Milena (COMPLETE)

CHAPTER XIV: BratinEllie

Pushing you away with my lips. Pulling you back with my heart.

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April 2016. Weekend. 11 AM.

Me and my brother decided to have some quality time together at our house. We were in my room, watching some time travelling TV Series while eating pizza. One scene took me back to the time where I was happy with Azil. My daydreaming stopped when my brother threw a pillow at me.

“Hey sis! Are you time travelling? Your phone is ringing non-stop! I think your Canadian boyfriend is calling. Oh, don’t forget to do the laundry before dinner time, it’s your turn today! See you later, alligator!”

He stormed out of my room to try his new XBOX while I do the household chores.

I checked my phone. I already missed several calls from my childhood classmate that lives in Canada. My brother always teases me to him. I find him sweet and nice but we’re much compatible as friends than lovers. Though, he still insisted to persuade me, after I told him a couple of times that I only see him as a friend.

After Riz left, I drowned myself in work. Extended my day job until midnight, even on weekends and holidays! I tried to squeeze time to date guys. Hoping one of them would be my Romeo and save me like a princess! But no luck! My heart still beats for one girl, Azil.

My brother shouted from his room when he noticed that I’m still in my room.

“Hey sis! Do the laundry now! You should be done before dinner because you are also the assigned cook for tonight!”

I went to the laundry area, separating the white clothing from the coloured ones, when I heard my phone started ringing again. This guy is getting to my nerves! I switched my phone to silent mode.

After completing the laundry and dinner, I decided to watch some movie at the nearest mall. There’s a last full show of The Boss movie. I planned to bring my brother with me, but he’s preoccupied with his new toy, so I went alone. Me and myself again. No one to kiss and to hold. My life is so boring and so lonely!

There’s still 20 minutes left before the movie starts. I opened a huge bag of white cheddar cheese popcorn and started munching on it. My phone kept on vibrating inside my jacket’s side pocket. This guy really didn’t know how to give up! I admired his persistence, but I don’t feel answering his calls today.

As the lights started to dim, I saw group of people wearing white uniforms. I think they are nurses. They were looking for their seat numbers. I was surprised to see a familiar face in that group! At this point, I’m convinced that fate is toying with us. We always meet unexpectedly.

I quickly put the hood of my jacket to cover up half of my face. I saw some of them took a seat in front of me. I pretended to be asleep when I noticed some of them walking towards my seat. They’re invading my personal space! I should have bought all the tickets in this section!

Holy heck! I started praying for her not to see me. Or if she did, I hoped she’ll ignore me like ten years ago. My mind is going blank, I don’t know what to do. Still with my eyes shut, I smelled a familiar lemony scent. It hits me, and I feel like running out of air. My heart starts to pound. Heavily. Ten years dormant, and here it is again, active as ever!

I whispered silently to myself, “Please don’t notice me.”

The lights went out as the movie began. I mentally counted one to ten before slowly opening my eyes. Pretending that I just woke up, I rubbed my eyes and properly wore my eyeglasses that went down my nose. The room was so dark. Maybe she didn’t notice me. Thank goodness!

I deeply sighed and leaned comfortably on the chair.

I froze up when she poked at my arm and then whispered near my ear, “Hey, stranger. Up until now you’re still a sleepyhead?”

I slowly moved my head at her direction. We almost kissed! She’s leaning closer to me and I could see her mischievous smile! Oh, how I miss that face! But this mischievous smile of hers, gave me creeps!

I purposely ignored her and looked at the movie screen. I can’t find my voice. I didn’t know what I would say to her! My hands were cold. I am nervous!

I heard her silently giggling. I could feel her staring at me. My ears and cheeks felt hot. I am blushing! Good thing the lights are off, so she wouldn’t know!

Then, she slowly laid her head on my shoulder and intertwined our hands. I couldn’t believe this is happening for real! Like the last ten years of my worst nightmare is in the distant past.

She grabbed my popcorn like it was hers! Wow! How could she do something like this? Pretending that nothing changed and we’re still the same as before! The nerve of this girl!

I admit, she’s still the goddess I fell in love with. I miss being close to her like this.

I am arguing with myself when she suddenly pinched my nose. I felt the pain. So she’s really here!

“Ouch! Why are you hurting my nose!”

“Because you are not talking to me”

“We are here to watch. And who are you? We’re not even close!”

I removed my hand from her grasp and gently pushed her head away from my shoulder and grabbed my popcorn back.

