The dinner was good. I really had a good time talking to Bryle’s mom. She’s so cheery. We talked about a lot of things but most especially about Bryle. She told me a lot of Bryle’s embarrassing childhood memories that made me laugh the whole dinner while Bryle just covered his face with both his palms because he couldn’t stop his mother from revealing more of his embarrassing moments.
Throughout dinner, Bryle’s dad didn’t say anything but he kept on listening to what his wife was saying. I don’t know what had gotten into him that made him like that but I think his wife got something to do with it.
And now, we are currently inside his room in his parents’ mansion. She didn’t want us to go home since it was already ten at night when we finished our dessert and insisted us to just sleep in Bryle’s unoccupied room for the night. So I agreed to her because I feel like she’s going to sulk if we didn’t accept her offer and Bryle doesn’t have a choice too because I already decided to stay.
And then speaking of Nika, she didn’t follow us back to the dining room and went home instead. She just texted Mrs. Kraisee saying that there was an emergency in their household so she went home. But I didn’t buy her excuse because I know what really happened. She’s just ashame and scared to show up her face to Bryle because she’s been caught. So sly!
Bryle is currently typing away on his laptop beside me while I just lay in bed, doing nothing. I don’t feel sleepy yet because I’m used to sleep at five in the morning because of my job. And speaking of my job, yeah, I literally ditched it for the sake of that dinner with his parents. I didn’t inform Paulo about my leave and I didn’t tell Sean that I went with Bryle because he wasn’t with me when Bryle spotted me at the lockers. They’re probably wondering where I am now.
I sit up from the bed and pick up my phone that is lying on top of the bedside table and start typing a message to Sean.
| Sean |
[11:07 PM]
Hi, Sean. Still up?
I press send and go back to lie on the bed, waiting for Sean’s reply. After a minute, he finally replies back.
| Sean |
[11:09 PM]
Where are you, Alwin? I’ve been searching for you all over the school! I thought someone kidnapped you. And then I went to the restaurant but you’re not there too. It’s given that your shift is around seven but I waited and waited! You never came. Even Paulo is wondering about your whereabouts! We’re worried, Alwin! We don’t have your boyfriend’s number and we don’t wanna ask your parents about you because they might get worried too.
I sigh after reading his reply. It totally slipped off my mind the moment Bryle dragged me towards his car. I was thinking about a lot of scenarios that could possibly happen during dinner that I forgot to text Sean and even my parents. Though, my parents are already used to me being missing in action at the house because they know that I’m always with Bryle.
Bryle had been to our house a couple of times too. The first time he went there, he brought me three red roses while a big bouquet of red roses for my mom that made her soften at him immediately and welcome him. He literally didn’t do anything but he was immediately welcomed to the family. So much for a pretend. After that, he would come by to the house whenever he has time and eat dinner with us.
There’s also these one time that my mom invited him to sleep in at my room and he agreed. But at the middle of the night, he finally regretted it. He kept on tossing and turning beside me that woke me up from my deep slumber. Turned out, he couldn’t sleep because my bed was so small for two people that we had to snuggle closer to each other to fit in. And the other reason was because the room was so suffocating and hot. I don’t have an AC in my room so he had to endure the scorching heat.
| Sean |
[11:11 PM]
I’m sorry for making you and Paulo worried, Sean. Something came up and I forgot to tell you. Bryle suddenly showed up at my locker earlier this day after my Literature class and brought me to his parents’ house. Unfortunately, his mom invited us for dinner and messaging you slipped off my mind because I was busy entertaining his mom.
I press send again. I waited for a minute but when Sean didn’t seen and reply to my message, I then put my phone back on the bedside table. I think he’s asleep already.
I sigh in boredom and try to close my eyes again but Bryle’s voice makes me open my eyes again.
“Why do you keep on sighing?” He asks me without sparing a glance towards my direction.
“Well... I can’t sleep.”
“Hmm...” He hums, “So what were you and Nika talking about inside the bathroom? Did she hurt you?” He asks and finally turns his head to look at me.
“She almost slapped me in the face, thank goodness you came on time or else she’ll skin me alive. I could literally see smoke coming out of her nose after I rebutted her. She was so scary, you know!” I exclaim, remembering the scene that had happened earlier this evening with Nika.
He laughs lightly at me, “Why? What did you say to her? And what did she say to you?”
“Well... I don’t know if she’s just being delusional or what, but she said that before I came to your life, you took good care of her like what a lover would do but since I came, you’ve been completely ignoring her. She also told me that I snatched you from her and that you two were supposed to get married by the end of this month. All I ever did was burst her bubble,” I say boastfully, “What are you doing, by the way?” I ask, changing the topic and scoot closer to him to look at what he’s doing with his laptop. I feel uncomfortable reminiscing that incident.
I didn’t have a hard time peeking because he immediately turns the laptop towards me so I can see it properly.
“Here. What do you think of this?” He asks referring to the photo of a restaurant named ‘Mitchellin Five Star’.
I squint my eyes before looking at him confusedly. “What about it?”
He sighs. “Have you forgotten that next week will be our fourth monthsary?”
My eyes widen in realization. “Oh... You mean our fake monthsary?”
“Yes, fake...” He says in a defeated tone, “So, what do you think?”
“It’s good, I guess. I mean— it’s up to you. It’s not like I’m the one paying,” I say in a small voice.
I don’t have any knowledge about that kind of stuffs so I’ll just let him decide for that. I’m not rich like him so I’ve never been to that kind of places at all.
He chuckles at my reply, “Okay, this is it then. All you have to do in that day is to act surprised to my surprise,” he says, quoting the “surprise” words with his pointer and middle finger.
“What... do you mean?”
“You know... Pretend that you don’t know anything about the dinner I’ve prepared for you.”
Oh, okay. I understand what he’s trying to say now. “Okay...”