Sandy’s steps had an extra spring on it as she went down the stairs. Today, she’s finally graduating from High School! Nana, her father’s mother, will be proud. Sandy has been living alone for a year now. Nana was living in her hospital room since her illness had developed. Good thing her grandmother has health insurance. The hospital bill for the past months is enough to give Sandy a heart attack.

“Meow,” her Russian Blue kitten, Pollux, approached her at the foot of the stairs.

Sandy scooped Pollux with one hand and released him on the kitchen counter. “Good morning, handsome.”

“Meow.” Behaving akin to a well-mannered gentleman, the kitten sat patiently on the counter. It’s as if appreciating his human is taking action to make his meal.

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. You had me swathed around your furry little paws. I perceived it the moment you shot me those eyes when Bommi dropped you in my lap.”

Pollux came from an animal shelter where Bommi used to volunteer. They rescued him along with his litter from a dilapidated warehouse. After a week at the shelter, they adopted his siblings. Bommi took a liking to Pollux and wished to raise him but her mom is allergic to cats. So she gave Pollux to Sandy as an advance graduation gift. Since then, Pollux kept her sane when missing Nana is too much.

She opened the cupboard where the take out the cat food. A frown graced her forehead when her fingers found nothing but space.

“Huh? Where have your food gone?”

“Meow.”

Searching around, she got a chair and dragged it below the cupboard. Her five feet and one-inch height are not much of a help this time. She had to improvise. Now feeling seven feet tall, she hunted for the last tin of cat food.

“Found it!”

She set Pollux on the floor and let him eat in peace while she made food. After the program, she plans to drop by the ward to meet Nana. She wished to see her every day but her grandma refused to listen. Nana said twice a week is enough. Sandy has a class and her being sick is not an excuse for Sandy to slack. She needs to work hard for her to get a good GPA to get accepted to a reputable medical school.

The kitchen phone rang.

“Good morning Sandy!” a shrill voice addressed her ear.

“Good morning too, Bommi. What’s up?” Sandy scanned the clock mounted on the wall. It read 6:05 AM.

The noise of rushing water was distinct. She must be in the shower. Bommi’s voice echoed once more. “I’m just finding out if you’re up to make sure you won’t be the slowpoke you are. God knows you’re annoyingly slow.”

“Yes, Mom. I won’t be late.” She resisted rolling her eyes. Bommi is such a nagger. “The ceremony begins at 9:00 AM, it’s only past six. My house is just five hundred meters away from school.”

“That’s why you’re always late. You think you’ve got so much time just because you live near our school,” Bommi scoffed.

“Quit nagging, Miss Park. I haven’t had my breakfast yet you’re giving already causing me indigestion.”

“Alright. My bath is full now. Gotta go. Bye!”

“Bye.” The line went dead. Shaking her head, she went to continue where she left.

Fluffy golden pancakes with strawberries, a steaming cup of coffee and the morning newspaper completed Sandy’s breakfast menu. As she surveyed her handiwork, she felt something was missing. Ah! The breakfast table looked bare. Flowers! Nana always tells her to put flowers on the table.

With scissors in hand, Sandy pushed the door open which led to their backyard. Nana kept an herb and flower garden at the back of their house. When Nana got sick, Sandy made sure it was well-maintained. Nana loves her garden to bits. Everything her grandmother loves is precious for Sandy.

The old woman is her last living family as far as it concerns her. Sure, her mother has two living sisters, but they were never close. She only got to see her relatives from her mother’s side when her parents died from a car accident. She was nine years old then. It was Nana who raised her and made her the person she is now.

She gathered a bunch of pink peonies. She might as well bring that to her grandmother later. Sandy divided the flowers and arranged the rest in the vase for the breakfast table. Satisfied, she sat down to eat. Halfway through the meal, Pollux came rubbing his tiny body on Sandy’s bare feet dangling on her chair. The kitten’s short fur tickled which startled her. By reflex, she withdrew her feet, earning her an annoyed ‘meow’ from Pollux.

“Don’t give me that look, you little tyrant. I’m not giving in,” she said. Pollux had enough of being ignored. After a while, he strutted out of the kitchen like a boss, leaving Sandy with her coffee and pancakes.

