Chapter 23: Fix It For Me
Riley parked her bicycle at the backyard of the mansion after she went out of school. She pouted when she noticed that the other wheel on her bike was flat.
She sighed. "I better need Ethan's help. He's the only one who knows how to fix this after all."
She was about to enter the mansion when a dog blocked her way. A smile appeared to her lips when she saw Layla wagging her tail, sticking her tongue out while looking at her.
"Hey, there, baby girl." She caressed her head. "Are you hungry?"
Layla barked.
"Okay, okay. Let me get your food inside." She chuckled and went inside the mansion.
She was humming while getting Layla's dog food when she encountered the man she'd avoided for almost two days when he came back home.
His back was on her. He's topless and only an apron is covering his chest down to his stomach. She can clearly see his bare back.
And hold on, he's cooking?!
Riley gulped and cleared her throat. "So you know how to cook?"
Jay slightly jumped when he heard her voice and he faced her.
"Oh, it's you."
She leaned on the island counter and placed the dog food beside her. "Yep, it's me. So why are you cooking when it's my job to do?"
"I know you're tired from school so I insisted."
Her eyes widened in surprise. She can see him stilled and realize what he just said.
"Ahm, can't I cook? I mean, I'm bored so I decided to make myself worth it inside the mansion. I had nothing to do anyway."
Her brows tugged up and nodded. "So you can cook now? This is not your old self."
Jay turned his back on her and continued on what he was doing. "People change, Riley. And I considered myself as one of those people."
He called me by my name… Why does it sound so pleasant to hear?
I missed it.
It's been so long since he called her by her name. But there's a sudden change in that. He cannot remember her. And she hopes that he will never ever remember her. She's fine with that. She didn't want him to remember the pain she threw at him three years ago.
She will just think that he moved on from what happened and the fact that he didn't like her nor confessed his feelings when he still remembers her.
"Hey!" Jay snapped his finger.
"Huh?" She came back from her thoughts.
"I said, what are you doing here and why did you get dog food?"
Then Layla appeared in her mind.
Oh, shit!
She quickly ran towards the exit of the kitchen, short-cut to the backyard but she halted when she remembered something.
"Master Jay, have you seen Master Ethan?" she asked.
Jay's eyebrows furrowed. He suddenly felt irritated for no reason. "No. I haven't. Why are you looking for him?"
She glanced outside. "Ahm, my wheel is flat so I need a hand and he's the one who could fix it."
Jay stared at her for a second and looked away then he scoffed. "Goodluck finding him."
Riley tsked and went outside to find Ethan. But before she finds him, she let Layla feed her dog food first. Jake will kill her if she doesn't take care of his baby girl.
JAY SIGHED and took off his apron then followed Riley outside after she left him inside the kitchen a few minutes ago.
He went to the garage to find an air pump for bicycles. And when he found one, he went to the backyard where her bike was parked.
"Why does she use a bike anyway if she could just ask our driver to bring her to school?" Jay shook his head while he pumped in and out the air pump on the wheel.
After he pumped the wheel at the back of the bicycle, he checked if the front wheel if it's flat too. He squeezed the wheel and then he felt that it's a bit mushy so he used the air pump to put some air inside the wheel so Riley wouldn't have to complain or worry.
"Her voice is irritating." He said to himself while putting back the air pump inside the garage.
But you like it. A voice said into his mind.
That voice sent goosebumps all over his body.
"Creepy." He shook his head and went back inside to prepare the dining room for dinner.
"WHERE ARE you dragging me?" Ethan was chuckling non-stop while he's being dragged by Riley.
They stopped at the backyard and Riley pointed to her bike.
"Look. My bike is flat. Can you fix it?" he didn't answer her so she made a puppy eyes and begged. "Please? Pretty please? Can you fix it for me, please?"
Ethan laughed and messed her hair. "As you wish, Milady."
He walked towards her bike to check it. His brows furrowed when he saw it's definitely well-fixed as it is.
"You said it's flat, right? Well I don't think so."
"Huh?"
"Look."
Ethan showed her the wheel at the back of her bike. And yes he's right. It's not flat anymore.
"W-What? But I saw it with my own eyes. It's flat and I even said earlier to Master Jay that--"
She stilled when she noticed something.
"Oh God, don't tell me that he… fixed my bike."
"Really? Good then." Ethan said but it sounds bitter.
He walked Riley inside and he bid goodbye to her because he had to go somewhere. Ethan said that Yumi, Hybe company's secretary, called him and said that he had to sign a lot of papers in his office.
Last year, Ethan finally accepted his father's offer to him. To replace his father's position for being one of the bosses of Hybe company. Though with his busy and thick schedule, he still managed to perform live with his band, the Dark Moon at the Bar Cave.
Jake decided not to take the opportunity of being one of the heirs of Hybe company. Not because he still hates his father but because he didn't want to bury himself with paper works or attending business meetings inside the country or overseas. So he decided to become a photographer and a math tutor at the same time.
While Hoon focuses on his career for being a professional skater on figure skating and teaching slash coaching new students how to properly skate. He also didn't accept his father's position in Hybe company because he said that working in a company and managing your business is a pain in the ass so he decided not to.
RILEY WENT back from her reverie when her phone rang. She was lying on her bed after she cleaned the green house.
She picked her phone and answered it without looking who's the caller.
"Hello, who's this?"
The voice on the other line tsked.
"It's me Lotte and I called you to remind you to pack your things before you forget it."
Her eyes widened and she instantly sitted. "Oh shit, I almost forgot!"
Lotte chuckled. "Go on, pack your things, silly. And don't forget to bring a swimsuit since we're going to the beach." she giggles in excitement.
Riley rolled her eyes while looking for clothes in her closet. "Excited much?"
"Hahaha! Oh you know me too well, sis."
"Of course. You're my one and only best friend who's an archi student and very good at modelling." She complimented her. "That's why you're confident to wear swimsuits, am I right?" she teased.
"Hey! Not that confident. I just really miss going to the beach. So since our batch is going to have a night swimming party, then it's much better to wear something nice." Lotte excuses. "Remember, sis. We only live once. So might as well enjoy it."
Riley shrugged. "Yeah. Oh well, enough with the chit-chat because I had so much to do right now. I'll see you tomorrow at the waiting area?"
Lotte let out a laugh. "Okay! See yah!"
"See yah!"
She ended the call and went back to packing up her things. Good thing Lotte called her to remind her for tomorrow's short getaway with their batchmates. They do it every month so they could somehow forget the stress of being a college student.
She went outside her room to get her dried clothes that were hanging on the rooftop. She just used the elevator so she could get there fast.
She was slightly hopping when she arrived at the rooftop to get her clothes when she saw Jake busy with his DSLR camera. It seems like he's taking a picture from afar.
She didn't bother him so she just grabbed her dried clothes that were hanging.
She thought that he didn't hear her but he actually called her name without looking at her.
"Hey, Riley." He faced her. "Why are you getting your clothes? Do you have nothing to wear?"
She shook her head. "It's not that, Master Jake. I'll be gone in three days because we're having a short-getaway with my batchmates."
Jake's lips formed 'o'. "Oooh I see. I'll also be gone for three days for my new project." He walked towards her and messed her hair. "Wish me luck, sweetie."
She smiled. "Goodluck for your new project, Master. I knew you could do it." She winked.
Jake chuckled. "Now I feel motivated. Thank you."
Riley sweetly smiled and couldn't help pinching his cheek. "Welcome, handsome."
~amph1trite~