ALL I KNOW IS WHY

CHAPTER 2: The Connection

LEINA's POV/

I was startled awake by a man's loud voice..

W-WAIT,.... WHATTTTT?!!!

Why am I leaning on this man's shoulder???????

Damn it!!! did I just cry again????!

How??? What Happened??

Why does wine have this effect on me??!

*shame*

those are some of the questions continue to occupy my mind.

due to the extreme dizziness and headache, I slowly raised my head, feeling as if it would break, and while slowly patting my head, I couldn't help but look at the man next to me..

"Are you okay?" he asked so manly, his gaze fixed on mine

he began to look into my lips

"Y-yes" i stammered then i looked away from him in great shame

"About earlier, please excuse my friend's yelling, he's a bit drunk that's why he's embarrassing" he explained

"Ohh, who's that?!" a man with medium length fade haircut speaking

"Just a friend of mine"

"Really? I had no idea you had a friend like her" he asked in disbelief and surprise

"Fvck off, It's not on your business Zei" he said calmly and then began to look into my eyes once more.

I'm in great shame as of the moment

"Chill.......hey miss, sorry for my earlier yell" *yawning* "I'm just drunk" he said while looking at me smiling

"it's okay don't worry" I responded as if I wasn't ashame

"Hey Francoe I'll go home first......i..i..i feel nauseous" he finally said and walked away from us

"Go and take care" that was all he said, but even as he spoke, he never took his gaze away from my eyes

I was very nervous and didn't know what to say, but at last, after a few moments, he spoke...

"Can i have your phone?" I was surprised when he suddenly asked me

"A-ah yes".....i took my cellphone out of my bag.."H-here" i handed it to him

i'll admit I’m so shy I’m kinda terrified. I want to be super outgoing and introduce myself to him but it's so awkward ( ꈨຶ ˙̫̮ ꈨຶ )

"Here" he handed me my phone with his phone number in it

i’m still shell shocked and can’t form a coherent fuckin' sentence about how my mind is feelin' right now

"Call me if you need someone to talk to; it's fine if you call at midnight or when i'm busy.... just call me"

*shock*(((;ꏿ_ꏿ;)))

damn......

His sincerity and deep, masculine voice make my heart melt

"Do you want me to give you a ride?"

"No, no, I'll just call my driver" i said right away

"So, i need to go now, the person I was with earlier was too drunk so I had to follow him" he added

"Okay, thanks for your time, i really appreciate it" i replied to him with a smile in my face

"I gotta go now, lovely" he whispered to my ears and head out

*breathed a sigh of relief*

i don't understand what i am feeling right now

but.............

why was my heart beating so fast, this night hits different. It's my first coming here yet it feels enchanted

i just stared at my phone for a minute, I don't want to go home just yet, but I do need to rest

so i thought of calling my driver to come pick me up

after a few minutes my driver arrived, I entered the car slowly, as if I was exhausted and inebriated

"You seem drunk ma'am" Mister Bren said while looking at me in the inside mirror

"Is it obvious?" i asked

"Yes ma'am, your mom has been waiting for you for a while now" he added

"Is that so"

i remained silent until i got home

i feel the silence all around but when I entered the house, however, I was greeted with a slap

*surprised*

"D-dad?" i said as tears began to fall from my eyes

"The audacity of you to come home drunk and very late at night!", my dad said with anger that seemed to be ablaze

"Hon! what are you doin?!" my mom shouted as she ran towards me

"Are you okay Khleina??" she whispered softly "Go to your room, and Manang will prepare food for you" she added

i walked away, tears streaming down my cheeks

"Are you out of your mind Charl?"

i abruptly came to my sense when I heard my mother's loud voice

*inhale-exhale*

when I entered the room, I shut and locked the door.

and.......i burst into tears

"Why is my life like this?" *shouting while crying*

My family is complete, but it doesn’t feel like it. In general, it’s plain, sad and selfish.

i cried and cried until I let out my anger, i feel like I'm all alone in this house..think that no mom or dad, no allies, no friends nor companion..i have no life in this place called home

it all end up crying and the worst part is, no more tears left to cry, if only they knew how it felt.

Have you ever felt like you did everything right and it still all went wrong? That's where I am at this moment

i just let my head rest in the pillow i always cry on....and fell asleep with tears in my eyes and heavy heart

after a minutes

*someone's knock on my door*

it's my mom

"Are you okay, baby?" she asked me softly, "I cooked your favorite dish for you. Get up and eat first"

I am the only child of my parents, and ever since I chose to become a doctor instead of following my father's wish for me to be a lawyer, it feels like he's lost his love for me. This was compounded when I switched to designing after failing the medical board exams. My dad is a judge, and my mom was a flight attendant for one of the most prestigious airlines at the time. Now, we own seven luxurious and well-known hotels, and they want me to marry Simon, the youngest son of my father's billionaire friend.

"Okay mom thank you", then.....i couldn't help myself; I suddenly hugged my mom tightly and burst into tears.

"Mom, who am i in this family? It feels like I'm always wrong, like I never became right in dad's eyes."

mom remained silent, she just hugged me tightly, softly caressing my hair, and planting kisses on my forehead as if I were a toddler.

"Please forgive your dad; he might just be tired from work. And what happened to you? Where have you been, Leina?"

"I slept over at my friend's place, just unwinding because I was so stressed out, I didn't know what to do anymore", I said as I wiped away my tears

"Is that so? Alright, I'll leave you for now. Make sure to eat well, and always remember that we love you very much", she kissed me and then finally stepped out of the room

after Mom closed the door, I lay down on my bed, utterly exhausted and overwhelmed by this feeling... so heavy, so sad.

