Chapter 11

‘Ummm....’

They waited for my answer. I don’t really know what to say. Should I go and say ‘Hey, guess what? I kissed Jamareo!’ or ‘Umm...nothing. I think I just saw a cockroach on my way up’. Hmmmm...Probably the cockroach.

‘Nothing.I think I just saw a cockroach on my way up’

‘Right....A coakroach?’ Daniella looked at me. Jess was laughing behind her.

‘No..Cat really terrified of cockroaches. There’s this one time we were at summer camp, we heard screaming from her tent and when we go look at it, she was not in there. We found her near the river like, 10 minutes from our campsite’

‘Really, Jess? You really need to say all that?’

She stuck her tongue out. I rolled my eyes. ‘Childhood memories...’

I still remember those days. Me,Edward and Jess used to go to summer camp every single year. It’s like, our annual thing. I smiled at Jess. Our friendship was simple and I’ve known her all my life.

‘So,....I guess I should head off now’ Daniella stand on her feet.

‘Already? Why don’t u guys stay here a little more for dinner?’

‘It’s okay. I don’t want to interrupt your friend’s visiting ’ she pointed out to Jessie. Jess threw a pillow at her. They both laughed. They’ve becoming friends already? ‘Besides, me and Jamareo are staying at Phil’s house. The guys probably head home soon so......’ She looked at me. ‘Look, I know you can handle this stuff, Cat. Although you’re mad at him or whatever but he really likes you. Trust me. I’ve never seen him so bright before’

I looked at her. I really want to believe those words but I’m still confused about everything. ‘I’ll think about it’

We got downstairs and Jamareo was sitting with granny in front of the tv, chatting.

‘J, let’s go’

Jamareo got up from the couch and looked at me. I tried to avoid making eye contacts. After Daniella saying goodbye to granny, we led them to the door.

‘Goodnight. Sleep well, okay?’ Daniella hugged me.

‘Of-course. I will’

Jamareo turned to me and moved closer. He whispered into my ears. ‘I’m sorry about what happened’

I looked at him and nodded. ‘Yeah. S’okay. Me too’

And both of them disappeared out of the door. Granny already headed into her room.

‘So? Let’s eat!’ I said to Jess.

*******************************************

After we had dinner, we headed up to my room.

‘Now....tell me something’ Jessie said while she was laying on my bed upside down.

‘What?’

‘What exactly happened with you and Jamareo just now?’

‘What do u mean?’

‘The cockroach incident.You can’t lie to me, Cat’

‘Nothing happened. It’s true. There was a cockroach so I freaked out!’

‘Hmmmm...I don’t think that I’m buying that, honey’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Whatever. Up to you’

She threw a pillow at me. ‘Hey! That hurts!’

‘Seriously? Since when are u so fragile?’

‘Fragile??? I’m not fragile!’ I bumped onto her. She quickly picked up a couple of pillows and smacked them on my face.

As we were having our pillow fight, my phone buzzed.....

We stopped. She looked at me. ‘Who’s it?’

I looked at the name that popped on the screen.

‘It’s him’

‘Bruno?’ she was thrilled.

‘Yeahhhh’

‘Pick it up!’

‘I don’t think I wanna’

‘Come on’ She snatched the phone from my hand.

‘Jess, give me back my phone’

‘No!’

‘Jesss!! Give it back!’

‘Not until u say u want to talk to him’

‘Jess, I’m serious’

‘Say it’

‘No!’ The phone’s still buzzing. And before I could say anything, she pressed the answer button and put it to her ear. ‘Hello?’

‘No!’ I screamed.

‘Aha...’ She looked at me. ‘I’m her friend,Jess’.....I looked at her. I wanted to grabb the phone away but that would be rude. ‘Yeah. She’s here. Yup, that was her screaming.....’ she chuckled. ‘Okay....Hold on a sec’ . Jess looked at me and handed the phone to me. ‘Here. Talk to him. I’ll be downstairs. I mean, u need some privacy, right?’ She gave me this sly smile of hers and walked out the room.

I took a deep breath and put the phone closer to my ear. ‘Hello?’

‘Cat?’ His beautiful voice.

‘Yeah... Hey...’

‘Ummm....How are u?’

‘Good.....Well, not really...u know what I mean...’

There was a long silent. I could hear his soft breathings. I know this is just another awkward conversation.

‘So......how are u doin? Daniella told me that u guys are in Brooklyn?’

‘Yeah. We just done with our show...’

‘That’s cool’

 ‘Look, Cat. I know you’re mad at me. I just...I can’t stop thinking about you. Do u know how much u mean to me?’

‘No, I don’t. Tell me....’

‘Cat, I was drunk. I wasn’t thinking that time. I don’t blame u if u want to fuck me or what. I know, I was being a total asshole. But I did promise u before that I’m not gonna make u cry anymore.....’

‘And ...u did’

‘I know’ He said with a sigh. ‘I was just thinking if we could start this over? Don’t give up on me, Cat. Please.........’ He was pleading.

‘I don’t know, Bruno......It’s been a crazy week for me and I don’t think I can handle it anymore. At least, not now....’

‘What do u mean?’

‘Well,.....give me some time to think about this....I really need a break’

‘Cat.......’

‘Bruno, this is hard for me too...You don’t understand how I felt..’

‘Of-course. I don’t. But u don’t understand what I’m feeling right now too.  There’s guilt, and hurt and pain....

‘Confused.....’ I added. ‘Yeah. Me too’

‘So??.....’

‘Give me some time.Why don’t you focus on your music and I lead a normal life like I used too?

‘But.........’

