SAM

Chapter 2

"Charlie, are you sad?" I heard a voice behind me.

"Huh? I said back absentmindedly to my cousin,Trish who saw me staring into the night sky.

"You keep looking for the stars minutes now."she replied back curiously.

"Oh.ah..the stars are beautiful." I found myself stuttering while thinking of a good excuse to her question because what she said was true.

I smiled sadly remembering this certain memory.I am sitting in my bed near the window of my room and found myself looking above the starry night like the young Charlie.Except one thing, what I felt before was sadness because I was missing a friend who just went to the other place and will surely come back but now I just don't feel sad, I feel broken and drained because the person I love the most had decided to push me away by breaking my heart the hard way.

Flashback..

"Hello?" I said sleepily when I put my phone in my ears.I am laying down in my bed at 11:00pm and was very surprised to see anunonimous number calling me at this hour."Jen is calling me this late..uhmm.It must be very important."I thought.

"Is this Charlie?" a man's voice filled my ears and my eyes widened in surprise.

"Who are you?" I hesitated to answer his question and asked him instead.

"Are you, Charlie?I want you to stay away from my girlfriend." he said calmly..

"Why?.."She's my friend" I said shocked.I found myself already standing in my bed and waiting anxiously to the man's next words.

"She told me that you still bothering her, just stop"he commanded thru the the line.My eyes starting to tear up while I am absorbing all he said.I feel so lost.I don't know what to think anymore.

"Okay".I said with the forming lump in my throat.I don't mean to agree with all he said but I don't want to hear anything anymore.I feel lost.I feel so much pain in my heart.Not because of knowing that he has a boyfriend now but that idea of using a fake boyfriend to push me away.

End of Flash back..

I stared to a sparkling star in the sky and murmured softly."I promised her I won't ever leave her, that's why I am still here waiting".I closed my eyes.Tears are forming again.She doesn't want me now.She used the end of my rope.She knows I'll stop if I know that her heart is already owned by someone else.As with this thought, I let my tears fall freely from my eyes.And with my swollen eyes, I found myself dialing Anne's number.

"Someone called me and told me that he is her boyfriend, Anne" I said while wiping my teary eyes when I heard her picked up my call.

"Huh, her boyfriend? What's his name?" Anne replied back sounding confused.

"I don't know" He is not her real boyfriend Anne.I know he is just a fake one." I said sad and hurt. I heard Anne cleared her throat.

"But how did you know that he is not real?"she asked me hurriendly.

"I just know, that man didn't speak with full command as her boyfriend.I heard hesitation in his voice." I said hurt..

"Why she did that Anne?"..I am biting my lips to prevent me from crying out loud.But Anne's next words made me removed my restrain and I broke down as hard as I could.

"You did everything what you can do, it's time to let her go and move on Charlie.".I cried harder when I heard this because I know what she said was the right thing to do and I have to break my promise for her happiness.

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1 month after..

*knock knock..
I heard someone knocking my room's door and a minute after, the door opened revealing my older sister, Elaine.

"Hey Charlie! My friend just invited me to come over to her house to celebrate her birthday . Would you mind to man up the shop this afternoon? she asked me excitedly.I chuckled softly.I can't say no this woman.

"Sure Sister,no problem and have fun".I said smiling at her.My big sister deserves to unwind once in a while.Since our shop operated,she's been very busy managing our shop.She's the soul of our shop and one of the most hard working and responsible person I ever know.

I look up to the wallclock and jumped."Shoot!I only have 10 minutes to go shop now".I muttered in surprise and grab my towel and run hurriedly to the bathroom.

"Touchdown!" I said as soon as I stepped on the break of my scooter outside our shop.And my eyes fell automatically to my wrist watch."Charlie is 15 minutes late?Not bad.." I grinned mentally.

"Good afternoon, Ma'am".a smiling man approached me and took the keys from me.He is Raffy,we have the same age and he the only man in our shop.I remember seeing his twin brother.They look exactly the same, like you won't notice a difference between them.

"All the padlocks are open now Ma'am".I beamed at Raffy and started to compose myself before entering the shop.And as I took my seat in my usual spot behind the cashier counter,smiley Charlie is now transformed to a very serious mode or which my little brother,John teached me about this term known as "beast mode".

*phone vibrating..
I grabbed my phone from my pocket when I felt it vibrating while I was computing something.I opened the txt message and read..

"Hi Charlie,how's the shop? Oh I want to ask you something. Is it' okay if I go to Manila tomorrow?I just get informed about our 4 days seminar which will start 2 days from now". Uhm big sister didn't attend any seminar lately because no one will look after if she'll attend one.Thus I started typing saying..

"Of course Sister, it's cool.I'll manage the shop but"..I smirked remembering something. hehe.

"But?" she replied hurriedly and I am sure she's curious now.I grinned naughtyly.

"But only if you'll buy me a smart phone when you go to Manila.hehe" I said excitedly.I saved enough for a smart phone thus it's time to change my keypad type of phone.

"Oh..that's fine, sure I'll buy you one.
: ) " She texted back and she sounded super okay with it thus I feel very excited like a child to have a toy he's been dreaming to have.

"Yey!! Thanks Sis! : ) " I am very lucky to have a nice sister."Yey I am going to have a new phone" I cheered in my head.

"Excuse me Ma'am, a lady here wants to ask you something" I heard Iza's voice while I am staring at my phone.And when I look up to see the lady Iza was referring to.I felt like I got lost to the lady's smile and I heard her said.." Hi, do you have smaller change for this bill?" She said nicely while flashing that smile which seems to mesmerize me.

And unconsciously I said "Yes" even I know our shop doesn't have much smaller bills right now.But this lady and her smile made me forget it.

"Who is she?" I heard myself asking this question the moment the lady went out of my sight.I smiled widely remembering her beautiful smile.