Someone I'm Not

21| Towards Truth

"I don't know if I can do this anymore, Vianne. I mean, aren't you busy? Like, don't you have a job attend to?"

"Psh! Of course not! I already asked permission, and they agreed to it. So, don't you say that you're not sure about continuing this plan if you're only concern about my work." Vianne explains as she pushes the extra shirt on her bag. "Unless they didn't approve of your absent on your work?" She asks, trying to consider the consequences.

"Actually, I don't have work here in-"

"Then great! We don't have any more reason to postpone the travel! Now, my small backpack is ready, I'm ready, and you're a fine-looking man in that thrifty shirt and jean that I brought you." She says as she noticed him not wearing any expensive-looking suit and tie, or any formal ones. Now, he looks like an average person living on the planet.

"Is there any way to convince you not to continue this?" Houdini sounds desperate. Among the desperate, he can almost consider himself at the top of the list of the hopeless. After the conversation he had with Eduardus, he used the rest of the night to decide whether to continue or not. That night served as a reflection for him to do what is right.

And he did have a choice.

"Then, tell me why we shouldn't continue. Like, I don't see any reason for us not to continue. . . Unless your ex-girlfriend is-"

"I'm sorry, but I don't have a girlfriend, or so what I recall. So, don't try to trigger me with that ex-girlfriend sh*t because it won't work on me." He says that makes Vianne raise her hands in defeat.

"Chill! I was just asking because clearly, I've only met you like a few days ago and I still don't know a few things about you. All I know is that your name is Houdini which sounds like a fake name, and the second fact about you is that you wear very nice clothes even if you aren't attending a gathering or something." She answers directly at him.

"Okay fine, you've got the point to that. . . So, what do you want to know about me?"

"I don't think this is the right moment to talk about it because our train will leave pretty soon now. . . So, let's go!"

'Damn this! Who would've thought that convincing this woman is harder than fooling girls who only like physical appearance?' Houdini groans in disappointment that he had no choice but to push through.

•••

"Good morning, kitchen! Time to get you up!" Soroya squeezes her eyes lightly and stretches her hands before pulling her sleeves up into her shoulder and ties her hair in a high ponytail before heading towards the fridge. The excitement fills her eyes when she sees the complete recipe she needed for breakfast. Before they got home yesterday, Soroya asks Philip if they can stop at a market so that she could buy something, but she didn't tell him that she planned to make them breakfast.

It was only five o'clock in the morning, and she doubts that anyone would be awake at that time-

"Why are you staring at the fridge like there's a dead, chopped body inside it?"

"Holy prince and princesses! Shh!" Soroya flinches as someone decided to speak up behind her. It immediately made her push the fridge close and turn her attention to the man who looks so tired.

"Jesus Christ, Phoenix! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" She exclaims in a low tone as she caresses her upper chest where the heart aligns.

"You're freaking me out, first thing in the morning. What would you expect from a half-asleep and super tired guy?" He asks as he walks toward the glass rack on the kitchen table to grab himself water.

That made "Phoenix from the Present" smile. He knows his old self too much makes him cringe but, at the same time, amazed at how things happened.

"What are you smiling at?" Phoenix asks that made her flinch back to becoming Soroya.

"Nothing. Why are you up so early?"

"And why are you?"

Another point taken, 'he' does know his old habits. Instead of arguing with him with another question, Soroya decided to open the fridge again and take out the ingredients. Phoenix watches her closely as he drinks the glass of water.

"I was about to surprise you guys with breakfast, but it wasn't a surprise anymore because you're already awake. So, no more "keeping this to myself" scenario." She says as she closes the fridge the moment she got the last ingredient out.

"Hmm, well, it still can be a surprise for the others. I just got too excited to be surprised, so don't overthink about it. . . So, what are you going to cook?" He asks as Soroya places the ingredient.

"I'm going to cook the Breakfast Scrambled Stuffed Avocado. . . What do you think?"

"What a nice choice of breakfast. Surely, the boys will like it. But, can you pull it off?" He asks, thinking that something doesn't actually add up. Soroya just raises a brow as she stops slicing the avocados in half. She crossed her forearms and looked at him straight in the eyes.

"What do you mean?" Soroya raises her brow that made Phoenix remember it clearly that there is one thing that his best friend is good at and bad at. But then, maybe she has changed, and judging her will NOT be the best idea to keep the conversation light and comfortable.

