Erin McAfee

"...and then I asked them angrily that whatever they did to my bathroom wasn't included in the plan and that they have to give out a name before I explode to them. You know what, Erin, when I heard my mom's name from the contractor, I saw red. Like, what the fuck. My mom interfered again with my choice of design. I mean, seriously, I know she's an interior designer and decorator but can she not meddle on my own design. Ugh. God I hate her when it comes to this things. She can be quite an officious mom sometimes. But you know what, it's also my fault. I shouldn't have told her that I am renovating my condo, that way she didn't force her so-called ideas to the contractor. Right?!"

"Mhmm." I mumbled not actually listening to her ramblings.

"However, I admit its beautiful though. Very me! It looked so chic and calming whenever you take a bath there. You know, I've been soaking in my new vintage inspired tub for three nights now. Ugh, but still I hate my mom for hijacking my ideas and I hate myself for loving her idea. Oh don't get me started with the furniture she ordered for my office." She said dramatically before she sipped her coffee.

"uhuh. You tell me." I replied in an uninterested tone and took a bite of my scone then scrunched my face because it wasn't as tasty as I remembered. Well, all of the food I ate these past four weeks weren't as good as it was.

"It's fucking beautiful but then again I should've stood on my ground and told my mom to mind her own business! But as you know, I'm a sucker for cute and beautiful stuff so I shut my mouth off and hugged her because my irritation was immediately replaced by elation. Geez. I should get a grip sometimes, I mean you know my mom's not an intrusive mom when it comes to my life but when it comes to decorating and designs, she can be a pain in the ass." she chuckled.

"uhuh." I replied and took another bite of my not-so-good scone. When I looked at Jowee, she was staring at me as if I grew another head.

I raised both of my brows at her, she then leaned her body on the table and squinted her eyes at me.

"What?" I asked nonchalantly.

"SPILL." her tone hardened.

I raised one of my brows at her.

"You're not being yourself. What happened to you?" She asked one more time.

"Zac dumped me." I said ang took a sip of my tea.

"Shut the fuck up, I'm being serious. What happened?" she asked one more time.

"That's what happened. He's done with me. We're done since four weeks ago, Jowee." I assured her with a straight face

She was about to pop a macaron on her mouth but she halted when she saw the seriousness in my face. Then, she dropped the macaron and sat beside me then held both of my hands.

"Oh my God Erin, are you okay?" her tone suddenly became soft as if she didn't want me to brust out in tears.

"Am I okay? I don't know. Honestly Jowee, I can't feel anything. For four weeks I didn't shred a single tear nor felt sad about it. The only thing I felt was exhaustion, that's it." I smiled at her but it did not reached my eyes.

She then hugged me, "Erin, I'm sorry. If I had known, I would've flown right away and comforted you. Oh my God love, I'm so sorry." she apologized and hugged me tightly.

I chuckled at her and pulled away.

"I'm fine, Jowee." I took my napkin and wiped the side of my mouth. I didn't know why I did that but I did.

Ugh. These past few days, I tend to do something I didn't know the reason as to why I did it. Damn.

"Why did you two broken up?" She queried.

"We did not broken up. I told you J, he dumped me. There's a fine line between the two." I said to her in irritation and sighed.

"What was or were his reasons?" She asked meekly.

"I didn't ask. I just nodded and went to the lift." I said truthfully and shrugged my shoulders.

"Did you tell Livy?"

"Nope. I haven't told anyone." I answered and diverted my attention to the macaron in front of me.

"I think you should tell Livy." She said and looked at me in concern the continued, "My God! What has gotten to Zac? He's been acting like a jerk to you since Livy went to Dubai, now he broke up with you?! I swear to God I want to kill him. Are you alright though? Erin you know you have my shoulder to cry on right?" She made me looked at her by holding on to my shoulders and force me to face her.

"Yes, I know, Jowee. Can we not talk about it?" I said coolly.

Her expression was gobsmacked.

"H-how can you... Are you al-alright? I mean w-why are you---"

"It's not a big deal and I don't want to talk about it, okay. Just go to your seat and finish your desserts." I dismissed her and turned to the not-so-yummy desserts in front of me.

All throughout our tea party, I received weird stares and assessments from Jowee but I couldn't care less. I mean, it's over, he doesn't want me anymore.

After a while of Jowee's irritating assessments, our phones went off and I saw that Livy was calling through face time. I gestured to Jowee to answer it and we'll just share a screen.

"Hello!!!" Livy sang through the screen.

"Appreciate the enthusiasm but can you please not do this again? It's annoying." Jowee said in a fake irritation and I snorted.

"Do what?" She sang again in a high-pitched tone which made the people on the other tables looked at us weirdly.

"Fuck, Olivia shush or I'll end this call?" Jowee stated and I chuckled.