She’s on the bath for a considerable amount of time. When she turned off the shower, she heard her phone ring. It must be Bommie and her nagging again. Humming a tune under her breath, she took her sweet time just to annoy her best friend. She can almost imagine Bommie’s perfectly trimmed eyebrows clashing and her manicured fingernails clicking on her phone.

“She truly doesn’t know when to give up,” Sandy muttered under her breath when her phone rang again. Sandy stepped out of the shower.

She had already chosen the outfit she planned on wearing under her high school academic dress the earlier night. She had almost forgotten about her phone when it rang again. Sighing, she grabbed it without looking at the caller ID. She’s more concerned about the unusual pallor of her skin today. Her late nights studying her ass off finally caught up with her body.

“Hello?”

“Sandy? Come, child. Your grandmother has been asking for you.” It was her grandmother’s nurse, Matilde. Her voice had a grave quality in it, making Sandy’s heart skip a beat.

“H-how is-she?” The words made it through her lips. Her knees buckled that she needed her dresser’s support to keep her from dropping on the hardwood floor.

“Come. Delay no minute longer.”

The longest fifteen minutes of her life was the bus ride to the hospital. She had to endure two stops though. It took all her strength to prevent herself from screaming at the driver. She couldn’t keep still in her seat. Every time the bus stops, she clamped down her jaw and gritted her teeth in silence.

Her torture ended at the last stop. Sandy scrambled to get off the bus, ignoring the looks from her fellow-passengers. She didn’t care about what they thought of her. She needs to see Nana ASAP. Dashing like a mad woman escaping from an asylum, she headed towards the hospital’s direction.

She ran past the street performers singing of lost love, past the hot dog stand, past the mini-kiosk of an old couple selling flowers. She didn’t slow down when a customer stepped out of a nearby coffee shop; past the bagels, croissants and pastel-colored cupcakes visible on the window display.

The world around her seemed irrelevant. She was past caring, saved for her urgent need to see her grandmother. By the time Sandy stopped in front of the hospital’s glass doors, her legs were throbbing a dull ache. Swallowing a mouthful of air sent tiny pricks of pain to her chest.

“Wait for me, Nana. I’m coming.” But first, she had to take care of her blurring vision. Nana won’t like it.

Sandy carefully stepped into her grandmother’s room. Nana was lying on her bed, ashen hair scattered on her pillow. Her bed looked so big for her frail form. The gray curtains are allowing a few shafts of sunlight to spill peeking through the gaps. Matilde had her back towards the door. She had her clipboard on her lap while scribbling down on it.

“Matilde…”

The woman turned around and gave her a sad smile. Sandy had to dig her nails into her palm to keep her from sobbing. Matilde’s face was answer enough for her voiceless question.

“She’s been waiting for you.” Matilde gave her a light pat on the shoulder and left.

With a heavy heart, Sandy approached her grandmother’s bed. “Good morning, gorgeous.”

Nana opened her eyes. Her smile, oh god! Clamping her lips is a must if she wanted to keep a brave front for her grandmother. Nana is a picture of complete peace. It is far from the look of someone at the brink of death. Sandy’s clammy hands met Nana’s. She kept her grip in check though. She wanted was to squeeze hard, to never let go.

“How are you, child?” her grandmother asked. Nana’s bony hands had surprising strength in her grip.

“Well, last time I checked, the sun shines bright. Today’s my graduation day, Nana. I came here to take you to my graduation.” Sandy smiled. She brought her grandmother’s hand against her cheek. Keeping her tears at bay, she felt like she’s being ripped into shreds.

Nana swallowed. She beckoned for Sandy to come nearer. “I’m sorry. You’d have to go on your graduation ceremony without me. I’m tired. I want to sleep now I’ve seen with my own eyes you’re doing well. And you’ll continue to do well even after I’m gone.”

The pain at the back of Sandy’s throat came back with full force. She rocked back and forth in her seat, tears now freely streaming down her cheeks.

“N-no Nana. I s-still need you. Please don’t say that. You’re going live long. Long enough to watch me become a doctor. We promised, right? We’re in this together.”

Nana just weakly shook her head. “Silly child. Listen to what Nana has to say. These are my last words,” she said. Sandy can’t do anything but nod.

