Chapter 2

The next day, I didn't see Engineer again, maybe he was busy building the new condo. My Innova broke down this morning so I have to take it to the workshop first.

The afternoon was tiring but because I crave pasta, I decided to go to the grocery store when I got home. I can just buy cooked pasta but I decided to make my own. I changed into more comfy clothes first; shorts, t-shirt and crocs.

I just walked to the nearby grocery. When I get inside the grocery I take a push cart. I get frozen foods, can goods, fruits, vegetables and other seasoning as needed. I meant to get lastly is the pasta. I even searched for carbonara pasta ingredients.

I am hold two kinds of pasta. The spaghetti noodles or fettuccine noodles. I don't know which is better of the two for my carbonara.

I dropped the fettuccine noodles when someone bump me. "I'm sorry." She said and picked up the noodles I just dropped.

"It's fine." I smiled at her. I already put the fettuccine noodles in my cart. I decided to just use that.

"Mazy," Engineer Rivera's voice said so we both looked where the voice is coming.

I was immediately nervous. He showed up and our eyes met while he is pushed a push cart which was still almost empty.

"G-good afternoon, Engineer." I remember even stuttering and nervous. He didn't even have a reaction. He just turned to Mazy.

"Let's go." He looks angry.

"Nice meeting you again. I'm Mazy." She introduced and ignored Engineer Rivera.

"Again?" I don't remember that we already met.

"Mazy," there was a threat in his voice. Engineer grabbed him by the arm but it slipped away.

"I live beside your condo."

"O-ohh yes." I remember now. She also greeted me when we got together in the elevator going to our condo unit. "Sorry, I forgot. I'm Venice." She smiled and shook my hands.

"We need to go. See you around."

Goodbye Mazy. I can see that Engineer Rivera is upset like he's upset that Mazy talked to me or something. I just let it go and paid to get back to the condo. I have also started cooking carbonara.

I follow the instructions posted on the internet and when I'm done I taste it. "It tastes good." I'm proud of myself, of course no one else will praise me if I'm not the only one.

I noticed that I cooked quite a lot so I decided to give it to Mazy. As I know she is also alone but maybe her boyfriend Engineer Rivera is still there. I rang the doorbell there.

"Ate Venice!" Hearing her saying my name I feel like she's so used to mentioning my name. I showed up carrying tupperware.

(Ate is used to address woman that is older than you.)

"I'm still learning but I hope you like my carbonara. I've cooked a lot, I'm the only one in the condo so might as well share."

"Come in, Ate." Embarrassed, I entered. I followed her into its kitchen.

"Is the Engineer still here? I'll add more in case he wants to taste it too." I would like to ask if they are in relationship but it's too embarrassing, Mazy might think I am too nosy. I stared at Mazy as she turned her back on me and grabbed the plate.

I'm older than her but she has a better body than mine. She has the curves whereas for me I still need to wear fitted clothes for you to notice that my body also has curves.

"He will taste this for sure."

"Hmm .. She's delicious. In fairness you're learning to cook, Ate." I don't know how he found out that I'm not good at cooking. When I moved to the condo, I just started learning to cook.

"Kuya! Kuya!" She called in the middle of her meal. Kuya?!

(Kuya is used to address man that is older than you.)

Engineer Rivera appeared topless. He has broad shoulders, muscles that are all in place perfectly as well as these eight pack abs! I just used to imagine his body but now I can see it. Wow!

"Kuya, taste this. Ate Venice cooked."

I noticed that he was surprised by my presence. His eyes can tell it but the panic also quickly disappeared.

Kuya! They are sibling and here I am I'm thinking that they are together. What is that, Venice! You are embarrassing. It sat down next to Mazy before taking carbonara. I don't know why and I was suddenly nervous that he would taste my carbonara.

Maybe because he's my crush so this is how I feel. My hands that is resting on the table, I lower to my thigh. My hand grew cold as I watched his reaction.

"Good."

That it? Then he continue eating again. I smiled there. He said it's good. That's enough for me to be calm. I stand up when they finished eating. I know it's rude to go when they are still eating but I have to go back to my condo.

"I'm going back now. Thanks God you like my carbonara." I said happily.

"Thank you too, Ate." Mazy led me to the door.

I had a happy night because Engineer Rivera liked my carbonara. My next few days were beautiful. I worked harder to learn to cook, especially since I found out that Engineer and Mazy are just siblings.

What I want the next time I bring food there is for him to taste it again. Ramone and Allyssa were so happy when I told them about what happened last time.

"You still have a chance sis!" He said while we are eating lunch.

We are back at work because there is more to do. I wore my anti radiation eye glasses before starting to do computer work. "Good afternoon, Engineer." I heard Jen's greeting.

I turned quickly. Here's my heart again, beating so fast. Damn it! He's so handsome! Especially when I see his hazel eyes but he didn't look at me. He receive greetings from the other employee so when he passed in front of me I greet him too.

"Good afternoon, Engineer Rivera." He look at me.

"Afternoon." I smiled since he greets me back. He just nodded to the other employee.

He went straight to Architect Hernandez's office. Wearing an eye glasses I continued what I was doing on the computer. The manager I talked to yesterday, I called today to have a meeting for furniture but he didn't answer.

That's what Martin was talking about. "Fuck!" I am feeling the stress. "Did they answer you, Martin?"

"Not yet, Venice. Why are they like this, we need them now."

