Someone to Love

Two

I think it was a drunk dream, I mean, I woke up all alone again, and no signs of anyone except me being in the apartment.
And, I am down to the last food stock, which means that I need to go food shopping, and I haven't met my roommate yet, and I'm kinda saving my money for the rent, and stuff, and I don't think I can afford food.
But since I finished this guy's food stash, I'm gonna have to replace it and add more.
And I need to stop spending on bottles of vodka, or add vodka to the budget.
I think I'm gonna need to get a job, somewhere would do, as long as I can pay for the house and buy food.
Where would my credentials from Stanford get me?
It could get me anywhere, my dad had said.
And he also told me that I'd get Hayden Industries and I'll be CEO of Hayden Industries.
But whatever.
I may not be able to break the glass ceiling anyway.
I opened my phone and checked my bank account, good thing I opened an account that is not controlled by my father and not given by my father, I have an account that has the money that I earned from working in HI, which is not that much, but I think I can live by myself, pay for rent and buy food.
A couple hundred thousand bucks would do, and it's my money, so at least I can repay the food that I ate, and I ate a lot.
I threw my phone on the kitchen counter and went back on eating a bowl of corn flakes and milk.
It is breakfast, and I still have a hang over.
After breakfast, I hit the showers and then went to the grocery.
And I restocked the fridge and the cabinets, and added little more to it.
I'm a good roommate, even though my roommate has not shown himself up to me, and I still believe that the man that turned off Sia last night is a drunk mirage.
So, I went through four days of getting myself drunk, and now I decided not to get myself drunk again, well, badly drunk, and try to live my life.
Which is to enjoy the apartment for a while and get to know myself as myself.
Not some smart ass, rich girl.
But as a girl.
Whatever.
I opened a bag of Jalapeño Cheetos, and ate on the kitchen counter, and looked at the bottles of vodka that I have finished.
Whenever a wave of depression hits me, I take steps that would kill myself.
For example, for the past days, I have been frying my liver with alcohol. Plus, frying my brain cells with it too.
And now, I'm eating a bag of junk food, and boy, do they taste good.
I'll move on someday.
But that day is not today.
I drank water, which I felt that I needed to do, considering the fact that I am killing myself slowly which I do not intend to do. I want to live.
And get my revenge on my father.
I think.
And then the bathroom door opened.
Steam or smoke or an aura came out, with a newly-bathed man, with a towel wrapped around his waist.
That wasn't a drunk mirage.
I'm pretty sure I'm sober now, or am I dreaming?
And I was just staring at him.
And he just went in his room, bet he didn't even notice me.
It was a good view.
I mean, I could stare at that body the whole day.
Should I prepare food?
Before I could even do anything, he went out of his room, all prepared for something.
" Hi, I'm Ara. " I said, waving my hand.
He looked at me.
" Oh, hi. " he said, walking to the door.
" I'm your-"
" I need to go, sorry to cut this short." He said, leaving the house.
I guess I won't be preparing lunch or food for that matter.
Maybe my roommate is not the socializing type.
It's good for him, but bad for me, seriously, I have not been talking to anyone for the past days, it's about time that I talk to anyone.
So I sat down in front of the television, and watched some shows the whole day.
At about seven in the evening, I decided to get up and make myself some dinner.
So, I made myself some aglio olio pasta.
Some sad but good tasting pasta.
And is enough to feed the whole building.
At least I have a place to stay and food to eat.
I mean, this could be worse.
I might be in the subway or underground.
I looked at my phone and my mom hasn't returned my call, and my dad hasn't even checked on me, and in fact, nobody has checked up on me.
I stood up and looked for any plastic container or whatever and decided to walk to Melia's place.
"Oh, Ara. Hi." She said
"Uh, hi. I just wanted to give you this." I said, handing her some pasta.
"Oh, thank you."
"You don't have to eat it. But I'd appreciate it if you do. I just made some pasta, and I have nobody to share it with."
She smiled.
"I'd definitely eat it. Thank you." She said
"I should go back now." I said
"See you around, Ara. And thank you."
I smiled and walked back.
When I got back in the apartment, it was empty, not that I'm expecting anything and went back to eating and drinking.
Thank heavens that I bought red wine.
I am so killing my liver and or my kidney.
The front door suddenly opened.
And the hot doctor walked in.
"I see you're drinking again." He said, frowning.