“Don’t live like me, enslaved by money. I want you to live your life without regrets. I want you to love like there’s no tomorrow, laugh like it’s your last. Treat each day as if your last. Take each day as if you would never wake up for the next sunrise. Promise me.”

A fresh batch of tears pooled at the corner of Sandy’s eyes. “Yes, Nana.”

Her grandmother drew a very deep breath. “Pinkie promise?” She held her pinkie, waiting for Sandy’s. When their pinkies met, Nana smiled and finally closed her eyes.

A metallic basalt grey Alfa Romeo cruised along Independence Avenue that winds through the bustling metropolis. Serendra City, bathed in a mixture of pink and orange as the sun dropped the horizon, was extra-alive. There was a slight on and off drizzle the whole afternoon, magnifying the smell of damp earth, concrete and steel. It may not be his favorite time of the day but Gio has somewhere else to be. His mother had enough of him idling in his penthouse suite, doing nothing but watch his shares of stocks shoot while sniping his way around Black Ops.

For the nth time, he took a peek of his face through the rear-view mirror. His ash-blonde hair had grown past his ears and eyebrows. He brought his hand to rake down his hair, giving it a rumpled effect. He angled his head a little to the right, the silver cross dangling on his left ear caught the dying light of the setting sun. He donned a matching black suit. The contradiction between his hair, accessories and garb made him an attention stealer more.

He thought he heard a faint sputtering sound but ignored it. His car was well-maintained so there's no reason for the engine to fail. With a mile left before the entrance to the city, his car gave another series of sputters and stopped right there in the middle of the highway.

"Damn it!" he cursed loudly. He tried re-starting the engine but there was no response. It was dead. He popped the hood open, but he knows nothing about car engines. It limited his relationship with his car to him driving it around town. He's yet to take their relationship to the next level, but it slipped his mind.

His wristwatch told him he's wasting precious minutes, so he called the number for the towing services. "I'm running late so I'd have to leave my car here in the middle of Independence Avenue, near KM 104. I'll leave you guys my contact details so you can bill me later."

It wasn't long before a highway patrol came. One middle-aged man and a guy in his twenties stepped out of the car and approached Gio.

"Good evening, Sir. How may we help you?" the younger man asked.

"Yes, Officer. I called for the towing services. But I can't stay to wait for them, I’m running late for a meeting. So I apologize if I'd have to leave the car here."

"Can I have your license, please? We'd stay to wait in your behalf."

"Here," Gio pulled his license from his leather wallet.

The young officer scribbled something and handed Gio back his license. "It's all good, Sir."

"Thanks," he said, eyeing an approaching cab.

"Where to, Sir?" the cab driver asked when the door closed.

"6th Street, Charington Hotel please."

The cab driver took a glance at Gio. "It's rush hour, Sir. The junction leading to 6th Street is busy. Would you like to take an alternative route? Say we take 8th Street then cut across the 7th."

"How long will it take for that route?"

"More or less an hour, Sir."

"Damn," he muttered under his breath. He hates being late. The cab's dashboard clock suggested eleven minutes past six. His appointment was at seven o'clock, there was no time. "Let's take our chances at the junction."

He felt a buzz on the left pocket of his suit. It was his mother calling. With a sigh, he swiped his thumb on the screen.

"Mom."

"Are you there yet?"

"My car broke down. I'm taking a cab right now so expect me to be late." He couldn't stop his yawn from breaking out.

"Goodness! Jessica’s already there, waiting for you." His mother sounded hysterical. "How could you make a lady wait!"

"Mom, stop the melodrama. Our appointment is seven o'clock. I'll be a little late but I know it won't kill her to wait. Besides, who told her to come early? She could have saved herself from waiting if she wasn't overly excited."

Aghast, his mother's voice came in a pitch higher than usual. "Gio Kwon! We did not send you to an Ivy League school to learn how to think, walk and act like a complete jerk!"

One after the other, his friends' faces came popping in his head. Seungri with his mischievous smile, TOP with his smirks, Taeyang and his obsession for working out and Dae with his eye smiles that made the ladies hang around them like a colony of bees.

You do not understand, Mom. He thought.

"Just tell her I'm running late. Bye Mom, I love you." He made kissing noises on the phone. His mother's laugh was the response he got before she disconnected the call.

