When she got home, she immediately prepared to cook. As the stew was boiling, she skipped to her drawer and looked for her little notebook and a pen. She turned to the last page she has written on. She was keeping track of her money. She kept subtracting from it this last week. She grinned as she added something today.
Then, she heard the door being opened. She stood up to greet him.
As Renzo opened the door, he caught a delicious smell permeating the air. With the lights on, he knew Ciara’s home.
“Did you cook?” He sounded surprised.
Ciara saw the package he’s holding. “Yes. You brought food?”
She suddenly felt awkward. And before she could feel embarrassed, he grinned at her.
He put what he brought on the table, “Let’s have a celebration. I’m guessing something good happened.” He went over to look at her stew.
“Looks good.”
“Thanks. I got a job today.” She immediately pulled plates to serve the food he brought. Roasted chicken and roasted potatoes.
“Wow. You’re fast.” He praised her, not really expecting her to get a job so quickly. He thought she’ll probably take at least a week.
She grinned, too. “I looked better today, because of the shower. And I wasn’t lugging bags with me.”
Her explanation made sense to him, so he nodded. He could understand people’s prejudice against someone homeless.
“You do look better.” He commented before taking a seat.
Ciara could feel the heat on her face. She wasn’t expecting his compliment, although it could very well be an offhand comment. She faced the stew so she could hide her face from him.
“What time do you normally come home? I could prepare dinner.”
“Early these days. Around this time. I haven’t found another evening gig yet.”
Ciara nodded as she filed the information in her head.
“What food do you like to eat?” She asked. A part of her is curious for personal reasons, she wanted to get to know him more, while the other part is so she knows what to cook for him.
“I eat anything. I’m not picky.”
She nodded, before muttering a “Me, too.”
She started setting the table, and ladling the stew on two separate bowls.
“Did you say your birthday was last week? Happy birthday, then.” He stated as he served her with the chicken.
She almost teared up. “Thank you.”
They ate with gusto. All the food on the table were delicious. Ciara was happily tapping her feet on the floor.
She was very satisfied with today’s outcome. She’s able to sleep immediately this time. She’s exhausted in a good way.
During the night, Renzo woke up and decidedly placed the lamp on her drawer upon being greeted by darkness. He saw the bills he gave her that morning. She put it in a glass bowl and topped it with a cute figurine of a smiling girl, something she picked at the store. He smiled at it.
The next day, Ciara strived to get another part-time job. Maybe as a cashier, or cleaner. She’s not picky. She checked the public bulletin as well, just in case someone’s looking for a babysitter.
She should save money for a phone. It would make things a little easier. Her phone was smashed to pieces by her mom’s boyfriend. She blew out her breath as she contained her annoyance at the memory.
She jotted down a few names and numbers she found on the bulletin. She vaguely remembered that Renzo does have a phone. Maybe she can borrow it later. She wasn’t as lucky as yesterday, visiting stores in the morning. Then, she prepped herself for work before lunch, eating early. She can’t be lucky every single day, anyway. Having this one job is already great. She maintained her positivity.
Renzo was hunting jobs that day, too. He was off schedule at the diner. Mid-morning, he saw Ciara running around a street. She’s persistent. Somehow, he thought if he could be that way, too. Well, he’s older now. He doesn’t have that much energy.
He was more strategic with his job hunting. Having only graduated from high school, his job choices are very limited. There’s almost no hope of getting a regular job and having employment benefits. He had to pay his social security contributions as a voluntary member.
He changes jobs every three to five months. The number of establishments he worked at in the last few years are many. He did meet good friends, though. Had some good employers. Sometimes, he would hang out with them when they call. Sometimes, he would hear about gigs from them. Over the years, he learned a number of skills.
He has worked as waiter, cashier, cleaner, bellboy, valet, bouncer, security guard, mechanic assistant, carpenter assistant, plumber assistant, electrical technician… He was not licensed in most things, but he knew how to get the job done. He snatched a few certificates, though not as good as a college diploma.
He was basically a jack of all trades, and yet . . . despite all his skills, his lack of proper education prevented him from getting a regular, good-paying job, complete with promotion and all those shenanigans.
