Chapter 49&50
Rome observed Neo’s frustration, evident in his rants since they met.
“I know I was stupid. Lord, how could I be so stupid?” Neo questioned, seeking solace in Rome’s presence.
“d@mn, Rome. I was so stupid back there,” Neo continued, his agitation palpable.
Rome sighed deeply, realizing that Neo was genuinely troubled, something he hadn’t witnessed before when it came to women.
“How will I even talk to her? She broke up with me,” Neo lamented, his distress apparent.
“Why would you say that in the first place?” Rome inquired, his gaze fixed on Neo, who let out a frustrated scream.
“I was scared,” Neo admitted before sinking onto a nearby couch, his hands cradling his jaw.
“Well, you have to fix it because Phoenix isn’t talking to me,” Rome pointed out, taking a seat beside him.
“Bro…” Neo began, his tone filled with remorse as he exhaled deeply.
“I acted so childish. I should have just apologized instead of continuing to act like a fool,” Neo confessed, his regret evident.
“True,” Rome muttered in agreement, empathizing with Neo’s predicament.
“I’ll apologize to Phoenix so she can start talking to you, but d@mn, I’m in a mess, Rome,” Neo admitted, his voice heavy with resignation.
“A very big mess,” Rome echoed, acknowledging the complexity of the situation they found themselves in.
~~
“And Rome didn’t tell you either?” Romeo inquired, his expression mirroring my disbelief as I nodded in response.
“d@mn,” he muttered before grabbing a handful of popcorn and stuffing it into his mouth.
“What made me even angrier was that Rome acted like he didn’t even know,” I complained, venting my frustrations to Romeo, who offered his sympathy.
“Has Neo come to apologize yet?” Romeo asked, and I shook my head in response.
“What about Rome?” he questioned further.
“The same. He knew I wasn’t talking to him, yet he didn’t even attempt to talk to me. Can you imagine?” I fumed, feeling a sense of betrayal.
“Well, they’re not worth talking to,” Romeo declared, and I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of validation in his words.
Suddenly, the door opened, revealing both Rome and Neo.
Speak of the devils.
They approached where Romeo and I were seated, exchanging greetings with Romeo before turning their attention to me.
“Hi,” Neo greeted, flashing me a smile that only served to irritate me further.
“So…” he began, pausing to glance at Romeo.
“What?” Romeo asked, puzzled by Neo’s sudden shift in focus.
“You’re eating too loudly,” Rome interjected, catching me off guard with his unexpected remark.
Well, I certainly didn’t hear that.
“Wh@ťěver,” Romeo mumbled before exiting the living room, not without taking his bowl of popcorn with him.
“I really messed up, and I’m so sorry,” Neo apologized, his voice laced with genuine remorse.
“I know I shouldn’t have been dating your sister behind your back. I should have come clean to you. I was a fool, and I’m still a fool,” he admitted, his gaze pleading for forgiveness.
My attention shifted to Neo; he seemed truly contrite. Suddenly, I felt a pang of guilt wash over me.
“I really wanted to suppress my feelings, but I couldn’t. I know she’s still young and in high school. I’m sorry,” Neo continued, his head slightly bowed in shame.
I glanced at Rome, who was also watching me intently.
Oh lord.
“Okay, fine, I forgive you,” I mumbled reluctantly, and Neo’s face lit up with a grateful smile.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely, his eyes reflecting his relief.
“What I did to Bea was really stupid, and I deeply regret it,” Neo confessed, his remorse palpable. He even has a nick name for my sister!! Wow. It was evident that he held genuine affection for my sister.
But the thought of a grown man being involved with my younger sister was hard to swallow.
“She broke up with you?” I inquired, and he nodded sadly.
“Thank God,” I murmured under my breath, eliciting curious looks from both Neo and Rome.
“Oh, sorry,” I quickly apologized, feeling a twinge of guilt for my unintended remark.
“I know you don’t want this relationship, but I really do love your sister,” Neo explained earnestly. “And I feel like I would never be able to break her heart again. If anyone were to end things, it would be her, not me, because I love her too much,” he confessed, his words melting my heart.
It was quite touching, despite the complexity of the situation.
“Just get her flowers and apologize for days. She’ll take you back. And don’t say anything stupid. I’ll talk to her,” I instructed Neo, hoping to mend things between him and Beatrix.
Neo’s face lit up with gratitude, and he flashed me a wide smile. “d@mn, you’re the best,” he exclaimed before pulling me into a hug.
That was unexpected.
As he released me, I noticed Rome $h00ting him deadly glares. Uh-oh.
“I’m coming,” Neo suddenly exclaimed, his footsteps echoing as he dashed out of the living room, leaving Rome and me alone in an unexpected silence.
