When We Were Young

Chapter 10

Six years ago (Flashback)

Mia stood on the balcony, her perfectly manicured hands gripping the railing as she stole glances at the small flower garden downstairs. She choked out a humorous laugh before she beckoned to Riya, who eagerly stood up to join her on the railing.

“Wow! What a sight !,”Riya exclaimed in awe as she threw back her head to laugh with Mia.

The two of them looked back with curiosity etched on their faces at Paula, who remained seated while slowly sipping her chilled orange juice without a care in the world. Mia cocked an eyebrow at her with a smirk dancing across her blue eyes.

“Is that the rude boy next door?,”she asked her with excitement lacing her sultry voice.

Paula shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly before answering her.

“That’s him! The rude, arrogant and insufferable cocky bastard next door,” Paula replied in a sarcastic voice as her mind travelled back to the morning he had gripped her arms with vigour and shook her in an unladylike manner until she had vibrated with anger.

Paula still shivered whenever she recalled the dark eyes that had pierced through hers that morning. After her terrible encounter with Rafael, she had marched into her father’s study nearly in tears.

“Father, I want that new worker fired immediately! He disgraced me when l approached him nicely,” she had shouted as soon as she crossed the threshold into her father’s study.

Pedro Solano had simply looked up from his desktop and cast her a small smile.

“At least he knows his place!,”he had said with a smile tracing his lips.

“But father...”

Her father’s earlier smile had collapsed to be replaced by a cold look. Seeing the warning look in his grey eyes, Paula had immediately ceased her prattling. Her father had a sweet side to him but when he was angry, not even his favourite daughter , Paula could tame him.

“Stay away from that boy!,”he had warned her in his usual dangerously low voice she had come to fear.

Paula had bit back her sharp retorts and marched out of his presence fuming, slamming the door on her way out. For the next days she had avoided Rafael at all costs. She had even stopped visiting Hazel at her little snug cottage backyard and it was all thanks to someone ( note the sarcasm).

The three of them were seated on the balcony of her room sipping chilled drinks. They had been conversing nicely until Rafael decided to intervene with his presence. Her friends had rushed to the railing to gawk at him like some stupid lovesick puppies. Paula had rolled her eyes at their childish behaviour. But inwardly she hated to admit that Rafael’s face was some sight to behold.

It was the kind of face that once you see it, it was nearly impossible to forget. Those dark eyes made one want to explore him as a person. Rafael held that kind of captivating energy around him.

The day was very hot that the wind that blew around them was humid and gusty. Paula sipped again her juice while frantically fanning herself. Riya stifled a delightful scream that awakened Paula from her daydreaming. Paula raised her eyes to them. They were still staring downstairs with doe eyes. Riya was even trying to muffle her giggles with her hand.

“Damn right! He is such a sight,”Mia said huskily as a sly smile broke out on her face.

She waved to Paula to join them.