Meanwhile, Lola lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She swallowed hard, then closed her eyes, trying to ignore her fluttering heart.
"He just said I smell nice," she murmured, clutching her chest. "Why are you racing? Goodness."
She slowly rolled onto her side with a heavy sigh.
"This feels like déjà vu," she whispered, reminded of how she used to swoon over the same guy. Clicking her tongue, she shut her eyes. "Don’t think about it. Ignore it, Lola. Ignore it."
She repeated the words over and over, but to no avail. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at the empty side of the bed.
"For some reason, this bed feels wider now," she said with a slight frown. "Should I switch rooms with him?"
Hearing herself, she scrunched up her nose in dismay. She had planned to leave the restaurant tonight or at least talk to Atlas about his stay, but their conversation had moved so fast she completely forgot.
She shut her eyes again and forced herself to sleep. It took about an hour, but eventually, she drifted off.
*
*
*
[Short Flashback]
"Did something good happen?"
Lola perked up from her seat next to the bed, pulled from her thoughts by her mother’s voice. Her eyes landed on Loren, who was propped up against the pillows. Loren’s head was covered by a scarf, her complexion was pale, and her face was hollowed by sickness, yet her eyes shone beautifully and gently.
"Do you... have a boyfriend now?" she teased her daughter, chuckling as Lola’s face blushed.
"No—no!" Lola stuttered, touching her cheeks as she pouted. "Mom, why would you say that? I’m too young, and I need to take care of you."
Loren’s smile remained, and she motioned for her daughter to come closer. Lola crawled onto the bed and nestled beside her mother.
"Lola, you don’t have to take care of Mom," she mused, tilting her body slightly to see her daughter. "That’s not your job."
"But..."
"No buts." Loren squeezed her daughter’s hand gently, her brows rising reassuringly as she nodded. "Alright? You’re with me because you want to spend some time with Mom."
Lola pressed her lips and smiled.
"So? Is he a good guy?" Loren changed the topic.
Lola pursed her lips, looking at her mother with a hint of bitterness. How could her mother read her like an open book, but she still couldn’t read herself after living an entire lifetime?
A shallow breath escaped Lola as she leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder. "I think...?"
"You think?"
"He’s a senior," she continued with a frown. "But he’s also very quiet. He studies all the time, whether he’s eating in the cafeteria or just idling."
She fell silent, thinking about how her crush never looked anywhere but at his books. She’d also heard that the reason he always wore earplugs was that he was listening to an online class.
Lola snapped her eyes up to her mother. "If one didn’t know, people would think he’s an outcast. But he’s quite popular."
"I see." Loren nodded in understanding, seeing the admiration in her daughter’s eyes. "Then, why are you smiling?"
"Because he helped me earlier in the library," she said. "I was having a hard time getting a book, then someone reached out and took it out for me. When I looked around, it was... him."
Her cheeks grew rosy with heat, and she pressed her lips together to muffle a squeal. "My heart felt funny after that."
"My little girl is really becoming a lady," Loren mused with a subtle smile. "Lola, my dearest, if you like him, then I like him too. As long as he’s a good person, I’ll cheer for you if you pursue him."
"Mom." Lola frowned, clicking her tongue softly. "I just admire him because he’s very mature for his age. I’m not planning on pursuing him or anything like that."
"If that’s what you say."
"Mom, stop teasing me..."
At the time, Lola was certain she didn’t plan on doing anything. But with her mother’s teasing, she started to reconsider, eventually learning to bake chocolates just to show her admiration for the guy.
****
The next morning...
Lola opened her eyes slowly, as if she had just closed them for a moment. The morning sun shone on the lower part of her face.
"What a way to remind myself how silly I’m becoming," she whispered, sighing as she rolled onto her back. "Oh, Lola. Second life."
Second life, she thought.
She had worked so hard to get to this point. She was still far from her goal, but she had come a long way. There was no point in dwelling on the signals Atlas seemed to be sending her. If he were doing it intentionally, she believed he would tell her. Until then, there was no need to dwell on it.
With her mind clear, she stretched her body. Cedrick hadn’t reached out yet, and she was done waiting. Once she finished fixing herself, Lola successfully kicked herself back on track. She walked out of the room with confidence, jogging toward the kitchen. Her steps slowed, however, when she passed the living area.
"Huh?" Her brows knitted. "Who in the world was that?"
That didn’t look like Atlas, she thought, walking backward until she reached the living area once more.
She turned on her heel, and her world stopped for a moment. Her eyes scanned the man’s thick fur coat, his sharp, tinted sunglasses, the blings on his fingers, and the couple of chains around his neck. Her face twitched at the ridiculous outfit so early in the morning.
But most importantly...
"You are...?"
The man seated so leisurely on the couch turned in her direction. His eyes narrowed behind his sunglasses before he pushed himself to his feet. Without a word, he marched toward her.
"What—what—" Before she could step back, he reached out and clasped both her hands together. She froze, watching his mouth stretch from ear to ear as he bent over.
Now, looking at him up close, she furrowed her brows. He looked quite familiar.
Then, he tipped his sunglasses up with his forefinger, just enough to reveal his eyes. With that, she instantly recognized the face.
Her jaw dropped as she blurted out, "Sla... ter Bennet?"
The superstar Slater Bennet?!
He grinned. "Hehe," he giggled, keeping her hands clasped between them before shamelessly greeting her, "Please marry First Brother!"