The next day dawned sunny and hot, the kind of weather that made you want to stay indoors with the air conditioning on full blast. Cassy, however, was up at about 5AM, two hours earlier than her usual routine. She was already brewing coffee, the pot almost full and its aroma radiating throughout the lounge. Dressed in a cute, feminine, and conservative sleeping attire - a pair of pink cotton shorts and a matching tank top - she moved around the kitchen with a sense of purpose. 
Mikayla, dressed in her gym attire of a fitted tank top and shorts, emerged from her room, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "You're up early, Cassy! You have an event in school?" she asked, stretching her arms above her head. 
"Oh! Good morning, Big Sis! Going to the gym? Have a coffee first!" Cassy offered, pouring a cup for Mikayla. 
Mikayla accepted the cup gratefully, taking a sip of the hot beverage. She watched as Cassy took out eggs from the fridge and started preparing food. "I thought you eat in the school cafeteria?" Mikayla asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. 
"Oh, this is not for me," Cassy replied, cracking an egg into a bowl. 
Mikayla smirked, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Don't tell me it's for that guy?" she asked, referring to Altair. 
"Yes, it is for Mr. Altair. He's hurt badly and I don't think he can cook in his state," Cassy replied, whisking the eggs with a fork. 
Just then, Theresa came out of her room, dressed in a delicate, ladylike nightgown. She looked at Cassy in surprise. "Wait, you're early and you're cooking?" she asked, her eyes wide. 
"Apparently she's in wife training now," Mikayla teased, earning a glare from Cassy. 
"I am not!" Cassy replied, her face flushing a deep shade of red. Her innocent face was a picture of embarrassment and indignation. 
"You don't have a boyfriend and you want to go straight as a wife?" Theresa added, joining in on the teasing. 
"Nooo!" Cassy protested, her voice rising in pitch. 
Theresa chuckled, her laughter echoing in the room. She understood Cassy's behavior of being too kind and nice. "I understand that you're just being too nice, Cassy. But you got to be aware, he's very vulnerable right now and he might misinterpret your intentions," Theresa warned, pouring herself a cup of coffee. 
"Y-yes, Big Sis," Cassy stammered, focusing on cooking the omelet. 
Mikayla couldn't resist adding, "But what if? He falls in love? What would you do, Cassy?" 
Cassy was silent for a moment, her mind racing. Her idea of love was all textbook and theories, all black and white. With her kindness, it would be impossible for her to break Altair's heart. She didn't know how to answer Mikayla's question. 
"It's a pretty hard situation to be in, Cassy," Theresa said, sipping her coffee. "So, you have to be as cruel as possible." 
"So, if it's you, what will you do?" Theresa asked Mikayla, turning the tables on her. 
"Well, it wouldn't come to that point in the first place," Mikayla replied confidently. "I wouldn't let it." 
With that, Mikayla finished her coffee and headed out for her workout. Theresa also left to prepare for work, leaving Cassy alone in the kitchen. After she finished cooking, she put the food on a tray and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. She knocked on Altair's door, but there was no response. 
"Maybe he's still sleeping," she murmured to herself, setting the tray down gently in front of his door. She took a deep breath, then knocked again, a bit louder this time. 
"Mr. Altair?" she called out, her voice soft but clear. "I've made some breakfast. It's outside your door. Please eat when you wake up." 
She paused, waiting for any sign of movement from inside the room, but there was none. She bit her lower lip, a small frown creasing her forehead. She knew he was injured and probably needed rest, but she also knew he needed to eat and take his medicine. 
"And don't forget your medicine!" she added, raising her voice a little. "It's important for your recovery." 
Still, there was no response. She sighed, a small feeling of disappointment settling in her chest. She had hoped to at least hear his voice, to know that he was okay. But she also understood that he might not be in the mood to talk, especially after what had happened. 
With one last glance at the closed door, she turned and walked away, leaving the tray of food and the bottle of water outside his room. She hoped he would eat the food and take his medicine. She hoped he would be okay. 
-Other Side of the door –  
After Cassy left, Altair opened the door to find the food she had prepared. Fried rice with an omelet, pudding, and a bottle of water on the side. There was also a note that read, "Get well soon :)" A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, but as soon as he started eating, he could no longer hold back his tears. They streamed down his face as he tried to wipe them away with the sleeve of his hoodie, revealing scars and fresh wounds from self-inflicted cuts during his drunken stupors. 
The simple meal reminded him of his childhood, and his mind drifted back to those days. 
"I often thought that life was against me since I was a child," Altair began, his voice barely above a whisper. "Orphaned at an early age, I had to claw my way out of the grave of problems that were left on my tiny shoulders. Elise was my only ally in this world. When my father passed away, Elise took care of me when everything seemed lost. I can still remember almost starving when she rushed to cook food, and fried rice was all she knew how to make." 
