walking towards me. "Let me help you." She said sighing.

"No, it's okay." I tried to smile at her. "I can manage." She made a 'tsk' sound. I suddenly remember Ethan with that. She just shakes her head while sympathetically smiling at me.

"I'll help you, okay?" When we finished picking up all the cookies on the floor, she helps me stands up. As she saw me struggling to stand up. The truth is, all my energy has gone. I felt weak all of a sudden.

"Tapos na ba kayo?" We both turn our gaze on my sister.

"President..."

"Anya." Ate Summer gave a cold glare to her. But she just stands still, not minding my sister's glare.

"Summer..." I whisper.

"Sobra ka na ata, Miss President." She said bravely which made my sister stop from glaring. "Hindi mo naman kailangang ihagis yung binigay nya." I didn't understand what she said. It's too long for me to translate faster on my mind. "Akala mo hindi ko alam noh? Tsk. Iba ka talaga. Ang heartless mo! Tara na nga!" She pulls me and slams the door behind us.

"You called her heartless?" I shockingly ask. "Will she going to be mad with you?" She just made a 'tsk' sound again.

"You!" Just a few seconds of slamming the door, she pointed her index finger on me.

"W-why?" I nervously asks. I thought Ate Summer is scary but she is scarier.

"Why did you allow her to do that?"

"Allowed what?"

"I heard it all."

"Oh." I bow my head in embarrassment.

"Are you okay?" She asks softly. I just nod my head because I can't seem to speak. Silence envelops us for a minute. I'm so embarrassed about what happen. I thought two weeks is enough time for her. But I'm wrong. I wonder what could have been the real reason why she was so mad at me.

"Thank you, Anya. I think I'll go now." I mumble. I didn't wait for her answer as I hastily walk out the door.

As soon as I close the door behind me, tears gathered at the corner of my eyes.

"Don't." I flinch as I heard a familiar voice on my side. "No crying." He wiped the tears threatening to fall from my eyelids.

"Ethan." I whisper. He just gave me a brief smile and put his arm around my shoulders. He gave me comfort.

"Come." I didn't utter any words and let him drag me to somewhere. He removed his arms around my shoulders. For a while, I felt a sudden emptiness. But then, he wrap his right hand against mine. I felt it again – the tingles all over my skin wherever he is around. Is it bad?

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-Elle Jacinto

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