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*

I woke up to the feel of something fluffy caressing my face. Groaning, I turned around but it just wouldn't stop.

Groggily, I turned to my left in annoyance, refusing to open my eyes. The featherlight tickles didn't stop. "Go away..." I groaned.

"Happy new year." Of course that happened to be my best friend's elated voice. I internally rolled my eyes.

"Hmm." I mumbled. This didn't feel like the bundle of joy new years usually brought to people's doorsteps and I didn't want to have a part in any stupid celebration. Not when I was still mourning my beloved, my boyfriend.

Lucas.

A week ago, we'd been fine. Lucas was in good shape, his face had been as bright as ever, he even smiled and laughed around, smiles that created promises on their own. And now he was lying in the ground, six feet underground. Dead, lifeless.

The promises in those smiles would never be fulfilled.

Lucas was supposed to help me pick he outfit I would be wearing on my first outing this year. After having dinner at Kara's place, we were supposed to go for an event he had been invited to by a fellow business associate.

Now all that was left were memories.

Of his smile.

His eyes.

His gruff voice.

The way he felt inside me.

The way he cuddled and hugged me. The way his eyes would light up whenever I did something he found adorable.

The feel of his arms wrapping around me whenever I decided to cook for us instead of us ordering takeouts.

His stares, the sound of his laughter, how he chuckled whenever he would tap my forehead or nose whenever I said something stupid.

Bile rose in my throat.

This didn't feel like new year to me. The bitterness, the sadness, the solemn feeling of knowing I wouldn't wake up snuggled in Lucas's embrace, it hit home.

"How do you feel?" Kara whispered with a clearly sad tone when she noticed my gloomy expression and I ignored her.

Despite the sad tone, her eyes were glinting with the brightness that accompanied new year celebrations and new year spirit. I was happy for her, genuinely happy. She had a mom who loved her very much and also the most loving boyfriend one could ask for. He spoiled her silly.

Stephano Alfonsi would go to hell and back just to make sure no harm came Kara's way. Just like my Lucas used to do, before death bitterly snatched him away from me.

I shut my eyes to keep the ache forming in my temple away. Then I hissed. 

Why did she part the curtains? The brightness was too annoying.

"How do you feel Adrian? Should I get you some advils? Talk to me, I'm worried." she rambled on in that voice I so much hated and loved at the same time. She could be a whiny thing sometimes.

The thought brought a tiny smile to my lips for a second.

I opened my eyes and shot Kara an irritated look when she kept looming over my head with curious eyes.

She knew better than to ask me how I felt. "I feel really great Kara. Like having a car run me over."

Kara gasped. "This is the second day of the year. You shouldn't wish for something bad, it might come true."

Yeah right, the superstitious girl I had as a best friend would obviously have something to say.

"Yeah yeah. I'm tired of life anyway, I might as well just jump before a moving bus and go up there to join Lucas." I played along and would have laughed hard at her worrisome look if I wasn't feeling like shít.

Kara pulled me into her arms and rested my head on her breasts, patting my hair. I hadn't washed it since the whole Lucas sickness drama started. Meaning I hadn't washed it for like a week now.

"You shouldn't say such, I'm here for you, okay? Mama is, in fact everyone is worried. We care a lot about you, Adrie." She patted my mess of a hair which I sure knew would be in a tangled mess by now.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine mom, the headache has reduced. What's for breakfast?"

I pulled away and my response seemed to satisfy Kara, who smiled down at me.

"Some delicious goodness made by mama..but she's still preparing that. But I quickly made bacon, toast and scrambled eggs. Orange or apple juice?"

I rolled my eyes. "Apple. I'll be down in a while."

"That's great." She didn't stop eyeing me as if I was a China plate sitting at the edge of the table and would fall and break at anytime.

Ignoring her, I looked around the room I had been sleeping since I got here days ago and wordlessly laid the bed. It was the same place where I stayed whenever I was around and I could confess to the fact that it was literally homelier than my home abroad.

The designs and settings in this room were similar to that of Kara's and she didn't even seem to mind. In fact, both Kara, Mimi and Natalie, Kara's mum loved it whenever I came around.

I took off my shirt and flung it at Kara since she was still standing and watching my every move, which by the way, irked me.

I hadn't changed out of my shirt and blue leggings since yesterday morning and today was already the second of January.

"Wash it. Give it to a maid or whatever." I commanded while Kara glared at me.

The glare morphed into a scowl.

"Lazy brat. Bathe and come down, I'll be waiting." Kara told me scoldingly and I rolled my eyes again.

Kara was about to leave. Then, she suddenly stopped and turned around to face me, excitement dancing in her eyes.

"What?" I raked my eyes over my form through the standing mirror. Lucas wouldn't be happy to know I hadn't been watching my health. I hadn't been sleeping well or eating and I was getting skinnier by the day. Then again, Lucas wasn't here. Death had snatched him from me with its evil claws and I would never get to see Lucas again.

I had watched him get laid into the ground few days ago.

Blinking the blurriness away, I slipped on my nonchalant facade as Kara spoke.

"Mama...mama and Diego asked after you." She chose her words carefully.

I stilled, then turned around.

She should have just said Diego asked of me. No need to add mama to it.

"Seriously? He's moved on from you so fast and now wants to start pursuing me? It didn't take him that long." I scoffed.

I couldn't keep the irritation from my voice. There was just something about the blonde haired idiot named Diego that had my blood boiling whenever Kara mentioned his name or whenever he came around. Why was his hair even that stupid blond?

