A/N: FINALS ARE OVER. YEAHHHHH~ SCHOOL IS OVER. YEAHHHHH~ SUMMER IS STARTING. NOOOOOOOO. . .

Yeah, anyway, I'm back. I'll update on The Kidnapping later. Then probably end that story on Friday. I plan to update every other day (like for Pretend or Not Pretend) for Because of You. I think I'm going to end that story somewhere in July. Then after that, MAYBE, I will publish the sequel for Another, Once Upon A Glance, and the specials for Pretend or Not Pretend. Maybe. Still undecided.

Chapter 14

Max

It's called denial. Believe me, I've been in that situation countless times. And according to my calculations, I'm in a very similar situation as yours, also regarding the opposite sex. I wish he would just leave me alone! I mean, really! He does not have the right to do that to me! I've always fantasized-

Wrong. Delete. Delete. What was that? "I've always fantasized"? WHAT WAS I SAYING?

Let's start once again. With another topic. A DIFFERENT one.

People who have good looks aren't very good at hiding. Take celebrities. Wherever they go, paparazzis follow them like canines hungry for raw meat. Those people are not very good at blending in too! They think that if they wore glasses, people would think they're normal citizens. Well, guess again! Some people, even if they wear glasses, still look recognizable. What's more, they look even more handsome in glasses.

Crap. I mentioned him again. What is it with him?

Wait, you're probably confused by now. See, my Thanksgiving break started two days ago. But before the break could even start, my English professor told us that he's going to give us an assignment that we have to turn in the day we get back to school. And that assignment involved our favorite book ever and a journal.

Basically, we have to take passages from the book and respond to it. AKA "dialectic journal." And we have to find four and have a 200-word "conversation" with those passages.

I'm the only one in my class who thinks it's stupid. (I mean, talking to an inanimate object, much less a passage? Who thinks that reasonable? It doesn't make any sense!) But I never voiced my complaints to my professor. And if I did, I would still end up doing the assignment. It's his win.

I did none so far. I couldn't find a single passage without me mentioning Fang. Not directly, but when you read my past attempts, you'll know I'm talking about him.

Ever since that incident (me freezing to death and him stripping me half-naked), it seemed like every single thing I see has some sort of relevance to him. Like an eraser. Since I always see him writing, of course he would use an eraser.

And it's even worse. Like once, I saw a rock stuck inside my shoe. And I think of Fang. It doesn't make sense, I know. In fact, my life lost its meaning when I met him.

I wonder everyday if my life would ever go back to normal. Or if my life was destined to be this way.

Meeting him was not a bad thing, really. Truthfully, it was. . . a relief. That was the sole purpose of my vacationing in Spain: relaxation. And the first time I saw him (hugging the guitar and all), I felt an urge. Like I had to kiss him. You know the story of Sleeping Beauty right? The prince was attracted to the sleeping princess, and that's why he kissed her.

Well, in my case, it wasn't an attraction. It was more like a responsibility. I had to kiss him, but I didn't know why. I only noticed his handsomeness when he woke up.

Bringing the past aside, let's talk about what happened during in that incident.

We're adults. Fang and I. We're both twenty-one. Legal to drink alcohol. But, it was my first time in a situation like that. It almost seemed like he was seducing me. But in my head, it didn't make any sense since don't women seduce the men, instead of the other way around?

So I felt hot. Not hot, like summer hot. But hot, like. . . I don't know the word but it was my first time experiencing it. And I don't know if it was good or not, but I just know that I want him to kiss me.

Fang didn't. He didn't do what I wanted him to do. He just picked me up, brought me to my room, release me to my bed and left. That's it.

Ever since that happened (it was two weeks ago), I was curious about his feelings for me.

Did he like me?

Fang

Lately, I see Max writing in a journal. What could she be writing in that journal?

Today, Ella and Iggy came with me to the cafe I work. Since I'm told to work today, I left Ella and Iggy to find a table to themselves.

As I change into my uniform (black apron and vest), Emma comes and taps my shoulder. Turning around, I face her and give her my What-is-it look.

Emma sighs and squeezes my shoulder. "This week will be very busy. I suggest that you call Max for help."

"Why?"

She points to the front window of the shop. Boys and girls are lining up, waiting for the cafe to be open. "See that? Those are couples."

I say, "I can see that, from the way they're holding each other for warmth."

Emma smiles at my sarcasm. "Anyway, for some reason, Thanksgiving break is a couples week. Couples flock my cafe everyday of the week. And they always order the same thing."

"What?"

"Angel wings. Which is really weird since they're often eaten before Lent. But the couples eat it during Thanksgiving."

I laugh. "Or Christmas. Angel wings can also be eaten during Christmas because of the high fat content."

