Sparks Fly

Drop Off

Chapter 8

Zarina’s pov:

I reached the parking lot where my motorbike was. I immediately put my helmet on my head and rode my motorbike. I turned on the engine and left but just as I was coming out of the gate, I saw Anica walking. I stopped close to her and she did the same to look back at me.

"Anica! Are you going home? Do you want to ride with me?" I invited her.

"Zarina!" she blurted happily when she saw me. "Yes, we finished early today! Can I come along?"

"Of course!" I replied with a smile.

Fortunately, Mom left her helmet earlier when she came with me. She went to the grocery store and said she might not be able to carry it because she had a lot to buy for the bakery so she just left it to me. I handed Anica the extra helmet and let her ride in the back of my motorbike.

"Thank you, Zarina! It's good that you came, I can be home in a few minutes!" she said as if excited.

I started my motorbike again and we left to go home. Anica is the granddaughter of Mrs. Amalia who owns the apartment that Rye rents. The house we are renting is on the next street from our bakery and their apartment is just along the way so it doesn't bother me. Also, Anica is one of my closest friends just like Nate.

"Why do you seem so excited to go home?" I wonder.

I glanced at her in the side mirror of my motorbike and saw her smile broadly. Hmm? And why does her face seem to blush? Is she sick?

"Are you okay Anica?" I asked with concern.

"I think ... I think ... I'm in love! Yiee!!!" she said as if happiness was overflowing in her.

She hugged me tightly with the sheer joy she felt and I didn’t expect that so I was surprised that we almost collided with the car next to us.

"Oh, sh*t!" I blurted out and I immediately controlled the motorbike to get back in line on the road.

"Anica !?" I said in a panic.

"I’m… I'm sorry! I'm just so happy and I'd like to share my happiness with you," she apologized with a forced smile on her face.

I just sighed and just focused my eyes on the road. I'm happy to know that she's happy but maybe this isn't the right time for her to share that happiness with me. But ... why is she so happy? What happened to her?

"What makes your smile so wide? You look like a toddler who got her favorite toy! Say what? Mrs. Amalia allowed you to have a boyfriend, isn't she?" I asked with a teasing smile.

I glanced at her again in the mirror for a moment and she barely closed her mouth as if embarrassed. Did I hit the spot?

"Uhm, no! But hello? I'm 19 years old! I should be able to have a boyfriend!" she said as she rolled her eyes then she hugged me and brought her face close to my ear. "We should have a boyfriend, right?!"

I laughed. I really think she's in love and she's desperate to have a boyfriend. But who does she like? Possibly, she is the one making Anica happy right now.

"Don't include me in that! I don't have that in mind yet! I want to finish my studies so that I can give my mother the restaurant of her dreams," I replied to her.

"Just because we have a boyfriend doesn't mean we won't finish school! We'll just make them our inspiration," she justified with her eyes twinkling.

"Yeah, yeah! Then he'll get you pregnant and make you a mother at a young age! No thanks," I said lamely.

"You are a negative thinker! Of course, I will choose the sensible one to be my boyfriend," she defended.

“You don’t know if someone is sober when you haven’t been with him under the same roof for a long time,” I objected to what she said.

"Well, we live on the same roof," she replied shrugging.

I was startled and stopped in the middle of the road. What did she say? So, she is excited to go home because her boyfriend is at their house? I thought she wasn't allowed yet?

"What did you say? What do you mean?" I asked her as I frowned.

The car behind us blew its horn so I bit my lip and started my motorbike again. I couldn't help it because what Anica said was really surprising!

"Zarina, relax! You're thinking wrong," Anica said with a bitter smile.

"Then, what does that mean? Hmm?" I asked as I raised an eyebrow.

"We have a new tenant! He's very handsome and he seems to be very kind and gentleman, and intelligent... and he smells so good!" she kept saying as if she was being tickled.

I opened my eyes wide when I heard what she said. Wait! Is she... is she referring to... Rye?

I was speechless because I had a strong feeling that Rye was the one she was describing. Ow, geez! If so, the two had already met? Then she's in a hurry to go home because she's so excited to see Rye?

Hmm.

I don’t know but the expression on my face faded and there seemed to be something pinching inside my chest. Why does it seem a bit painful? What could that be?

Tch!

"Zarina? Are you listening?" Anica asked as she looked at me with concern.

