HIP #3: Forgetting The Old Us

Chapter 35

I hope I was able to make him jealous by having Eros pick me up. I'm still confused about how he is able to pick me up. Meanwhile told his sister that he's busy. To state the obvious, Arthur didn't look disappointed at all or even affected by what had just happened.

Seems like he doesn't care whether or not I date a guy. Another proof is that he is not interested in me anymore. Eros opened the door of his car for me and I got in.

We used to be like this before.

Same actions, different guy.

Déjà vu in a different way.

He got inside too and started the car, then it roared like a lion freshly woke up from sleeping. "Choice is yours for the song," I giggled.

I'm pretty sure I've seen this show before. And the ending was tragic. I would never want to see that again. But here I am, putting myself in a situation I would get my heart broken. "Last Saturday, I almost lost my throat in screaming rock songs. I want something to chill now."

He chuckled. "Yes ma'am. Chill songs coming right up!" I sarcastically rolled my eyes and leaned my back on the seat and he turned the radio on as the song began playing. "August?"

"I said chill, not mental breakdown." I hope he knows that August is the first Taylor Swift song that made me cry and I don't want to cry on this ride before getting home. Kobie would ask me why am I crying and if I tell him that it's because of the song, he won't believe me.

Because he has never seen me sob to music, movies, or books before. "That's a great song!" I've never found a guy complaining about a Taylor Swift song before.

"Britney's influence has gotten over you so fast!" I crossed my arms and he began driving. Britney's choices when it comes to songs are insane! I don't ask her for song recommendations because one time when I did, I learned my lesson!

She gave me one whole sheet of paper filled with songs that didn't make me sleep because of all the tears I cried. Most of them were from Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Clinton Kane, Ed Sheeran, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift.

She gave me an emotional breakdown week. Aside from the relationship I had with Arthur, that's another traumatic experience I had.

I don't know how she can take listening to sad songs and still be happy in her life.

🎵But I can see us lost in the memory, August slipped away into a moment of time. 'Cause, it was never mine. And I can see us twisted in bedsheets August slipped away like a bottle of wine. 'Cause, you were never mine, mine.🎵

I closed my eyes and felt the wind blowing me away with the windows down. "Wake me up when we're at my house already."

"You're seriously not sleeping right now." I just realized that Brit is right when it comes to saying that Eros usually doesn't believe things he sees unless you confirm them to him with your words. Trust issues in other words. "I am."

As I shut my brain, the flashback began to the third date Arthur and I had.

The memories automatically played in my mind.

I narrowed at the set of bikes parked into a line where he pointed his finger. "Do you know how to ride a bike?" He asked and I nodded.

"Great, do you want to try those?" His hands were still inserted into his pocket. I thought he was warming them up.

"Yeah, but I think I forgot my wallet at home." I didn't forget it. I intentionally left it at home because he told me we were going for a 'walk' so I didn't mind bringing money even just for an emergency. I thought we were going to do something not involving cash.

"No worries, I'll pay." He said in his deep cold voice.

"No. Definitely not! No!" I defended my side.

"Yes! Definitely yes! Yes!" He insisted.

"Fine, but I'll pay you when I get home," I explained. I just didn't like having people spend money on me. I was raised as a girl who was given money by my mom and dad to spend. And ever since I was a kid, I never asked for money from people because they also told me not to.

I was a little kid who obeyed what my adoptive parents taught me and I didn't know that until when I grew up and matured, I was still able to apply it.

"Don't. Keep the money for yourself. Come on!" He immediately ran to the lines of bikes and I had no choice but to follow him around.

The man in a white shirt let out two pairs of bicycles and Arthur took the blue one as I rode the pink one with two handles by the side and a basket in front of it where I placed my phone.

My feet met the pedals down beside the wheels and I began paddling them.

I learned to ride a bike when I was eight. Dad taught me to. Those were the days when he and mom doesn't fight often. Back when everything was fine between them.

Arthur went beside me and from time to time, I was narrowing at him. His smile was enough to make my knees feel weak. At least I still pedaled right.

"Do you like the view?" He pointed at the place behind me which made me look back.

The wind blew my hair as my eyes met the birds flying above us, the calm sea water made me calm too and the mountains far from us but we can still see were covered by clouds. It's relaxing to watch nature that way with the guy you began to love.

I took a deep breath and let the fresh air in my nose.

But suddenly, I realized I stop paddling because of too much relaxation.

My eyes widened the moment I noticed that my feet couldn't feel where the pedals were. I looked down and found them moving by themselves.

Without any warning, things went by so fast. The bicycle I was riding immediately fell and got lost track of my balance and my body met the cold hard rocky ground.

"Hey!" Arthur couldn't help but scream and left his bike there then ran to me like a knight in shining armor. "Are you okay?" It hurt at first but the pain left me when I stood up.

I was taken back to the present time when I heard Eros already calling me.

It wasn't a dream, right? My eyes were just shut but my mind was alive. It wasn't a make-believe scene. It's a memory. It happened back then.

"We're here!" I opened my eyes and narrowed at the window.

We have arrived.

"What did you dream of?" He joked making my eyes roll.

"I didn't sleep."

"Really? You looked like you had the best sleep of your life." We both giggled.