Bulletproof

1

CHAPTER 1

*FLASHBACK (2 YEARS AGO)*

"Happy Valentine's, Vi!" I stopped reading my books when I heard my parents greeted me when after opening the door.

I smiled when I saw them standing inside, giving me a sweet smile.

My father was clutching to a bouquet of flowers with different colors, it was very much pleasing to the eyes. My mother on the other hand, was holding two boxes of chocolates.

I got up from the chair and greeted them back.

"Mom, dad, you don't have to do this every year." I released a chuckle as I gave them a hug.

"Awe, Vi, it's fine. It's how we show you and your brother how much we adore you both." My mother answered.

"Yes, baby, we wan't to make you feel you are truly loved."

I tightened my hug.

They do this every year and tells me it's just for me to feel I am loved by my parents but I know it is not solely because of that.

I sensed they somehow noticed I sometimes feel jealous of the others at my school who gets excited at the thought of Valentine's day since their admirers give them gifts.

I don't know if someone in my school admires me. I don't really think so.

My parents gives me and my brother gifts but my brother receives tapes for his PS4.

There's this guy I've been having a crush ever since I met him, the thing is, it seems to me that he doesn't see me as someone he can be in a relationship with.

My parents went out, leaving their gifts behind when they decided they already need to go to take a sleep.

I continued doing my homeworks.

Before I could finish, I heard a knock outside of my room.

I opened it, and Charm, our house keeper that is somehow like my brother, appeared with a broad grin. He was already in his pj's.

"Charm? Happy Valentine's Day! What's that you're holding?" I asked him when I noticed he is carrying with him a medium-sized pink box with a ribbon on top of it. Is that from him?

"Ma'am Vi, there's a gift for you, I saw this outside..." He began scanning every angle of the box. "There was no name about whom it came from. It only says 'Happy Valentine's Day, Vivianni Vulgatta, mi amore' ."

"Is that not from Valentino?" I looked at him, confusedly. My parents just gave me their gifts, it could not be also theirs. They have not done this before.

"I don't think so, Ma'am. You're brother has been playing play station with Jacque the whole night. And I don't think he's an expert in wrapping gifts." He pointed the ribbons and how the gift was wrapped in a costumized way.

I gave him an anxious look. "Discard that, Charm."

He stared at me, wide-eyed. "What did you just say, Ma'am?"

"Oh, come on. Is that even safe? I mean, what if that contains explosives or the likes?" He laughed at my remarks and disarranged my hair. He does this every time he thinks I've said or done something stupid.

"Ma'am, secret admirers do things such as these."

"But..." I said reluctantly.

"Go on, open it. I will be here, I'll try protecting you if it would be something dangerous." He seriously looked at me, I believed in his words.

I slowly untied the ribbon and opened the box.

"What are those?" Charm peeked inside. "Is that a USB? Oh, a letter, and a mini box of chocolates." He smiled at me once again. "See, Vi? Don't be afraid, okay? Just call me if you need me."

He winked at me.

"And Happy Valentine's Day, Vi." He said as he walked away.

From curiosity, I opened the letter.

It was handwritten and it says,

Mi amore,

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm sorry I could not give this to you personally since I had a lot of responsibilities today. Please don't be sad and insecure with the others, you're way more beautiful and precious.

I hope you will have the patience to wait for me. Please do wait for me.

I love you.
xoxo

I folded the letter.

There was a poem in a small paper, I read it too. It was about how I came into his life and how I made it better.

Who is this guy?

I plugged the USB to the laptop.

I seriously prayed to God this doesn't contain a virus.

I opened the file, expecting to see foul pictures but it only have audios.

I played a song with the title '18'

A guitar started playing. I have heard this song before. It was a One Direction song.

A soft voice began singing.

I have no clue who the owner of the voice is but it sounded good I listened to it the whole night and the nights after that. Even at school whenever I am all by myself.

At school, there were no one who showed signs that they were the ones who gave me the present.

I started to have hope at first but I stopped when it occurred to me maybe it was merely a joke or a prank done by someone who got bored.

Charm kept on asking updates with his enthusiastic vibes but I always gave him a shrug with an 'I don't know, Charm. And I don't care anymore.'

He stopped interrogating me after a month.

I should have made him threw this the night I received this.

**————**
XOXO 💋
3/19/19