After finishing his meal, Altair washed the dishes. "I should give her something in exchange for this heartwarming meal," he mused. With that thought, Altair headed to the shower to clean himself, the warm water washing away not just the physical grime but also, for a moment, the weight of his past
. 
As darkness blanketed the house, the house was quiet as night fell. Most of the girls were either asleep or, in Priscilla's case, working. Altair, for the first time since his arrival, left his room and ventured outside to the gazebo. The night was at its peak, the moon brightly illuminating the surroundings. It would have been romantic if not for the intrusive memories flooding Altair's mind. Inside the house, Cassy woke up in the middle of the night, feeling parched. She padded to the kitchen in her soft slippers, her eyes half-closed as she reached for a glass and filled it with cold water from the fridge. As she drank, she noticed that the porch light was on. Who could be outside at this hour? she wondered. She peeked through the window and saw Altair, sitting alone in the gazebo, a lit cigarette in his hand. For some reason, she found herself walking towards him. She didn't know what had come over her, but before she knew it, she was standing near him. "It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" she said, immediately cringing at how cheesy her entrance line sounded. Altair looked up at her, surprise evident in his eyes. "I guess it is," he replied, his voice raspy from the smoke. There was an awkward silence as Cassy fumbled for something else to say. "I... uh...saw the porch light on. Couldn't sleep?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation going. 
"I can't sleep. How about you? Isn't it past your bedtime?" Altair asked, his tone casual. 
"I don't work, I'm a college student. I just saw you when I was getting a drink of water. I wanted to ask how your injury was doing," Cassy replied, her words tumbling out in her nervousness. 
"I hope it heals soon," Altair responded, his gaze returning to the night sky. 
Cassy felt a pang of disappointment. She had hoped for a more meaningful conversation, but it seemed like this wasn't the right time. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Mr. Altair. I'll go back to bed now," she said, her voice tinged with sadness as she turned to leave. 
"Wait," Altair called out, causing her to pause. "I haven't said it yet but thank you for the meal. It meant a lot to me." 
Cassy felt a jolt of surprise, her heart fluttering at his words. She turned back to him, her cheeks flushing a deep red. "It's nothing, really. It's the least I could do," she stammered out. 
"Still, thank you," Altair said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. 
"Of course. If you need any help, just let me know, okay? I can add you to my contacts if you don't mind," Cassy offered, pulling out her phone. 
"Sure," Altair agreed, picking up his own phone from the table and bumping it against Cassy's, instantly sharing their contact information. 
Caught in the awkward silence that followed, Altair added, "You cook well." 
Cassy laughed nervously, "Please, it was just fried rice and an omelet. I could've done better." 
"Don't be too hard on yourself. It was good. I appreciate your effort," Altair reassured her, his words sincere. 
Cassy, emboldened by the progress they were making in their conversation, decided to push a little further. "Can we talk for a while? I don't think I'll be able to sleep immediately," she asked, her voice steady. 
Altair, taken aback by her sudden assertiveness, couldn't find it in himself to refuse. "Sure, what do you want to talk about?" he asked, his tone neutral. 
Cassy, despite her newfound courage, faltered. "Uhm, anything you'd like to talk about? Do you have any questions?" she asked, the awkwardness creeping back into their conversation. 
Altair decided to take the lead. "What course are you studying?" he asked, his curiosity piqued. 
Cassy's face lit up at his question. "I'm majoring in Business Administration. It's not my ideal choice, but it'll do," she replied, her tone light. 
Altair nodded, "From a rich family, I assume? The rent in this place is absurd. I know because I helped Elise structure the rent for this house years ago," he explained. 
Cassy shook her head, "No, I'm not. I come from a middle-class family. However, my stay here, including the information about where I study, is hidden from my parents. I live here as part of an agreement between me and Ms. Elise," she revealed. 
Altair raised an eyebrow, "I see. So, how are your finances?" 
Cassy sighed, "Barely hanging on. I have some gigs, and I own a small e-commerce shop," she admitted. 
Altair nodded, "Hang in there. Way back when we were your age, Elise and I were in the same situation. We did everything in our power to climb up. We even had a business too," he shared. 
Cassy's eyes widened, "Really? What kind of business?" 
Altair took a drag from his cigarette, "Not a reputable one. We once sold answer keys, projects, assignments, you name it we have it" he admitted. 
Cassy was both amazed and not surprised by Altair's revelation. It was a reasonable means to an end, she supposed. "May I ask what you do for a living now?" she asked. 
