Chapter 16 - Galloping Horse (2/2)
Of all the girls he encountered around the globe, none of them exude the same compelling attractiveness as Olivia did. His interest grew exponentially the longer they spent time together and they were just in a freaking elevator.
Ding!
Maxen breathed a sigh of relief. He let Olivia exit first, trailing behind her as she walked towards her apartment door.
”Make yourself at home,” Olivia said as she opened the door, throwing her keycard inside a crystal bowl glass sitting atop a white console table. Upon entering, Maxen was puzzled as he observed the interior design of the place. It felt like he had stepped inside his own lair with all the masculine tones decorating the place.
”I know a good interior designer,” he offered to which Olivia replied with a stifled laugh.
”This was left by the old owner. I don't want to spend money on renovation because they all looked brand-new to me. Beer? Wine?” Olivia offered as she made her way to the fridge.
”I can handle beer,” Maxen's voice trailed off. After hearing Olivia's accent earlier, he made a rough guess that she grew up somewhere in England, therefore, beer would be the best choice to get extra points.
POP!
The sound of the beer can pop open gave Maxen a headache. ”Are you sure you want to drink this brand? Ahhhhh…” The rush of alcohol down his throat stopped him from speaking more. His eyes squinted and his face contorted with the bitter assault of malt that lingered in his mouth as he watched the galloping horse on the red can mock him to no end.
They made their way to the grand living room that had a floor to ceiling window with a breathtaking bird's-eye view of the metro. They sat on a gray mid-century modern style sectional sofa where Olivia sat comfortably, her tired lithe legs propped on the chaise side and Maxen on the far end, his arms propped on the sofa's arm.
”Ito ang tama. What does that mean?” Olivia asked as she examined the beer can in her hand after downing the beer like a pro.
”That translates to… 'this is the kick.' You'll feel it after a can. Don't worry,” Maxen nervously laughed. He knew how lethal this beer was especially to those who haven't tasted it yet. That galloping horse logo was a warning in disguise.
”I'll stick to a can then. But this tastes good,” Olivia said before drinking the last drop of beer in her can. She placed the can on the floor and removed the ankle-strap on her pointed toe pumps, rolling her ankles to relieve it from all the strain it had to endure.
Olivia and Maxen sat in comfortable silence, taking in the lights of the metro. A few minutes later, however, when she stood up, she felt her knees wobble that she almost planted her face on the floor. Maxen was so surprised by what happened that he sprang out of the sofa only to chuckle when Olivia threw her head back and started laughing maniacally as she sat on the floor.
”Ito ang tama,” she said in her slurry English accent. They share another laugh before Olivia broke it with a question, ”Are you ready to see her?”
Maxen replied with a small smile because he could not say what he really wanted to say. The way Olivia's eyes sparkled made the words stuck in his throat. He offered his hand yet Olivia stood up after raising a brow at him, making him shake his head when a realization came to mind: Olivia didn't like getting help.
”Ophelia was her name,” Olivia said as she traced a finger on the renaissance portrait of a cat, a tear escaping the corner of her eye when she started to get emotional all of a sudden.
”Don't drink that beer again,” Maxen warned. He should have stopped her from drinking that poison but it's too late now. Suddenly, a lightbulb flashed in his head: maybe he should ban the product entirely after it made Olivia cry.
Edited by Swaning