LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 14: Boys Are Not Toys
Ethan's POV
I ate lunch with my fellow farmhands and couldn't believe I would be one of them. The girls were stealing glances at me as they whispered to each other, and Vince looked so amused. He invited me many times, but I said no.
He loves working here as one of them, but it seemed like my father asked him to claim as the son's owner since I could hear the girls talking about him in the hallway.
I didn't care if they believed my cousin was the heir; it would be better that way, so they would stop bothering me. I didn't want girls to like me because of my family name.
I wondered what kind of job my cousin was doing here on the farm, but he had always been fascinated by the serenity of this place, and only this time did I understand Vince. The farm was like a paradise. I could see the beautiful plantation surrounding the farmhouse, and even the hills that mounted at the end of the plantation belonged to our family.
My dad used to bring Vanessa and me to the hills every sunset during our vacation. And it was one of my favorites and one of the things I remembered about my father. Only lately, he had been traveling and visiting here and the rest of our properties all over the country.
He used to be a workaholic, and he seldom stayed at home. He always had an out-of-town or out of the country trip. We missed him around, but Mom always said our father needed to be away to provide for us; as I grew older, I hated the idea that he was always away from us.
My grandparents passed the company down to my father. My dad can delegate his work, but he wants to run the business himself. My grandfather told him not to trust anyone, and that's why he is hands-on.
Girls flirted with me even if they thought I was an ordinary farmhand, but I didn't give them my slight attention. I didn't come for fun; I meant business and must work hard to have a better future. I didn't want my father to laugh at me and show it to my face that he was right.
It has been five days since I started working, and I already got three late. I knew Nina was not pleased with my work performance, but she couldn't fire me yet because she pitied me and wanted to help me.
"You better sleep early, Ethan, so you won't be late tomorrow. I don't want others to follow your bad behavior, and I don't want them to tell me that I am biased. I wanted to be fair to everyone, so I am warning you to please come on time tomorrow, or I don't have a choice but to fire you," Nina said after she called me to her office.
"Or you will remain working at the stable if you keep coming late." She added.
"I promise you, Nina, tomorrow I will not be late. I will wake up early morning. I think my alarm clock is broken." I lied.
"You can use your phone, or I will give you another alarm clock. I know you are used to waking up late in the morning, but you can't do that anymore since you're working here on the farm." Nina answered.
"What is this?" I asked Jonathan after he handed me a piece of paper.
"It is from Nicole," he answered, and I smiled.
"I think it is a love letter," he added.
"No one is making love letters nowadays," I replied as I opened the folded bond paper. My eyes dilated as I read what was written on it.
"Meet me at the hills at five thirty tomorrow," it says.
"Oh, I think she likes you," Jonathan mumbled.
"I am not interested in Nicole," I replied as I tore the paper and threw it on the trash bin under the desk inside our room.
"Well, I noticed not only Nicole; many girls are flirting with you," he responded, and I shook my head.
"I am not interested in anyone; honestly, I wanted to stay away from everyone. I don't like to mingle and to make friends because I came here to work, and I have a hard time because I couldn't even wake up early in the morning, no matter how you try to wake me up every day." I declared, and he laughed.
"Don't worry. Next time, I will drag you from your bed and carry you to the bathroom." He replied, and I laughed with him.
"So, you are not going to meet Nicole? She will be waiting for you. What do you want me to tell her?" Jonathan asked.
"I don't need to meet her; tell her anything you want. I didn't reply to her note, so it means I'm not coming. I don't want to give her the wrong impression since I couldn't offer her anything, and I don't want to go for a fling nowadays. I am not in the mood to do so." I responded.
"It seems you are used to girls like her," he replied, and I shook my head. I don't want to brag.
"Well, I didn't want to brag, but yes, I am used to girls like her and her friends. And it turned me off. I didn't want girls to confess their feelings for me and make it easy for me to have them," I said.
"You are not bragging; I can tell it by how the girls reacted to your presence; they used to run after Vince, but after you showed up, they stopped showing interest in Vince and tried to have your attention." He stated.
"They better spend their time chasing Vince. He is a rich kid, and I am sure they want someone like him," I answered.
"They became fascinated by you and found you mysterious, " he declared, and I chuckled.