‘Look, I gotta go, Bruno. I’ll talk to you soon’

‘Okay..’ I can feel that he’s smiling. ‘Have a wonderful sleep’

‘You too’

I was about to end the call then he said ‘And Cat........’

‘Yeahh....?’

‘I love you’

********************************************************

I woke up the next day with a smile on my face. ‘I love you’. That was the word that I heard before I went to sleep. Did he really meant that? I’m not sure. But still........It meant something to me. I looked at the clock. Still early. Jess is sleeping so silently next to me. It’s funny to see her when she’s sleeping coz usually she would humming or talking to herself. I went into the bathroom to take my shower. After I got dressed, I grabbed my bag, give Jess a kissed on the forehead and headed downstairs.

‘Morning.....’

‘Morning sweetie...’

‘Wow...Pancakes?..Yum’

‘Take a seat.. Jess still asleep?’

‘Yup. I think she talked on the phone with her boyfriend for hours last night....’

‘No wonder I heard talking at 3 in the morning’

I smiled. ‘You know, I’ve told Jess she can use my car if you guys wanted to go anywhere. I mean, she must be bored at home so why don’t you guys go out or anything. Do stuff’

‘Like what?’ Granny frowned at me.

‘Like, I don’t know. Stuff??’ I looked at my watch. ‘Better get going. I see you later, gran’ I sip the tea and gave her a kiss.

‘Walk safely’

************************************************************************

I walked into the cafe and Tess was shocked to see me.

‘Cat?????!’ She screamed and hugged me.

‘Hey!’

‘Omg!I thought you’re off for a couple more days....’

‘Well, I need to work, you know?’

I looked at the girl standing next to her. ‘Hey. You’re new?’

‘Oh. yes. This is Mandy. She just started yesterday. She’s Jenny’s neice. Mandy, this is Cat. The one that I told you about??’ Tess introduced us.

She nodded. ‘Ohh...Hi there’ She smiled at me.

‘What? I’m away for a couple of days and u’re already gossiping about me?’

‘You know me??....So...how’s New York?’ Tess continue on with her questions...

‘Ugh! Well, first it was awesome, great’

‘Then, why are u back early?’

‘Something happened. Well, I don’t really want to talk about it’

‘Aww..Come on. Tell me’

‘Nothing, okay?

‘You know that you’re bad at lying????’

Sigh. ‘Well, we had a fight’

‘What happened????’

‘Edward all over again’

‘What do u mean??

I wanted to answer back but there were customers filling in so we decided to focus on our work.

‘Tell me later’ she whispered to me.

*********************************************************

‘Omg! Really? I can’t believe he did that to you’ Tess said to me while driving her car. She offered to send me home after work.

‘I know....’

‘So, how are u feeling now?’

‘I don’t know. He called me last night and I had to pick it up....

‘Why u had to???

‘Oh, my friend, she just came here yesterday so.....

‘Ohh. okay. Go on....

‘And he told me that .......

‘That??????

‘He loves me’

Tess looked at me. She rolled her eyes. ‘Are u sure he’s telling the truth?’

I made a face. ‘I’m confused. I told him to give me some time to think’

‘Well,...I’m not good at giving advicesss

I looked down. ‘It’s cool. Just, it’s nice to talk to someone about certain things’

She smiled me. ‘You know you can count on me. I’ll always be there for u if u need me’

We reached my house and I asked her to come inside to meet Jessie. We talked for a little while and I saw that Jess and Tess clicked on right away. They even whispered to each other and I felt as if I was being left out.

‘Okay. I better head of now. See u at work tomorrow’

‘Yeah. You too’

*******************************************************************

3 days later.....

It’s been days since my life without Bruno. I admit, it felt nice. Having a normal life back. Go to work, hang out with Jess and granny. It’s just so easy. Yesterday we went to my mum’s grave,I think I’m the only one who visits there. I don’t think my dad had ever went there after the funeral. Ugh! Why am I thinking about him? He has a new family now. I woke up and had breakfast with Jess and granny. After I kissed granny goodbye, we headed out of the door. Jess decided to give me a ride today.

‘So, how about we hit the old coffee shop where we used to go back then?’ She asked me.

‘You mean,the old jazzy place? Omg! I almost forgot about that place!’

‘I know you would forget. So????’

‘Well, sure!’

‘Cool then. I’ll pick u up after work then we can straightly go there. Ask Tess to come with us too’

‘Okay. I’ll bring her along’. She stopped the car in front of the cafe and I got out. Before I slammed the door, I turned to her.

‘Wait, why u suddenly want to go there?’ I straight up one eyebrow.

‘Well, I suddenly thought about the place. Arghh.. Quit asking. See u later!’ and I watched her drove my car away. I sighed and walked towards Jenny’s cupcakes.

*********************************************************

We arrived at the coffee shop and I saw a lot of people there. The place was crowded. Man! The interior looked just the same 4 years ago. We looked for a place to sit and suddenly a man came up to us and showed us the way to our table. All the people who didn’t get to sit just staring at us. He then asked us what to drink and walked away.

‘Wow. Do u know the guy?’

‘Ermm...maybe..’

Okay, seriously she’s hiding something.

‘Hmmm...wonder what band’s gonna play today’

‘You’ll see’ she said with a mischievous smile.

Our drinks showed up a few moments later and I took a sip from my glass. The lights turned off suddenly. I heard people were cheering and the band who was about to perform came up on stage. I didn’t get to see what they were look like since it was so dark. Then, the front man got on the mic.

‘So...how are u guys doing?’ Everybody was cheering. ‘So, it’s a special day for me coz the song that I’m gonna perform is a total brand new and is dedicated to a very special girl who’s in this room with us. This is for you..... Cat’

I froze. My mind was blank. My eyes couldn’t take off from the front man.....Bruno?