“Mamita!” I exclaimed and run to her as soon as I saw her waiting at the van.
“Miss you, my angel...” She mumbled. “How's your flight?”
“ It's tiring but I am fine.” I asked her as I cling my arms. “I am really excited to see the villa again.”
“ Good.” She chuckled. She then looked at someone who's behind us. It was the driver. “ Romulo, carry her luggage.”
“You forgot someone, tsk.” I looked at her. Claire, my cousin who's way older than me stood beside Mamita as she greeted her. She glared at me which made rolled my eyes before I went inside first towards the van. Romulo maneuvered the van towards our villa who is owned by my grandparents.
“Mamita, that girl is really tiresome to take care of.” I heard Claire said to our grandmother pointing at me. Mamita just chuckled as she give me a quick glance. She knew my personality too well.
“What would you expect from our princess? She can have all she wants.” She muttered. I chuckled as I listened to them.
“It's good that we're having a vacation in your villa, Mamita. I hope Clifford will visit there too. It's already summer.” She exclaimed.
“You want to transfer here? It would be great if you have the same school with my brother.” she suggested. I sighed before I looked at her. My grandmother just shook her head as she looks at me. Claire was sleeping already.
An hour travel from the airport, we immediately arrived at my grandparents' villa. The gates opened and it showed us the villa, a Mediterranean style with Stucco walls. Claire went out of the van first before she assist our grandmother. Mamita is not that weak as you look at her, she can still walk with her age of sixty five. She still looks intimidating even with that age.
“I can manage, Claire.” Mamita mumbled and went out of the van. I followed her. I saw our driver carrying our luggage and some of the bodyguards.
They prepared a welcome party just by the decorations. There's some lettering on the wall that says, 'WELCOME BACK!'. The food is also placed on the middle part on the table especially the cake. There's also some of my cousins here, Clifford and Clyron and some of their friends. I went to greet them one by one and hug them. Some are familiar to me and smiled at my greeting.
“ Thank you for this!” Claire said to them. I roamed my eyes around and caught the cake being sliced by someone. I felt my tongue watered with the sight of it. I glanced at my cousins first and they just laughed at me.
“ Couz!” I looked at my back when I heard that familiar voice. Clifford who stand beside me, give me a smile as he's with someone. “ Finally, you're here again!”
“ Yeah, Cliff!” I chuckled and finished eating my cake. I looked at the two guys with him. “Hey there! I am Nicole.”
“Nathan here!” A moreno guy offered his hand. I extended mine and shook it with him.
“ I am Luke!” The guy with his camera wave his hand at me. I chuckled and nodded.
“ Let's take a pic.” He aimed his camera in front of him and I stood in between my cousin and Nathan. I smiled as the camera flashes. Luke was about to take a picture of us again when someone put his arms on my shoulders and joined with us. The camera flashed again while me, blushing so much because of shock as I felt my heart pounding so much. I can't even turned my back and check who that guy is.
“So cute.” Luke commented as he look at the pictures. “ I'll send you a copy of this.” Clifford went beside him.
“ Tsk, you're really a photo bomber, dude.” Clifford exclaimed. I suddenly heard a husky laughed behind me.
“ Tsk. Suit yourselves with my face.” He didn't even removed his arms on my shoulders. I looked up at him and I was amazed at how his jaws are well defined. He's tall. He looked down at me and his eyes locked with mine.
Someone chuckled which break our eye contact. He remove his arm on my shoulder and give a space between us. I almost heaved a sigh.
“Nics, he's Ethan. One of my best friend.” He introduced him. I smiled. “She's Nicole, my cousin.”
“Hey.” He said, recognition was on his voice. I just smiled again. I just noticed that he's wearing earpods.
“We need to go, Nicole.” Nathan muttered. “We still have to practice.”
I just nodded. “Thank you for coming.” They nodded. That guy who's name Ethan give me a quick glance and mumbled something before he turned his back and left with his friends.
After that mini party at the villa, I immediately went to my room to have some rest.
I took a bath after and layed down to my bed. This room was from my mother before. The interior design was still the same since the first time I went here. It has indicolite color all over the room. It's very rare color. This was very special to my mother that's why my grandparents didn't bother to change it.
I roamed my eyes around as I saw the picture frame of me with my parents. I smiled bitterly with the sight of it. It was my Elementary Graduation and I got an Honor that time. I remember how proud they are to saw me went to stage and received my medals and certificate.
This was the last picture I have with them. It just sad that they couldn't attend more special occasions of me anymore. Since that tragic day happened...they will never be with us ever again. It's been two years yet what happened to them is still fresh. Like it didn't even happened. I just wished, as the time goes by, I can also move forward from that.