"My life is an open book. I came to Adriana's farm to earn money so I could start my own business. I am not rich like Vince." I lied.
"You graduated from college, and why are you working here at the farm?" He asked with curiosity, and I felt my face turned red.
"I want to experience new things, and I hear Adriana's farm offers a good salary, but I don't like cleaning the stable and inhaling the odor of manure the whole day," I replied, and he cracked up.
"I wish to learn about agriculture; it intrigues me, and I love the peace around here. I am tired of the hustle and bustle of the city." I added.
"Your family must be loaded; college education is expensive," Jonathan muttered.
"Not loaded. My parents have decent jobs, and their income was enough to send us to school." I hated lying to my new friend, but I couldn't tell him the truth.
"You are so lucky. I wanted to study college but had to help my family first. Maybe when I have a lot of savings, I can pursue my education," Jonathan said, and I smiled at him.
I wished to help him someday and make his dream come true. The money I spent on partying would be enough to send Jonathan to college, and I hated to accept my father was right.
Earning money is not easy for some people, but I have it flowing in my hands. This is the lesson my father wanted me to understand, and I am starting to get it now. It wouldn't be easy to be on my own, and I am forever thankful I am Isagani's son. I finished my education without worrying about tuition fees and allowances.
I get along with Jonathan because he is a good man, and I can feel it in my heart that I can trust him. I know that I could not tell him about my secret, but at least aside from Vince, I earned a friend, and this time, I know he is a true friend because he doesn't know who I am.
The following day, I woke up earlier than usual, but I was still late, and I could see Nina's disapproval on her face as I approached her in the hallways.
It is official: I am still in charge of cleaning the stables for the coming week, and I felt so down the whole day. I learned how to brush the horses' hair, carry the hay from the hay rack, and feed the horses on time.
I befriended the stable boys and learned to adapt to my situation. I couldn't wait to be transferred to another department and learn new things.
"Don't go to your room yet, Ethan," Nicole said as she cornered me in the kitchen sink after I washed the glass I used to drink some water. It was late at night, and I didn't expect to find the girls in the kitchen talking and giggling.
"I need to go back to my room now, Nicole; I am tired," I replied as I continued to walk towards the door. I smiled at her, and she blushed right away.
"Aren't you interested in knowing about something," she said, and I stopped in my tracks and looked at her.
"About what?" I asked, trying to be interested in what she was saying.
"It is about Meliza Lizondra," she answered, and I frowned.
"I haven't heard that name. I am sure she is not a celebrity or something," I responded, and the girls laughed.
"Of course not," Crystal added.
"Why are you talking about her?" I asked.
"Well, just to give you a heads up, we don't want you to fall for her," Nicole said, and I stifled a laugh.
"Why would I fall for this girl?" I asked.
"Now, I became so curious about this girl you were talking about. Is she that beautiful that made you think I will fall for her?" I asked, and they all nodded, and I shook my head.
"Ladies, don't judge me that easily. I will not fall with just a random girl," I replied, and I could see the amusement in Nicole's eyes as she batted her eyelashes and came closer to me.
"Well, beware, Ethan. That girl was using a love potion, and she is a witch!" someone said, and I could no longer control my laughter. I cracked up, but they didn't laugh with me.
"Hey, why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, and they told me all about her, and before I even met Meliza Lizondra, I had already loathed her.
"Yes, Ethan, you are right; she is a social climber and gold digger, but even if you don't come from a wealthy family, she can still use you and play your heart with her fingers, and you will do crazy things for her," Nicole said.
"And I am saying it would be best if you would settle for girls like us. I am single and ready to mingle." She added as she came closer to me, and I stepped back.
"Yes, me too, Ethan. I am single and available twenty-four-seven." Crystal added, and the rest of the girls said the same thing.
"Girls, thank you for the information, but for now, let us all be friends, okay?" I asked.
"Of course, Ethan. We can be your friends, which is why we are telling you about Iza," Nicole replied with a broad smile.
I excused myself, and I felt relieved that they let me go. As I lay on my bed, I couldn't stop thinking about this Meliza girl. I am interested in knowing her since I wish to teach her a hard lesson. She should not use boys for her entertainment.
I wondered how beautiful she looked and how she made those girls jealous of her. I couldn't wait to meet this girl and make her realize that boys are not toys that she can play with her fingers.