"Fineeee." She sang again and before Jowee could emd the call, I snatched the phone away from her and greeted her.

"Hi Livy, how's Dylan?" I asked her because she told us that Dylan will be staying in Dubai for two weeks and I'm happy for her knowing that she missed the little cute devil so much.

"Niccolo's giving him a bath." She answered and smile. Her smiles though, it's the smile that she always sported. The smile that screams, I am Happy.

I'm glad she's happy and I hope this is the beginning of her happiness again.

"So, how was your day with little Dylan?" I asked then she went on about the things she had done with Dylan. While doing so, her eyes sparkled like a diamond.

After five minutes, she asked for Jowee.

"Anyway, where's Ms. Grumpy?" She queried.

"I thought you forgot about me." Jowee rolled her eyes and snatched the screen from me.

"Why would I? So, how was your bathroom?" I heard Livy asked her while I continued to eat my scone.

I smiled when I heard how Jowee reiterated her complaints to her mom to Livy. Ah, this girl is so dramatic and indecisive. She kept on complaining how she hated her mom interfering but at the same time praising her.

I sighed.

Talk about unreasonable mood swings.

I chuckled.

I was about to sip my tea when I heard my name being called.

"Erin?" I followed the voice and I saw an unfamiliar tall and good looking brunette man near our table.

He smiled at me and I looked behind me to see if it was really intended to me but I saw no one other than Jowee who was still immersed on complaining her mom.

I then looked at him again and he was now walking on towards me. For a second there, I was staring at him and whacking my brains out in remembering this guy.

When he stood on the side of pur table, he extended his hand but I just looked at it. I could tell that he was embarrassed so he quickly removed his hands.

"Who are you?" I heard Jowee's taunting voice.

The guy looked at her and smiled.

"Why? Who was it?" I heard Livy asked then Jowee flipped the camera so Livy could see the man.

"Mason? Am I right? Mason Cooper?" Olivia asked and the guy smiled at the camera.

"Hello, whoever you are" he greeted Livy and smiled at the camera.

"It's Olivia." She said in a duh tone. I bet she just rolled her eyes.

"Oh. Hi, Olivia. How are you?" He asked.

"I'm fine. What are you doing here?" Livy asked and when Mason was about to answer him, Jowee interjected.

"If I got a carpal tunnel because of you two, I swear I will hunt you down." Jowee glared at Mason and Olivia to which she earned a chuckle from the two.

"Put me somewhere else." Livy ordered Jowee and the latter leaned her phone on the glass.

"What are you doing here?" Livy asked.

"Geez. Can't you just call him and ask him that? Don't disrupt our tea party." Jowee said in agitation and looked Mason up and down.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, ladies. It's just that I saw Erin and I shamelessl went here."

I furrowed my brows because the name's still not yet ringing a bell to me.

"You knew each other, Erin?" Livy asked and I shook my head.

"I'm sorry Mr. Cooper but I don't remember meeting you." I said in a polite manner so I won't offend him.

"Mason. Just call me Mason and it's okay, Erin. We haven't met before, but I know you." He gave me a boyish smile while I just furrowed my brows.

"Wait. Hold up. You're being creepy dude." Jowee spoke.

"Oh I'm sorry. I didn't intend to be that way. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Erin if it creeps you out. Well, to explain myself, can I join you two? Or shall I say three?" He said while pointing to Livy.

I looked at Jowee and she shook her head. I then looked at Mason and I couldn't sense any ill-intentions from him.

"Are with someone?" I asked.

"Yeah, just my friends over there."

"Are they not going to look for you?"

"Nope." He answered then I nodded. I guess it's okay for him to join us.

He gave me a big smile then took a sit on the side.

Jowee gave him a glare and started questioning him.

"So, Mason. Now that you're seated, can you tell us how did you know Erin?" Jowee queried.

"Oh yeah. Well, do you remember Ardhan Sherate's gala?" He asked us and continued, "well, that's when I first saw you. I was going to introduce myself to you that night but then you were with Alexander Vice. And for all you know, Alex is one of my good and close acquaintances so, to respect him, I did not introduce myself to you." He said shyly.

"And then, there was an auction held near the end of the gala." He paused and looked at me hopefully.

Uh-oh. I don't think I'll like what he's going to say next.

"Then, Erin was listed by Olivia in that auction. As expected, many were eager to date you and of course, I was one of them. But going back to what I said before, I didn't want to disrespect Alex so, I thought of another way to participate on the bid, that is proxy bidder." I sucked a breath and widened my eyes at him.

Please don't tell me that you're---

"I'm bidder 1428."

Oh.

My.

God.

There was a thick silence enveloped our table while he's looking at me with a hopeful look in his eyes.

Then, after a while, we heard a curse coming from Jowee's phone.

"Shit! Fucking shit! You're the one who bid a million dollars just to have a date with her?!" Olivia bursted.