We need them before the next meeting for confirmation of furniture and custom designs that Architect Hernandez wants. "We have no time to find a new one, we need it now." Jen said as she panic.

I almost threw away my cellphone in annoyance. "Shit!" I said out of stress.

I went back to my table to find another furniture store that I would agree right away. "What's happening?" I stood up when I heard Engineer Rivera's voice.

"The supplier that we talked to about the furniture is cannot be reach. We need it now, Engineer." Martin replied and his cellphone was still in his ear.

Our eyes met when he look at me, I just smiled at it and went back to what I was doing. Although it's hard for me to focus because he's watching. "What are you doing?" I quickly turned around again.

"Searching for new supplier, Engineer."

"No need. I'll tell Allen about this," He handed me a calling card.

"Call this number and tell them that I send your team, they'll help you." I quickly get the calling card and stood up.

"Thank you, Engineer." I said happily before he said his goodbye and left.

"He's so kind." Martin said.

I contacted the number he gave me and they quickly agreed. We will meet to see their furniture and pass them on to architects and engineers later or tomorrow.

"Good afternoon. I'm sorry I'm late."

I was lucky to be able to get close to a man with good looks. He's tall like 6 footer or more and also well build body that is hugging by his button down long sleeve polo. "It's okay. I'm just early." He pointed the chair in front of him so I sat there.

"I'm Miguelito Javier, call me Miguel." It held out a hand and I accepted.

"Aqua Venice Castro, just call me Venice."

"Have we met? You look familiar." He just smiled in response.

We started discussing about their furniture, we just stopped when our food arrived. I am curious about every thing since Engineer suggested this company.

"Are you close to Engineer Rivera?" I asked while slicing the steak order.

"Yeah, high school friends." When he said that, Engineer Rivera arrived on time.

"I didn't know that you will be join our meeting. Possessive, hmm." Miguel said when Engineer approached us.

I don't know if he heard my question but my cheek heated because of that. I sit properly because of him. He sat next to Miguel and me. "Order your lunch, bro. I won't pay for yours just for Venice."

"It's Ve-nice not Ven-nice." When I correct his pronunciation of my name.

"I'm sorry," he laughed. I just smiled.

"You're so rich yet you can't pay for my meal. Tss!" Engineer's sigh.

"Stop the non sense. You're richer."

When ordered our eyes met. I just smiled and ate slowly. If before I was comfortable eating with Miguel now, I am not. We finished eating so the conversation about the furniture continued. Everything is beautiful, they agreed to have customize design and there is a discount.

"I will call your company for further update. Thank you, Miguel." I shook hands with him but the young man also quickly released as if it was deadly to touch me.

"I'll go ahead, gentlemen." Goodbye.

I don't know should I ask Engineer if he is leaving or if he will stay. I just stop myself and smiled at the two. I have returned to my office for the furniture designs that we need so I can start ordering.

Not long after, I went home to the condo. I feel so tired when I got home so I went to bed. When I woke up, I took a shower and just ordered food because I was too lazy to cook.

The doorbell of my condo rang so I hurried out. "Thank you, Kuya. Have a safe trip." I greet him with a smile. When it left, Engineer Rivera was right in front of me.

"Why do you always just wear your panty when you are opening the door." I giggled at him instead of being shy.

"It's a boyleg not literally panty, Engineer." It stopped completely in front of me.

"It's Sean," I refrain from smiling because he might think I'm happy that we are now first name basis. "Is that your dinner?" It looked at the paper bag I was holding with the letter M logo.

"Yes."

"It's not healthy you know." I nodded because I knew. "I am too tired to cook so..." I showed the paper bag.

I was surprised when he came closer. "I'll cook you your dinner. Let me in." I don't know why I stepped aside and let him in. Well he's not a stranger but it's still not right that I let a man into my condo just like that.

My mind told me to send him away but my heart didn't seem to agree. I have this feeling that I should let him so that's what I did. I followed him into my kitchen. He opened my refrigerator to look at what to cook.

"What do you want?"

"Tortang giniling. You know that?"

Not everyone I know knows that so I make sure first. He simply nodded and took the ground pork and egg from my refrigerator. I sat at my mini island counter while watching him. He now turns around and slices garlic and onion.

"Can I help you?" I asked nearby.

"No. Just sit there."

"Ohh okay." I just followed and sat down.

I ordered two rice so maybe that would fit us. "Have you eaten?" I noticed he was stunned.

"Yes, I'm done."

First sauté the garlic and onion then ground and spices. When the meat is cooked, mix it with the egg before cooking again. Then you're done.

"Eat." He place the plate in front of me after cooking with ketchup next to it. I love ketchup. I took the orders out of the paper bag, I picked up the rice before putting it on my plate.

"Do you want to eat again? I have another rice here."

"I'm still full."

He simply answer before sitting in front of me. I am now at the dinning table. I taste his cooking first. "Uhmm, it's delicious." I comment.

Here I am again feeling like I missed this food but I usually cook this too. The difference is that he's cooking is better than mine, it's more delicious. I continued eating because I was so hungry when I noticed that Engineer- no, I mean Sean was just staring at me.

I saw amusement in his beautiful eyes. "What?" He just shook his head.

"I'll go ahead. Enjoy your food.

He said goodbye before going straight to the door and leaving. I smiled when he disappeared from my sight. He cooks me dinner! For me since I have a crush on him this is an achievement so I had a very fun night.