***
“You said you love me, right? Then seduce me until I fall madly in love with you! Seduce me until I crave for you!!”
Vincent’s jaw dropped in shock.
“You’re joking, right?” He asked with unspeakable eyes.
“I am not, Vinny. Seduce me” She tried to kiss him again, but Vincent stopped her.
“Why are you resisting my kiss? You said you love me!”
“Yes I do, but that doesn’t mean I should take advantage of your situation. You’re not in your right mind, what did Niko say to you for you to act this way?”
Tears fell down from Dove’s eyes.
“He said he no longer loves me. Niko told me straight in the face that he doesn’t love me. He was the one who beat me up like an animal, but he is the one who chose to end our relationship. Niko is the only man I have dated, and it hurts so much to see him leaving me. How can his love for me disappear like a bubble? We did so many things together, how does he expect me to forget about all we shared together!” Dove cries.
Vincent pulled her into a comfortable hug.
“You don’t have to waste your tears because of him, Dovey. I don’t why he broke up with you, but I am always here for you,”
Dove broke the hug and looked at him with tearful eyes
“Seduce me” She said in a soft voice.
Vincent smiled and flicked her forehead.
“Ouch! What was that for?”
“Stop joking around, Dovey”
“Why? Don’t you want me to love you back?”
“I do, but you’re going through a heartbreak right now. My wish is for you to love me genuinely, not because you’re trying to get over Niko. I won’t do what you’re asking for, I will be the one who’ll get seduced cuz I have being holding back my cravings”
Dove smiled a little.
“Can I hug you? I need a hug”
Vincent smiled and spread his arms wide open for her, Dove went in between his arms, and he embraced her, with his arms covering her whole body.
“I don’t know what it feels like when you break up with someone, but I’m sure you’re going to get through it. It might hurt now, but the pains doesn’t last forever”
Dove smiled, resting her head perfectly on his broad chest.
“I’m going to try my hardest”
“Hardest?”
“Yes. I will try my best to open my heart to you, Vinny”
Vincent smiled and patted her head.
“You don’t have to try too hard. As long as it’s you, I’m ready to wait”
“Even if you grow gray hair?”
Vincent laughed.
Dove smiled, hugging him tightly.
Both stay in each other’s arms under the rain.
******
•NIKO’S HOUSE•
“One step at a time, Niko,” Charming said, helping Niko inside the house.
He got drunk again, and it’s all because of Dove.
“What happened to Niko?” Joaquin asked.
“He got drunk. Help me so we can take him inside the room”
Joaquin nodded and both took Niko to his room.
“I love you Dove. I love you so much, I’m just trying to protect you” Niko cried in his sleep.
“Protect her from what?” Joaquin asked.
“Just leave your brother alone”
“I want to know what he is trying to say, Charming. Is my brother in any kind of danger? Is he being thr_@tened? Is that why he broke up with Dove? Answer me, Charming.
“Niko is not in danger and he is not being thr_@tened. People say stupid things when they are drunk”
“They also get to say the truth and what’s eating them up anytime they are drunk, and my brother is in that category. What’s his job? You’re the only friend he has, and I’m sure he must have told you about it. Niko brings back lots of goodies home, and I’m sure it’s not from the salary he gets as a mortuary attendant. What’s Niko involved in?”
“He is not involved in anything, just trust your brother”
“How can I trust him when I don’t know anything?!”
“Niko will be fine. Just make some hangover soup when he wakes up” Charming pats Joaquin’s shoulder and leaves.
Joaquin looked at Niko who was lying on the bed like a log.
“What are you into, Niko?” Joaquin muttered.
***
Charming comes out from the house and sees Zoey making a phone call.
“Hello. You don’t have to know who I am. Niko broke up with you because….”
Charming took the phone from her before she could complete her statement.
He ended the call and looked at her scornfully.
“I was just trying to help Niko. He is suffering”
“You think he didn’t know he would, before he chose to break up with Dove? How did you even get her number?”
“I took it from Niko’s phone”
“Really?”
