CHAPTER 41: THE GUY FROM HIGHSCHOOL

In the dining area, the twins obediently set the table and even professionally served Lola and Atlas. Once they sat down, they beamed at Lola.

"Mommy?" Chacha called. "Take the soup while it’s still warm."

Second nodded modestly. "It’ll help with the hangover."

"..." Lola gulped, forcing a smile at the twins.

She only realized now that, with those aprons off, the twins were quite... dolled up even at this early hour. Although she had no idea what time it was at the moment. Chacha was already in a pink puffy dress, her hair tied in a twin tail, while Second wore a beige polo and white pants.

They were like little princesses and princes.

Then, their father was in formal business attire with his hair styled neatly. Now that she was looking at them, they gave off a strong regal air. The dishes complemented their looks, and even though the dining room’s interior already spoke of luxury... having them in it just highlighted its beauty and purpose.

Then, there was her, Lola. A gigantic train wreck.

A few strands of her wig were glued on her back, dangling behind her. All that was on her head now was a hairnet, her hair underneath it sticking up, and a little bit of dry glue. Her eyelashes had fallen on her temple, and the other on her upper cheek. Her makeup was all ruined, with her lipstick smudged around her mouth, her black eyeshadow and eyeliner mixed all around her face, and her white foundation looking like white patches.

If the people from yesterday saw her now, they would all agree she was indeed beautiful the day before, compared to now.

"Mommy," Second whispered, his hand to the side of his mouth.

Lola snapped out of her muddled thoughts as she glanced at the twins. Both of them were pointing at their ears.

"Oh—" Lola mindlessly reached for her ear to fix her loosened earplug. But as she did so, the twins’ father spoke.

"I saw you sent the money that I sent you for the twins," he started as he fixed the napkin on his lap. When he lifted his sharp eyes and revealed his expressionless face, he continued, "It’s a few million short."

"Huh?" Confused, Lola took her earplugs out. "I’m sorry, what?"

Seeing her actions, the twins zipped their mouths and cast each other a look.

"If I send it, don’t return it," Atlas clarified. "But if you insist, I’ll only accept it if you at least triple it—interest included."

"???"

"It’s alright," he added as he picked up his cutlery and jerked his chin at her. "I’ll take the amount you were short plus the interest in other ways. You don’t have to bother."

"Wait." Lola shook her head as her last means to wake herself up in case this was a dream, or just to clear her head if not. "What does that even mean?"

As far as she was concerned, she sent the full amount — no more, no less.

Atlas didn’t answer and just looked at her. The look in his eyes didn’t give anything away. Still, it felt like what he said just now sounded like the devil warning her of what was to come.

Lola opened her mouth, but her voice didn’t leave her throat. Her eyes intuitively glanced at the twins; she didn’t think she would be eating breakfast today, and then back at their father.

Atlas Bennet.

She bit her tongue, studying the man as he started eating.

Of all the people the twins could’ve had as a father... why did it have to be him?

Why did it have to be someone from her past? Why did it have to be the person she called the "guy from high school"?

****

It happened when Lola was sixteen.

All of Lola’s life was normal until she turned fourteen. Lola fell terribly ill on her fourteenth birthday, but when she recovered, she woke up with memories of her horrible "future."

Initially, she thought it wasn’t possible, and that what was in her head was merely a bad dream.

A nightmare that she would eventually forget.

It took her some time to realize that the "nightmare" she had when she fell sick was not just a bad dream. After all, everything in her life was like a repeat. From the biggest changes in her life down to the smallest ones, to the point she could predict what others would say or do.

Two years later, Lola took her first decision to change the course of her life: she would go to her mother and live abroad to take care of her. After all, she was already aware of her father’s affairs and his child with another woman.

So, while taking care of her mother and spending time with her, Lola had to transfer to another school. Thinking that going to a better school would give her higher chances in life later, she studied hard and worked hard to enter one of Anteca’s most prestigious private schools: Summit School of Excellence Academy.

The journey of applying for and being accepted to the said academy was tough, but with her dedication and hard work, she managed to get in.

School life and taking care of her mother weren’t as hard as the thought of her mother’s impending passing. She was young, and even if she did her best, she knew it wasn’t enough. Nothing could save her mother from her disease or the pain of her husband’s affair, so she could only do so much at sixteen.

Still, Lola was only human—a young teen trying to create more memories with her mother and avoid her horrible future.

So, when she first laid eyes on a guy—her senior—she couldn’t stop her heart from skipping a beat.

She admired him from afar, watching him challenge the elite star section of the academy despite the odds with a straight face, and even win a basketball game. In her eyes, this senior was just amazing; he shone the brightest despite being the quietest.

He was dreamy.

Lola didn’t intend to approach someone like him. She knew there was no chance; it was like a mortal wanting to touch a god. But then, in her first life, she lived it with nothing but cowardice. So, for once, she mustered her courage to confess.

She spent her extra free time learning how to make chocolates just to give them to him. While doing so, she also mustered the courage to confess her feelings until the fateful day finally arrived.

"A—Atlas!"

The young Lola’s heart stopped as she clutched the chocolates, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and nervousness. But here goes nothing.

Looking up at the guy she admired and his brother, she quickly pulled the chocolates from behind her and stretched them toward him, head low.

"I really admired you for many years now! I practiced making chocolates and eventually perfected how to make one. I made these chocolates just for you! Please accept this!"

Lola bit her tongue, thinking she said years instead of months. But she was too nervous to correct herself, keeping her eyes shut as she bowed to him.

She wasn’t asking for much; to be honest, she wasn’t asking to be his lover or anything like that. She simply wanted to give him something she worked hard for.

But alas...

"What’s your name again?" he asked, his tone flat as if he didn’t think someone had just poured a lifetime of courage to express her heart.

Confused, the young Lola answered, "Uh, Lola."

"Lola, what?" he asked again while on his phone.

"Lola Young."

"Lola Young," the young Atlas repeated, tapping on his phone.

Confusion slowly overtook her mind until he finally spoke indifferently. "Sorry, I can’t accept that. You’re not on Penny’s fan club member list."

What? His sister’s fan club?

"Good work, though. Enjoy your chocolates," he said before walking away without care, leaving her with a box of chocolates and a broken heart.