Jay's POV..
The drive was surprisingly silent.
I sat comfortably in the passenger seat, enjoying the beautiful view outside the window while secretly dreaming about the day I would own a car of my own.
AHHH!! Imagine having my own Porsche!
Driving around the city with the windows down, music playing, and absolutely no financial problems.
Okay, maybe the last part is a little too ambitious.
BUT A GIRL CAN DREAM, RIGHT?!
My King of Vipers has so many cars that he could probably open a showroom of his own.
I should ask him to teach me how to drive.
Hmm… but wait.
WHY SHOULD I DRIVE?!
He will drive for me!!
Problem solved. I'm a genius.
I smiled to myself, feeling rather proud of my brilliant plan.
"Mariano?"
Eva's voice interrupted my very important thoughts.
"Hmm?"
"By the way, do you have a boyfriend?"
I turned towards her.
Well, that's an interesting question.
"Unfortunately, yes."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Really? You're dating someone?"
I stared at her for a moment.
Dating?
GIRL, PLEASE.
"More than a boyfriend," I replied casually. "We're engaged."
Eva nearly looked as though she'd forgotten how to blink.
"WHAT?! You're engaged?!"
I nodded.
"Yup!"
"Oh my goodness! That's wonderful! Congratulations!" she exclaimed, genuinely excited. "I hope I get engaged to my crush someday too!"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Wait a minute. Isn't the guy waiting for you at lunch your crush?"
She immediately shook her head.
"No, no! Not him. He's someone else."
Someone else?
GIRL, HOW MANY MEN ARE IN THIS STORY?!
Eva laughed at my expression.
"My crush is different. He's…" She paused, a dreamy smile appearing on her face. "He's heaven-made."
I stared at her.
Heaven-made?
AWWWW.
Looks like someone is seriously in love.
The way her eyes softened while talking about him was enough to tell me that he meant a lot to her.
Well, good for her.
But unfortunately, nobody can compete with MY KING BINGI!!
HEHEHEHE.
I mentally blew a kiss towards the imaginary picture of him in my head.
"Anyway," Eva said, bringing me back to reality, "where are your parents, Jay Jay?"
I blinked.
"My parents?"
"No, the President of the Philippines," she replied sarcastically.
I gasped.
THIS WOMAN?!
I WAS STARTING TO LIKE HER, BUT NOW I'M NOT SO SURE.
"Eva!!"
She burst out laughing.
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!"
I rolled my eyes dramatically before answering her question.
"Actually, my mother and father were never married."
Her smile softened a little, but she didn't interrupt me.
"And I have an elder half-brother."
"Oh…" she murmured. "I see."
I shrugged, looking out of the window again.
Honestly, it wasn't something I spent every waking moment thinking about. It was simply the way things were.
"What about you?" I asked, turning back towards her. "Where are your parents?"
"Well, my father is American, and my mother is Filipino. I currently live here in the Philippines with my mother while handling my father's business here."
I nodded slowly.
"Ohhh! So your father lives in America?"
"Most of the time, yes."
"Then why don't they stay together?"
There was a brief silence.
"They're divorced," Eva answered simply.
"Oh."
I didn't know what else to say.
Somehow, her story felt a little similar to mine. Different circumstances, different lives, but perhaps we understood certain things about each other without needing to explain them.
"And I also have a younger brother," she added.
I smiled.
Eva let out a tired sigh.
"Nice? Please. That boy is good for nothing!"
I immediately burst out laughing.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!"
WHY DID THAT SOUND SO FAMILIAR?!
"What's so funny?" she asked, glancing at me.
"Nothing, nothing! It's just that my brother is exactly the same!"
"Oh, really?"
YES!! Aries has only two jobs in life. First, checking my horoscope like he's some professional astrologer. Second, staying with his girlfriend, Ella
I threw my hands up dramatically.
"Honestly, I don't even know whether I'm his sister or his unpaid personal assistant!"
Eva laughed so hard that I thought she'd drive us straight into a tree.
"Jay Jay! You're hilarious!"
"I KNOW, !"
I grinned proudly.
Finally, someone who appreciated my talent.
A talent that was, unfortunately, completely useless in examinations.
"Still," Eva said after calming down, "it's nice to have siblings."
I went quiet for a second.
"Yeah," I replied softly. "It is."
Even when they were annoying. Even when they acted as though you didn't exist.
Somehow, they were still family.
But enough emotional conversations for today.
I WAS HUNGRY.
AND WHEN I AM HUNGRY, EVEN PHILOSOPHY CAN WAIT.
"Anyway, we're almost at our destination!" Eva announced.
I practically sat up straight.
DESTINATION?!
FOOD?!
FINALLY!!
I looked outside, trying to catch a glimpse of the restaurant.
Was it a five-star hotel? A fancy restaurant? Some luxurious place where the waiters wore suits and the menu had prices that could pay my school fees?
OH, MY GOD.
WHAT IF THEY SERVED FOOD ON THOSE HUGE PLATES WITH ONLY THREE PIECES OF VEGETABLES?!
PLEASE, LORD. I'M A SIMPLE GIRL. I JUST WANT A FULL MEAL.
The car slowed down as we approached the entrance of a beautiful establishment.
Eva glanced at me and smiled.
"Jay Jay, I'll park the car. Wait for me at the entrance, okay?"
I nodded immediately.
"Okay, Eva!"
She drove towards the parking area while I carefully unfastened my seat belt.
I opened the door and stepped outside, stretching my arms.
Finally.
Food was within reach.
My stomach was practically singing a hymn of gratitude.
I looked towards the entrance, excitement bubbling inside me.
Who do you think is this mystery person??🤔