He caught the driver shooting him weird looks. "Mothers. They could be a pain in the ass for bachelor sons," he said sheepishly, trying to save face.

"True," the cab driver agreed, toothy grin in place.

Thirty minutes past six, they came to the busy junction the driver was initially planning to avoid. Gio wanted to regret his decision now he's confronted with the real volume of traffic up ahead. An annoyed sigh escaped from his lips. People were milling about, others waiting to chance an empty cab.

I’ll rest for a while. He closed his eyes.

Just then, the door on his side opened and slammed shut as the cab moved. A kid sat next to him, body leaning towards the driver. A female. Her blue locks were playing peek-a-boo behind her black hoodie with every move of her shoulders. She was telling the driver to take her to 7th Street. Wait, what? This is his cab! Who's this impertinent kid to barge in and order the driver around? The clock on the cab's dashboard read a little over quarter to seven.

"Hey!"

For the first time, someone ignored his existence. Slack-jawed, Gio can only stare in disbelief. She eyed him with a blank stare before focusing all her attention to the driver. Her small hands gripped the back of the seat in front of her.

"Please, Sir. Would you be generous enough to take me to 7th Street first? This is an emergency," she begged the driver in her clear and well-modulated voice. Gio was expecting a high-pitched voice from her because of her size.

Gio snapped his fingers. "Hey kid, I already occupied this cab. Don't you think you're a little too much?" He turned to the driver, "Don't even think of listening to her. I can make life harder for you than it is."

The driver paled. He looked at the kid apologetically and mouthed a wordless sorry. With a satisfied smile, Gio leaned back on his seat.

"I'm not a kid! I have these," she pointed at her chest. "They missed the memo from puberty! If I had any other choice, I wouldn't just hijack someone's cab. I was just in a bind! Can't you be nice today? Please?" she clasped her hands together, eyes wide to appear cute. Too bad, cute doesn't work on him. Never did and never will.

Annoyance flashed across his face. "No."

"I'll pay half the fare."

"No. I'm late and you're making me late even more. Keep your money, I can buy this cab if I want to if that's what it takes to drive you away." Gio paused. "Now, that's an interesting idea."

"No, don't kick me out, please! It's too hard to hail a cab at this hour and the queue at the train stations were a mile long!" she pleaded, taking Gio's hands on her own.

Gio tried slipping out of her grasp but her hands moved on his arm, clutching his suit. "Hands off! You're ruining my suit."

"Please. This is important."

"Look kid, my meeting is much more important. So be a good girl and get off the next bus stop. Okay?"

"That bus stop Sir?" the driver asked.

Gio looked up. True enough, a bus stop loomed ahead. "Yes, that one."

Then woman-child dropped her hands and clutched the door handle. "There is no freaking way I will step off this cab," she stubbornly declared. "I will attach myself here and scream bloody murder, loud enough your ears would fall off!"

"Miss, this stop is near 7th Street. We're going to 6th Street and it's the opposite way. You need to walk to get there." The cab driver gave her a sympathetic look.

"You heard him. Now, out!" Gio grabbed her shoulders and peeled her hands from the door. Her size made it easier for him. The door wrenched open, startling the people on the sidewalk as she stumbled out of the cab.

"Wait!" Her child-like fists pounded on the window.

Gio watched her with disinterest, willing the cab to move. He noticed a black backpack lying on the floor. "She must be after this garbage," he scoffed.

He pushed the button to open the car window and tossed her bag. She came scrambling to catch it but was seconds late. It landed on a puddle, one of the many remnants of that afternoon's drizzle. The cab sped off, leaving her cursing him to the high heavens.

One more block! Don’t fail me, feet! Sandy chanted in her head repeatedly. Her calf muscles were groaning in protest but she kept on running. This is the chance she couldn't afford to miss. Not again!

She felt as if her lungs crept up her throat when she finally rounded the corner of 6th Street. Her particular destination was the small coffee shop across. Three spotlights illuminating the sign above the entrance read Cafe Bonita in bold of maroon over. She hopes the man she was after hasn’t left yet. Or else she may have to curse that inconsiderate first class a-hole in an expensive suit in her head again.

A lady doesn’t swear. Nana would frown by now. Especially because Sandy didn’t feel sorry one bit for the expletives which spewed from her lips earlier. In fact, those words rolling off her tongue felt satisfying.

