n-English dialogue tran

KE

o prep my brain. I also had to start on my study plan for o

Stu

Stu

E

Sle

nd give it

ssessments an

dy som

-time job I was tied to, actually. In just a couple of months

" had been my mom's usual advice for me lately. The 'exercise' part, I had been ignoring quite

e best if we just focused more on our progress-improving our lacking skills-than obsessing over getting excellent marks. The advice helped me a

rainings. I had also made it a point to befriend the nursing staff to brush up my patient care skills

lab samples drawn 20 minutes earlier. I'd almost perspired buckets during that late-evening shift. The bri

e of his stressful workload for him. In return, putting in the extra hours helped me push myself to perform better and improve my

ra hours, all those meticulous tasks, and all that pressure to perform well...

other line, my thoughts immediately switched to overdrive. His voice just promp

y brain could no longer focus on the anatomy and clinical surgery books

oice, the 'Mr. Lorenzio Tomassini - CEO' voice he used

n some ten seconds ago didn't quite prepare me. It pretty much startled my br

ansferred to my a

you gave me the money months ago. And I booked a quick photo shoot last weeke

on't have to pay me back now. So you don'

g his rather authoritative tone. "Okay.

terms in detail. He just kept saying, whenever I started earning more than enough to support myself. "Don't tak

up on the wrong side of the bed. Or maybe I was just

need it. You, on the other hand, nee

tic and disinterested at this point. But I didn't really expect he would just call me in the mi

o my texts?" he then asked

or

op talkin' to me?" He still called Miles "Maxim", which was M

doubled as I stood still next to my study desk. "Yeah. Before I

p communicating with Enzo because they didn't trust him or his family. Ironic. The Falcos had partnered up and had been doin

sighed, his question eg

munication minimal. If I told him the exact reasons Miles and Mrs. Falco told me, it woul

Enzo sounded

lf for my crappy half-assed apologies. "I just...I ju

sounded groggy, wea

now. I had put it off long enough. I stopped talking to him b

really expect me to believe him? That he had no idea as to why I had been ignoring his texts the pas

t?" he asked after an aw

de under the covers. His fairly incredulous tone made me frown. As if he didn

anna know what

dra

They're the ones telling you lies. Alright?" Enzo mumbled on the ot

ading through my new medical books, but he randomly rang me just to ask

let out a quick grunt. It sounded like

go away. "It's just disappointing, y'know?" I said while a heavy feeling weighed me down. It made my chest ache somewhat. Although I'd been tryi

ha

too much,

I'm a frien

ith me and would've come clean sooner than the Falcos could tell me t

likely thought I was just another sacri

st never thought he would turn out to be a manipulative liar, li

ghed. "You know I'd

ng me think Miles and his mother

verything Maxi

that easy, Lor

lezz

aut

be having this talk tonight. But since he had given me the opportunity, better yet address the issues t

se not make

ne of it was real. None of it mattered now. It was all just pretend to him. I was just too blind an

things," he said in a calmer tone. "Does

son, hot tears filled my eyes. Why wouldn't he

didn't tell you about Leo's p

y cheeks. "Look. I'm just gonna...find work ag

a, come

rs blurred my vision even more. I just hated losing friends, but I shouldn't

za, ti

ty, p

or all your h

on't talk like I'm nev

hone on my pillow on speaker mode as I took a few deep breaths and let the tears flow. I just cried to myself while my lungs

? Why was I even crying?

because it would only give me more sleepless nights. No sleep equals no concentration the next day. With school, exams, and eve

obably wondered why I wasn't responding

. I mean, the payment agreement. Or

unded slightly annoyed now. "

ke, next month or...when

re. Sort of b

nted in his answer. "I'll

kae

G'ni