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Melissa's POV

It's been almost a month since I've been dating Albert and two months since we've known each other and he's yet to take me to his house.

"It's not like I've been to your house." He rolls his eyes as I tell him the same.
"You have, remember that one time you delivered pizza? You also come to my house every other day to pick me up. Why not then?" I try to reason with him.

"My mom wouldn't be okay with it, Mel." He sighs but I refuse to listen.
"Okay, let's go at a time when she's not present. Or else here's an idea, let's go in an hour. We'll bunk school and chill at your place!" I clap my hands and he opens his mouth to protest when I place my lips against his, effectively shutting him up. "Please." I murmur, my lips still on his.

"You're so fucking stubborn." He says when I finally lean back.
"Admit it, you wouldn't want this anyway else." I tap his nose and he gives me a small smile.

•••

After the second lecture, we sneak out of the school to go to Albert's place. Bunking school at the Presidency isn't really easy but we had discovered a little pathway at the back of the school which was only known to my previous group of friends. One advantage of their friendship is that I got to learn so much of cool stuff and be a rebel. A rebel without a cause, that is.

"Guide me." I said as I opened the car on the driver's side.
"Let me drive." He says, taking the keys from my hand.
"Why? You can show me the way or do you not know how to give directions?" I cross my hands in front of my chest.
"You probably wouldn't know the place and even if we somehow reach there, you wouldn't get how to park the car. That place is conjusted." He says and enters the car from the driver's side.

"Lisa!" Someone shrieks my name and I turn to look behind, half afraid we've been caught.
"Roland, you scared the hell out of me." I say in relief as he comes up and hugs me. I hug him back and he smiles, brown eyes shining as the sun hits them.

"Bunking school huh?"
"Not like you're not doing the same." I poke his tummy and he laughs.
"Well, yeah. Who are you with?" He asks and leans in instead, to look who is in the driver's seat. Albert is adjusting the rear view mirror and radio and it seems like he hasn't noticed Roland even though I know he's purposely ignoring him.

"Oh." Is all Roland says as he gets back to his standing position.
"See you later, then." He says after an awkward pause and hugs me again.
"See you." I mutter and wave at him. He smiles and goes back to where his friends are standing and I enter my car from the other side.

As I settle inside, Albert starts driving and doesn't say a word or even look at me. I'm itching for conversation.
"Umm, how did you learn to drive when you never owned a car?" I ask him.
"I worked as a private cab driver for school kids. They taught me how to drive at the institute." He says.
"School kids. Annoying? Or exciting, I believe?" I tease him and his mouth twitches.

"Yeah, they were annoying. Not as much as you though." He says and I burst out in laughter. He smiles too and I see the old Albert coming back. Time to throw the bomb question now.

"Don't you like Roland?" I ask him, carefully, trying to contain my curiousity.
"I think that was pretty obvious back there." He says dryly and I turn to face him.
"But why?"
"I've never been too fond of your previous group of-" he emphasizes on the word-"buddies."
"Yeah but you know Roland isn't like that. I told you how he apologised and everything. He made mistakes, yeah, but he was also very sweet to me before things went down. All of us can be really good friends, y'know."

"Mel, don't force me on this. I'm not interested and we're not going to have any further conversation on this topic." He says with a tone of finality and I sink back in my seat. It is kinda cute though, Albert being all hot and angry. But I still don't get it. Anyways, I turn up the radio and look out of the window.

He takes me through some weird lanes I've never seen before despite my knowledge of the creepiest places in the city. He stops in front of a seven floor building. The compound around it has just enough space for my car. I get down and look around. There are a few ladies here and there watering the flowers or playing with a baby on their lap. I don't say anything as he leads me towards a lift. The place is kind of dilapidated but it is well maintained. We enter the tiny elevator and there's an awkward silence between us.

"Albert, talk to me." I say.
"I am talking to you."
"Yeah, but you're angry. Please don't be." I almost plead and he pinches his forehead. He leans forward and pecks my lips.
"I'm not angry, alright. I'll never be, not with you."

I smile and he holds my hand. We get down on the fifth floor and I see four flats on a floor. There is a plain brown wooden door with no nameplate or room number and I assume that is the place we're going for. Albert lets go of my hand to open the lock on the latch and the door smoothly sails across the hinges.

"Come in." He says as he enters first. I walk inside behind him and look around to see that there is no one in the house, just like he had told me. It is a tiny house, with a little kitchen at the side and a small living room. On my left are two bedrooms, I presume, which also seems like only one room in reality with a wall in between.

Albert switches on the lights and goes into the kitchen, probably to get something to eat. I don't protest, instead I look around.

This is like a whole new different world for mine. There are no air conditioners in the living room. Only a dining table with four chairs, a small TV and a sofa set. There is a table fan and some flower and vegetable pots near the window. There are tomatoes, chillies and coriander on the plants. I see a washroom at the side. I curiously peek inside the washroom to see a neat and tidy place with a toilet seat at the end and a shower.

I walk towards the kitchen once again, where Albert is washing some kitchenware in the sink. I turn around again and peek in his parents' bedroom which is open. It is a cute little bedroom with sparse necessities, smelling like strawberries.

Albert's bedroom is shut and I am so full of curiousity to see it but I wait for him. With my Chanel heels and flimsy mini skirt, I don't feel like I fit in this place. I feel more odd than ever and wonder how does Albert even like me. He should be with some nice and cute homely girl but here he is, handling a stupid, rich brat and her demands. Maybe this is why he didn't want to bring me to his house? Because we're from two different worlds and he thought I'd judge him?

He emerges out of the kitchen then and hands me a bowl of what seems like noodles.
"This is the classic Korean Japchae, stir fried noodles, you can call it. I've been told I'm excellent at making this dish." He beams and I take a bite.

"Mmm." I moan in delight, "this is really good." I take another forkful and shove it in my mouth. Albert watches me eat with a small smile on his face.
"Albert Port, you cooked for me! How cool is that? You do know right, that you're the best boyfriend ever?" I say as I settle down on his sofa.

"I'm sorry there's nothing I can get you right now except this little bowl. But wait, you'll eat pizza right? I'll order one, and coke with it? Let me see... And are you feeling hot right now? Should I fasten the fan's speed? It is already on it's fastest. Oh fuck. Do you want anything else Mel..." he gets up and starts to scramble around for his phone when I hold his shoulder, my bowl of Japchae licked clean, lying on the table.

"Albert." I hold his face. "It's okay. You don't have to act like there's some princess in your house. I love your apartment, it has a cozy feel and it feels like home, something I haven't known since a while. Chill out, will you?" I say, meaning every word. He breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. I take the bowl and go wash it in the kitchen, aware of how this is the first time I'm ever washing a utensil in the kitchen.

Albert watches me from a distance, calm and I'm almost surprised how he is not trying to wrestle the bowl away from me.
"Come on now, show me your room." I say, wiping my hands on the towel.

"Come." He smiles and leads me there.

•••

Next update soon.

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