Chapter 2

"Grandpa? You haven't done your checkup this year?"Asher turned to him with a gape.

She prolly found it ridiculous also.

She knows me just too well,that I hate this kind of arrangements!

Grandpa chest moves up in his sports top as he sighed.

Others didn't looked as surprised.

They must have known about this already.

So,I was just the clueless one dressed in red stupidly?

"Mr Howell, I'm afraid that I can't agree to this.

I don't have time for love and Mav and I are just friends."I rejected the idea, even though my brain was thumping against my head and my heart seems to agree with it because I could feel it in my mouth.

A one part of me agrees and the other disagrees?

I have never been so conflicted in my life!

I parted my lips,to steady my breathing.

An hysterical laughter pierced the dead-silent air.

"Oh such mentality of young folks! 

Love starts from friendship,you don't know?"my grandpa,I usually call him Mr Howell formally when I'm vexed,responded.

He was beside himself with amusement.

What I said wasn't funny,was it?

I downed my drink,before slamming the can on the table, exhaling loudly.

I passed a look to Mav to try to persuade them.

He gave a knowing nod before turning to his own grand father.

"Grandpie,yo..."

It only took his grandpa to raise his hand in the air dismissively to get Mavericks mouth shut!

I groaned.

"I didn't come back to America for this. I.."I spat.

"Just agree,dear. The elders have concluded already."my mom chipped in,with a voice as cold as ever.

Is she even my mom?

I turned to her,and she bored her eyes into my soul like she was too tired to see me try to persuade the men which isn't going to work.

She and Mav's mom always sit at our hangouts like this,like rocks that wouldn't bulge if a sun or rain befalls it.

I took my eyes away from her and to dad.

"Dad.."I called in my coolest voice that always get him to fulfill my wish.

He glanced at me,threw me a sad look that told me he wouldn't be able to help.

"We knew you guys wouldn't want to do that so how about this? 

You get married for a year and if things doesn't work out..."he drawled, looking between Mav and I

" ..you break up?"dad completed.

A sharp breath left my lips,my eyes closing on its own accord to un-hear every possible thing I'd heard in this gathering tonight!

"We can't let that happen."I heard Asher mumble, just loud enough for all of us to hear.

My eyes flung opened.

Someone is finally seeing things from my lens!

Her chin was propped up by her palm.

"Let what happen,Ash?"Mom demanded in a narrow stare.

"See?,Helena looks so thin for a bride, don't you think?

I'll text my friend who is a nutritionist now for help. 

The bride has to look breathtaking."she mouthed, exaggeratedly and brought out her phone.

"No one is bride'ing here,Asher! Get your thoughts together!" I retorted in a rasp.

Asher tut - tuts.

I stared at Alexis and he only shrugs.

Of course, no help is coming from him!

"I have a girlfriend!" Maverick suddenly announced but no one seems to care about that.

But, wait?

He has a girlfriend already?

My stomach churned in something I couldn't fathom.

Why should I get a reaction at him having a boyfriend?

It's totally normal?!

I balled my hand in a fist - no it isn't.

Why am i being so ambivalent is a question left for the gods to answer.

I've always been clear about every other things but tonight...was different.

"She won't be coming here anyway. She dumped you." His mom finally spoke up, holding on to an unreadable face.

My eyes darted to Maverick,and I saw his jaw clenched.

The almighty Mav was dumped?

How interesting!

"Come on,Helena. You agree also that you can't.."Asher tried to move closer to me for a gossip but I shunned her with a look.

She stuck out her tongue at me before going back to the whatever business she was doing on her phone.

I shut my eyes, trying to think of a way.

My heart yearns for me to say yes, but I have to use my brain.

I know my family very well.

It's no use trying to make them turn away from what they've decided. 

I can only work around it.

It's just like how I wanted to be a lawyer,but they said I had to take over business,and urge me to go into commercial field instead.

I had to give in,under a condition of going abroad.

Funny how they didn't know I studied for that law,while taking commercial classes online.

"Then...we'll do it!" I said,throwing my eyes opened.

I gazed at Maverick,and he has shock sprawled all over his face.

I took a breath in,not bothering to study other's reactions,

"But,the wedding has to be in private and quiet.

No campaigning since we aren't doing political election." I almost choked on my words.

I turned to them,and saw the delight in their eyes which soon faded after they'd taken my last words in.

"Both the heiress and heir of the top leading companies in the city are getting married and you want it quiet?!"my grandpa almost yelled.

I saw mom rolled her eyes,and Mav's mom just stare on,as a robot.