I looked at my hand, who is unsurprisingly holding a glass of wine.
"Uhm, hi. I'm Ara." I said, offering my hand
He set his bag on the table.
"Lucas, nice to finally meet you. And to see you awake." He said, shaking it.
"Uh, I prepared some pasta, you can have some."
"Oh, right! I apologize for walking away a while ago. I was in a hurry, there was an emergency." He said
"No problem. I think it comes with the job." I said
He nodded.
"So, have you had dinner yet?" He said
"Yeah, I have. "
"Oh."
"But I can sit with you while you eat. Maybe get to know each other or something." I said
"Okay." He said as we moved to the kitchen.
"I should warn you though, I'm not that great of a cook." I said as I sat down and he got his utensils.
"To be honest, this is the first time in years that I have been living here that I've had a home-cooked meal." He said as he put some pasta on his plate.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but I'm really not a good cook."
"I guess this should be better than Chinese take out." He said as he dug in.
"So, uh, Melia told me that you're a doctor." I said as I looked at him.
"You're being too humble. This is actually great." He said
"Uh, thanks."
He poured himself a glass of wine.
"Yes, I am a neurosurgeon at the Metropolitan Hospital." He said
I raised an eyebrow.
"Nice."
"How about you?" He asked
"Mostly freelancing." I said
He frowned.
"You must earn well to afford that Maserati on the parking area." He said
"Do you want me to move it? For your car? Or do you have-"
He shook his head.
"It's no problem."
"Where are you from?" I asked
"Been around, here and there. You?"
"I guess the same. "
I looked at him, he looked like he isn't a pure American or something. Maybe half.
"What's your work schedule?" He asked me
"Huh?"
"I'm off on Fridays. Which means I'll be home on Fridays. How about you?"
I blinked.
"Freelance. Uh, I'm here and there and everywhere."
He stood up and started to clean up.
"I'm not really the uh, talking type." He said as he started the dishes.
"Hmm." I said as I drank my wine.
"Yeah, and it's my first time here in the US to ever have a girl for a roommate so I may be a bit awkward." He said
"Thanks for the heads up."
I stood up.
"Do you mind if I crash in first?" I asked
"No, uh, have a good night, Ara." He said
I smiled.
"Nice meeting you, Lucas." I said
I woke up at about six in the morning because of my stupid body clock and I saw Lucas sitting on the kitchen table having coffee.
"You're up early." I said
He turned around and frowned at me.
"No, you're up early. It's six am."
"I know. Why are you up?" I said
"I just got back from the hospital." He said
"Seriously?" I said as I sat down across him.
He nodded.
"Uh, had to perform an emergency operation." He said
"Oh, then maybe you should take a nap. Or rest." I said
"Nah, it's technically my day off but I just can't sleep around. Not my thing."
"What do you usually do?" I asked
He frowned.
"To come and think about it, I don't really do that much." He said
I just realized that I didn't have any bra on and I'm wearing a white camisole and I think he hasn't changed the setting of the air conditioning.
I know he's a doctor and a few perky nipples shouldn't bother him but it sure as hell is bothering me.
I stood up.
"I think I'm gonna go sleep for a few more minutes." I said
He nodded.
"See you later." He said
To be honest, I look fucking hot but then the doctor doesn't seem to mind. Maybe he has seen far more eh, hotter women than I am.
I woke up again at about 7:30, no messages from anyone at all, no emails, no voice mails, nothing from anyone.
It's impossible that my mother didn't even listen to my voice mail, maybe she just doesn't really care at all.
And the last email that I got was from Dad, addressing the whole company to fucking exclude me from all emails from then on.
It was a memo that I'm fucking fired.
I checked Instagram for anything and it's as if my friends are just moving on with their lives. I fucking brought them to Bali for my 25th birthday. They fucking loved it.
I took a quick shower and went to the kitchen to find Lucas preparing breakfast.
"Did you get some sleep?" I asked him.
"Oh, good morning." He said
I think he was preparing waffles or something, so I decided to just make something to drink.
"Coffee or tea?" I asked
"Tea would be nice. And no, I didn't get some sleep." He said
"Black or green? And do you take sugar or something in it?"
"Black, just it. Thanks."
I heated up some water and let the tea stip in.
"I know it's too early for this but I was wondering, when do I pay you for all of this?" I asked
"For all of what?" He said as he served some waffles and eggs.
