Settle the Debt

The heavy rain didn't stop from pouring down, it cause a long traffic jam as an accident happened on the main road. Both Georgina and Giovanni couldn't wait for them to get home and unluckily the cab were they in encounters a trouble. In the end, the cab couldn't go on any farther because of a flat tire. Giovanni suggested staying in a nearby hotel until the rain stop but the trouble didn't stop there. The hotel doesn't have any vacant room, it's only a single room with a single bed. If they didn't grab the last room, for sure both of them will sleep in cold street.

In the end, they get into the room. After taking a shower, Georgina let the hotel staff to dry both their clothes since it's part of their services. She sits on the sofa, only wearing a white robe while Giovanni is inside the bathroom taking a shower. Few minutes passed, and she heard a phone ring, it's not hers but his phone. She look at the center table where his phone was and saw 'Kiela' on the phone's screen name. She's about to get it when Giovanni came out of the bathroom while wiping dry his hair.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Y-your phone keeps ringing," she said and went back to the sofa.

Giovanni looks at her for a moment before answering the call.

"Hello? I couldn't answer your call. I'm in a bathroom." He said. "Y-yeah, I'll pick you up tomorrow. Hmm... Okay, see you. Goodnight." He ends the call and sits on the edge of the bed.

A long silence lingers them. But even though they are not talking, she can still feel his gaze towards him.

"What made you go against your mother? The way you act before..." He broke the silence.

"She's a liar. Simple as that,"

"It's obvious you hate your mother even back then,"

No words came out of her mouth. She just played with her finger, giving a sad smile. "I hate her. She's the worst of the worst."

"It's enough talk. Go to sleep whenever you want." He throws a blanket over her and a pillow. "Sleep on the sofa. I'll sleep here."

Even if she wants to talk to him more, he turns his back and lies down on the bed with back facing her. The distance between them is short but still far away to reach. Before, after seeing Kiela's name on his phone feels like a thousand needles stabbed through her heart. She knows well, it's her fault. There's no way she has a right to be envious.

In the middle of her thoughts, the phone rings. She looked at the screen and saw Mr. Stealer. He has five straight missed calls earlier.

"Hey," she answer the call leaning on the sofa.

"What a good greet Hon, I appreciate your love."

"I'll hung-up if you didn't say something with sense,"

"I'm just kidding. Where are you? I'm worried you didn't get home safe. The rain is pouring down so hard." He said in a worried tone.

"I'm fine, sleeping in a hotel."

"Hotel? Don't you have a house?"

"Well, it's a long story, but I'm fine."

A silence lingers on the phone. Georgina gaze back to where Giovanni lies down, but in surprise he's looking straight at her with those cold eyes. She flinches and gulp. Those eyes felt like making her freeze in coldness, as if she did something wrong.

"Hon? Are you still there?"

"H-huh? Did you say anything just now?" She asked.

"I asked you if you're alone or with someone?"

"A-ah... I-I'm with..."

She startled when Van stand up and take a few steps in her direction. Her heartbeat skips so fast, couldn't even hear what Jaceriel saying on the phone. An awkward smile came out from her lips when Giovanni stop right in front. There's a menacing aura surrounding him. It's quite terrifying even for her.

"Hon? Is there something wrong there? Do you want me to pick you up? Tell me the address and I'll pick you as soon as possible," Jaceriel said, but the phone slip into her hand when Giovanni's lips touch hers.

It's too fast that she couldn't analyze what's going on. She wants to push him away, but her body is against it. This kind of nostalgic feels made her body remember how much he misses him.

"H-hon? W-what's that noise? Did something happen there? Hon?"

It took a few more seconds before Giovanni separates with her. Both of them gasping for air to breathe, but Georgina's face is too flushed. Her heart almost came out on how the fast it beat. It seems like her mind went blank and all she can feel is the soft strawberry taste lips of him.

On the other side, Giovanni notices the phone on the floor. The call is still ongoing. He got it and put near his ear.

"Hon? Are you oka—"

"You're lovely girlfriend is here with me, safe and sound."

Those words made Georgina came back to reality. She looks towards Giovanni, who has a wide grin on face while holding her phone.

"We just kissed, you know." Both eyes widened because of the words he give out. In that moment, she stands up and snatches away the phone, but before she can even speak a loud end, call tone beat welcome her.

"H-Hello? Hey, don't hang up on me."

