Second Encounter

The first meeting of Cast and Lina continues...

Chapter 2: Second Encounter

 

Lina panicked, the necklace that was given to her by her parents was gone. “Oh my God! Where is it?” She instantly shot to her feet and looked around the cafeteria.

 

Not a little longer, Anna joined her. “You probably have dropped it somewhere.”

 

The necklace was nowhere to be found inside the cafeteria. She took her stuffs and exited the place to search for it elsewhere. Anna followed her. For hours, she looked through the corridors, back to the labs and classroom where they had their classes. But she still didn’t find her necklace.

 

“Give it a break Lina,” Anna said between panted breaths. “We’ve looking for it for more than two hours. Let’s just report it to the school’s lost and found. Maybe someone might have found it.”

 

Lina doubted it. That necklace’s pendant is made out of rare gem, a black jade. Anyone who might found it will be tempted to keep it. Feeling the wall against her back, hopelessness started to consume her. Why did she let this thing happen? She lost the only remembrance of her parents. Her real parents.

 

Cairo isn’t her real father, her biological parents died when she was still a baby and it was Cairo who adopted and took care of her ever since.

 

Her eyes started to water. She covered her face with her palms, striving to pull back her tears only to fail badly. Anna sympathetically patted her shoulder. “Don’t cry, Lina. We will find it, I promise.”

 

She can’t do anything else but to nod. Anna instructed her to stay while she goes to the office and report her missing necklace. Weeping, she slid her body down until she reaches the floor. Blaming herself for her carelessness, she curves herself into a ball and buried her face on her knees. Misery is stabbing her chest for her lost and she wishes that someone will come to be there to lighten her up.

 

And like a Heaven sent, she heard a voice. A familiar voice that she least expect to hear. “A lovely lady shouldn’t cry.” Lina tilted her head up, focusing her gaze to the faceless man in front of her. “Do you have any idea how excruciating it for me, to see such an exquisite beauty in pain?” Lina can’t believe her eyes on what she’s currently seeing. It was him. He is there just an inch from her. Her mystery man, kneeling right in front of her, with both his deep gazes focused solely on her.

 

“You?!” she gasped. It couldn’t be him. He couldn’t be here. How? Why?

 

Lina looked around and found that there’s just the two of them outside. The break time was over and the other students had gone to their classes. And for the third time of the day, only she saw him.

 

Now she’s starting to doubt his existence for the reason that why is it that each time he shows up only she can see him. Maybe Anna was right. She might have hit her head really hard that it affects the proper functioning of her brain, making her see things.

 

She returned her eyes on him again, looking profoundly at his inhuman handsomeness. As consolation, at least my craziness is doing a good job. The thought made a weak smile escape from her face.

 

He flashed a coy smile that can steal the heart of any woman curved from his perfect lips. “So you remember me?”

 

She nodded. The guy looked down sheepishly in very manly and sexy way.

 

Lina gulped a lump on her throat. He is too much for her to handle. Right now, being this close him. She feels that her entire world at the moment is turning into a blank space and the only thing that holds her in the ground is this gorgeous man in front of her.

 

“W-w-what are you doing here?” Lina asked, making an appearance of a complete idiot for her self.

 

The very good-looking guy who could possibly be just her imagination took a black shiny object from the pocket of his jacket. “I believe this belongs to you.”

 

Lina’s eyes brightened when she realize what was the black item that he is handing to her. “My necklace!” She immediately took it from his palm and pressed it to her heart. She easily got carried away by moment’s overwhelming sensation that she unintentionally wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh! Thank you so much!”

 

But coming to her senses, Lina realized that she’d just done something reckless. Hugging someone she doesn’t even know is a very inappropriate behavior. Oh-oh!

 

But in reward of her stupid action, all her doubts about him and her sanity were totally gone. Her arms touched the warmth and strength of his body and felt his breathe on her skin. Those were all enough to prove that he’s real and she’s not losing her mind.

 

 

It seems like Cast’s breathing ceases when her body touches his. The cute girl’s little body feels so soft, so cool, and when he sniffle her hair. It was the most soothing fragrance he’d ever scented. It smells like mint and flowers that calms the very depth of his soul. It was a kind of serenity that he had longed forgotten and had thought that he would never feel again. Maybe I was wrong? He thought to his self.

 

He doesn’t know what to do or say to her. He appeared confident exteriorly but he’s actually in a great panic in the inside. He never had any experience dealing with women before and he doesn’t know exactly how to act. He’s even cursing himself right now for saying all those awkward things to her a while ago. He knows what men should do in order to be charming but he doesn’t really know how to do it on the real thing.

