To Remain On Top

Chapter 4

"Son of a b***h!" Mommy's hard and violent curses welcomed my ears as I barge in our kitchen to grab a glass of milk that will also serve as my breakfast before I go to Starlington University.

Emillia Arganza who hates cooking the most is standing meter away from the stove and frying pan while she holds a wooden spatula as if it's a deadly weapon she can use to defend herself from invincible monsters.

"Good morning," I murmured while pouring almond milk. She sighed heavily before she turn off the stove within speed of a light.

Her head and eyes flew to me. "I was trying to cook a decent breakfast but it's hard." I look at all the mess on the counter top. Burned bacon, hotdog, egg shells and almost melting butter. I could see where her struggle is coming from. If I'll do the same thing I would probably say the exact words.

If there's one people in this household who can expertly cook breakfast food. It's the youngest Arganza in the family.

"Let's do delivery instead. What do you want?" I finished my milk and put my crystal drinking glass on the sink.

"I ain't getting anything. I'll head to school. I'll just look forward to dinner." I move too fast for her to catch up. After kissing her cheeks. I left our house to grab food from Tiffany's.

When I get out of the restaurant. A familiar black McLaren P1 is waiting on the restaurant's parralel parking. Because the windows are tinted. It's hard to tell if it's Argus or not. It could be him because as far as I remember his car is a black McLaren but it could be someone else too. He may be rich but that doesn't mean he's the only one who can have such fancy ride.

When the window on the shotgun seat rolled down. My lips were wide-shock to see Kahlo driving it.

Is this car his?

"This is our operation: make Argus fall for little miss Pop's first day. Does that..." His pouting lips pointed the paperbag from the famour restaurant.

"Has something to do with our plan?" he continued his question.

Because the remaining car in our household run out of gas. I can't use it for today. Maybe we can share ride.

"I'm coming to Empire University. Argus is asking for his shoes that he left in my pad. You coming? So you can give him that. We can convey."

"I don't have my car with me. I ubered to get here---" the door opened.

"Alright. Be my guest."

"I like the interior design." I murmured the moment my eyes has finally laid themselves on every corner of this luxury ride. "So is this yours?"

Kahlo chuckled and shakes his head. "Nah. This is Argus," he replied that made me move my head out of contentment. That Argus has his taste set for fine things and luxury.

"What's that?" Kahlo asks with his eyes still pasted on the busy road of Starlington. I look down on the paper bag full of breakfast meal.

"This is an American fare with buzzy New York monikers." My body gradually leans to Kahlo's direction as I talk to him more. "I don't know what he likes so I opted for something I personally love to have."

"And what's for me?" Kahlo sounds too hopeful.

I bite my lower lip before it curves an awkward smile. "This is all for--- I'm sorry. I'll just make something for you. Tomorrow, I promise. I will make you a breakfast." His resident carefree grin became an amuse smile.

"You cook?"

"I don't," I answere honestly.

"Ha? Then how will you..."

"Being a great cook is not a requirement to make an impeccable oatmel topped with fruits, Kahlo." His face crumpled after hearing the only thing in the menu that I'll serve him tomorrow.

I lightly hit his chest. "They taste good. Oatmeal topped with fruits is my go to meal especially if I'm trying to lose some weight for a certain gathering." Silence bomb as for quite some time until.

"You know what. If you really want Argus head over heel in love with you. I advice you start taking up cooking class. Remember the golden rule of making a man fall in love with you: ths way to a man's heart is through his stomach." I scoff at that.

"Is that even true? I mean... that's kinda old-fashioned. Will you really fall for someone who'll cook for you everyday?" I asked. The traffic light lighted up red, making everyone's car to stop and give way to another.

"It depends."

"See!" I exclaimed.

"If I have fallen for her already at the first sight then her cooking for me will only make me fall harder." Oh, boy. Kahlo sounds like today's William Shakespeare.

I pouted my peach-colored lips. "How I wish he have fallen in love with me at first sight... then I wouldn't have to go through this hardship of pursuing him," I whispered.

"Then that'll be unfair. If that happens Aphrodite might become jealous of you." Kahlo give me that good for nothing stare, making me realize that what he said is a joke or sweet nothing.

"You're corny."

"You can't have men falling in love with you at first sight. The great Goddess Aphrodite will be jealous of you." Kahlo release a set of explosive laughter that I ignored.

If I can only have one man falling in love with me. I need and want it to be the Montreal heir. No one else.

Please, Love God. If you're hearing me. Don't make me resort to using black magic.

"Argus is probably in EU's basketball court. He usally practice by himself in the morning befofe the classes starts." I smiled at that. Thrilled and all. If that's the case then I guess this breakfast is serve to him just in time.