I remember vividly that his hair wasn't that color when we first met years back. What was with the stupid blonde hair?

Kara looked surprised at my outburst. "I have something to tell you."

"I have no interest if it concerns him."

"What, no Adrian list-"

"Save it Kara. I'll be down in a while and don't come up to check on me again, it's irritating!" I snapped and dashed for the en suite to do my business, slamming the door.

Every room in this house had an ensuite, which I liked very much.

I never had to leave the room and then walk down the hall or go into someone else's room before I could use the bath, which was very cool.

After bathing and brushing my teeth, I used the toilet but there wasn't much for me to push out of my bowels since I hadn't really been eating these past few days.

I noticed I felt lighter, like the breeze could literally carry me from one city to another and I promised to do better.

For myself.

For my mom who would be watching me in heaven right now and nodding in approval whenever I made a good decision.

And for Lucas, who would surely want me to live better even though he was no longer here with me. Lucas never liked the idea of me skipping a meal. If it meant giving me the cold shoulder or spanking me before eating me out like I was the most delicious meal ever, he would do it.

I heaved a sigh at the thought of those good spankings that led to more romping in the sheets whenever I tempted him with my sexual provocations.

Exiting the en suite, I put on a pink top and blue skinny jeans, then decided to change out of it again since we might have visitors today and went for a chocolate v-neck bodycon dress that fit me like a second skin.

I scoffed at my thought about entertaining visitors while wearing my jewelries.

I was also a visitor in Stephano Alfonsi's home, wasn't I?

Shrugging, I applied some makeup just to brighten my face and conceal the eye bags.

My stomach grumbled as I picked my phone and dashed out of the room.

Natalia was alone in the kitchen. She was Kara's mom and I had known her since I first came to Kara's place, which was about three years ago.

Natalia was an amazing woman. A cool mom and a great woman to be around.

"Good morning mama."

She turned around and her face split into a face splitting smile. "My baby is finally down. This place was getting boring without you, Kara is no fun." We both giggled and I tried to help her with cooking. "No dear, just sit over there and eat those carrots, some of the grapes and some apples too. Let's fill all these bones with some flesh, shall we?"

"Okay mama. I love your dress by the way." It was a fitted black wrap dress. And she had love shaped earrings and a necklace with the same love shaped pendant to go with it. She'd applied light makeup and looked just like the sweet Natalia we all knew. 

"Oh shush, yours is far prettier. It brings out your shape perfectly, look at that fine cleavage." Mama winked and I tried not to blush. I was used to her complimenting me like this and mama had the sweetest mouth ever.

She was working for Stephano Alfonsi, a billionaire as his cook and her daughter, Kara, was dating Mr Stephano so they were basically living in the house like a family. Whenever we weren't at the school, I would sometimes come here to spend some days with Kara and her family or just stay at my apartment.

The same one Lucas had gotten for me. I was still yet to decide if I would keep staying there or leave. That place held too much memories of myself and Lucas, it would be painful to go back there.

I blinked and realized Natalia was looking at me with a bright smile still on her face.

"Thank you mama." I smiled. She was trying to get my mind off the incident, and I greatly appreciated that.

"Anything for my baby girl. Now eat up, we have to fill up these bones with some good food and fruits. Eat up." She commanded smilingly and I chuckled, finding my appetite slowly.

How could I say no to Natalia? Who could say no to her anyway?

I nodded and went to sit by the already washed vegetables and fruits, keeping myself entertained while we both made comments here and there regarding the reality TV show.

It was a Keeping up with the Kardashians show and Natalia had lots of complaints about their father, but totally adored their mother who she thought was a very strong woman and could handle her own family despite all the drama.

"Where's Kara?"

Natalia shrugged. "Upstairs, I guess. I never know with that girl." I went back to watching keeping up with the kardashians.

I might have heard Natalie say something about her 'boy' who was visiting, but maybe I'd heard wrong?

Kara was Natalia's only child...I shrugged it off and picked an apple when a maid came in to join Natalie. Stephanie was her name, I think.

I rarely spoke with the workers in the house whenever I was here, well except Mimi. I liked Mimi and her baby.

She was like the big sister I and Kara never had.

"Where's Mimi?" I asked Natalia.

"With her boyfriend. She's still on the holiday break." The maid answered and went to get something from the store.

My eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Mimi had a boyfriend? I thought she was so in love with Armando's dad, then how come she was suddenly dating again? Armando was Mimi's one year and a few months old son.

Shrugging, I decided to ask Kara about it later on.

A few minutes later, I was smiling slightly at something mama was saying when the devil himself walked in like he owned the place.

Diego.

His grey eyes were even more piercing and bright this morning.

He had that look men usually had without even posing for the camera. The 'iwokeuplikethis' drool worthy look, which even seemed to annoy me the more now.

I itched to smack him silly. Bedroom hair and all. He wasn't even wearing any slippers yet he looked so annoyingly handsome. Why was I even checking him out?

I tried to ignore the curiosity that was gnawing at me. No, I wouldn't talk to him. We were sworn enemies after all.

And what surprised me most was that he went straight ahead to kiss Natalie on the cheek where she was, making her blush a little as she whispered something lowly to him.

I had just been unavailable for a few days, yet so many things had happened.

Or did I hear wrong when he greeted her with, "Good morning mum?"

*

Adrian doesn't know what's going on yet. It'll hit her like a truck to know the real relationship between Kara, her bestfriend and Diego, the guy she dislikes.