Someone said, "Oh my God! It''s Arvin! Look! Arvin''sing! Woah..." Her excitement was so fervent that she couldn''t help letting out a scream.


    Another woman said, "Yes! It''s really him. Look at him, he''s taking off his sunsses! Oh, wow. Isn''t he a dreamboat? I''m actually short of breath. I like him so much! I don''t know what to do. My heart is racing..."


    Why all this doe-eyed fawning, Ang thought with irritation, rubbing her ears. Why, over nobody but Arvin? Women always found him attractive.


    Ang was faced with beautiful things every day, like flowers. Her emotional repertoire was already at its limit. She couldn''t imagine herself going crazy like this over some handsome guy. These girls were so insane, so immature.


    Besides, Ang had an amiable friendship with him. Ordinarily, Ang would whistle to Arvin, or joke around with him in the corridors. But now, she didn''t want to face him...


    However, Arvin called her name with a unadulterated look of anger.


    Nancy started. She nced at him, then Ang, then back to him. She thought they wanted to have a talk, so she released Ang and said, "Er...I better go. See you twoter."


    Arvin merely nodded to Nancy, and turned to Ang about to say something.


    But Ang was too quick. She yanked Nancy back, ostensibly ovee. Nancy spun around and faced Ang who whispered, "Nancy, don''t go just yet. Please."


    Nancy, understanding the fullness of the situation, swiftly returned to Ang''s side out of concern.


    Arvin didn''t care either way, and asked Ang what he had meant to ask in the first ce. "What did my mother say to you?"


    "She said the coffee in Les Cafés De La Rive Gauche is pretty good, " said Ang with a nk look on her face. "And that it will be cold tomorrow, so I better wear more clothes...that''s all."


    The more she rambled, the more she gave herself away. Arvin glowered at her, growing more disdainful with every word. "Ang Si!" He yelled. Atst, here was the hate-filled voice she dreaded.


    Ang and Nancy stood stock-still as his yell boomed, trying not to look at their shoes in fear.


    But Ang''s heart was emboldened by it. She red at Arvin and shouted spitefully to match his volume. "Why don''t you ask your mother what she said? Why do you ask me? I didn''t say anything, okay? Why are you mad at me?"


    ''Oh my god!'' thought Nancy. She couldn''t believe what she was seeing. Nancy never thought Ang could work herself up so much. She tugged her sleeve and said, "Ang, calm down, calm down..."


    Arvin stared at her and said, cidly, "I am not mad at you."


    All he''d wished to know was what his mother had told her, which made her not want to live with


    When her boyfriend betrayed her, all light and joy was gone from Cherry’s life. Deserted, bereft of hope, she married a man that she had barely met, but she had never expected him to be her ex-boyfriend’s uncle.


    Cherry thought that she had finally found her happiness, but she had no idea about the dark secrets that were bound to unfold and haunt her forever...


    lent for a while before saying, "No, I won''t."


    There it was. Atst, he replied. Ang felt the ocean pour darkly over her.


    Her hands were trembling, but she firmly grasped the bag. Why? she wondered. Why was he lying?


    Or was it his mother? How was she to tell?


    All right, she said inwardly, she would know the answer for sure tomorrow night. It would all be clear with one more day.


    Ang didn''t raise her head. She bit her lower lip and said, "Thank you. I''m leaving."


    With her cosmetics in her frigid hands, she turned and faced the door.


    "Ang!" he called. He looked forlorn in the pool of light thrown by the streemp.


    "What?" She half-turned, because she could feel the sobs mounting in her chest, but she didn''t want him to see her like this...


    Arvin didn''t reply immediately. He just stared at her back. He had sought to see her face, and he knew now the skin care products were an excuse. He wanted to see her. He missed her.


    But, it seemed like she didn''t want to see him.


    "Go back and have a good rest, " he cried to the wall that was her back. "Don''t forget your promise. Tomorrow, I will wait for you at home."


    Ang smiled and spoke to him in a rxed tone. "I know it and I won''t forget! You''d better go now! It''s cold!"


    After saying that, Ang pushed past the ss door.


    She kept walking deeper into the building until Arvin was out of sight, and then she got into the elevator. Ang leaned against the wall and dared herself to wave.


    But streams of tears ran down her cheeks uncontrobly.


    Ang could not fathom her own heart. Arvin did nothing to her, so why was she crying?


    ...


    The next evening, Ang asked for time off. She was in a bad mood. Arvin wanted her to take only one hour off, but she insisted on taking two.