CHAPTER 7
EIGHT YEARS AGO…
"È davvero sicura di volersi sistemare qui, signorina Aurora?" (Are you sure you really want to settle in here, Miss Aurora?)
Fabio, one of their family drivers, asked her with a tiny knot on his forehead. They just finished loading everything up to her dorm room on the 5th floor. She also helped in transferring her things. They went back twice until they finished unloading.
"Si, Kuya Fabs. Please don't worry too much." She answered her worried employee. She was a bit hesitant to make him do the job because of his age, and she was afraid that he might injure his back. It was a lot, but they used a bellman's trolley. Her things were in a mess near the door entrance.
Fabio scanned the whole room to look for anything suspicious. He wasn't just a driver. He stands as Aurora's bodyguard as well.
"Signorina Aurora, se non le dispiace, posso dare un'occhiata in giro? È uno degli ordini di tuo padre per la tua sicurezza." (Miss Aurora, if you don't mind, can I look around? It's one of your father's orders for your safety.)
He was still worried. Aurora smiled at that, and she stood up. "Sure, kuya. Go ahead." She walked to the sliding glass door and opened it. She stepped onto the balcony. She let the old man do the rest of his checking in the room as she faced the scenery outside. She looked at everything her vision could see from where she stood.
She did not expect much, so what she could see online as she searched for a dorm to rent was greater than what she'd thought. The room she chose was big enough, and it was the most spacious room for two in the whole building. There's a mini kitchen, bathroom, two semi-double beds, and other usual dormitory set-ups. She just wanted a wider space to move around more freely. And she would be living with someone. She still had to get her at the train station later.
The people lurking below were mostly the same age as her. It's still moving day for the new university students. And tomorrow was the first day of classes.
She turned her head around and glanced inside the room. She saw the old man walk inside the bathroom. She shook her head with a small smile on her lips. Extra precautions won't hurt. She was certain that he's searching for any hidden camera.
Below was a highway, and the building across from her was exclusive for boys. The one she just moved into was for girls.
She heard a low knock at the glass door, and Fabio approached her side. He was pure Italian, and he could understand Tagalog or Filipino; he just couldn't speak it. He had worked for them for more than ten years already; that's why he understood them whenever they spoke the language. It's what they usually use at home. And some of their employees were even able to speak it for the years that they worked in their mansion.
"È pronta per la vita universitaria, signorina?" (Are you ready for your university life?) He asked as he looked at the other building and he shook his head. She was sure he saw something he didn't like and would take note of that. And she can guess it already. Her spot was an easy target for a sniper attack because of the position of her room and the glass was the only barrier.
She looked at him with a scrunched nose. "Don't think too much, kuya. Father's enemies were not that narrow-minded to make me a target. And yes, I'm excited for my next stage. I'll be finishing school soon. She rolled her eyes in that last sentence. Her father wasn't into any illegal business, but risks were unavoidable in the corporate world.
"Vuoi che aspetti l'arrivo di Ade così posso aiutarti con i bagagli?" (Do you want me to wait until Ade arrives so that I can help with the luggage?) He looked at her.
"No. We can take care of it. I'll make sure to make her suffer with her own belongings. She chose to come late." She said with slight annoyance in her tone. Her friend was in another city, who was Fabio's niece and the daughter of their mansion's butler. She said she had to take care of some things; that's why she's coming late. And her car was still in the mechanic shop.
Fabio chuckled. "Spero solo che non sia un fastidio nei tuoi studi." (I just hope she won't be a bother in your studies.)
"Nah-uh. We would be fine." She replied, dismissing his thoughts.
"Prendetevi cura di entrambi. Chiama se c'è qualcosa che non va o qualunque cosa ti serva." (Take care, both of you. Call if there's anything wrong or whatever you need.)
"Okay po, kuya. Thanks for the help." She gave him a small smile.
"Andrò allora, signorina." (I'll be going then, signorina.) He bid her goodbye, and they both went to the door.
"Take care on your way home, po, Kuya Fabs."
He nodded, and before she could close the door, she caught him pushing the trolley to the elevator.
She looked at her luggage and boxes, which made her exhale loudly. She should arrange them before they get the place messier later because of Ade's additional belongings. She started to open her luggage and put her clothes in the wardrobe on her side of the room that she chose. There were two beds across from each other.
After some time later, she felt the exhaustion. She was almost done, but she wanted to rest first before going for her friend. She looked at the time on her wristwatch. It's near 2:00 pm. Ade would call her if she was almost at the station.
She was a bit sleepy, but she doesn't want to take quick naps. It would only cause her a headache from lack of sleep. Instead, she opened her guitar case and brought the instrument with her to the balcony. There were two chairs and a small table situated outside. It's perfect for her tea time also if she was in the mood. The sun wasn't directed at her spot, so she stayed there with her guitar. She placed her phone on the table and started playing the strings.
One of the reasons why she liked the building was because it was built with solid concrete walls in every division of the room. The noises won't be easily heard, and she preferred that because of her hobbies. She liked playing instruments and singing. She doesn't want to create a disturbance to other occupants as well. And even her friend was loud enough when watching her favorite dramas.