Chapter 108 - Boyfriend

“I… I’m..” Trishia staggered. She knew what he had meant.

“If you want to continue with that title, please behave yourself.” Bill sounded calm but his words somewhat carried awful threats.

“Bill, you know that I love you. Why can’t you give me a chance?” Though intense fear ran crazily over her, she still dared to ask.

“I want to have a baby with you.”

“I want to be your wife.” Trishia refused to stop today. She was enduring everything for a long time and yet she was nothing to him.

“I don’t do romance.” Bill turned around and walked towards the glass wall. He looked outside with unfathomable eyes.

“Then why could you treat me like you treated Ara…. that woman before?” She couldn’t afford to say Arabella’s name again.

“I saw you kissing her and your desire for her. You lived with her and slept with her every night.” Trishia clenched her fists, thinking about her mortal enemy, Arabella. Then she ran and hugged Bill’s behind.

“Bill why can’t you give me that privilege too, like her?” She hugged him tightly. She wanted to feel his warmth, but she could only feel his coldness.

Bill didn’t answer her. His tall figure sturdy stood up with dark, unfathomable eyes fixated outside.

‘Arabella Jones. You can’t be happy in this lifetime.’

At the orphanage, Adam’s birthday party was a success. The kids were very happy yet very tired. At 6 p.m, they already left and drove back to the city.

“Thank you to the loveliest mom in the whole world. You are the best!”

“Mwah! Mwah! Mwah!”

Adam could not contain his happiness and kissed his mom while Arabella was driving.

“You are welcome my love and my most adorable son!” Arabella giggled and smiled as his kisses were ticklish.

“Adam, your mom is driving. What about me? Aren’t you going to say thanks to me?” Lira was in the passenger seat. Adam and she had a frenemy relationship.

“Okay. Okay. Thank you, Aunt Lira.” Adam said plainly.

“What about a kiss? Should I not deserve a kiss?” Lira joked at him.

“No need.” With a low, high pitch, Adam answered. His kiss was only for his mommy.

“Okay. Then what about if I kiss you?” Lira made a joke on him again. She knew Adam didn’t like to be kissed.

“Hmmmppp!” Adam replied with annoyance. His lips curved upward like an adult who was unsatisfied.

“Okay, that’s enough, you two.” Arabella smiled while driving. She looked at her rear-view mirror to see the car behind them. It’s Damien with the 3 boys. She wondered if what was the topic inside Damien’s car or maybe he was left alone driving as his 3 tired companions were already sleeping.

“Sir, can you be my backup?” Inside Damien’s car, the chubby boy named James asked Damien.

Damien got anxious with his words and looked at the little boy who had a serious expression in the passenger seat.

“Backup for what?” Damien frowned a little as he was puzzled.

“Well… There’s this… I…” James staggered and couldn’t continue his words.

“Sir, He had a crush.” Norby at the backseat revealed James.

William laughed. He thought of something serious. He didn’t expect such a matter with these little boys.

He looked at James who was so shy and at the same time annoyed with his two fellows. He folded his arms in front of him and lowered his head.

“It’s fine. Having a crush is normal. Real boys have crushes. All you need to do is to show her your true feeling or let her know it.” To pacify James, Damien cooed.

Hearing Damien, James quickly came back to life. He tilted his head up and sat up straight like a proud man. He seemed to find his courage from Damien’s words.

“Sir. James had a crush on aunt Lira.” Alvin, butted in almost shouting at the backseat.

Hearing Alvin, Damien suddenly coughed out of surprise. He thought James’ crush was their classmate or someone their same age.

“How do you want me to back you up then?” Damien asked showing his eagerness to help the little boy.

“I want to court her.” Like a brave man, James seriously said with his chin up.

The two boys at the back couldn’t help to laugh in an outburst. Damien wanted to laugh too, but he controlled it not to disappoint the young fellow.

James looked at his two friends with eyes that could fright them. He seemed to be affected as the two stopped, but they still laughed silently at the back.

“What do you think, sir?” James asked Damien.

“Oh! Well… I think there’s no wrong with that.” Damien never wanted him to be disappointed so he had to agree with James.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why do you like aunt Lira?” Damien was somewhat curious about the little boy's mind. He had known Lira for quite a while, but he never looked into her attentively.

With his arms folded in front, James thought of his reason.

“Well… aunt Lira is very beautiful and caring. She’s very nice to everyone. She is really my type!” The little boy said, giggling and with sparks in his eyes.

“How about you, sir, do you have a crush?” James suddenly asked.

Damien drove with one hand and the other arm rested on the window with his head leaning on his finger. His eyes were on the road, but he was thinking of someone.

“Hmmm… Of course.” Damien answered.

“Who is that, sir?” Norby was very eager to know.

“Haizzz… of course, it’s Adam’s mom.” James answered and looked at his boys at the back like he was the smartest among them.

The three little boys laughed while Damien smiled.

“Lira, use my phone and call Damien.” Arabella ordered.

Hearing her, Lira smiled and got excited.

“Sure, Ms. J.” Lira cheerfully replied.

“Hello?” Damien answered.

Lira’s heart suddenly palpitated hearing his voice, then she reached the phone to Arabella.

“It’s okay. Just asked him if they were okay there?” Arabella whispered to her.

Lira nodded.

