Love at the Nth Time

CTRL SHFT

Chapter 6

"Seth, these are the samples they fancy seeing at your event. Those clothes are unique, although simple, so they wanted to see a lot of layouts like this. They recommended these samples for you to add some details to," said Win. I took those samples beside the table. I kept sketching.

"You seem so serious. Pat said you left the bar so early because of Celine. What a nice guy." I stopped moving my hand for a second, then went on.

"I never was a nice guy." Someone knocked on the door.

"Uh, Win, you have visitors. Will I bring them here?" asked Ms Anna. My eyes fixated on the unfinished layout of a long gown. The hand moved in motion to continue it.

"Oh, Good Morning, Rose!" I stopped.

"Good Morning, Celine," greeted Win.

My heart skipped a beat as I heard the name. I didn't see her for a few days.

"We need to prepare for 30 minutes. My sister is so slow!" said her older sister irritably.

"'Cause you didn't inform me," she mumbled while busy with her phone, wearing a tuck-in blouse and black square pants, paired with a white slip-on.

"Wow, these are beautiful." I gazed at Rose, who altered my attention.

"You have presentations today?" I asked. I took a glance at Celine. She opened the laptop on her lap and pinned up her hair. I gazed away. Why do I feel she's acting seriously enchanting right now?

"Yeah, it's from your dad's clients. Your dad is so cool. I didn't expect a full-blooded white to have a heart for their employees' future."

Dad stayed here for almost 14 years. He's very different from mom. Dad's close to Filipinos because of how kind, hardworking and humble they were. Way different in other countries. He had so much gratitude to Filipinos that he wanted to live here longer.

I looked down and paid heed to Rose's business presentation. This again, like everything's starting over.

"Text me if they are finished. I need to finish the samples ASAP," I told Win and was about to leave, but Win questioned me.

"Ha? Wait, are you, or you're solely avoiding her? She's trying to talk to you, and you acted like you're so busy, ignoring all the voices around you." I hoped not to see this second time. Rose asked me to look, and I did it for her to stop insisting on me.

I closed my eyes. Calm down, Seth.

"Win, don't hit me on the nail. I don't wanna deal with her."

"She looks so cute in her attire today. So simple, it's still a cropped top, so it's a bit revealing." I eyed Celine and watched as she wrote some things on the whiteboard.

Eyes on the floor, I lightly combed my hair on my shoulder. Goodness, what's wrong with you, Seth?

"Talk to her. Have a normal conversation. Forget what happened. She doesn't seem to mind it anyway." Forget? No way could I forget the strange emotions trying to come out. Hands in my trouser pocket, I watched Celine again. She chuckled as she chatted with an older woman sitting beside her.

"She's too good to be with the likes of me. I won't let her know who I am." The girl watched her older sister upfront, seated straight and serious.

"It seems she enjoys your company. You told me she only looked at you with that kind of face while talking about yourself. She has a foreign boyfriend, so she knows a bit about your lifestyle, Seth. You're only putting her like she's a baby without knowing any bad things, like she's born in heaven." My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at Win. What's up with this gay?

"You're talking weird stuff like her, Win. I'm getting crazy." He laughed and tapped my arm a bit.

I gazed at her again. I didn't know how to deal with the likes of her.

"Oh good, you're awake." I let out a slight frown and stared at her smiling face. I slowly sat down straight and held my nape. Ugh, I fell asleep while sketching.

I put my glasses on. "Do you need anything?" She covered her cropped top outfit with a long cardigan above her legs.

"Yeah, my sister is still there training the employees. Thanks to your dad, they gave them half a day to train. Some people who don't know the business are trying to meddle now too. These are the lists of the names of your downline; I mean yours and your dad's. Your dad told us he didn't need the money he'd got from the business and said to support us. We need your opinion first before considering it since it's your downline."

Around 60 people already.

"It's fine." I put down the paper and handed it to her. I collected the sketches on my table and lifted a draft of a dress that was not yet complete. It's still lacking some details.

"Um, Seth…" I took a glance at her. Her eyes were on the paper. "A-are you mad at me," she uttered.

I blinked. "No." I fastened up my pace and tried to act like I was busy. "I'm just busy."

"You're not interested in joining the business? Attending our parties and events like that? Your dad's telling me to ask you as his representative."

"No, I'm busy. Ask Win to do it. I need to put some details here. It's kinda plain." I was talking to myself.

Hello? Couldn't she see I was trying to show her how busy I was and so for her to leave?

"I, I'm still waiting for the meet and greet you've been talking about before." I stopped sketching and altered my attention to her.

She's earnest about knowing her gender.

"Can't you ask someone to help you out with that? I don't have that time to..." I couldn't say another word. I felt like I was eating the words I was saying.

"Yeah, sorry…" I watched her leave. I clenched my fist, wanting to stop her. I stood up when the door closed.

I wanted to call her name and stop her from leaving me in this state. I slowly sat down on my chair again.

I covered my face with my hands. "What are you doing…" words of mine trembled.

A week passed by, and I felt so empty. I felt something was wrong, and I wasn't myself. Even though I bathed myself in these weird, various beers and bitter cigarettes, I couldn't hold a woman.