And boy, don't they look great.
"The apartment. It has been bothering me for a while. So that I know when to pay-"
"To be honest, I haven't thought about that."
I frowned.
"Wait a sec." I said as I went into the room and got about $2500 dollars.
"Here. I hope this would be enough." I said
He frowned.
"What's this for? We haven't even discussed terms-"
"And yet I have been living here for almost a week. I just need a place to sleep, and get my self cleaned up. The rest is just a bonus, I hope this would be enough." I said
He straightened his back.
"Miss uh-"
"Hayden." I said
"How long do you plan on staying here?" He asked
I swallowed.
"Well, uh-" until my father decides that I am the rightful heir to HI.
"-not to play the victim here but until maybe you get married or something." I said
He raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?"
"How long do you need a roommate?" I asked
He crossed his arms.
"Well, think of it this way, technically the place is mine. I'm not renting to Melia, I bought the place from Melia. The only thing that made me want a roommate is that the payment for the usage of the utilities are wasted because I'm home once a week. So, basically I just need someone who would-"
I nodded.
"I'm still giving you that money. You can ask for more if you want. Just give me time to run to the bank." I said
"I don't think I should accept this-"
"No, uh, take it. Please, I'm not staying here for free." I said
He nodded.
"Well, thank you Miss Hayden."
"Thank you, Doctor-" I frowned.
"Lucas would be fine." He said
"Lucas. Then call me Ara." I said
I looked at the breakfast that he prepared.
"Uh, I think I should have your contact details. I mean, you are living inside my home." He said
"Oh, right! Can I have your phone?" I said
He handed it to me and I punched in my phone number and my email.
"Can I also have yours?" I said
"Sure." I handed him my phone.
Lucas Seo I read as he handed me back my phone.
I frowned.
"Cool last name. Korean?" I said
"Yeah." He said
"Cool. Hayden's just American, I guess."
He went on and ate his waffles.
And I went on with mine.
And they are not just good looking, they taste good too.
"These are great."
"Thank you, uh, it has been a while since anyone has appreciated my cooking. Let alone have someone to share it with." He said
"How long have you been living here?"
"Ever since I started with MGH. About 10 years, I think. I moved here when I well, moved here in New York."
"So, this is your first home in New York."
"Yeah, but I'm not really a big fan of decorations, so that's why the place looks like this."
"It looks great to me, a bit minimalistic."
"Sure, we can call it that."
There was a bit of silence.
"Where are you from?"
"New York."
"No, I mean, surely, a girl who drives a Maserati isn't just from around this side of New York."
"This is the good side. Sure, you'd still get mugged or something, but it's near the hospital and a mall."
"But there is surely a better side."
I breathed.
"It's okay, if you don't want to talk about it. I'm sorry for pushing." He said
"No! No, you're trying to make small talk and we are trying to get to know each other, right?" I said
He shrugged.
"I'm from the Hamptons." I said
He frowned.
"What?" He said
"Don't be that shocked. It's not that big of a deal." I said
"It is. What are you doing here, sharing an apartment with a guy like me?"
"Why, is there something wrong with you?"
"Other that I'm not like most doctors who is egotistical? Yeah, I'm socially awkward. I don't talk much."
"You don't look like you don't talk much though."
He just looked at me.
"You should be bragging about who you are and what have you become, not to the extent that you'd no longer value other people's opinions but you know what I mean."
"What is there to brag? I'm just a neurosurgeon."
"And that is the major of all major organs."
"But that still doesn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"
"I thought you were sorry for pressing too much."
"You're right. I'm sorry. But let me just get this straight, you're not a felon right? I mean, I'm not keeping you away from the government or something?" He said
I smiled.
"What if I am?"
"Then we're gonna have a problem with that. I can't afford to be mixed up with a wanted person."
"Right. But no, I'm not a criminal, but I am hiding."
"Why? Uh, stalkerish ex? Please don't make it that way, because uh, I'm really not the fighting person. I could help fix you up when you get beaten up or even call the cops on guy but not the physical stuff."
Okay, this guy looks great, he's pretty tall, dark hair, fair skin, strong jawline, great eyes he doesn't look like he can't throw a punch though.
"No, no ex. And I will respect your home, don't worry. "
"Do you have anything that you're allergic to?" He said
"Why?"
"Wait a sec." He said as we went in his room, and came back with paper and pen.