"Hey." Argus eyes were smiling upon seeing Kahlo. Then the spark on it slowly fades when his eyes crawl to me. He became too serious within a blink of an eye. I glance around the basketball court and refuse to have eye contact with him until my heart stop making its rally out of nervous inside of my cage.

"I didn't know someone is coming with you," Argus commented snidely.

Before the atmosphere became heavy and awkward. I stride to him and stretch my arms to give him breakfast from Tiffany's. The expression on his eyes didn't change as he laid his eyes on it.

The silence between the three of us is killing me. "This is an American fare with buzzy New York monikers. My favorite."

"Then why are you giving me that if it's your favorite?"

My fingers move on their own. Getting impatient, also shy, embarrassed and all for being stuck in a damn situation like this.

"Well... I." I sighed and shut my eyes close. "I like you a lot. I'm courting you, Clyde Argus!" I shouted with the remaining braveness on my chest.

Argus scoff. He's not believing me. Actually both of his eyes are expressing how much he finds me and my little stunt unbelievable.

I opened my eyes and move down my arms.

I just want to leave or throw this food and runaway. God, how embarrassing! I've never been this embarrassed. No one rejects Poppy Arganza.

"You do? Would you mind if I ask you why?" It's another moment of embarrassment. I couldn't answer his question fast. I don't know how to compose a reply for that. Surely I can't tell him that I'm just after his wealth. That what I truly want to happen is to be saved by his family's name and fortune.

"Nevermind. I'm not interested anyway. I'm into someone else. Quit, trying." Argus left me hanging. Before leaving the basketball court. He grab his Addidas' gym bag from the bench.

"He's always like that to everyone, Poppy. I'm sure he's just avoiding the fuss of falling in love with someone because he know for sure that Gaisano Montreal will set him up to marry another business tycoon's daughter." Kahlo must have said that to comfort me.

A small bulb lights up on the side of my head as a new idea come to life.

If I can get him through his stomach. Maybe through his parents I can... and I will.

"Aurice Montreal usually meets her friends in the Starlington Society's Club during Weekends. Mostly on Sunday after attending the second mass. She'll then spend the rest of the day in SSC." I made sure to record every single thing that he says.

"You must have like him so much." The brigtness in my lips faded. I don't. I don't even has a crush on him. I just need him.

"Uhuh." I lied. "When you meet the woman who'll make you crazy in love. You can relate to everything that I do."

The uber that we book arrive in front of the EU's gate 2 where we are at.

"I can relate to you already," he whispered before getting in the car.

"I forgot to ask." My body automatically move to his side after I buttoned the seatbelt on my side.

"What are you taking up." Kahlo stave his eyes of his cellphone. "Same as Argus," he replied. I was left to wonder what it is for I don't have an idea what that jerk is taking for college. Kahlo must have expected that I know a lot of things about his bestfriend because of my claim of love for him. I really need to start gathering information about that Clyde Argus Montreal.

"Poppy, you left this!" I look back at Kahlo. Everyone in the hallway who heard that starts leaning to each other and murmur thing I can't fathom. Not that I'm actually interested about it.

Kahlo's carefree grin started to fell of for some reason. He looked away and before I could do and say anything. He walks to the opposite direction with the paperbag from Tiffany's that he no longer insist to give to me.

"Glad I found you here!" I chuckled. Beside him is the food that I bought supposedly for Argus. I settled by his side and grab the paperbag.

"You're after that? I thought you don't want it anymore. You look mad earlier. I thought I embarrassed you," he started speaking while I munch on my food.

I couldn't tell him directly but the fact that we're already poor and buying food from Tiffany's is a luxury I can't afford soon is the reason why I look for him. I'm not gonna waste this luxury.

"It's just in my face. It's a thing for people who has resting b***h face that you couldn't understand." He crouched. Everything around me froze the moment his breath-taking eyes met mine.

"I see." He go back to how he was sitting earlier and enjoy his food again.

"You're a third year business administration student too?" I asked him. I made a research about Argus on the web earlier. It says that he's already 21 years old and a business ad student.

"I hope you don't mind me asking." I chuckled a bit. "Did you choose your course or your family choose it for you because you have to take over your family business?"

"I wish to have my own after graduating. My self-built legacy and business empire. I don't want to live under my parent's shadow. Living under it for twenty long years is enough," he said it poetically and I find myself amuse of him. Does people at my age usually have their goals set already and I am the only confuse soul who doesn't have an idea of what I really want to become after college?

"You've been asking me questions, Poppy. Careful your curiousity might drive you somewhere else."

"Where?" I asked.

He shrugs his shoulder. "I don't know but if you want to find out. Keep feeding your curiousity about me and let's see where it will lead you."