“I am sorry, I just pity Niko”
“You already know why Niko broke up with Dove, right? So why do you want to make things worse for him? Do you think that I am happy that he is in a sad mood right now? I’m not, but that’s the only way to protect Dove. She isn’t a strong fighter like you, Zoey. She can’t protect herself, and you already know how dangerous Diego can be. He has been keeping a close watch on Niko ever since he said he wanted to leave the robbery gang. What if Dove becomes his prey? Did you even think about that before calling her?”
“I am sorry, please don’t be mad”
“I’m not mad at you, but don’t do it again. Niko once said it’s better he loves Dove from afar than loving her closely and endangering her life, let’s respect his words, ok?”
Zoey nodded her head.
*****
•YELLOW-SPREE HIGH•
“You sent for me sir” Dora said to her home-room teacher after she attended the staff room.
“I was surprised that you were even in school today. You haven’t been in school for two weeks now, and your grades are slacking off. If you were a scholarship student, you would have been expelled”
“I have been busy that’s why I couldn’t come to school”
“Busy with what”
“With a lot of stuff that even if I come to school, I won’t achieve it”
“Seriously? Anyways I’m inviting your sister and dad to school”
“Why?”
“I am sure they don’t know you have been missing school, right? They need to know what you have been up to”
Dora began shedding crocodile tears.
“Don’t call them sir, they are going through a lot right now. My dad is a cop and he was shot during a gunfire attack. He is coma right now, and my sister Dove is trying her best to pay for his medical bills”
The real truth is that Vincent already took care of it.
“Your dad is in a coma?”
“Yes sir. We’re in grief right now, but I promise to try my best to come to school and improve on my grades”
“It’s okay, Dora, don’t cry. I didn’t know your dad was in a coma. Send my regards to your sister and dad, okay”
“I will sir. Can I go now?”
“Sure you can”
Dora continued shedding her fake tears until she was out of the staff room.
She cleaned her tears and smirked.
“Maybe I should become an actress. I was good” She laughed and went to class.
“Dora” Angel waved at her with a smile, but Dora ignored her and walked up to Noelia.
Noelia is the brightest student in class.
“Hey, Noelia”
“You finally came to school?”
“Me skipping school has nothing to do with you. You’re a scholarship student, and you’re struggling with financial problems, right?”
“My family problems have nothing to do with you, Dora,” Noelia said.
“I am going to give you money to pay for your younger brother’s tuition. He is in kindergarten, right? I will pay for his tuition and buy the necessary materials he needs in school, but in exchange for that, you will do my assignments and tests anytime I’m not in school. Don’t worry, I’ll also give your pocket money so you can be able to buy the things you need for yourself”
“Where are you going to get the money?”
“You don’t have to worry, I have the money,” Dora smiled at her.
“Dora!” Angel waved at her again.
Dora rolled eyes at Angel and left the class.
“Is she no longer talking to us?” Angel asked Joaquin. He is sitting beside her.
“I don’t give a f-__-k about her” He rests his head on the desk.
Angel sighed, sadly.
******
Somehow Dora found a way to leave school without no one noticing. She changed into something segzy and went to meet up with Alex.
“What took you so long?” He asked.
Dora started crying again.
“What’s the tears for?”
“It’s my dad, he is in a coma. The doctors thr_@ten to discharge him if I don’t pay for his medical bills. I have no one, it’s just me and my dad” She cries.
“How much is it?” Alex asked.
“You’re going to pay for his medical bills?”
“That’s the deal we made right?”
“But you haven’t touch me, yet”
Alex smirked and held her waist.
“I don’t want you to regret it too quickly, there’s still time”
“What are you trying to say, Alex?”
“How much is the medical bill? I will take care of it” Alex said, ignoring her questions on purpose.
“Five hundred thousand dollars” Dora lied.
“Okay. I will make it one million, you can keep the rest”
“Awwww. Thank you, Alex” She jumps on him, happily.
*Enjoy it while you still can, Dora. You’d regret your actions for wanting a luxurious life at 15. I know you’re still in high school. You walked straight into the lion’s den, yourself* Alex said to himself, while hugging Dora.
“Do you need anything else?” He asked.