He once planned to go to college, but upon learning how many years it would take and how much money it would entail . . . he gave it up. To him, that much money isn’t worth it. He’ll earn it and save it.
He overheard customers talking about their day jobs and how it’s not worth it. The student loans. The debts. It’s taking them so much time to pay them off. The stress. The dissatisfaction at work. At the pay. Colleagues. Bosses. The politics. The apparent unfair promotion. Things aren’t easy.
That night, Ciara mustered up her courage and asked him if she could use his phone. She gripped the little notebook in her hand. Renzo didn’t hesitate, though, passing her his phone.
“Thank you. I’ll save up enough money to get one soon.” She started contacting everyone on her list. It was already nighttime. Ciara waited for responses but none came. After half an hour, she reluctantly returned the phone to Renzo.
“Don’t be discouraged. You’ll hear from one soon.” He told her when he noticed her expression, hugely different from the one he saw in the morning.
Ciara managed a smile. She faced her little notebook and plotted her schedule. She has to make sure not to mess up. She should at least put an hour break between jobs, if she ever gets other jobs.
“I’ll leave this here, then.” Renzo stated before laying on the bed, putting the phone on the bedside drawer.
“Thank you.” Ciara watched as he tossed on the bed, getting into a comfortable position. Oh, she’s starting to have a serious crush on him. She stared for a minute.
She ruminated for a while before she heard the ding of the phone. She went over to check if it was a message from someone she contacted. It was, but a rejection, though. They already found someone. She replied to express her thanks. She sat on the floor next to the drawer. She’ll wait for another half hour before she goes to sleep. Before that time was up, Renzo turned in his sleep and she got a good look at his face. The phone rang again, and he opened his eyes at the tone. Ciara immediately averted her gaze as she checked the message. She grinned as it was asking for her available schedule. Renzo saw the glee in her face and he smiled before closing his eyes again. Well, good things are surely coming her way.
“I heard you have a girl at your house.”As soon as Renzo arrived at the bar, his friend Todd asked that question. He raised an eyebrow. Are they keeping track of what goes on in his house now?“I came by this morning.” His other friend, Kyle, explained to him.He sighed. Nothing’s secret with these guys.“Just someone I’m helping out. She’s off-limits.” He gave them a side-eye for good measure. These guys string women along and leave them for whatever reason.“She looked very young. Cousin?” Kyle asked, as he nodded.“Something like that.” He figured it would be difficult to explain if he said she’s a complete stranger. These guys are nosy.“I thought you finally have a girlfriend. How long has it been?” Todd asked as he received a fresh glass of beer, passing another onto him.He only grunted as a reply. He didn’t need to be reminded of that history. All along he wasn’t looking for a relationship, much less one based on “love”, as they put it. Three years ago, he did meet someone. S
The truth was . . . she didn’t know much about him. They have only known each other for a short time. Their interaction was limited. Ciara’s not sure if he’s the same with other people. Who knew if he’s simply hiding his negative traits from her? People like to pretend these days, no?She has this fear, that she would eventually discover something she doesn’t like. That maybe he’s the same as her mom’s boyfriend. Or her father, who couldn’t even be bothered by her existence. She has seen enough. She’s afraid he would turn out to be manipulative or abusive. Would she be able to leave his place at the first sign of anything toxic? She hoped the answer is yes.So far, she has no reason to believe he’s anything but what he’s showing her. She shouldn’t worry too much, especially when it’s practically baseless.One night, he came home drunk and he took his shirt off before going to bed. Ciara was startled, her heart beating erratically, but she recovered quickly when it became clear he’s al
No one would be able to discount Renzo’s hard work. Everyone who hired him for his services could tell you that he always does a good job and he’d been kind, polite, respectful, friendly… overall, a really good worker. No matter the personality of his boss, he’s amicable to anyone. He remained in contact with a lot of people who would possibly hire him again for infrequent jobs or projects. He gets a call or two in a week. He never runs out of jobs to do. But as majority of establishments do not hire for regular employment people like him who lack the educational qualifications . . . there’s the thorn in Renzo’s life. He had to make do.Sometimes, people would say he’s too nice. When he’s let go by a business, he wouldn’t say anything. He would accept it calmly. As he saw it, no matter what he said, no matter how hard he worked, he won’t be able to produce a diploma. So why does he still work hard? Recommendations. They do seek him out when they have a friend who’s starting a new busi