Claire's the one who take care and disciplines me since the day I live with her. She's my legal guardian when my parents died. She got a stable job on Manila and she can provide me well and even more than expected. She got the full custody of me as I am still underage.
I suddenly heard a drumming sound at the other side of the room. It must be my cousins and his friends. I heard it earlier from Nathan that they will practice. Do they have a band? And for Pete's sake, it's already in passed eight in the evening.
I walked out of my room and went to the studio room which is obviously beside my mother's room. The door is swang open a little bit. I didn't knock and just opened it more just to be shocked at what they are doing.
The floor is full of chips and crackers as the other instruments were put down. There's also some bottle of drinks which I think they got downstairs. The speaker, which is as tall as me occupied the whole room as it was playing a rock band song. I closed the door.
Clifford was playing the guitar while Nathan is setting the microphone in front. Luke was on the piano while Ethan was on the drum set, he's holding the sticks as he made some twirlings with it using his hands. He was the first one to look at me as his bored eyes landed on mine.
“Hey! Can you please minimize the volume?!” I shouted behind them. The others looked at me as they were a hint of surprise on their eyes. Their eyebrows were both furrowed as they stopped playing. Clifford was the first one to get near me.
“ Nics, what are you doing here?” He asked.
I arched a brow before looking at all of them. “You know what time is it?” I asked them. He looked at his wrist watch before he look up at me again.
“It's 8:43 PM” He said.
“Exactly, so why are you still practicing here even if it's already rest time, huh?” I annoyingly said. I heard him chuckled.
“ The room is sound proof, right Cliff?” Nathan asked. Clifford nodded as he glanced st the door.
“ It was swang open earlier so it means that I can still hear those sounds.” I hissed at them. They just shook their head except for Ethan.
“ Sorry, couz. We're almost finished. Sorry to disturb you.” He apologize. I just rolled my eyes.
“ Whatever!” They just laughed at me again before my cousin pulled me towards the couch near the windows. I am facing them. They are placed on the mini stage and I was like they're audience watching them. Clifford make me sit and smiled at me.
“Since you're already here, can you watch us? We need to practice our last part.” He uttered.
“But I need to rest.” I groaned. He shook his head.
“Just one song.”
“Fine.” I surrendered. He smirk and messed my hair. I just rolled my eyes as I followed him a look. But as Clifford was on his place, a guy behind him who's wearing his earpods caught my attention.
Nathan started to sing but my eyes are focused on Ethan. He started to play the drum in front of him without any emotion on his face. He's just doing some headbang following the beat of the music. He's like shining as I stared at him. As if something's wonderful when you watch him play an instrument. He becomes more hot in my eyes especially with those earpods on his ears.
They had a great harmony especially that Nathan has a unique mixed with his baritone voice. He's a great singer. And as I watch them play in front of me, I can really say that they are great performers.
Suddenly, Ethan eyes captured mine. My heart begin to pound so loud when he started to smirk before he diverted his gaze to something else. Gosh! He might saw me jaw dropped at their performance that's why he smirk!
They finished playing, while me, not paying much attention to what they performed. I was too focused on Ethan! He got my full attention there. I clapped my hands as a recognition that I like their performance but my eyes are still on him.
“ How is it?” Luke asked.
“It's great!” I commented. I eyed them one by one before I looked at Ethan. “I am just curious, why is he using those earpods while playing?” I pointed Ethan who's clueless. His eyes are focused on the windows right now. I bet he doesn't hear our conversation.
They all glanced at him. “Huh? You mean Ethan?”
“ Duh! Of course!” I exclaimed. They chuckled.
“He loves using that. It was a gift from his first love.” Luke explained as he's chuckling. Something constricted inside of me at what Luke said, but I didn't pay attention to it.
Ethan glared at him before he glanced at me with his dark hazel eyes. It's so mysteries when you stared at it. As if you'll fall into an abyss.
“ Hey!” I waved my hand to him. He just nodded before he stood up. Snob.
“I think let's packed up, someone's already sleepy here.” Ethan suggested with his cold voice. He glanced at me that made me arched a brow to him. He shrugged afterwards.
“You mean yourself?” I asked. I felt like what he said was really pertaining to me.
“ Isn't it?” He mocked.
“ Huh?! Mister, for your information, it's almost 9 PM and you're disturbing my sleep.” I glared at him. Even if he's handsome, I won't backfired on fighting my rights.
A smile escaped from his lips and walks towards me as his eyes are locked on mine. When he's already some inches away from me, he looked down and leaned forward causing me to hitched my breath at how close he is.
“Brat.” He mumbled on my ear. “Let's not see each other then.” That was the last thing he said before he walked straight out of my sight.