 

He also gets confused when the petite girl went into sudden change of strange expression. In some times she seems mesmerized for some reason and at the same time her gullible eyes shows uncertainties and other mixed up emotions all at the same. It completely lost him but damn it was the cutest thing he’d even seen in his life.

 

She gently unwrap her arms around his neck and apologize. “Sorry about that,” she said softly, almost a whisper.

 

“It’s all right. I understand.” Both of them went into silence, staring eye to eye shyly at each other. Cast broke the moment and helped her back to her feet. Once the little lady was standing in two legs, he introduced himself. “By the way I’m Cast, Castor Myne, you can call me Cast if you don’t mind.”

 

“I don’t mind,” she said faintly.

 

“And you are?”

 

“Lina!” she answered in a brisk with a slightly raised and nervous voice. “Lumina Dawn.”

 

“Lina?” he repeated. What a beautiful name. “Nice to meet you Lina,” he offered his hand.

 

Lina took it for a shake, and with a timid smile, she said, “Nice meeting you too, Cast?”

 

Cast wanted to start a talk with her. He sure wants to know at least one or two little thing about her. But if he is not mistaking based on the time, Lina should be in her class right now. “By the way Lina. Why are you out here? Shouldn’t you be attending your lectures?”

 

“Yeah, I should be, but I’m almost an hour late because I look for this,” she indicates her necklace on her palm. “So there’s probably no reason to go into class now except if I want to be scolded for being late.”

 

“Sounds like, it’s my fault.” Cast thought that if he’d only returned her necklace at an earlier time she shouldn’t have been late for her class.

 

“No,” she protested, “of course not. I don’t blame anyone. I’m the one who lost this.”

 

Cast took the necklace from her soft palm and chains it back to her neck. Lina made a startled gasp when he wrapped both of his arms around her. “But I still feel guilty about it. If only I’d returned it to you a little bit earlier you shouldn’t have gone crazy looking everywhere for it, you shouldn’t have ditched your class, and most of all,” he breathe, “you shouldn’t have cried because you thought that you lost it for good”

 

“That’s nice of you,” she smiled at him in the gentlest way. “But the only thing that I wanted to show you right now is my endless gratitude for returning this to me.”

 

That didn’t help. Her kindness only makes Cast feel a lot guiltier about it. “Thank you. I’m glad that you’re not mad. But I just can’t help myself feeling guilty about what happened.”

 

“Please,” she shook her head. “Don’t.”

 

Cast didn’t understand what happened but he somehow oblige. “If that’s what you want, then I’ll give it a try.”

 

“Excellent.” Lina sounds pleased by that.

 

However, it doesn’t end there. Cast hates carrying heavy feelings. Most of the time, he doesn’t give a damn of what other people feel. But as weird as it sound and as it appears to him, he doesn’t want to see Lina sad. Especially if he believed that he’s the one who caused it. He must make it up to her in any cost. And a ‘Yes’ answer is the only reply that he will consider. “But I will still continue to carry this guilty feeling if I won’t make it up to you. So tell me, is there something I could possibly do for you.”

 

“Oh no, you don’t have to”

 

“Please, I insist.” He won’t to lose this one. Every part of his soul is shouting to do everything to make her say ‘Yes’ and he is considering even begging to her if he has to. His persuasion had somehow pierced through her shield.

 

“Okay,” she agreed uncertainly.

 

“Great. Tell me, what do you want?”

 

She deliberated first until he heard a faint growl from her stomach. With a reddened face, she said, “Well, all that necklace searching somewhat makes me hungry.”

 

His face lightened. If it is a meal, then there’s nothing else he wanted at the moment than to have it with her. “So it’s a lunch. I assume.”

 

“Not exactly, but an ice cream treat will be nice.”

 

“Then it’s settled then?” he asked, she nodded. “I know a place that makes great ice creams.”

 

“Shall we?” Cast offered his hand but she hesitated taking it. He didn’t insist any further fearing that it might scare her. After all, she’d barely know him.

 

“Where are we going anyway?”

 

“There’s an ice cream parlor just down the street. I think we can walk it there from here. But if you don’t like walking, we can ride my car.”

 

“No, no, walking would be better. Plus, I know the place so it wouldn’t be a problem going there.”

 

“So we’ll walk then?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

They were silent as they exited the campus. Cast makes some stolen glances on Lina, admiring the way she carries herself. She’s a little bit short. Her height might be between 5’2 and 5’3, quite skinny and in need of gaining some weight but she’s not unhealthy and that’s what matters, her skin has porcelain like complexion, her long raven hair is shinny and he bet that they are smooth to touch, tied into a high ponytail with nice sets of bangs that almost meet her eyelashes. All suited to her cute little face, with bright golden eyes that almost looks unreal, and lastly but definitely not the least, a set of rosy pink curves of lips that every man will certainly find kissable.

