Chapter 61

Dianne rushed to where the scream originated. "Ri! What happened to her?" she shouted as she exited the foyer to the right. Carla followed Dianne, as well as the driver who came after her. They went inside the kitchen, and they saw Ria standing by the island counter while shaking her left hand. "Ri, what happened?" asked Dianne as she stopped beside her. Ria looked at her friend, while Dianne's eyes rested on her hand. Carla saw the electric kettle on the island counter beside the tea pot. It seems she already knows what had happened. "I was trying to make tea," answered Ria. "But I poured too much hot water, then this..." Carla went to Ria, then she held her left hand to examine it more properly. Her suspicion is true. Her former classmate had first degree burn. She looked around and saw the sink and a clear bowl nearby. She took the bowl and filled it with water. "Ri, come here," Carla said to Ria. The latter followed and went to her. Carla submerged her injured hand on the water. "Will she be okay?" asked Dianne who is obviously very worried. "Yeah. It's just a first-degree burn," Carla answered. "Your mom would kill me," Dianne said. "Why are you even doing this in the first place? You should just have asked the maid to do it for you." "Sorry..." Carla looked at Ria. She suddenly felt the sorry was directed to her and not to Dianne. "You're so clumsy, you know," Dianne said as she shook her head. The man who greeted Carla earlier entered the kitchen. "Miss, your other guests have arrived." "Oh, great..." Dianne looked at Ria. "I'll just go meet them. Wait for me here." Dianne went out of the kitchen, with the two house staff following her. Carla and Ria remained by the sink while the latter's hand is still soaked in the water. "Dianne asked me invite some friends over..." Carla looked at Ria. "Those who went in the medical mission, those were who I invited." And with that, she meant Edmalyn, Jovie, and of course, the Pure Act Dancers. Carla felt dismayed. "I'm sorry. I know, you and Joshua are not yet okay." Carla sighed. What else can she do? "I'll put some petroleum jelly on your burn, then I'll have it bandaged." She went back to her things and took out the first aid kit. "What happened?" It was James. Dianne was back at the kitchen, and with her are their classmates who just arrived – none other than the members of the Pure Act. Carla's eyes met Joshua's, forcing her to look away. Oh well, she definitely can't leave now that they're here. Aside from them insisting her not to leave, she also doesn't like James, Jeralhd, and Mark to suspect anything. She's not sure if Joshua already told them about what happened to them, but she's sure it would be weird if she would suddenly exit. "She burned herself," Dianne answered. "What?" James asked as he rushed to Ria. That's also what the other three guys did. "I'm fine. Carla is here, so..." Ria said. "Good thing Carla is here," said Dianne. "Now I've proven my grandfather's preparedness." "It looks like a slight burn," Mark commented. "For sure Dr. Carla can handle that." "But... she said she's leaving," Dianne said. Everyone's eyes diverted to Carla. She just sighed. "I'm staying," she said as she took the needed supplies for Ria's burn. "Great!" Dianne said. Carla did not see the meaningful look that Dianne and Ria threw to each other as she busily treated Ria's burned hand. ********************************************************************************** Joven and Jovie arrived after an hour. And after that, Edmalyn arrived with Carlo. That's when everyone knew they were official. Because Dianne is a big fan of Carlo, her attention was focused on him and Edmalyn. The three members of Pure Act are talking to Joven and Jovie, while Carla sits quietly beside Edmalyn. That's when Joshua had the chance to talk to Ria. They are now in the living room of the manor of the Guevarras. There were two sofa sets on either side of the living room, and there is a grand piano at the right corner of the room. Opposite the piano is a corner set. That's where Ria ang Joshua are sitting, while the rest of the group were divided on the two sofa sets. "I assumed what happened to your hand is not an accident," Joshua said quietly, making sure no one can hear him except Ria. "What else could it be?" Ria said. "So you deliberately hurt yourself?" Ria sighed. "The things I do as a Cupid... You're not even my mission." She looked at Joshua. Joshua smirked. "But I'm your friend." "Carla is my friend," Ria corrected. Joshua scowled at what she said. It made Ria giggle. "I can't believe you can really pull this off," Joshua said. "But, does Dianne know the real reason why you're doing this?" "Yes," answered Ria. "She knows everything about you and Carla. That's why she asked Tats to bring Carlo with her." "I thought she said that because she is a fan of Carlo," said Joshua. "That, and also