CHAPTER 4

Lance

"Let me just summarize the main points of our last meeting. We began the meeting by approving the changes to our sales reporting system discussed on August 15th. After briefly revising the changes that will take place, we moved on to a brainstorming session concerning customer support improvements. You will find a copy of the main ideas developed and discussed in these sessions in the photocopies in front of you. The meeting was declared closed at 11:30 AM." Mikaela said, reviewing the past meeting before moving on to the main topic of our discussion.

The team is starting to fix their presentation. They also handed in their proposals. I started to open the folder and scanned their proposal.

The meeting had not even started when I received a video call from Lizandrea. She is at her school, so why is she calling me at this time?

Since it might be an emergency, I quickly got my earbuds and put them on.

"Let's get started. We are here today to discuss ways of improving our sales in other market areas. First, let's go over the report from the last meeting, which was held on..."

"Lance!" She said, almost screaming on the opposite line. It is a good thing to wear the earbuds before answering her call, or else it would be embarrassing if they heard Lizzy shouting on the other line. "Are you on the meeting―anyway! I have good news for you! You have to see it!" She added, and now almost running.

What the hell is she doing right now?

She is supposed to be studying, but it looks like she is playing hide and seek.

"Tell me if it's her okay?" She said this and turned her camera to the students inside the room.

I typed my message saying I do not know what she was talking about.

After that, Lizzy zoomed the camera to a girl who was inside a room looking out the front.

Her? Who? I can't even see her face because of her hair.

"Can you see her now?" Lizzy asked on the other line.

"No." I answered and also started to wave my hand to my employees, saying do not mind what I am doing and continue the meeting.

"Do not worry, I will change my position. I will just put my phone secretly at the front door, so that you will be able to see her clearly." She said it and moved as if she was doing it secretly.

Why does she want me to see her? Do I even know her? I do not know any students from her school aside from her friends. Is this her new friend?

She placed her phone, and now I can see the professor inside lecturing, so she is really doing it secretly.

"Move your phone up a little." I said when I tried to find the girl, she's pointing.

She moved her phone up a little, just like I suggested. The girl is currently writing, which is why I can't see her face. I can only see her curly long hair.

"Why does she keep on writi― there!"

I got up from my seat.

It's her.

"Is it her? Is it her?" Lizzy asked.

"S-stop the meeting. I have to go. I am sorry," I said, and quickly left the meeting room.

It's her.

"Lance, are you still there? Is it her?" My sister asked on the other line.

"Meet me at your school gate. I will be there in a few minutes." I answered and ended the call before running to the nearest elevator. "She is here. She's here all along."

I immediately asked my driver to fly over Lizzy's school.

What is she doing there? Is she okay now?

After 15 minutes, I am now in front of Lizzy's school.

"Lance! Their class is already done, should I ask for her for you to talk to her?" Lizzy said when she saw me.

"Is she still there?" I asked while entering her school.

"We need to find her. Their class already ended a few minutes ago. So I don't know where she is right now." Lizzy answered while walking fast.

We immediately searched the building as if she was a criminal who needed to be captured. We roamed around the building, trying to search for her and might be able to see her walking or in a room.

"Do you know what her next subject is?" I asked, starting to get impatient.

"Duh! As if I knew." Lizzy said, rolling her eyes at me. "Remember when I told you that I thought I saw her already? And I am right! She is really here. She is beautiful in person, unlike what you have on your phone." she added, while looking in every room.

After 30 minutes of searching, there is still no sign of her.

"Do you remember who her classmates were? Let's try to ask them if they know where she is." I suggested, removing my coat out of heat.

My sweat is pouring down already from my forehead. I am getting tired and slightly annoyed because we can still not find her.

She is like a bubble that just popped up out of nowhere and burst after. Even if we turn this building upside down, I do not think we will be able to see her.

Lizzy shook her head, "No, I was not able to remember her classmates' faces. I was so focused on only looking at her that I only remember her features." She answered.

I could not even say anything because I felt the same way too. I was focusing on the person that Lizzy was trying to show me, and I never saw the other students around her.

"What should we do now?" She asked me.

I paused and was not able to answer her immediately.

I sighed. "Let's stop for now and go home. It looks like she is not here already. We can't just roam around here, the professors or any staff might see us. They might scold you. I am afraid we will disturb the other students." I told her.

She pouted. "I should have followed her a while ago. If I did, there is a possibility that we would be able to talk to her." she said, disappointed at herself.

I patted her head. "It's okay. At least we learned that she is here and she is okay. She is also studying here, and you are the one who saw her. You did a good job already, Lizzy." I told her.

"Should we go home?" Lizzy asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. You should. I will send you home before I go back to the company." I answered.

"Oh, right. Did you have a meeting a while ago? What happened to it?" Lizzy asked, curiously.

"I told them to stop the meeting and went out. That was so embarrassing. We will just start it again tomorrow morning." I answered.

I never thought about my actions a while ago. I did not even say bye or any reason why I needed to go that time. I hope my employees did not get disappointed, but if they did, I would not say anything because it was my fault in the first place. After all, they prepared for their proposals.

We headed out of the building. When we got out of the school, we saw Bricx standing outside his car, waiting for Lizzy.

"Bricx!" Lizzy called Bricx attention.

Bricx quickly looked up to us and landed his gaze on me. "Oh? Lance, what are you doing here? Is it your day off?" Bricx asked. "How's school, Lizzy? Did you have fun today?" he asked Lizzy.

Bricx more looks like Lizzy's brother or more like a father fetching his daughter after school.

"It's okay, I had fun. We are working on our new style of dress." she answered happily.

"That's good to hear." Bricx replied and turned to me. "How about you?" he asked.

"Nothing." I responded, avoiding his gaze.

"What happened, Lizzy? What's the news?" he started asking Lizandrea because he knew we were up to something. "Something really happened and I would not let it go. Spill it now, Lance. Sooner or later, I will know it too. Do not bother keeping it from me." he added.

"Aera is here, Bricx." Lizzy shared the secret. "She is here, I confirmed that she is really here in our school." she added, she sounds like she cannot believe that Aera is also studying here.

Well, even I was not able to believe that she was here. After a few years of trying to find her, we finally found her near us.

"What? Aera? Lance's girl?" Bricx confirmed the news.

"My girl? What the hell?" I uttered, completely denying his statement.

"Where is she? I thought she was missing. What is she doing here?" Bricx asked me, as if I knew the answers to his questions.

"I don't know. Why are you even asking me? I don't know what's happening to her." I answered. I can't even stop my eyes from rolling in annoyance. "Do not ask me things I do not know in the first place." I added.

I heard Bricx snort, "So, is she okay or not? She is studying here, so there is a possibility that there is someone helping her or that she is still with her mother?" He said that made me think that he was kind of right.

After what happened that day, I never heard anything more about her. I also tried to find her but to no avail. There was no sign of her.

In his 25 years of living, aside from his hotel business, this is the only good contribution he made to me, because all he did was spout some stupid things.

At least she's doing well. That's all I wanted to hear.