“You’re mean to me! You can talk to me later, but you should let me lay my head on you or I’ll scream.”

“Alright.”

I gave her my permission. Though I felt like a hostage to this situation, knowing she’s not joking around with her words. And I didn’t want unnecessary attention to us. And deep down, I wanted to be this close to her again. She laid her head on my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist. I tried to focus and enjoy the movie while she wrapped herself on me like a snake. I placed my popcorn bag on her shoulder and started to feed her occasionally.

After the movie ended, the light spread the room, momentarily blinded me. This brattin-ELLIE beside me fell asleep on my shoulder. Her friends were staring at me. They were wondering why this brat suddenly hugged a stranger while sleeping.

I started to shake her up, “Hey brat, wake up. The movie already ended. Your friends are waiting for you. “

She slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She saw her friends staring at us but she’s still hugging my arm.

She stood up and introduced her friends.

“Huh? Oh my! I forgot we’re still here! By the way, this is Cheska, Pat, Drei, Lea, Sandra and Kim. Guys, this person is the one I’ve been looking for years! So, go on ahead. I’ll be with her. See you all at the hospital next week!”

The other guys left quickly after they shook hands with me and said goodbye, except Lea and Sandra. They were still staring at us, scrutinizing me. It made me nervous.

“Ah, brat, your other friends are still here. Maybe they wanted to talk to you. And please let go of my arm. I want to go home.”

“I’ll go home with you.”

“Why? I have so many things to do.”

Azil stared at her two friends who were listening to our conversation. She pushed their shoulders away, “You girls! Why are you still here! Go away! This one is unavailable! She’s mine since day one!”

The two scratched their heads and shyly smiled at me. They asked for my f*******: account. They said they will add me as a friend. Before I could give them my username, Azil pulled me out of the cinema. Her friends didn’t know if they’re going to follow us or not.

When we’re outside, Azil punched me on my shoulder.

“Ouch! What’s your problem! Are you a sadist? You like hurting people!” She liked to hurt me physically and emotionally.

“I punched you for almost giving your name to my flirt co-workers!”

“They asked me. And they are your friends. They looked kind and nice. And I wanted to be their friend too.”

“I can’t understand why you are so friendly! You never changed! Come on! Let’s go to a place where we can eat some food before we go back to your house.”

Azil started dragging me to the direction of some food stalls nearby.

“Hey wait a minute! What do you mean by ‘us’? I will go home alone!”

“We are going to talk now because I let you enjoy your movie earlier! Don’t you miss me like I miss you? I miss you so much, Mimi!”

“I am busy working so how will I miss you? And we don’t have something to talk about. So, leave me alone. I want to go home already! Go back to your friends and go home with them!”

I know I’m being harsh, but it irritates me that she’s acting like this. Like we’re still the same teenagers who are deeply madly in love with each other. I admit, I still have feelings for her, but I still hate her for hurting me.

I sighed out of annoyance as she clinged an arm on me. I didn’t have a choice but to dragged her along with me to the car parking area.

She suddenly shouted, “Wow! You have a new car! My girlfriend is really bigtime!”

“Hey stop shouting! People are starting to stare! I don’t want that! And you are not my girlfriend. Not anymore, remember?”

“I don’t remember not being your girlfriend. As far as I know, we never broke up and you never had any relationship after me!”

I didn’t answer her. She’s right I didn’t have an official boyfriend or girlfriend after her.

I unlocked my car. I opened the passenger door for her and I quickly drove the car out the parking area. I hated people snooping around me.

“Milena tell me the truth. You’re still single, right?”

She pouted her lips and making those cute puppy eyes again. Why are you still so adorable, Eliza?

I deflected her question, “Eliza please buckle up your seatbelt properly. Do you have work tonight and tomorrow?”

She smiled so widely that I worried her jaw might hurt.

“Why? Are you going to ask me on a date?”

If she wanted us to talk, I needed a place where we could be alone. If I bring her to my place in Makati where my brother is currently staying, he sure would ask so many questions when he sees us. I’ll just drive us to our family’s resort house in Cavite.

“I am asking because I’ll drive us to our resort house in Cavite. If you want us to talk privately, that’s a nice place to stay. It’s already late so you could have an overnight stay on one of the guest rooms.”

“Oh okay! I love that! I have three days off work, so we can have an overnight party! I already have spare clothes here in my bag. Don’t you know nurses are like girl scouts too? Always ready for you! – err, I mean always ready for situation like this!”

I grabbed us a snack at a drive thru before continuing our trip.