"N-nothing. But, go on. Let's do it." He says as he pushes his sleeves up, an inch above his shoulders. Soroya's eyes widen as he sees him getting the eggs and cheddar cheese out of their containers and then grabs the chopping board.

"You're going to help me?" The question made his suspicion grows greater. 'Maybe she's joking, P. Let's just tag along with it.' he says to himself before releasing a chuckle.

"Did my best friend just forgot that I am the best cook she has ever met?" He exclaims as Soroya chuckles.

"Oh right! Who is he again?" She continues to roleplay, trying her best to hide the embarrassment that SHE DID forget the fact about it.

"Funny, but let's get down to this one, or they might come out of their rooms and blow up the surprise. What do you say?" Eduardus suggests that makes Soroya nod at his recommendation.

They start to get busy as they help each other out with the process. Phoenix, on the other hand, is so surprised to see that Soroya almost would not need his help at all. She would just ask for him to pass this and that, but she has never made him feel so useless. They would continue talking, making him feel closer and, at the same time, far away from his best friend.

"Do you think they'll like it? Like, seriously like it?" Soroya asks as Phoenix does the plating.

"Of course they will! When it comes to food, they'll never turn down anything but to me, I always keep high maintenance. . ." he explains as he finalizes the touch of the plating. As he turns around to face Soroya, she is already has a spoon in her hand and is now directing towards him.

"I'd like you to be the first one to judge the dish." She says that makes him a but surprise.

"Okay, but don't be mad if I give you a VERY HONEST critici—" he wasn't able to finish his sentence when Soroya stuff his mouth with the food on the spoon. He instantly started chewing it and was more surprised at how the food turned out. Phoenix loves cooking. He's been looking at the age of seven, and that he even joined local cooking contests before. But as time passes by, cooking now became a benefit for himself. He hardly even cook for his parents. Only him, his Little brother, and his best friend Soroya have tasted his dishes.

And this is new to him.

The flavor quickly melts into his tastebuds as if the flavors are partying inside his mouth. All of it is on the point that he immediately opens his eyes and looks at Soroya.

"Since when did you learn how to cook like this?" He asks, now wanting to get the explanation immediately. He knew that they haven't had hung out for a very long time and that he also thinks back to teaching her, and she still couldn't get the food right!

"I—" Soroya seems to sound worried as grains of sweat starts to form on her forehead. But as if she's destined not to answer the question, she is saved by the bell when they both hear rushing footsteps on the stairs.

"Whoa! That smells so good!" Philip sniffs like a dog as he immediately makes his way towards the kitchen but halts when he sees Soroya and Phoenix stop at what they're doing. A smirk forms into his lips, like the view of them together. Followed by Bret and Nico, Soroya and Phoenix are all ready to present the simple dish.

"Did you two made us breakfast!?" Philip quickly acts like a child that makes the rest chuckle.

"What does it look like, dummy? Do they look like washing dishes?" Bret asks with no humor in the morning. . . Well, maybe most of the time.

"Oh, don't start me with your b*tchy act, bro. I wasn't even talking to you!" Philip jokingly sticks his tongue out.

"Oh, how about us three settle down and let them do what they gotta do? Why fight the first thing in the morning? And Bret, just chill up, okay?" Nico interrupts as him and Philip fist bumps before Bret rolls his eyes and sigh.

"Gosh, I am just SO exhausted, and yet, we still have to attend class today. I didn't even have much sleep last night because those motherf*ckers keeps hitting my phone that I ended throwing it out somewhere." Bret complains as he takes a seat and massages the bridge of his nose. Soroya grabs a glass and pours milk on it, and hands it to Bret.

"Here's milk. It might soothe any frustration." She says as she places down the gallon of milk on the table. "You guys, just help yourself." She says that makes Bret sticks his tongue out in their direction as a payback before chuckling and taking a sip on the warm milk.

"Hmm, thanks, Roy. This one is good." He says before Phoenix comes into the dining room with two places on hand. Soroya follows with two plates as well. Phoenix grabs the last leaf and places it in each direction.

They start eating breakfast with a good conversation. But then, as Soroya and the boys engage in the discussion, she receives a message.

_________________

To: Client 100

From: Guardian Ed

Let's meet at school. I have something to discuss with you about.