 

Cast licked his lips, imagining what it would be like pressing those luscious lips to his own. He immediately wagged his head back and forth, throwing the ideas off his head. He is not that type of guy who will entertains those kinds of thought towards a woman. But damn, what is wrong with him? It is the first time that he’d entertained that kind of thought.

 

Lina who was keeping her eyes on the road turned to him with bewilderment. “Is something wrong?”

 

“No,” he lied. There is no way in Hell that he’ll tell her that his Devil is whispering something unpleasant. “Everything’s fine.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Absolutely,” he assured. Her attention returned on the road. Now that the silence between them had been somehow broken, Cast decided that it is the right time to restart a conversation. “By the way Lina.”

 

Lina turned her head towards him again, looking at him in a very innocent expression, “Hmm?”

 

Cast almost failed to speak upon seeing that chaste expression from her. But somehow he managed to get a hold on his self, “Can I ask some questions?”

 

“Sure. What do you wanna know?”

 

The first thing that comes into his mind was Age. “How old are you?”

 

“My age? Ummm…” She was quite surprise by the suddenness of his question and took her a while to answer. “I’m 17, turning 18 this December.”

 

“December?” Their birthdays are both in December. Is it just a coincidence?

 

“Yeah, and you?”

 

“I’m also 17.”

 

“Really?” Lina looked at him, eyes with little disbelief. “But you don’t look seventeen.”

 

“Why? I look older?”

 

“Younger you mean.”

 

“Younger?” he repeated with a smile.

 

“Yeah, and if you didn’t mention you’re age. Swear! I could have thought that you’re only fifteen.”

 

“Fifteen?!” Cast laughed on her thought of him being only fifteen. He knows that he might actually look younger than his real age. But to be mistaken to be only fifteen was too much. “Sorry but I’m not that young.”

 

“Well, you can’t really tell a person’s age by the way they look.”

 

“Honestly I also think the same way on you. You look at least two to three years younger than your claimed age.”

 

“Maybe because of my size,” she looked down, embarrassed. It seems like her size and height had some sting on her esteem. “As you can see, I’m quite . . . short.”

 

“Your height suits you. It makes you looks cuter.”

 

Her cheeks flushed on the little compliment. “Thanks.”

 

Cast smiled at her in response. “Can I ask another question?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“You said that you’ll turn eighteen this December, right?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“May I know the exact date?”

 

“Of course, it’s December 17.”

 

Cast’s eyes widened after hearing Lina’s date of birth followed by a slight grin that twitched from his lips. Fate is really playing games with him.

 

Seems confused on what had gone to him, Lina asked, “What? Did I say something funny?”

 

Cast covers his mouth to hide the soft laughter that were escaping from his throat, “No, it’s nothing.”

 

But he didn’t fool her. His action doesn’t makes it looks like it is just nothing. People doesn’t react this weirdly if they didn’t discover something pretty amusing. “Please, tell me,” she insisted.

 

“You won’t believe it if I told you.”

 

“Try me.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

He shrugged, “Okay I’ll tell you.” Lina is perplexed but hopeful, curious to know what she said that he found comical. “Let’s just say that we both blow our birthday candles together every year.”

 

Her eyes also widened in disbelief. He expected that expression. And who wouldn’t, it is way too much of a coincidence. “No kidding!”

 

He shook his head no, “Not a bit.”

 

“We have the same birthday?”

 

“Yup! December 17 is also my birthday.”

 

“Wicked! And you’re also seventeen?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“So it means that we’re born in the same year too?”

 

“Exactly.” It was a great of a twist of fate. They weren’t just born at the same day but also under the same star. It must be destiny.

 

“Wow, I never knew someone with a similar date of birth like mine before.”

 

“Same is true with me. Maybe our meeting is fated”

 

 

Their conversation continues until they reached their destination. Lina fights so hard to restrain herself to make any stolen glance to the gorgeous stranger who is just a few inches beside her.

 

Lina doesn’t know if this is right. Going out with someone she barely knew especially that she’d never went out with anyone before. Oh, this is so wrong and she knew it. But her she is, going out with the gorgeous stranger.

 

But she didn’t feel any warning, no inner voice that tell her not to go, not even her instinct that always guide her out in any sticky situation. It seems that her entire being doesn’t repel even a little bit from him, but instead it creates a powerful gravitational force that pull her towards him.

 

Earlier, she was in cloud nine and didn’t even notice that she’s already back on her feet. Her shattered thoughts only went back to reality when she heard him telling her his name.