It wasn’t long before Ciara saved enough money for her own things. She worked hard. She’s taking inspiration from Renzo’s diligence. There were a few mishaps with customers, but they were eventually settled. Some people do really act so entitled and privileged. She hoped not to meet more of them in the future.As for her interactions with Renzo, it hasn’t changed much. Except when she started attending night classes. She would rush home to cook and eat dinner hurriedly, before going to school. She considered getting the modules but figured she would learn more with actual classes. Whenever she returned home, Renzo’s already.She only got to eat dinner together with him on weekends. Sometimes, he would have a gig or two in a month. Given the limited time they’re together, she normally initiates conversations with him. Their topics mostly cover her schooling and her hunt for a scholarship, as well as their respective jobs, if anything interesting happened.When she finally graduated, Re
“No, no. There’s no one. I wouldn’t even entertain it if a guy actually showed interest. I doubt I would even notice. I would like to focus on my work and building my savings. I don’t have time to date.” Shit. Her statements were like a double-edged sword. She has someone she likes and she’s saying all these to him. What in the world? How would he get a clue?“I mean, dating isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You just have to be careful when choosing whom to go out with. When you go out on dates, make sure the places you go to have a lot of people. And always tell someone where you are, just in case something happens.” His lecture continued and she began to look exasperated.“Really, I won’t be dating anyone anytime soon. I swear!” She even raised her right hand and promised him.“You can’t be sure. You might find someone you like. I’m just giving your reminders, just in case.”“I already have someone I like.” She ended up muttering. She froze before covering her mouth with her hands. Shi
On her birthday, Renzo did come home early.She wore the red sexy lingerie, underneath a stylish casual coat. It’s nothing over the top.She prepared a few dishes that they both liked and Renzo got her the cake. He also gave her a gift. This time, a bracelet. It would go well with her watch.She’s allowed to drink now, too, so she got a can of beer for herself. If it’s true that it helps in removing inhibitions, she needed that. After a few gulps, she decided that she’ll do it.Renzo watched as she had her internal struggle. He was amused at first, not knowing what’s going on in her mind.She bit her lower lip as she stood up. She moved around the table, standing beside his seat. When Renzo reached for a can of beer, she immediately removed her coat.Renzo was stunned for a few seconds before he started choking on the beer. He coughed very badly and it took a while to stop. Ciara handed him napkins. Renzo avoided looking at her body.“What are you doing? Wear your coat.” He couldn’t d
It was a sad experience and Ciara would admit that she felt a little heartbroken. The rejection was very clear. Renzo himself was surprised she has feelings for him. And he still treated her like a kid. That much was obvious. Well, she could still grow up and show him she’s no longer a child.Over the course of the next few years, their dynamics at home didn’t change much. Once in a while, like every other month, Ciara would tease him and express her feelings again, saying things like “I like you” or “I love you” but Renzo has never taken them seriously. He thought it’s just an expression of her gratitude or something. She’s being sweet. The other notable change is that Ciara’s choices in clothing are more… how do you say it? They fit her more and accentuate her body shape. Initially, she was feeling awkward with it but she eventually felt that the fit was actually comfortable. Renzo did notice the change but he didn’t comment on it. He’d seen other girls wearing such clothes anyway.
She was being playful. Sometimes she would kiss his cheek at the most random times. He’d never associated it with anything. Just Ciara being a sweet person. He never noticed nor cared how others perceived their closeness. Sure, she confessed before and she often told him she liked him, but he never took her seriously.“So, she’s an adult already. Are you sure you still won’t allow me to become her boyfriend?” Todd asked and he narrowed his eyes on him.“Who?”“Man, are you pretending? You live with her. Haven’t you seen how she’s hot as hell? Haven’t you seen how many guys are salivating just looking at her? I’m sure a lot of them already fucked her in their minds.”Renzo saw red. “What the fuck? Watch your words.” He almost went to grab Todd’s collar.Kyle watched from the side. “You do know how much Renzo cares for her. Why do you still have to talk about her that way? Show some respect.”“But man, are you really not going to give me a chance? I could give her a good time.”That’s i