“Take me shopping” Dora answered.
Alex chuckled.
******
•HOSPITAL•
Dove sat down at the lobby, trying to call back the number that called her last night, but it wasn’t connecting.
Zoey already blocked her number.
“Here’s the vanilla cake you asked for, Dovey,” Vincent said.
“Thanks Vinny” She took it and dropped it on the table, while staring at her phone.
“Is everything okay?” Vincent asked.
“Yeah, a strange number called me last night. I couldn’t pinpoint what she was saying, but she kind of mentioned Niko’s name”
“What did she say?”
“I didn’t understand her. I’m trying to call her back, but it’s not connecting”
“Do you want to visit Niko? I can drive you there”
Dove drops her phone.
“Don’t bother. I don’t want to see him, we already broke up” Dove said and began eating the vanilla cake.
Vincent smiled at the way she was eating.
“What about your grandpa? You were supposed to visit him this week”
“I had it postponed because your dad is in a coma. You have to be here with him”
“How many days will you been spending at his house”
“Three days”
“Then I will go with you”
“What about your dad?”
“He will be fine. You have being here with me since he got admitted here, you even covered the expenses, it’s time I returned the favor”
“You don’t have to”
“I have to” Dove smiled at her and continued eating the cake.
“Can you get me another vanilla cake? It’s so tasty”
“Sure I will, lover of cake” Vincent smiled and left.
A woman dressed luxuriously walked up to her.
“Are you Dove?” She asked.
Dove stood up.
“Yes I am. Is there something wrong?” Dove asked and the woman slapped her.
“Why did you slap me, ma’am?”
“Because you stole from me!” The lady shouted at her.
People were already gathering around them.
“Stole from you? Why will I steal from you?”
“A poor creature like you doesn’t have a reason to steal!” The woman shouted at her.
“What’s going on here?” Vincent asks, walking up to them, and he sees the tears in Dove’s eyes.
He drops the vanilla cake and rushed to her.
“What did she do to you?” He asked.
“She accused me of stealing from her. I didn’t do it, Vinny”
Vincent looked at the woman with rage.
“Why would you accuse her of stealing?”
“Because she stole from me. I was at the restroom washing my hands and she kept admiring the diamond earrings I was wearing, and after I left the restroom, I could no longer find my earrings”
“You concluded she stole it?”
“Yes she did, she wanted it for herself. She is a thief!!!!” The woman shouted at Dove.
“I didn’t do it, Vinny. Yes it’s true I admire her earrings, but I didn’t take it. I don’t know how to steal!” Dove said in a crying voice.
“Liar!” The lady roared trying to hit Dove.
“I swear try to touch her, and you won’t use your hands anymore. You heard what she said, she didn’t take your earrings” Vincent said.
“Then who took it?!”
Just then the lady’s maid approached her.
“Ma’am, I found your earrings. It was on the floor in your son’s ward”
“Really?” The lady asked.
Tears fell down from Dove’s eyes, and it made Vincent angry.
“You accused her wrongly, apologized”
“Why should I apologize to a puppet? I’m the founder of Lovely-bee food company, “the lady said proudly.
“Lovely-bee food company?” Vincent smirked and sent a message.
In less than three minutes, the lady got a call from her manager.
“Hello ma’am, your company is about to be closed down”
“Why would it be closed down?”
“Someone made an anonymous message, he said he found Ç0çƙroaches and insects in the food delivered by your company”
“Who dares accuse my company for dirtiness?” The lady said, almost crying.
“Now you know what it feels like to be accused, right?” Vincent asked with a smirk.
“You were the one who accused me?”
“You started it first, let’s see how you’d run your food company again. No one makes my Dovey cry” He takes Dove’s hand and leaves.
The lady rushed to them.
“Fine. I’m going to apologize. I will do anything you want, just tell them that it was false information” The lady said, almost crying.
“I will only listen to my Dovey. What do you want her to do?” Vincent smiled at her.
Dove held Vincent’s hand like a baby and said; “I want her to roll on the ground eighty times”
“You heard my wifey, start rolling”
……
TBC