She shakes me. "That's not the point! My point is I need more people! Call Max now!"

"You know she will reject."

Emma lets out a breath. "That's why you're going to call her. She will not reject you."

Guess again.

I go back to the dressing room and take out my phone. I find her number and click the Call button. After two rings, she picks up.

"What?" Her annoyed voice greets me. I smile.

"Emma needs you."

I hear her let out a huge breath. "Why?"

"Couples."

In the background, I hear a loud smack. She probably dropped a book. "And you only told me this now?"

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Max, just come here."

"Fine." And she hangs up. I put my phone back inside my bag and leave the room. Emma was waiting outside.

I nod at her. She smiles and tells me to open the doors.

Here it goes.

Emma was right. Almost all the couples ordered angel wings. What is it about angel wings that they order it all the time?

I've had it. So when a new couple wanted to order, I say, "Two plates of angel wings?"

The two look at each other in surprise and nod. "That's all?"

The guy orders. "One mulberry tea and an espresso."

Before I leave, I ask them, "Why did you order angel wings?"

The couple smile at each other and blush. This time, the girl answers. "Well, when this cafe opened, it was said that the old chef used to make angel wings, not for any random customer, but the chef picks who he's going to give the angel wings."

"That's it?"

She shakes her head. "No. See, the angel wings were served without the powdered sugar coating. The sugar was separate, in a small bowl. Those who got the angel wings will take the small bowl and dump it over the angel wings, and they will find a piece of paper."

"What's in the paper?"

The guy replies. "People who got the paper said that there was one line in the paper. And the paper has a twin. If you find the twin, the person who had it is your soulmate."

"And if you didn't, you won't be able to find your soulmate?"

They both nod. The girl continues. "Once, the chef gave two plates to a couple. It was the same. They dumped the sugar over the wings and found the paper. But their papers weren't twins. They weren't meant to be together. Sure enough, two weeks after that, they broke up. Turns out the girl was cheating on the guy."

I smile. "So you want to know if you two are meant to be."

They nod again. The guy says, as he takes the girl's hand, "We've been together for two years. We want to know if we really are soulmates."

I nod and leave. I look back and I see them being affectionate to each other.

How I envy them. I give Jen the order and go to the kitchen. Emma is making frying the angel wings while Max prepares the sugar. She takes several pieces of folded paper and drops one to each bowl. Beside her is the jar of powdered sugar. I take it and dump two tablespoons in each bowl. Max looks up in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" she asks and continues to drop the papers.

"Helping. There's no more new customers." I finish adding the sugar and place the bowls beside the plates.

Emma calls out to me. "Fang, do the frying. I'll take the plates to the customers."

"I'll do it," Max volunteers.

She shakes her hand. "No need. I'll do it. Fang, start frying." I give her a salute and we change places.

I daresay, the atmosphere between Max and I is awkward and heavy. We don't talk to each other.

After five batches of frying, Emma tells us to take a break. Max and I retreat to the Dress room. I plop on the couch and Max takes the loveseat. I cover my eyes with my forearm and try to take a nap.

A knock on the door; Max goes and opens it. I sit up and Emma brings in a plate of angel wings.

"This is for you guys. Thanks for your hard work. I'll see you tomorrow." And with that she leaves.

Max takes a wing and hold it up to the light. "Is this as good as people say it is?"

I shrug. "I think so."

Max takes a bite. She makes a face. "It's bland."

I take the bowl and hold it up to her face. "This is why there's sugar beside the plate."

"We dip the wings in it?"

"We dump it."

Max jaw drops. "Really? I wanna do it!" She takes the bowl and dumps it over the wings. A cloud of powdered sugar hangs in the air. I fan it to disappear.

As soon as the cloud disperses, we both take a wing and eat it. But there's something weird. I taste something dry and it's not supposed to be there. I stick out my tongue and pull the piece of paper out. Max does too.

"What the heck is this?" Max complains.

I carefully stretch out mine and read the line written on the paper. It says, "There are two things you can't hold in in this world: sneeze and love."

I smirk. I face Max. "What does yours say?"

"Hm? It said that the two things you can't hold in in this world are sneezes and love. This is wrong! You can't hold in farts too, you know! This paper lies!"

Max finally notices the face I'm making. "What's up with you?"

I drop my head. Max comes to my side. "Hey. What did yours say?"

I hand her my paper.

We're soulmates?

"They're the same." She pauses. "What does this mean?"

My thoughts exactly.

A/N: I made a poll weeks ago. I don't know if you guys voted yet, but I hope you will! So, how's your summer going? Any plans? PM or review your comments! I'm going to New York on the 30th! RnR?

Iggy: And you're not taking us?

Fang: How cruel can you be?

Max: TAKE US WITH YOU!