Chapter 8 An Unexpected Guest

◇ KEL ◇

The next day, after spending a few hours in our campus library, I decided to go home early for a change, too tired to burn more mental energy on General Surgery books. Also, I was failing to manage another anxiety attack.

No surprise there. It had been a difficult couple of months without Miles around. He used to be my Xanax. Spending time with him was always better than taking anti-depression meds. He almost always knew how to cheer me up and he helped me overcome my inner demons countless times. I loved him for that.

Too bad he couldn't stick around anymore. Sometimes I really missed him that it would upset me how I couldn't hang out with him anytime I want. I couldn't call him up every day because I knew he was busy with a lot of work-his father clearly wanted Miles to earn his pay, and not get handed money simply because he was the wealthy don's son and only child.

So I made a conscious choice to keep our communications to a minimum. As busy as Miles was, I had to dedicate most of my time and attention on schoolwork and trainings. I shouldn't let my tuition go to waste. My family only expected the best from me, too.

"Just keep going, sweetheart. I know you'll do great," had been my mother's redundant encouragement the past couple of months. "Just one year left. Then you're gonna be one of their best residents here."

I appreciated the pep talk every now and then, although I knew Match Day wouldn't guarantee that I would get into a residency program here in New York so I could stay close to my family. But we'd cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I had to focus on my growing to-do list.

Past five in the afternoon, before I could start my long walk back to the apartment, an expensive-looking gray car drove up to me by the sidewalk.

A convertible. Quite familiar. I tried to ignore it and walked on with my notebooks in my arms, but the car kept tailing me.

A bouquet of my favorite flowers sat in the passenger seat, with a poker-faced Lorenzio Tomassini behind the wheel. My legs froze. I stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk.

What on Earth? When did he even fly out to New York?

"Hi." He forced a smile that didn't narrow his eyes.

"What're you doing?"

"Apologizing."

My back stiffened and my throat felt dry all of a sudden. I resumed my walk. Students started teeming the path, making me feel uneasy while my unexpected visitor kept following me in his luxury vehicle. "Apology accepted. Go home."

"Not when you're this mad."

"I'm not," I lied, resuming my hasty pace along the sidewalk. "I just don't like being lied to."

"I'm sorry."

So he flew all the way out here just to say sorry? Jeez...such a waste of time and money. Didn't he have multiple businesses to manage and check up on every day? Where's Berto, his bodyguard? I wasn't used to seeing him without a bodyguard.

"Please just get in." The guy sighed and sounded more frustrated now.

"Why?"

"Tried to tell you things. Once." A truck honked loudly behind us and drove past his car the next second. "You didn't listen."

"What?" I scoffed. He tried to tell me things but I didn't listen to him? What the heck's he talking about?

"You were...too preoccupied with your issues with Maxim then." The hood of his car almost touched the sidewalk now.

My issues with Miles? Seriously? "You could've just called, Enzo."

"Can we go somewhere? Have lunch and...talk."

Was he seriously asking me out right now? I made a face but continued to avoid his eyes. Some concern intruded into my thoughts. It was way past lunch time. So he hadn't eaten anything yet.

"Just get in. I'll drive you straight to your place after we talk," he bargained. "Bellezza..."

"Why should I trust that?"

"Because I just want to talk," he sighed behind the wheel as he kept up an embarrassing turtle pace. More students teemed along both sidewalks now. "Can't sleep, knowing you just hate me now."

Good, then. I wasn't the only one having sleepless nights. "I don't hate you," I muttered as I kept walking forward.

"Your actions tell me otherwise."

"Fine." I let out a noisy sigh and hastily stepped into his car, chagrined by the scene we were making.

Two of my classmates just saw me and arched their curious brows at us. They looked intrigued and...somewhat amused. They probably assumed he was my boyfriend or something.

It shouldn't bother me this much but it did. I avoided his eyes and settled in the passenger seat. His cologne smelled so familiar and made me feel quite...nostalgic, if I were to be completely honest. Self-conscious, too.

I glimpsed my clothes. A simple coat. A dress shirt. Plus an old pair of boots. I budged to glance at him.

His tired, baggy and light-colored eyes stared at my face as I sat in the passenger seat. "How've you been?" he murmured with creased brows.

"Fine. Drive me home now. Please," I muttered after I faced front to look out the heavily tinted windshield. It would be sunset in a few hours. I kinda missed him, but I didn't want to spend an entire evening with him. The nervousness making my palms sweat convinced me I shouldn't.

"Alright." Enzo waited for me to buckle up before he stepped on the gas.

We would talk it out. One last time. Old times' sake.

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I had no choice but to let him into my small apartment just so we could have enough privacy. I didn't want to be stuck in his car with him sitting so close to me and practically sharing the same air I was breathing.

It wasn't like I was afraid of him, though. His presence didn't make me uneasy to the point of terror. It was our sudden proximity that made me feel uncomfortable.

Not because I didn't want him anywhere near me-I actually appreciated how he took time off his busy schedule just to see me again and to talk to me in person. I just didn't know what else to say to him or if...he wanted to say something else besides an apology. Him being here all of a sudden made me realize just now that I wasn't at all prepared to confront him today.

"How's school?" he asked with a slight frown, his pale blue-green eyes a tad droopy and darkened by shadows.

"Busy," I murmured while I fixed him a drink. Least I could do. He looked like he could use one. "How you been?" I handed him a glass of cold water and noticed he was plainly standing in the middle of the living room. I wouldn't call it a living room, though.

It was just a meager space beside the doorway that had a small couch and a plastic end table. No TV. No rug. No other décor. I preferred a minimalist space. But he probably thought I was just too broke to buy furniture and appliances, rich kid that he was.

"Same." Enzo dropped his steady gaze and remained still some two feet away from me, his hands on his hips. He drank the water and avoided my eyes.

"Busier than usual?" Then why was he wasting his time here with me? Did he have some urgent matters to check up on to make sure his biotech company was faring well here in New York? Should I tell Miles that Enzo dropped by to talk to me again?

"Yeah. Focusing on the company and...trying not to hate myself as much." Enzo closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, his tone almost despondent.

"Long flight?" I muttered as I stepped closer to him. His voice sounded husky, as if he hadn't had much sleep the previous night. I held onto his wrist and pushed him towards the couch. We sat next to each other after I unbuttoned my coat. "You wanna take a nap?"

He glanced at me and gave me a quick, lopsided smile, seeming quite amused by my suggestion. His beard was thicker than I remembered and his brown hair looked longer, hanging inches below his sharp jawline. There were some gray strands in his wavy hair, but they didn't make him look older than 35. Just more manly and quite obviously a stressed businessman, traveling from city to city all year.

"Why hate?" I asked in a more mellow tone after a lengthy silence.

Why exactly did he hate himself? Was he dealing with serious business problems? More complicated family issues?

"You know why." Enzo scoffed and distractedly stared at the empty glass he held.

"Want something to eat? Snacks, juice or..." I eyed the small fridge. I didn't have leftovers or other stocked food except some citrus fruits and vegetables, and he was used to dining in fancy restaurants. But maybe we could go somewhere so I could treat him to an early dinner-the least I could do to show him I was still grateful that he helped me with my money problems.

"No. Why?" Enzo stared at my face. "You hungry?"

"Not really," I muttered as I avoided his attentive eyes. To let go of some tension in my legs, I stood up and acted like I needed to check the kitchen. "If you're not in a hurry, I can fix you something." I opened the freezer and made a face. The fridge was pretty bare. "But I only have some veggies and...some pork."

When I glanced behind, Enzo grinned at me and got up from the couch. "You'll cook for me?"

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