to make sure Carla will feel out of place. Of course, Tats is with her boyfriend, making Carla the third wheel," Ria explained. "So, Dianne knows you are a Cupid?" asked Joshua. "She doesn't know anything about Cupids and Destiny and red thread. She just knows I love matchmaking, and she said she's my assistant," Ria explained. Joshua looked at Dianne. She is happily telling stories to Carlo and Edmalyn, and Carla is just listening quietly at one side. If only he can come and talk to her. But, how? Whenever their gazes meet each other's, Carla immediately looks away. "You're manor is amazing, Di," Jovie commented. "It's so massive!" "True!" Joven agreed. "It looks like it was built to entertain guests." "Well, my grandparents like holding parties, so they really made sure it will be big enough to accommodate a lot of people," Dianne explained. "But James' manor is bigger." "That's true," Mark confirmed. "They even have a golf course at the backyard." "Hey! Let's go there next," Jovie said. "Mayor, that's in Nueva Ecija. Your schedule might not allow it," James said. It means they have to travel more than an hour to get there. "Just why did they even thought of building a property there?" Jovie complained. "I don't know, Mayor," James said. "I wasn't able to ask my grandfather because he died while I was too young to ask." "That's really how it is, Mayor," said Joven. "That's how rich people spend their money. Investing on real estates." "If you want, Mayor, you can go to Ria's grandfather's," James suggested. "That's where she lives now, that's why it is well maintained and there is also unlimited food." "But it's not that big," Ria said. "My grandfather spent his money not on real but on personal properties." "Because his books are very expensive," James said. "Why don't you sell them?" "As if I could do that," Ria said. "Even though that will make me fifty times richer, I still could not sell them." "Just what are those books you're referring to, Madame?" Jovie asked. "Old books," answered Ria. "Like, first editions and literally aged books. Like when you opened them, you don't know if it's just plain dust or the pages are already decomposing." Everyone laughed at what Ria said. "So your library is huge?" asked Joven. "Well, yeah... If the pièce de résistance of the de Vera manor is their golf course, and this manor is their massive backyard garden, I would say ours is my grandfather's library slash office, which has become my office now," Ria answered. "Wow! Let's go there as well," Jovie said. "Then let's look at the first edition books of the great Enrique Nelmida." "Hey, Mayor, huh? It seems like you're scheming something," said Mark. "Shh! Quiet," Jovie joked. "Madame, can you name one book that is in your library?" "Uhm... Well, one of the first ever compilation of Shakespeare's sonnets, and also his plays," Ria answered. "And Jane Austen's, right?" asked Dianne. "Yes, but they are not first editions. I think 19th century editions? I'm not sure. But still very old," Ria said. "Whoa! For sure the value of those books is very high," Joven said. "Well, the first edition of Noli, I think it's 3M or more? I'm not sure," Ria said. "Whoa! You have a first edition Noli?" Joven asked. "Yes," Ria answered. "And the Shakespeare and the Jane Austen's are older, so they are more expensive." "Mayor, now you know," Mark said to Jovie. "Be quiet, will you?" asked Jovie. Ria grinned at her friend's banter. "But Dianne also has a library here." "Yes, but it's just small compared to yours. And most of the books are about botany, because Grandpa is a botanist, remember?" Dianne said. "It's a huge room with floor to ceiling book shelving," Ria said. "And there are also limited-edition books there." "Let's take a look," Jovie said. "Then Madame, you tell me where the limited-edition books are." Ria laughed at what she said. "Oh well, if you really wanna see." Dianne stood up. "But, it's quite an old looking library. If you're kind of creeped out with those old libraries, then don't tell me I didn't warn you." "Oi, is there a ghost there?" Jovie asked. "I don't think so, Mayor. But Dianne's grandfather guard the place," Ria joked. "There might be someone who would steal his limited editions." Everyone laughed at what Ria said. Except for Joshua who suddenly felt nervous at what he heard. "Oh well, let's go to the library then," Dianne said. Everyone followed Dianne to the library. Ria and Joshua also followed at the back of the group. "Ri," Joshua whispered. "Is it true that the spirit of Dianne's grandfather is there?" Ria looked at him in awe. "Are you afraid of ghosts?" "It's not that," Joshua denied. "I am just asking because I might see, right?" "Remember the rule? If you won't think about it, then you won't see it." Joshua nodded. He tried to remove from his mind the thought of what he might see in the library of that grandiose manor.