.....and eventually, I drifted off to sleep

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's Monday, and I didn’t realize it was nearly 10:00 AM until the clock caught my eye. I jumped out of bed rushing to get ready, my class wasn’t until noon, but I liked arriving early. Instead of eating at home, I preferred the cozy vibe of Galaxy Cafe.

I slipped into a skirt, paired it with a chic top and a knitted jacket, applied simple yet elegant makeup with generous spray of my favorite perfume, and stepped out of my room. I looked around for Mang Bren, hoping for a ride, but he was nowhere to be found so without wasting more time, I grabbed my car keys and decided to drive myself to the cafe.

AT THE CAFE

“Good morning, Ms. Leina!” Sarah, one of the cheerful part of the cafe, greeted me as soon as I walked in

The staff knew me well here—I was practically a vip, dropping by before classes. Over time, I’d grown close to them, making this place feel like a second home. Spending time here, with its calming interior and the friendly atmosphere, always made my stress disappear and the positive energy I soaked in at the cafe was the perfect way to start my day.

Before I knew it, it was 11:45. I quickly said my goodbyes and headed out, jumping into my car and driving off to school, ready to tackle another day.

I had just parked at school, casually walking toward the field, when my heart suddenly stopped. There, just a few steps ahead, was Simon...standing right beside my dad?!.

A wave of panic hit me so hard, my mind raced, and before I could even think, my feet moved on their own. I bolted toward the nearest car, yanked open the door, and slipped inside like it was mine. My hands were trembling as I closed the door behind me, sinking into the seat. My heart pounded in my chest, the panic rising, and all I could think was, I can't let them see me. Not now.

I sat inside, hidden, my mind spinning with fear and confusion, as if hiding in a stranger’s car could somehow shield me from the whirlwind of emotions crashing inside me.

To calm myself atleast, i envy the interior of the car, it was sleek and luxurious, and as I caught a glimpse of the rear badge, I realized it was a BMW M4 “nice pick” I whispered to myself, a fleeting moment of admiration distracting me from the chaos outside. But when I turned to look out the back window, my breath caught in my throat. There, relaxed and peaceful, was a guy leaning against the left window, arms crossed over his chest, sound asleep. He looked so calm, so at ease, in stark contrast to the emotions I was feeling.

When I could no longer see my dad and Simon, I quietly exhaled, relief flooding through me. Carefully, I opened the car door, moving as slowly as I could so as not to disturb the guy still sleeping in the backseat. Every movement was deliberate, almost painfully slow, as I made sure not to make a sound. Once I was out, I gently closed the door, heart still racing but feeling a small sense of victory for not waking him. Without looking back, I broke into a run, my feet hitting the pavement as I made my way straight to the field for class, the rush of adrenaline still pulsing through me.

It was already 12:13 by the time I slipped into the lecture hall, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized the professor hadn’t arrived yet. If he had been here, I would’ve surely gotten an earful for being late. Worse, he might’ve put me on the spot and asked me why I suddenly switched courses—a question I wasn’t ready to answer. I quietly took my seat, still shaken from the strange morning, but grateful that I had dodged yet another bullet for now. My heart was slowly calming down, but the thought of everything that had just happened lingered in my mind.

I couldn’t shake the image of the guy from the car. There was something about him—he seemed so familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d seen him before. The thought gnawed at me, circling in my mind, distracting me from everything else. Just as I was about to dwell on it further, the door creaked open, and our professor finally arrived. The room instantly quieted as he set up his materials, and soon enough, the lecture and presentation began. I tried to focus, but my thoughts kept drifting back to that peaceful face in the backseat, wondering who he was and why I felt like I knew him.

hours passed....

"CLASS DISMISSED"

My friend Kalie nudged me as we were leaving the classroom, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Lei, come on, let’s go shopping! I haven’t had a chance to shop in days. It feels like I have nothing to wear,” she said, her voice sweet and pleading.

“Nothing to wear?!” I shot back, raising an eyebrow. “Your wardrobe is overflowing with clothes that you haven't even taken out of the box!”

“Please, please! Vior isn’t around, and you know you’re two are my go-to shopping buddy besides my mom,” she replied, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm.

“Fine, fine. Just meet me at the exit; I’ll grab my car from the parking lot”, I relented.

“Awesome! I’ll be waiting for my driver”, she said, practically bouncing with excitement as I walked away, feeling a mix of annoyance and affection for my friend.

As I made my way to the parking lot, I frantically searched my bag for my cellphone, but it was nowhere to be found. I quickly reached my car, rifling through every pocket and compartment, my anxiety building with each passing second.

“s**t, I must have left it in the car I jumped into earlier", I said aloud, my frustration spilling over. I stood there for a moment, debating whether to go back and check but the memory of that guy sleeping in the backseat flashed through my mind, making my heart race. I had to retrieve my phone, but the idea of seeing him again filled me with uncertainty.

I needed to retrieve my phone, so I quickly made my way back to the car I had slipped into earlier. It wasn’t far—just about five cars down from mine. As I approached, I carefully checked if the car was unlocked, my heart pounding in anticipation. I grasped the door handle, but it was locked.

I peeked through the tinted window, hoping to spot my phone, but I couldn’t see anything inside. The guy who had been sleeping earlier was gone, leaving no trace. I stood there for a few moments, my mind racing, trying to figure out what to do next.

Just then, I felt a presence behind me, and before I could react, a voice whispered close to my ear, “Is this what you’re looking for?”

Startled, I spun around quickly...too quickly nearly colliding with him. Our faces were just inches apart, and I could feel my breath catch in my throat as our lips almost brushed. My heart raced, and for a moment, everything around us seemed to freeze.