It was as if my spirit came back when she called me by my name. I just glanced at her from the corner of my eyes quickly and looked at the road just right after.

"Huh? What's that again?" I deafened.

She sighed in dismay and pouted like a child. She’s so cute, I was jealous of her baby face.

Anica is beautiful, smart, and kind. Mrs. Amalia raised her well and because her grandmother took care of her since childhood, she grew up conservative and respectful.

“I said we have a handsome tenant that is why I said we live on the same roof,” she elaborated.

"Uhm, yeah! I know, I brought him there because he's looking for a place to stay," I informed her and this time, she was the one who was surprised.

"Ha? You? Why didn't you tell me right away? You know him? What's his name? How did you meet him!? Tell me! What?" she asked continuously.

I pursed my mouth when I remembered again what happened when I met him. Anica is right, she is very handsome and kind, and looks so intelligent and his very manly smell seems so seductive.

He is also very cool to look at and he seems very confident in himself but not in an arrogant way. He was smiling but his emerald eyes seemed very mysterious and very deep. It's like if you stare at those fascinating eyes for a long time, you'll definitely… fall for him!

S-sh*t! Suddenly my heart pounded again just by thinking of him! What is this weird feeling!?

Tch!

"Hmm, I... I only met him when I was delivering to one of our customers. It was only an accident that I saw him, " I explained briefly. "His name is... Rye."

Anica's eyes immediately lit up when she heard the name of the man she admired. I felt a strange annoyance at her reaction. I sighed. What the heck is happening to me!?

"Rye?! Rye?! Ow gash! His name suits to him! Ow, I wish I could see and talk to him again!" she wished as if she was lying in a cloud.

It was as if I wanted to take her into the woods and lead her astray or maybe I should push her down on my motorbike so that a truck would hit her and she would be thrown far away and they would never meet again!!! Tch!

Eh!? I shook my head multiple times to get rid of the evil intent I was thinking of! Why did I think that?! Sh*t!

I took a deep breath and calmed my thoughts. That was insane!

"Are you okay Zarina? Are you feeling bad? Be careful, we might have an accident huh?" said Anica.

"No! I'm... I'm fine!" I answered cautiously.

I wondered to myself why I felt so strange. I just imagined it all in my mind that they were talking and smiling at each other and then I instantly got disgusted. Hmph! I really don't want to think about it but it keeps on popping in my head!

Why do I think about that!?!

I just stopped myself from talking to her and just concentrated on running my motorbike. In a few minutes, we reached the apartment where they lived. I stopped my motorbike in front of their gate and Anica got off. I stared in the direction of the second floor where the unit was Rye staying while Anica took off the helmet I lent her.

I was just thinking ... if he was there right now. What is he doing at these times? Is he done eating? What did he eat this morning? Did he sleep well last night?

Urgh! My cheeks feel hot! Why am I thinking about those things?!

...

...

...

"Zarina! Here! Thank you!!!" said Anica with a smile as she handed the helmet back to me.

I turned to look at her and took the helmet in her hand. I smiled at her awkwardly and nodded in response to her gratitude. I wish while looking at her that Rye would have left and they wouldn’t have met or talked. Or maybe he should just stay in his room while Anica is waiting for him. Tch!

"Do you want to go inside? Come on! Let's see if Rye is there!" she invited me which made me startled.

"Ha? No, No thanks! Mom is already waiting for me at the bakery! She doesn't have a helper there! I need to hurry!" I answered between the rapid beating of my heart in my chest.

Why am I so nervous? So, what if I see Rye again? As if it matters to me?! He's just like any other guy! Pft!

Uhm! I felt so bad! Anica is so kind and she doesn't do anything wrong to me but why do I think like this? Why do I feel like I don't want them to be friends?

"Bye Anica, see you tomorrow!" I waved goodbye to her and so did she.

I started my motor again to get home and I just tried to get that man out of my mind. I was staring badly at the road while driving my motorbike. I'm just messing with my mind! I won't get anything if I think about him all day. I'll just waste my time!

I'm sure he doesn't think about what happened to us yesterday. And why would he even think about that? It was just… my first kiss! That doesn't matter to him!

We didn’t both mean that!

He didn't do that on purpose! He was just trying to help me!

I am thankful that he helped me. It just seems that our paths cross unintentionally and I'm sure it will never happen again.

Well, that's good… isn’t it?!