Love Encounter

Chapter X

"Good day sir."

The secretary of the marketing department went in and handed me a folder. I openned it and read.

"What is this?"

"We need your approval on funding the new product. Mr. Mendoza instructed us to hand over this project to you. So, the decision will be up to you."

"I see..."

I started to scan the pages. I haven't heard about this product before. And the sum of the funding request by the production department is 2 million pesos.

"I haven't seen this product yet." I argued. "Your fund request us too high. The materials are so expensive. I want to see this product first."

I closed back the folder and handed it to her. She took it, said an apology, and went out.

I finished all my work already and was packing up. The sun paints the sky red and is about to set. When I am about to take of my coat ftom my chair, my telephone rang. I picked it up.

"Hello, sir." It was Bea. "A meeting is scheduled tomorrow by Sir Ken for the monthly report."

"Yup, got it." I said, "Anything else?"

"No more. That's all." She said. "Oh wait. I saw Ethan at the lobby area."

"Really? What is he doing here?" I asked.

"I don't know either. I did not have the time to ask him. Maybe you should ask him yourself."

"Okay okay. Thank you."

I put down the phone and fixed my things. I took my coat and headed down to the lobby area. I found Ethan sitting there. He stood up and greeted me. I did so too.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Is it bad for me to fetch you?" He said in a wide smile. "I want to drive you home tonight. And I have the responsibility to do so, right?"

I remained quiet. Why do I feel strange?

"Let's go."

Ethan grabbed my hand. I let him pull me. He let go shortly when I agreed to follow him. We went to the parking lot and went to my car.

"You travelled here alone?" I asked.

"Yeah." He responded. "I kindda got a little lost on my way here but I remembered what Ms. Cruz told me earlier."

"What did Ms. Cruz told you?" I asked curiously.

"I asked her how to commute here. I didn't want to bring the other car because then we will have to leave one car here."

"I could've left my car here until tomorrow y'know?"

He remained silent for a moment and shrugged his shoulders.

"Well I'm here now haha." He laughed.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. He opened the passenger door for me, sat on the driver's seat and started the engine.

"I'm gonna ask you again, why did you come here?" I asked, "I told you that I could go to and from work by myself, right? - that you don't have to drive me home anymore."

He just stayed silent and stared blankly ahead. What is wrong with him?

"Hey!" I called.

He jolted and looked at me.

"Oh I told you already, didn't I?" He said.

I just sighed and leaned back against the seat. He started driving. There was only the sound of the radio and the drops of rain falling on the car's metal roof. The rest is silence. The traffic was heavy and red lights covered the entire road. I slouched back and stared at the raindrops falling on the windows.

"I'm getting drowsy with this weather." I said. "Traffic plus rain equals sleep."

"See? If I am not here, you wouldn't be able to slouch like that."

I turned my head towards him.

"Why did you have to fetch me?" I asked again.

I am not satisfied with his answer. I've made it clear to him already that he don't have to do this.

"Why? Can't I?" He said.

"Stop dodging the question." I said in a serious tone.

He glanced at me and laughed. I'm serious here and you have the audacity to laugh? Ugh, frustrating.

"I just want to be with you." He said in a soft, low-volumed, almost like a whisper voice.

"What?" I asked to reconfirm.

What the f-. Did I hear it right? He wants to be what??

"Nothing." He said. "I came here because I feel like it. I have nothing else to do in the house. I've done every chore you told me to do."

"But, that's not what you said earlier." I argued.

"What did I say earlier then?" He asked.

"You said you---"

I was cut off by a loud honk of a truck behind us. We are busy arguing that we did not realize that the car in front of us moved forward already. Ethan stepped on the gas and moved forward. He stopped a few inches behind the car in front of us.

"Ugh, never mind." I said and turned back towards the window.

I stopped arguing with him already. I'm not really sure about what I've heard anyway. I might be wrong and I might just get humiliated. But if it's true then...

Ughh why am I thinking so much about this? Well if it's true then maybe he just want to be with me because he thinks of me as a close friend, his only friend to be exact. Maybe he really is bored inside the house. Yeah maybe that's it. I looked up at the clouds. So he just came here because he's bored? Why do I suddenly got sad? Damn this weather. Not in the right timing.

We arrived at home. Ethan quickly went into the kitchen and prepared the dinner. I sat down the sofa pressing on my phone and answering calls. Minutes later, he called me to the table while the smell of his dish pleasantly roamed around the house.

"Woah, when did you learn to cook this?" I asked as I tempt to taste what he cooked.

"I had a lot of time to learn this." He replied. "Let's eat already."

He pulled back a chair at let me sit on it. He sat beside me and ate. We feasted in and had a little chat.

"So, what course do you plan on taking in college?" I asked.

"Um, I'm not sure yet. But I want to take bussiness management so that I could be like you." He answered.

I smiled at him.

"You don't need to follow my footsteps. Take the course you want."

"I am sure about my decision."

"If that so, you'll take the ABM strand? (Accountancy and Bussiness Management)"

"Yes." He nodded.

We went back eating. After eating, I put out my phone and looked at my messages. Ethan just stared at me.

"What are you looking at?" I laughed.

"Um, Drew... I..."

My phone rang. It's Ken.

"I need to take this call. Let's talk later."

He slowly nodded his head. I took my things upstairs, went to my room and answered the call. After the call, I felt tired and fell asleep. I woke up next morning seeing Ethan upset. What is wrong with him?