"Uh, it's kinda an obsession of mine, since I'd be sharing this place with you, and we'd be sharing food once in a while, I decided that we should have a list of things that we are allergic to and the things that we don't like to eat. Compromise." He said
"Okay, I think that's good." I said
He handed me a piece of paper and a pen.
"Oh! And would you like to go grocery shopping today? " He said
"Yeah, sure. We could take my car."
"No, we are not using that car to get groceries."
"Then we should take your car."
What am I allergic to?
"Lucas, I don't think I have anything that I am allergic to." I said
"Oh, really? Neither do I?"
"Why don't we just make up the grocery list." I said
"It sounded like a bright idea in my head."
"Why don't we just go hit the mall or something?" I said
"Okay. Why don't you uh, get ready and I'll just load all of this in the dishwasher?" He said
"Really? But you're the one who cooked and-"
He nodded.
"Thank you." I said
We were walking around the parking area after breakfast.
"I should warn you though, my car isn't like your Maserati."
"A brand is just a brand. And stop mentioning my Maserati. As long as it serves it's purpose that it should take us wherever we should go, I'm good." I said
The thing is, I'm not completely broke. Other than the fact that I spent a lot of money on liquor a few days ago, and the fact that I just handed my landlord/roommate a few thousand dollars, I also had secured myself of my father.
Knowing that he is who he is, I only have 5 cards that he can confiscate. The cards who have me as the supplementary, and about two of them have about $1000 credit limit, which means, I handed him the cards that have no meaning to me.
I have a few credit cards under my name, and didn't list anyone that could report it stolen, the only one who can report it stolen is me. I even set up a password.
ATM cards are also listed in my name, all of my earnings from working in HI are saved up.
I maybe unemployed but I'm not entirely broke.
That's why I gave it to my dad with all confidence.
We stopped in front of a white Ford Focus, which is parked next to my Maserati GranTurismo Sport.
"Not bad, Doc." I said
And oh my god, I thought the doctor drives at a normal pace.
I think my grandmother drives faster than this. Hell, my grandfather even drives a yacht and a chopper.
"Doc, eh, could you go any faster?" I asked
"Why, is this too slow for you?"
"20 kph on a highway? Yeah. We're gonna be pulled over for underspeeding." I said
He sighed.
"Okay, I just got my license a few months ago, and-"
"Pull over."
"What?"
"Pull over, I'm driving."
We switched seats, and I started driving.
And I think this is the first time that this car ever reached a good 60.
"Could you like drive slower? I know you're used to driving sports cars-"
"60 is not that bad, Lucas. You should try it sometime." I said
We pulled in Costco and I saw Lucas gripping whatever he could find.
"Don't tell me you got scared." I said
"That was fast! I'm a young doctor, Miss Hayden!"
I laughed because he was sweating and all red.
"Come on, let's do some shopping."
I got a few things, some toiletries, a few things to eat.
Lucas was pushing the cart.
"You're not gonna get anything?" I asked
"I'm not in the mood for shopping American products." He said
"Okay?" I said
We suddenly found ourselves in the liquor area, and I started to grab a bottle of vodka when he looked at me.
"You're seriously gonna try and fry your brain." He said
I clutched the bottle.
"Uh,-"
"Trust me, you don't want your brain cells dead just because you are suffering from something."
I just looked at him.
"I've seen you for four days, with music blaring, and knocked up unconscious on the floor. I'd be a bad doctor/roommate if I let you buy another bottle."
"I-"
"Who do you think cleans up, huh? What, you don't notice that everything's clean when you wake up?"
"I think I have."
"Put that bottle back down."
"What if I don't?"
"Don't come in the emergency room claiming to see me. I swear, I won't come and see you."
"What about your Hippocratic oath?"
"I'd easily refer you to another neurosurgeon."
I put the bottle in the push cart.
"You're not stopping me." I said as I tried to get another one.
"Miss Hayden-" he said, grabbing the bottle away from my hand.
We were standing too close to each other and I swear I felt something stop.
Weird.
"Uh-" he said as he put the bottle back to the shelf.
I turned around and he went on with pushing the cart.
"You're really not gonna get anything?" I asked as we walked to the check out counters.
"Can I drive somewhere before getting home?" He said
"You mean, you're gonna leave me here in-"
"No! I mean, I drive."
"I don't see why not." I said