 

Cast? That was the first word that pierced into her mind. And at last, she knows his name.

 

A name too gentle for a sexy macho man who can make any woman’s brain and stomach turned upside down.

 

He feels guilty over something which was actually her fault and offered her something to make it up to her. She tried to decline but ended up biting it back. His eyes were full of eagerness that time that says that he won’t accept a ‘no’ for an answer. Plus, she doesn’t want him to continuously feel guilty especially for returning one of the most precious things she values in her life. That is the last thing that she wants to happen to her lifesaver.

 

The inside of the establishment was quite crowded with kids and their parents so they decided to take the available table outside. The place was mostly occupied with women, even the servers are all girls. And Lina can tell that they are distracted by Cast’s presence, evidenced by their lock gazes, some gawks, and gapes towards their table.

 

Their server arrives. She appears nervous and unsteady while approaching them. She’s sweating badly when she handed them the menus. The server looked at Cast first, “Can I take you order sir?” she gasped out the question.

 

“Lina?”

 

The server slowly turned to her. Lina deliberated first on the menu on what she would pick. She usually orders their specialty whenever she goes to the place. But this time is different. She’s not the one who will pay for her ice cream and she think it’s quite rude to make a person who barely knows her spend a lot for her. So it nearly took her a half a minute before she make out her decision. “Uhhm, I’ll have a�"” she was about to pick the medium cup chocolate on the menu when Cast interrupted.

 

“Just give us the specialty of the house,” he said before she could finish telling the server her order.

 

The server immediately ignores Lina and placed her attention to Cast. “2 order of our specialty it then, sir?” she noted down on her memo pad.

 

“Yes,” Cast said without looking to the server.

 

“Would that be all, sir?” the server continued.

 

“And maybe some wafers.” This time Cast looked at her. Lina doesn’t know if he does it in purpose or he really is just too dazzling all the time regardless what his expression is. But she heard the server’s breathing goes heavy after Cast looked at her. The server left to take their order, and then Cast resumes their paused conversation, “You were saying again?”

 

“I was asking what are doing in our school earlier. You know, when I hit you.”

 

A sly smile curve his lips, “Oh, that.” She is certain that Cast is currently thinking about the event and finds it very amusing. “I was just checking the place.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I just moved from New York for about two weeks now, and I’m looking for a nice school where I can transfer.”

 

New York? So he came from a huge city. I wonder why he wanted to stay in Seattle. “What took you to Seattle? And did you find our school on your delight?”

 

“The weather, I love places with little Sun and little noise.” He answered honestly. “For the second question, the answer is no. I find the place as boring as hell.”

 

Lina burst out laughing on the harsh reality. “You’re not the only one who has that kind of thought.” Most of the people on their age group think that way.

 

“I know. But on the other hand, something changed my mind about your school.”

 

She arched her brow on that statement. “Will you tell me about it?”

 

Cast was about to speak but hold back. She perceives that he is still feeling uncomfortable upon sharing things with her. “No, I’m planning to keep my reason as a little secret for a while.”

 

Lina inclined herself to the table and give a more focus stare on his face, but not much because she knows what will be the consequences. She wanted to push her luck and wonders where it will lead her. She needed to know him more. “Hey, does that mean that you’re a secretive person?” she critiqued.

 

He shrugs off his answer, “Maybe.”

 

“And you’re also a man with few words, I assume,” she pressed on.

 

“Wise men only talks when they have something worthy to say.”

 

Lina placed her right arm on the table and rested her face on the back of her hand. “And you’re claiming that you’re a wise man too?” Her lips curved into a huge smile.

 

“Yes.” He crossed his arms on the table and incline to her, meeting her stare. “And you’re a clever girl,” he said, half-whispered. His gaze on her instantly sends shivers down her spine and it almost numbed her thoughts. She was just really planning to test the patience of her gorgeous stranger but with just one look from him, her control upon their conversation was completely lost. “I like that,” he added.

 

Lina gulped, pushing her oxygen against her throat. Her expression turned nervous again. The server arrives with their order. She sat back to occupy the table for her ice cream. Cast did the same too, but he didn’t remove his gaze from her. He appeared pretty amused on her reaction.

 

“Thank you,” she told the server handling her bowl of ice cream before she disappeared back to the counter.

 

“Are you really that easy to distract?” Cast asked, unrolling the tissue covering his spoon.

 

Lina replied by wagging her head, refusing to look directly to him. She also unwrap her spoon and took her first scoop of the ice cream. She was trembling while directing the spoon into her mouth. She was also deliberating what to say next. But when her food reach her mouth and she’d made her swallow some of her nervousness eased a little. Foods really had strange effects on her.