Heads turned in her direction as she made a stumbling entrance. She didn’t care, they’re insignificant as far as she’s concerned. Her eyes scanned the cozy cafe while trying to ignore the scent of coffee teasing her nose. He’s not here.

“Psssst! Sandy!”

Bommi was behind the counter, looking like a doll in her black and maroon barista outfit. Her barely there makeup emphasized her porcelain features, making her look younger than her actual age.

“Bommi, where is he?” she demanded, breaths coming in bursts.

“You haven’t read my texts?”

Sandy pursed her lips when the image of an ash-blonde, suit-wearing Homo Sapien came to her mind. “I had a little situation on my way here.”

“You missed him by two minutes.”

“Damn!”

“By now, he’s in Charington Hotel down at 7th Street. You wouldn’t be wasting your time here if you had read my messages,” Bommi said, punching Sandy’s arm playfully.

“Thanks Bommi.”

“I’ll be out in an hour. What do you want for dinner? Italian?”

“I’m not picky, you know we eat anything edible.”

Giggling like schoolgirls who spotted their crush, they bade each other goodbye.

It took Sandy ten minutes to get to Charington Hotel and found Martin Kroer at the lounge. At seventy-five, the man was still attracting attention from young and old ladies alike. His eye smiles still did wonders to his face.

Sandy took her time and waited for his guest to depart. Learning his whereabouts was just pure coincidence. Bommi overheard his conversation on the phone while serving him earlier at the cafe. He’s not even a regular at Cafe Bonita.

She got lost in her thoughts she lost her focus on the man. Mr. Kroer was already heading for the exit when she snapped back to her senses.

Oh shoot! “Mr. Kroer! Sir!” she called loudly as she can while running towards him.

His silver head whipped in her direction, eyebrows knitting as she approached. Two burly men in black suits with identical ear pieces stepped in, blocking Sandy’s view of the man. Where did they come from? She didn’t see them with Mr. Kroer earlier. They look menacing. Sandy’s steps faltered.

“S-Sorry Mr. Kroer. I j-just wanted your autograph.”

A soft chuckle came from behind the two mountains of men. Mr. Kroer’s hand tapped one of their shoulders, a command to step out of the way.

“You’re too young to be my fan.”

“Yes sir. I am not into Jazz either. This is for my grandmother.”

“Pray tell what kind of music are you into?” Mr. Kroer drawled in his rich baritone, flashing her his infamous smile which drove hordes of men and women to his concerts and fan meetings.

He’s quite a looker for a man his age, she must admit. She felt the blooming of pink on her cheeks to her horror. “K-pop and RnB, Sir.”

“K-pop, huh?” A ghost of a smile lingered on his lips. “Where should I sign?”

Sandy quickly handed him his own picture she found among Nana’s belongings and a black marker.

“Your grandma’s name?” he inquired, slim hand holding the marker, its tip hovering over the photo’s surface. Such beautiful hands, she mused.

“Margarette.”

His signature seemed to flow, the elegant script surprising her. Another thing crossed out from Nana’s list. She looked up, beaming.

“Thank you, Sir.”

“You’re welcome.”

She then left when Mr. Kroer disappeared from view. But her bladder chose that moment to make itself known. She took a few wrong turns before she located the rest rooms. Her phone had been buzzing nonstop; Bommi was being the ‘Mother Hen’ that she was again.

“Damn it, woman! My bladder is about to explode. What do you want now?”

“I called to ask if you want ice cream, you grumpy old woman,” Bommi chided.

“It’s like you’re asking me if the color of the sky is blue.”

Bommi’s laugh came resonating through the line. “Yeah. I’m just checking on you. You looked pale earlier.”

“I know.” She glimpsed the sign pointing to the ladies’ room. “I’m okay, mission accomplished. See you when I get home.”

“All right.”

She first picked up two sets of voices arguing as she rounded the corner; a man and a woman. Emptiness enveloped the hall, save for the three. The woman’s fire red pumps caught Sandy’s attention. They would catch her dead first before donning those killer shoes.

I bet it kills her feet wearing that; she thought.

Both of them were in the way, the woman clinging to the man who was trying to untangle himself from the woman’s hold. The only way she thought she could pass them was to flatten her back against the wall while inching her way towards the ladies’ room. She doesn’t want to intrude.