"Helena,you.."

"Just listen to what the child says."my mom supported, interrupting my dad.

Something clicks in me - excitement?

Maybe I was indeed excited. That's the first time mom would support my decision.

"I agree."Mav's mom also contributed to my idea.

The men were certainly not pleased with it.

I ignored them, taking my eyes to the sea.

The moon light reflects on it, making it look ethereal and so serene.

I could feel Mav's eyes digging into my soul.

But why hasn't he uttered any word?

I just made a decision for us both but...

"Let's just forget that."I sighed in my head.

My phone rang and I excused myself from the gathering as it was a call from work.

"Keep deceiving yourself. 

You're taking over the family's company."I heard my grandfather said behind me as I left.

Even if I'll still go to run the company, i still want to have my own business,and taste how good it is to make my own money.

I walked to my car before answering the call.

So,a new company had just launched and they're making similar products to ours.

I began the company last year, making Asher the supervisor.

Now that I'm back, she wasted no time in handing all papers to me since she hates anything business!

I had to hear her moaning about how stressful that was every night while I was still abroad and sometimes doze off while she's at it.

I told the manager I'd get back to her and leaned my head on my car,my arms wrapped around me as it was too cold out here.

"So much headache."I whimpered in my head.

"Are you regretting it?"Maverick's voice sounded behind me.

I turned around and saw him watching me diligently with his sexy eyes.

I opened my mouth to talk,but had to close it back,else,i would probably just blurt out "heck, you're so gorgeous!" that moment.

I don't wanna make myself that stupid.

"Don't look at me like that."I summoned myself up,as I scowled, turning around,and leaning my back on the car.

It's so hard to act like old times after being apart for so long.

"How am I looking at you?"he came to stand beside me.

Having him so close is so uncomfortable,so my head thoughts,but my body and emotions likes it.

"..like a whore."I huffed under my breath.

"I don't wanna be your next prey."I chuckled, rubbing the temple of my neck.

His stare bit into my skin,and I had to take a step away.

"Too bad that I find messing around women boring now."He replied,in a languished voce like someone who was tired of this life.

"But,you showing up suddenly..."his eyes went down to mine,his body hovering over me.

His head also turned, staring down at my lips.

I saw the glint of that familiar look in his eyes so I hiccuped lowly.

"It's a deal. You have a girlfriend. Nothing special is going to happen. 

We just wait for three sixty five days then call it quit!"I chirped with every breath in me, trying to step back.

My brain was finally in control,so it seems.

I believe I might only get hurt if I get close to him.

His muscular hand pulled my tiny waist into contact to his chest.

"You forgot we promised that we're gonna get married as children?"his rough and low voice snaked into my ears.

I remembered how we sat under the street lights that night, feeding on hot buns,ad locking our fingers together in a marriage promise after seeing a young couple walked by.

Different emotions I couldn't comprehend washed over me.

A silent sigh left my lips.

I remembered them all,our childhood momentts - they were lovely.

I cleared my throat, trying to sound unconcerned.

Why would he even bring something we said as children up?

 "What do you mean? That was then. We were kids,and we didn't know between friendship and couple'ship,there's a big difference." 

"Really?,but..."he drawled,his hot breath spreading over my body,ad hitting a spot I didn't know I still had in me.

Christ!

 He said he has changed, but he obviously hasn't!

Once a playboy,always one!

A thick saliva formed up in my throat,and I chugged it down.

Before I could get my thoughts together,his lips was on mine, kissing me deeply that I didn't know when I opened up to him, kissing him back hungrily.

What the heck is happening?

We were so not into each other back there, but why are we so close now?

I felt something in me..

Something different....

My heart longs out for him....

My feet getting wobbled on the spot.

Maybe I still love him - I still do. 

My breathing became rapid,as I was flooded by a need for him....

Just as the kiss began to intensify into us touching each other's body, someone's voice made us stop.

"Stop it! Bad kids! It isn't your wedding night,you shouldn't be making out yet!"

Ughhh... Asher!

But I don't want to stop.

It took ten years to get him to kiss me.

I spurred lowly in the kiss. 

Dang. That's so irritating!

..

"MAVERICK WELLINGTON,will you have this woman, HELENA HOWELL as your wedded wife,to live together according to God's ordinance in the Holy estate of matrimony? 

Will you love her, comfort her, honour her and keep her in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others,keep yourself only unto her,so long as you both shall live?"

"I WILL And may God help me."the groom responded.

The priest repeated the same vow to the bride,to which she also replied,

"I WILL And may God help me."