 

“So I’m just disturbing then?” he said, taking also his first scoop.

 

She sighed and gathered her confidence. “Yes Mr. Myen,” she glared on him. “For some reasons you are.”

 

“How can you say?”

 

“I just know. And you didn’t really distract me. You’re just fortunate that you caught me off guard.”

 

Her words instantly changes Cast’s expression and it turned more amuse than it ever been. Like her awkward words pleased him. “It appears that you’re a lot more interesting that I thought.”

 

“Maybe I am more than just meets the eye,” she said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

 

“Sure you are,” he said, believing her without a single doubt in his voice. “That’s why it made me came up into a decision.”

 

“And that would be?” she prompted.

 

“That this meeting is not going to be the last.”

 

Lina was taken off guard again by his statement. With an exception of Cairo, Kelly and Anna, no one had been interested to be at her company before and especially not someone as gorgeous as Cast. For her it was way too unbelievable, too good to be true. She even started to doubt if she’s really awake at the moment and not lying unconscious somewhere and dreaming about him and this moment.

 

She secretly placed her hand on her belly and for the second time of the day she pinched herself in order to be certain about her consciousness. Ouch! It hurts! And also for the second time of the day, she’d proven that she’s awake and Cast is real.

 

 

Cast spent the next few hours having the conversation of his life. Cast easily gets along with Lina, and Lina throughout their entire conversation appeared to become more and more at ease being around him.

 

Cast also found her incredible to talk with. She’s funny, witty, and can even make an interesting conversation out of a dull topic. They’d talk about a lot of things with an exception about their family backgrounds. Not once in their entire conversation that she or he mentioned anything about their families.

 

She makes a glance at her watch and gasped, “Whoa! It’s almost six.”

 

Cast checked at his watch too. It’s already 5:40pm but he doesn’t know why it bothers her. “Yeah, but I think it’s still early.”

 

“I know,” she slid her chair back and straightened up, “but my Nanny needs to go home at seven. And she can’t go home not until I’m back.”

 

“Do you need a ride?” he offered, hopeful.

 

“No thanks,” she refused tentatively. Her voice made a sound that wished that she can actually say yes. Whatever it is that’s stopping her, Cast doesn’t know. But he reminded himself that he is still a stranger to her. “I only live not that far away from here. I just need to return back to school where I left my bicycle.”

 

He stood up too, “Then let me accompany you back, I also left my car back there.”

 

“Sure.”

 

The walk back to the school was brisk. And even though it pained Cast to admit it, this is going to be a goodbye. At least he wished just for now. He hopes. Lina boarded on her bicycle and looked at him. The scenery is going to be the last if he doesn’t do something.

 

“Thank you for accompanying me. I really had a good time.”

 

“I did too.”

 

“Bye.” Specks of sadness were discerned on her eyes as she started pedaling.

 

“Bye,” Cast said in reply. But before Lina could make another inch away from him, he grabbed the handlebar grip of her bicycle forcing her to a stop. “Wait!”

 

Lina looked at him with a half-confuse half-stunned expression.

 

“Same place, again, tomorrow, after your class.”

 

Her eyes widened on his invitation, she went silent.

 

Cast had gone restless after giving her a request to spend another afternoon with him. He then realized that he’s being too hasty with her. Not to mention that she only knew him for few hours and he’s still a stranger who haven’t gained her trust fully. He doesn’t want to give her the thought that he could be a freaking stalker or a lunatic. And if he can’t restrain his self and continue acting like this, she might get scared and walk away off his life for good. He doesn’t want that outcome. But his fears materialize when Lina became silent. This put him into a state panic. Oh no, I must have done it all wrong.

 

Lina gave him a stiff nod, accepting his invitation, “S-s-sure.”

 

“Great,” he sighed in relief after hearing her agreement. “I’ll see you then.”

 

“I will,” she gave him her words. Cast smiled at her and released her bike. Lina resumes on pedaling and while increasing the distance between them, she glanced back at him through her shoulder one last time.

 

Cast followed Lina by gaze until she was no longer at sight. He doesn’t know what attracts him to her and what does these weird emotions that he felt means. But he perceives an unexplainable desire to be with her. And he is willing to do whatever it takes in order to obtain that.

 

Literally everything.

 

And for him, it’s not impossible.

 

He took his phone and speed-dialed the number of the most annoying being in existence. After four rings, the sharp and witty voice of Lucius Myne boomed into his earpiece, “Hello?”

 

“Luch, its Cast. I need you to do something.”

 

On the other line, his elder brother answered, “I’m listening.”