"Wait. You're the creepy bidder?" Jowee then spoke after then Mason looked at her in weird way.

"It may be creepy but I swear I'm not a creep." He said with a hint of irritation in it.

"Trust me dude, it's fucking creepy." Jowee pushed and I swear I saw mischievousness in her eyes.

Oh my God, she wanted to piss him off.

"Seriously, Mason. You're kidding right? I mean how can you prove to us that you're 1428?" Livy asked.

"I have the certificate in me. I can email it to you right now." He took his phone out was busy to do click something in it.

Until now, I couldn't speak. I mean how will you respond when it comes to this?

"Sent it to your email, Olivia." Then Livy took her iPad and looked at it.

"Fuck! Imma send it to both of you." She said to Jowee and I.

"Wait. Wait a minute. Why now? I mean it's been a year since that gala. Why now, creep?" Jowee asked to which Mason glared at her.

"I am not a creep, Jowee! I will only answer that question if Erin will be the one asking me. Not to someone who's not really a part of this conversation but just a mere "listener." He air-quoted the word listener and I swear I could see steam going out of Jowee's ears.

"I am in this table which means I am a part of this conversation. You on the other hand, is a fucking creep who used his money to "buy" you a date with a woman." Jowee replied angrily to him.

Before he could say something I spoke.

"Stop it. We're attracting attention." I said and both of them looked at me.

"Whatever. My son's done taking a bath, I'll go now. Tell me everything later okay? Bye Mason." Olivia said and disconnected.

"Alright. So, creep. What are you doing here?" Jowee asked.

"Jowee." I warned her.

"Fine." She rolled her eyes then took a sip of her coffee.

I then looked at Mason who was glaring daggers at Jowee.

"So, Mason you're now claiming your bid?" I asked but he shook his head.

"Creepy..." Jowee mumbled under her breath.

"Do you mind?" Mason said in irritation but Jowee just winked at him.

Confusion was still etched on my face so he further explained himself.

"You see Erin, I didn't want to creep you out with this so I wanted to ask you out first on a friendly date. That way it won't be that uncomfortable. In the bid, it says a one-day date." He said.

"I understand but I don't think I can give you what you want. Actually, I'm willing to give you back the money. I'm sorry, Mason." I smiled at him.

"But I don't want the money, Erin."

"I can double it if you want, Mason." I tried to negotiate.

"I'm sorry Erin but I really don't give a damn about the money." He said with a bit of conviction.

"I'm sorry also Mason but I'm not interested." It's starting to get to me how adamant he is. It's irritating amd annoying!

"Wait. Yes, she'll have a dinner with you tomorrow night. I'll tell Livy to give you her number. Now go and leave us. Bye!" Jowee stood up and pushed Mason away and the latter stumbled a little.

"No. How am I going to trust yo--"

"Because I said so. Now go before I change my mind." Jowee said and got successful in chasing him away.

"Seriously, Jowee? Why the fuck did you tell him that?" I asked angrily.

"You can use him against Zac. Make him jealous, Erin and he'll crawl back to---"

"Shut up! Stop meddling!" I said and banged my fist on the table. Now, I didn't care of there were people looking at us.

I them stormed off the restaurant and drove to my house.

Why did she do that?

And what was that? To make Zac jealous? No! I doubt that. He won't get jealous because I was nothing to him! He threw me and stomped on me like a cigarette when he was done woth me.

Now tell me, how does that kind of man get jealous when he got what he wanted from me.

And Mason? NO! I'm not going to use anyone just for the sake of getting someone who has a stone heart jealous.

No. I can't afford to hurt someone especially now that I am hurting.

Yes! I am hurt, I'm suffering through the pain that Zac had caused me.

I know I said I didn't cry but the truth is, I cried every night! I don't even sleep in my room because of the shame that I was feeling.

I felt so dirty and used.

That night scarred me. That night cheapened me. That night made me lose the self respect I had. That night made me realize that I was the only one into the relationship. And most of all, that night made me realize that I was tired of understanding him.

So, when he ended our relationship that night, I accepted it right away. It was like I already knew that it was bound to happen.

I'm tired. Im tired of chasing after him and thinking about his complicated personality.

But it still hurts. The one guy I so madly in love with, yes present tense, was the guy who only sees me as cigarette.

I didn't know I was crying so hard until I hiccuped and grasped for air. I was clutching my chest until someone opened my car door harshly.

And then, seconds later, I was enveloped into a hug. I cried to that person's shoulder until I had nothing left.

Then after that, the person pulled me away and asked me if I can walk. I nodded and let her helped me walk to my unit.

Once we got in my unit, darkness took over me and the last thing I heard was my name being called.

Hello loves!

Here's chapter 39! I hope you enjoyed reading this.

Please vote!!!!

Thank you and please STAY SAFE!

xo,

kimmypatata