"Worried because you got caught?" Giovanni chuckled.

"Caught? What the hell are you even doing?"

"I saw the two of you on the rooftop doing the same thing," she flinch as the memory of her came back.

"Y-you."

"It's an unpleasant scene,"

"Unpleasant? Tell me what do you want, Van? As far as I know, I didn't meddle with your business to Kiela before so, why the hell are you meddling with mine?" She raises her voice out of frustration, but Giovanni chuckles, taking a step closer to her.

He grabs her jaw tight, stare intensely through both eyes. "You asking me why? Then I'll tell you, like your mother, I don't want to see you happy."

A tear falls down to her eyes while staring back at her. Those eyes of him were full of anger and coldness, a feeling that she deserves to get but can't even accept hurts her so badly.

"You want to pay your debt, as well as the interest, right?" He said. "We already settle the interest. It's only based on your performance how it will end, but the debt is still on hold."

"L-let go of me, i-it hurts." She almost choked on tears.

"Oh my bad, I almost forgot. This is the only thing good for you." He gives off a short laugh and let go of her jaw. "Don't get the wrong idea, I'm not into hurting a woman, but whenever I see you... Sometimes it urges me to do so,"

"T-tell me what you want and let's end this night," she said without looking at him.

"I'll give you triple of what pain and struggle you give me, Gia,"

Those serious tone means Giovanni is damn getting serious about what he's about to say. It made her tears fall non-stop. A moment ago, her heart was beating fast because of the kiss, but now she came back to reality and realize how it hurts to fall in love with her ex all over again. It's rather good nor a bad thing, but she can't do anything and accept the pain however hard it is, since it's her own fault.

"I think... I understand your mother not wanting you to be happy, but we have a different purpose. She has her own reason and I have a different one. I give you a chance before, but you insist not going back to me ever again. This is your punishment, the debt you need to pay." He said. "Do whatever I want, struggle, get hurt and regret for the rest of your life because our break up doesn't end with a single period or question mark. You give me a lifetime of pain and struggles so, I'll give it back to you, until I'm satisfied with it, I won't forgive you."

No words came out from her mouth but a river of tears. It's painful. Those words, every bit of those words, give a ton of burden. It's really painful to just even think, where did he get those kinds of pain to end up being a madman? Giovanni change a lot because of her. It's the witch's fault for not doing what she promises.

"Even if you cry a blood nothing will change, I despise you. So, don't even think of being happy."

After saying those words, Giovanni went back to the bed, turns the lights off like nothing happened. On the other side, Georgina sits down on the sofa while sobbing, covering her mouth not to make a noise.

***

The next morning, the rain was still pouring down. Jin went to pick them up from the hotel early this morning. Even when driving towards their destination, the atmosphere inside the car is heavy and cold. Georgina, who sits on the back seat, keeps her gaze outside the window while Giovanni and Jin are on the front, not talking either. Jin looks at them through the rear mirror while waiting for the traffic lights to turn green. He notices how swollen Georgina's eyes are, as if she cried the whole night while the man beside him looks pissed. It's been like this since they met them in the hotel. The two has a proper distance from each other. Even until now, he can't get used to how they treat each other. One simple glance will make you hurt too, especially to those people who had seen them before they break up. You won't even believe they're going to break up.

"Do you want to eat breakfast first?" Jin tries to break the silence, but neither of the two answers. "Gina, did Marga call you? She called me last night and asking where you are, but I told her to call you."

"Don't mind her. Let's head to where the witch is now and finish it as early as we can."

Jin didn't talk again and continue to drive towards a cafe shop where her mom has been waiting for someone to meet. It's just a five-minute drive from the hotel.

After a few minutes, they came near the coffee shop. Even from the distance, they can still see her mother through the wall made of glass. She's already talking to someone. It's a different man from the picture.

"I'll go inside," Jin said, removes his seat belt.

"Let me come with you,"

"H-huh?"

"I want to come and hear what they are talking with my own ears,"

They didn't object to what she want. She just wear a face mask and the hood of her jacket that Jin brought before. Both of them step outside the car and head towards the cafe shop to let Giovanni inside the car alone. The moment they come inside, they choose a spot near her mother, but the only available is the table for two behind where the man seat. As the two walk pass by them, Georgina glance towards the man, but both eyes widened when they lock gaze on each other.

'Zairus Serrano?' She thought inside her mind as she sit behind him.