Better Than Better Could Ever Be

Chapter 9

The days seemed so fast and after a week and a half, I'll be going back to Paris. Oh how I miss the sweet smell of pasta and baked bread.

These past few weeks, I have been working with Keith and Chelsea about our new branch here in New York. We drafted our ideas last Monday, and hoping that today, they will show me and Alec the blueprint and design of what we have in mind.

Alec drove us to a cafe and, there, we had our meeting. "I would have a chocolate chip drink please" I told the waiter.

While waiting for our orders, we discussed the project. "Here is our sketch of the new building. It is a 10 story building but with classy designs fit for your fashion industry" Chelsea explained.

"What do you think, Riley?" Alec asked.

"I think it's a little bit too classy. What I have in mind are designs which will make everyone feel like home but add a little classy in it. By classy, I mean simple but with less sophisticated. Do you get what I mean?" I asked Chelsea.

"Yes ma'am. I will remove the chandelier and rather replace it with pendants, and instead of black and white, I would change it into pastel colors, preferably peach and lighter yellow for the interior. Is that close to your idea?" She described as she drew it on the sketch.

"Yes, I like that better" Alec stated.

"By the way, I also like to add a piece of sculpture at your lobby. I imagine a small version of an Eiffel tower, as tall as 2-4 persons stacked up, to give the essence of France, the place where all your fantasies come true" Keith suggested.

"I like it. That is actually a really good plan" Alec congratulated Keith as I agreed.

After the meeting, Chelsea and Keith already left and started on their work while Alec and I are left to drink our orders.

"Have you ever fallen in love with someone?" out of the bloom, I asked.

"Yes, but that was history" he quickly replied.

"Do you mind if I ask what happened?"

"Well, it started way back when I was still in college.-" Ohhh fascinating.

"The girl, Melissa, is my best friend. Everyone had always thought of me as one of the geek; a guy who studies almost 24 hours a day, wears glasses, and has braces.-" Wow, I couldn't imagine him with those features. Puberty must have hit him hard.

"Everyone thought of that about me except her. She gave me a new look; instead of wearing glasses, I wore contact lenses and my braces were off two years after. I then asked her to be my girlfriend when we graduated, and she said yes. We became a couple for three years but then she broke up with me-" Ouch! Hearing the story makes my heart shatter. What more if I was in his place?

"She said she will be moving to New York, but I told her I can wait. So, we had a long distance relationship but then we both got busy at work until our connection got lost and she already is with someone else. I learned to move on, and that was something I never thought I could do"

Alec's story got me into tears. I can see the sadness in his eyes and so I suggested-

"Do you want to look for her? Well, we're in New York and we have a week left".

"I don't want to. Besides, I think I'm falling for somebody already" he said. I stopped sipping from my drink and my eyes widened.

"Who in this world is that lucky woman?" I asked.

"Lucky?"

"Yeah"

"Why lucky?"

"Because, you're a wonderful young man in the eyes of some. Just joking, you are wonderful. And, you are a gentleman. Who could not love you?" saying those got me thinking deep. I hated him before but now, he's a cool friend.

"Thank you" he said softly as he held my hand. "You're always welcome sir, I mean, Alec" I gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"Would you also mind if I ask who Keith Lawrence is to you? Were you just high school classmates?" his question made me difficult to swallow my drink.

"Keith, he was my best friend. We became a couple for 3 years too until we argued about time – how little we make time for each other. So, when I graduated, I continued to study fashion and went to Paris where I have always believed I would become one of the best fashion designers. We never had communication since then, and we both moved on" I said.

"But the both of you are back to friends now, right?"

"Yes"

"That's good to hear" he smiled at me.

"Cheers for the both of us!" I said.

"Kampai!"

)QL