They were oblivious to her presence to her relief. Just then, Sandy’s steps slowed to a halt when bouts of dizziness assaulted her. Swaying dangerously, she put a hand on the wall to steady herself.

“Cut it off, Jess. I am not interested.” The voice was achingly familiar but Sandy was too dizzy to care.

With her eyes closed, she waited for the dizzy spell to subside. It always does when she gets a little rest. Nowadays she’s getting lethargic. Bommi kept worrying about it but she brushed it off. Her body is just adjusting to her new schedule at work, is all. It has been only a week since they transferred her to the night shift as a cashier at a restaurant she work at. She doesn’t have to work, Nana left her a fortune. But she can’t just sit around all day.

“Then why did you agree about the blind date?” The woman’s voice came whining.

“I have nothing to do and I am bored,” he answered. “And here comes my girl, so let me go. She might get the wrong impression.”

The sound of footsteps slapping on the tiled floor barely registered in her brain when her dizziness finally stopped. When she opened a pair of steel greeted her eyes gray eyes staring intently at her. The owner of those eyes gave her a smirk before he tilted her chin.

“Hey, baby girl. You’re late.”

What the heck is he doing? She screamed in her head. Her tongue seemed to have a problem. She stared at him, mouth agape like a fish. His ash-blonde hair fell on his eyes, screening those steel gray orbs from her view as he leaned down at her.

“Don’t say a word, I beg you. You can curse, scream and beat me to a pulp later,” he whispered.

“Who---”

“Shh. Leave me the talking.” He then wrapped his arm on her waist, pulling her closer to his side.

“Gio? Who is she?” Miss Red Pumps asked, eyes shooting dirty looks at Sandy.

“My girlfriend.”

The woman scoffed. She flipped her hair and crossed her arms on her ample bosom. “Do you think I’d believe that? Try again, Gio.”

“I don’t give a rat’s about what you think, Jess,” he countered. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

“I bet she’s just a random girl you picked up outside for pretense. Your mother warned me it is likely you’ll pull tricks like this,” Jess stated with a smug smile.

“Oh yeah? How can you be so sure?”

“Your mom said so.”

His grip on Sandy’s waist went a little tighter. “Really? So my mom warned you something like this would happen then.”

“What do you mean?”

“This,” he said before cupping Sandy’s face in his palms and lowered his head.

All the warning bells in her head came alive when his lips came down crashing on hers. His lips were surprisingly gentle, coaxing her own to accept his intrusion. He barely knew of the woman’s gasp as he kissed her. Her head had gone hazy, thoughts stopped processing in her brain.

Yet, it was over too soon. Patches of red bloomed in her cheeks with the thought. She literally melted like goo with his kiss!

“Do you need more proof Jess? I can make out with my girlfriend all day right here if you need more convincing.”

“Y-you!” Jess attempted to grab Sandy, but he was quick to shield the smaller woman from harm.

“Lay a finger on her and you’ll lose that same finger,” he warned. “Now run along and be a good girl before I lose my temper.”

It was the tone of his voice more than the threat, Sandy was sure. It has a chilling quality on it that sent little shivers down her spine. The woman would be better off with a healthy dose of fear for the guy. Still, Jess had been smart. She retreated with murder on her eyes for Sandy, steps echoing as she walked away.

“What the hell was that for?” Sandy screamed at his face when the woman was nowhere in sight. Her head throbbed.

“I’ll give you a proper compensation for the act,” he said.

“Compensation?” She repeated in a shrill voice. She wasn’t expecting to get paid, all she wanted was an explanation!

“Yeah, I’ll pay you. How much do you want?” he asked, pulling a checkbook from his suit pocket.

“I don’t need your money. I want your apology.”

His forehead creased. “Apology? What for?”

Sandy saw red. The dizziness was back, but she ignored it. Her vision swayed but she’ll be damned if she’ll let this opportunity to slip through her fingers. “Do you have amnesia? You kicked me out of the cab, ruined my bag by dumping it on a puddle and stole my first kiss!”

Without warning, he grabbed her again and kissed her for the second time. “There, I gave you back your first kiss. Happy now?”

Sandy crumpled on the floor.