“Hi, It’s Lira. Ms. J just wanted to ask if you guys okay there?” Lira’s voice was shy as she was always nervous when it comes to Damien.

“Oh! Lira, I am okay. How about you guys there?” Damien’s voice was sincere that made her heart jump for joy.

“We are okay too.” Lira answered shyly with her cheeks blushed.

“Sir, is that aunt Lira?” James whispered, but still, it could be heard on the other line.

“Yes.” Damien answered quickly.

“May I talk to her?” James whispered again with full of eagerness and excitement.

“Lira?” Damien asked on the other line.

“Yes. Damien.” Her cheeks turned redder hearing her name from his mouth.

“Someone wanted to talk to you. Is it okay?” Damien asked plainly.

Lira already heard James on the other line, but how she wished Damien had said that.

“Sure.” Lira answered with cheerfulness.

“Hi! Aunt Lira. It’s me, James.” James said with excitement in his voice.

“Hello, James.” Lira was good at dealing with kids as she was used in the orphanage.

“Aunt Lira, may I ask you something?” James’ voice changed to a sweet young man.

“Sure. Go ahead!” Lira replied behind her smile.

“Can you be my girlfriend?” James gathered his young courage and said it directly with full of eagerness in his little voice.

Everyone inside the car laughed in an outburst way at James. Lira didn’t know what to reply to the little boy’s confession.

“Hmmm…where did you learn that?” Lira was surprised by James’ courage.

“Sir Damien.” James said, looking at his great backup.

“Oh!” Lira was surprised. If only Damien would be the one to ask that question to her. She would be very happy.

“Aunt Lira, are you still there?” James asked which made Lira snap back to her senses.

“Hmmm… James, I will wait for you when you grow up, but for now, I can be your good friend.” Lira answered him nicely as she didn’t want the boy to be dispirited.

“That’s fine with me! Then I will grow fast aunt Lira.” James happily announced. He seemed to stand a good chance.

“That’s good and always remember to be a good boy by leading a good example to your friends, okay?” Lira said it nicely.

“Sure. Count me in on that matter. You will be surely proud of me my future girlfriend.” James replied with sparks in his eyes and smiled up to his ears.

Hearing Lira through the loudspeaker, Damien couldn’t help to appreciate Lira. James was right, she was nice and she didn’t notice it until tonight.

They reached home after 3 hours of driving. Adam was sleeping in the backseat. Arabella asked Damien to drive Lira home together with the 3 little boys. The 3 boys' houses were just near and Lira was still 45 mins. Drive so, they decided to drop off first the boys.

James offered his seat to his crush. He went together with his boys at the back. He was very excited about his crush’s presence in the car, but in just a while he also fell asleep just like the rest of the boys.

They successfully dropped off the 3 boys and James never missed kissing aunt Lira’s cheek when he got off.

Lira’s cheek slightly blushed and Damien saw it. He smiled secretly, but Lira saw it.

“Thanks for the advice,” Lira said to Damien.

“Oh! Sorry about that. I didn’t know at first.” Damien replied sincerely.

“It’s fine. Boys are boys.” Lira said while looking in front.

Inside the car, it was very silent again. Lira was uneasy and Damien had nothing to say. They seemed to feel awkward all of the sudden.

Lira felt she had to do something about the awkwardness so, she pressed on the button in the vehicle audio to turn on some music but Damien pressed it at the same time. Their fingers touched each other. Lira suddenly felt tingles up and down in her spine.

“Sorry.”

They said it together at the same time again. Though the music had turned on, it didn’t get rid of the awkwardness inside the car instead, it heightened up when the audio played a love song.

“Are you okay?” Damien asked to break the silence.

“Do you want me to change the song?” He added as he felt her uneasiness.

“It’s fine. Did you compose this song?” Lira asked to start a conversation with him.

“Yeah. Some old composition.” Damien replied.

“I could tell you don’t like love songs?” He added looking at Lira.

“I am not so much into love songs, but I could listen to any kind of music.” Lira smiled at him. Her smile was pure and innocent.

“Why? Don’t you have a boyfriend or ever since?” Damien was curious since most girls did like love songs the most.

Lira’s pure expression suddenly became gloomy. The spars in her eyes faded away in an instant.

“It’s fine. You don’t need to answer it.” Damien said to the girl who was seated beside him.

“It’s okay.” Lira smiled bitterly.

“I have a boyfriend once.” She added with a sad tone.

Damien didn’t ask for more. Judging from her tone, she seemed to have a heartache remembering her past boyfriend. He was not a nosy type of a man, but he couldn’t help to be curious about her past relationship.

After a long drive, they reached Lira’s place. The surrounding was dark as the only lamp post in the area flickered on and off the light. Lira had to walk to a narrow road to reach her rented apartment.

“Are you sure it’s okay to walk there this dark?” Damien’s word was a bit worried for Lira.

“Yes. Don’t worry. I stayed here for 1 year plus already and I used to it.” Lira replied with a smile. She was happy hearing Damien worried about her.

“Bye and Thanks for the ride. Drive safe.” She shyly added and went out of the car still wearing her smile.

“Boys! How lucky we are tonight. We can eat fresh, young meat.. Hehehehe…’” A man suddenly sounded in the dark that made Lira stop, her smile instantly faded, and trembled in fright.