The air felt charged, tension hanging between us like a heavy curtain.
“Phoenix,” Rome’s voice broke the silence, drawing closer with each measured step until he stood mere inches away from me.
“Rome,” I replied, meeting his gaze head-on, my heart pounding with a mixture of apprehension and anticipation.
“Phoenix,” he repeated softly, his eyes locked with mine, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. It almost felt like a playful challenge.
“Rome,” I echoed, my voice steady, though my insides churned with nerves.
“Phoenix,” he said again, his tone carrying a subtle warmth that sent shivers down my spine. Was this some kind of calling competition? Or was there something more behind his repeated utterance of my name?
“Rommy,” I teased, deciding to play along and injecting a hint of affection into the nickname, testing the waters to see his reaction.
To my surprise, Rome’s expression softened, a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes. He didn’t object to the endearing moniker this time, which only added to the intrigue of the moment.
“Phoenix,” he called once more, his voice a gentle murmur, his gaze unwavering as it searched my face.
“Rom…” I began, feeling a flutter of excitement mingled with uncertainty, but before I could finish my sentence, his lips met mine in a sudden, electrifying kiss.
Oh dear!!
~~NEO~~
Neo sighed deeply, clutching the bouquet of flowers tightly in his hand as he stood before the door, anticipation coursing through him.
With a patient tap, he waited for the doorbell to signal his presence, hoping for a chance to make amends.
As the seconds stretched into minutes, the door creaked open, revealing Beatrix’s father instead.
“Uh, Neo,” Max greeted, his expression a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
“Good evening, sir,” Neo replied, his smile stretching from ear to ear, though it faltered slightly at Max’s puzzled demeanor.
“Good evening,” Max echoed, his brows furrowing in confusion.
“Is Beatrix home?” Neo inquired eagerly, his eyes flickering with hope.
“No, she went out with a friend,” Max replied, his tone tinged with a hint of bemusement.
Neo nodded, inwardly wondering which friend Beatrix had ventured out with, his heart sinking slightly at the thought of missing her.
“Do you want to come in?” Max offered, gesturing towards the inviting warmth of the house.
“No, thanks,” Neo declined politely, his disappointment palpable as he turned away, the weight of missed opportunities heavy on his shoulders as he walked away, determined to find another way to make things right.
~~
He waited patiently for Beatrix, standing beside his car with the bouquet of flowers clutched tightly in his hands. He knew he had to apologize because he had messed up badly.
Suddenly, he spotted her walking with someone. Not just anyone, but a guy. Why was she walking with him? And why was she smiling?
He straightened up and approached them. When Beatrix saw him, she stopped in her tracks, her expression shifting as he drew nearer.
“Who is he?” Neo demanded, his tone tinged with unease, making Beatrix frown in response.
“Who is he?” her friend echoed, his curiosity evident.
“He’s nobody, Ryan,” Beatrix replied, attempting to brush off the question as she moved to walk past Neo. However, he stood his ground, blocking her path.
“She’s my girlfriend, so stay the hell out of her life,” Neo asserted, his gaze unwavering as he directed his words at the guy, who stared at him in disbelief.
Beatrix let out a deep sigh before turning to address Ryan. “Can we meet tomorrow?” she asked, and Ryan nodded in response before departing, leaving Neo and Beatrix alone.
“I told you to leave me alone,” Beatrix said, her tone a mixture of frustration and exasperation.
“Leave you alone? How? How, Bea?” Neo pressed, closing the distance between them.
“It’s simple, and besides, one of your fans might see you with me, so please go,” Beatrix insisted, but Neo remained undeterred.
“I messed up real bad, but that doesn’t mean you get to see other people,” Neo argued, his tone pleading.
“I can see whoever I want to see. You and I are not together anymore,” Beatrix retorted firmly.
“Please, please, I’m sorry for what I said. I was just being stupid. I really do love you, I swear it,” Neo pleaded desperately, but Beatrix only sighed in response.
“Being friends will do,” Beatrix suggested, but Neo’s expression darkened at the idea.
“I brought your favorite flowers,” he offered, extending them towards her.
“No, thank you,” Beatrix replied, sidestepping the flowers.
“So… this is how you want it now? You going out with guys, and I’m going out with other ladies?” Neo asked, his voice tinged with hurt.
Beatrix felt a pang of guilt at his words but nodded nonetheless.
“Okay,” Neo said quietly, forcing a smile despite the turmoil within him.
“And that was just a friend who taught me math today,” Beatrix added hastily, trying to ease the tension.
“Well, have fun with your friend,” Neo said with a forced smile before turning away and walking off into the distance.
To be continued…