Altair exhaled a cloud of smoke, "I'm a financial consultant," he replied. 
Cassy blinked at his response, a small smile playing on her lips. "That's a far cry from selling answer keys and assignments," she teased. 
Altair chuckled, the sound low and raspy. "Well, we all have to start somewhere, don't we?" he retorted, a hint of amusement in his eyes. 
Cassy nodded, her smile growing wider. "True. So, from a small-time hustler to a financial consultant, huh? That's quite a journey." 
Altair shrugged, his gaze fixed on the glowing tip of his cigarette. "Life has a funny way of leading us where we need to be," he mused. 
Cassy tilted her head, considering his words. "That's quite philosophical for someone who's smoking at this hour," she quipped. 
Altair smirked, his gaze flicking to meet hers. "Well, it's never too late or too early for a bit of philosophy, don't you think?" 
Cassy laughed, the sound light and airy. "I suppose you're right. But I think I'll leave the late-night philosophizing to you," she said, standing up from her seat.
Altair watched as she made her way back to the house, a small smile on his face. "Good night, Cassy," he called out. 
Cassy turned around, her smile matching his. "Good night, Mr. Financial Consultant," she replied, before disappearing into the house. 
Altair sat alone in the gazebo, the moon casting long shadows around him. The night was quiet, the only sound being the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. He took a long drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling up into the night sky. 
He thought about his past, about the pain he had endured, the heartbreak he had suffered. He thought about the fear of getting hurt again, the fear of being pitied. 
"I'm grieving," he said, his voice shaking. "I need to feel this way." 
He took another drag from his cigarette, the smoke burning his lungs. He thought about the emptiness he felt, the loneliness that engulfed him. He thought about the darkness that surrounded him, the despair that drowned him. 
He thought about the possibility of being friends with Cassy, about the small joy it might bring to his monotone life. But he was afraid of the things that might unravel in the process, so he decided to hold back for now. 
Altair decided it was time to head back inside. He stubbed out his cigarette and stood up, stretching his arms above his head. As he walked back towards the house, he felt a strange sense of calm wash over him. 
Once inside, he made his way to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out a bar of chocolate. He stared at it for a moment, then took a pen from the counter and wrote something on the wrapper. 
With a final glance at the message he'd written, he placed the chocolate bar back in the fridge and closed the door. He didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but for the first time in a long time, he felt a glimmer of hope. He turned off the kitchen light and made his way back to his room, the house falling silent once more. 
The morning sun streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow over the house. Cassy, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, emerged from her room to the sound of hushed voices in the lounge. As she approached, she saw Theresa and Mikayla huddled together in front of the fridge, their expressions a mix of surprise and amusement. 
"Cassy! Good morning!" Theresa greeted; her voice laced with a playful flirtatiousness. She sauntered over to Cassy, a mischievous grin on her face, and tickled her in the hips. 
"You little devil!" Theresa cooed, her voice dripping with sweetness. The teasing tone only served to confuse Cassy further. 
"What do you mean?" Cassy asked, her brows furrowing in confusion. 
With a sly grin, Mikayla beckoned Cassy over. "Come and see for yourself," she said, gesturing towards the fridge. Cassy, curiosity piqued, approached, and peered inside. What she saw brought a wide smile to her face. 
There, nestled among the usual fridge contents, was a bar of chocolate. But it wasn't just any chocolate bar. Attached to it was a note that read, "Thank you for the meal! Do your best today!" The handwriting was unmistakably Altair's. 
A wave of happiness washed over Cassy, her heart fluttering in her chest. Her cheeks flushed a rosy pink, and her eyes sparkled with delight. It was as if her joy had taken on a physical form, radiating from her in a visible aura. 
"So, what happened? Were you able to talk to him?" Mikayla asked, her curiosity evident in her voice. 
"Yeah, I was able to. He's nice... he's a financial consultant," Cassy replied, her voice soft. 
Theresa felt a sense of relief wash over her. It was good to know that there was another mature individual in the house, aside from herself. But then, she remembered Altair's current situation and chastised herself for jumping to conclusions too quickly. It was too early to decide whether he was a good or bad person. 
Theresa found herself lost in her thoughts, her gaze distant. She was the eldest in the house, and she felt a sense of responsibility towards the others, especially Cassy. She couldn't help but worry about the potential influence Altair could have on her. But at the same time, she was curious about him. Who was he, really? What was he going through? And most importantly, was he a threat or a potential ally? 
In the end, Theresa decided that she needed to find out more about Altair. She justified her curiosity under the guise of protecting Cassy. But deep down, she knew it was more than that. She was intrigued by Altair, and she was determined to uncover the truth about him.