"We met at last."
Francis said with a more meaningful smile curving his lips. And she didn't know why, but that smile of his really gave her goosebumps big time. So she cleared her throat and simply pulled away her hand from his grasp and simply looked away too. Then with a small smile painted on her lips, she faced their "audiences". And she wanted to groan when she saw how expectant and teaseful their parents' facial expressions were. 'Darn it! If they only knew!' She complained in her thoughts, but immediately smiled so widely at the crowd.
"Finally. We met." She said and forced a chuckle. Francis didn't react to that though. He was just silent there and she was so scared of what he was thinking at that moment. Was he thinking about blurting out the truth? She gulped and nervously whispered in her thoughts, 'Oh good heavens please no.'
"So? What do you think of my son White Francis, hija? Did he fit your standards?"
Don Omar asked teasefully that made her cheeks immediately flushed red in so much shyness. She looked at the people around her, well except for Francis, and saw the smiling faces of the crowd. She wanted to sigh.
"Uhm.. I.. I think it's too early to tell."
"But you find him so handsome right?"
She flashed a fake grin again. "I.. I uhm--"
"Dad."
She wanted to sigh in relief because of the thought that maybe he's going to stop his dad on teasing her or rather teasing them both. But in the end.. The relief she felt suddenly replaced with annoyance and hatred when he said..
"Don't ask her the obvious." Then he tailed it with a boyish chuckle. 'Like what the f?' Both their parents laughed in amusement because of that.
So she breathed deeply and gritted her teeth secretly. The brute! Frsncis was never a boastful creature before. But he just smoothly said those words. What was that for? Was he trying to piss her off because she won't throw a glance at him? Because as far as she can recall, that's his tactic ever since!
"Very well then, hijo. I will ask you then too. Did you really find our daughter so attractive earlier?"
She stiffened and cleared her throat while waiting for his answer without even glancing at him. And the moment she heard him answer, she then abruptly wished for the floor to just crack open and swallow her whole.
"Yes, sir. And not just earlier. But up to now. And probably.. Even forever."
And just by that she felt her cheeks burning slowly. What was he saying? She looked at her parents smiling so widely and eyes twinkling instantly of what Francis just said. Was he trying to impress her parents? Because if so.. Then he undeniably succeeded!
She immediately forced a laugh nervously. "Ahaha.. That's so.. Funny." She commented and wanted to throw a sharp glare at Francis. The brute!
"Oh it's not funny at all because it's true, hija. And this is such a good sign that because the two of you are both good-looking, then that's expected that we're gonna have beautiful and handsome grandchildren sooner or later!"
"Hahahaha you're so right, kumpadre!"
"Indeed, kumpadre!"
"Ahaha…Grandchildren. Oh God.. That's just.." She gulped and cleared her throat nervously. "That's just so.. Cute. Ahaha."
"Pfft."
She eventually looked at Francis' black shoes when she heard him controlled a laughter. Then she gritted her teeth secretly and faked a smile again before facing her parents and Francis' father.
"So," she forced an enthusiastic tone and clasped her hands while smiling so sweetly at the old ones. "What if I'll say, let's just continue talking about this.. Cute topic and just dig in first?"
"Oh yes, let's just talk about that later on, kumpadre and let's eat lunch already! Because I'm sure you're gonna love the dishes that Nelica personally cooked for you and especially for Francis."
"Oh I'd love that, kumpadre. I can't wait for my son to fall in love with her cooking."
"Just with her cooking?"
"Oh but of course, to fall in love with her too."
And the old ones laughed so hard that the topic seemed to tickle their senses. 'Jesus Christ.' Nelica commented in her thoughts and wanted to shook her head slowly. And just when she was about to sit down that moment and thought everything will just be just fine somehow over dinner, her mother suddenly said..
"Uhh, Francis, hijo. I want you to sit beside Nelica."
And just like that, her eyes immediately widened. "W-What?"
"W-What?" She nervously reacted. Francis will sit beside her? 'Oh God! No way!' She hysterically shouted in her mind while waiting for Francis' answer. Until she heard him speak up softly.
"Uhm.. I'd really love to, Madame. But I'm not sure if Miss Stenley would love that idea." Then Francis clearead his throat and said, "Is it okay with you, Miss Stenley?"
She wanted to glare at him. And she thought, why was he acting like that anyway? Acting like a gentleman full of plasticity? And when she was about to say something, her father interrupted her.
"Okay first of, drop the formality with each other and call each other by your first names. And second, don't worry, son. Sit beside Nelica and talk about things in life. You know, to start the getting to know each other stage. So do your thing now because I'm sure Nelica won't mind you sitting beside her at all." Then her father looked at her with a sweet smile. "Right, daughter?"
If she was only eating already that time, she was sure she just choked because of what her father just said. Darn it. But in the end, she just held her breath again and forced a smile. "Y-Yes, dad. Sure. I.. I don't mind at all."
Now it's Francis' father's turn to speak. "Oh that's good then. Now sit beside her already, son, so we can proceed with the eating part. Thank you, hija."
She forced a soft laugh. "N-Not a big deal, Sir." She said and cleared her throat once again when she heard him taking the seat beside her. Then she abruptly stiffened on her seat when she heard him chuckle boyishly.
She tightened the grip of her spoon and looked at him underneath. "What's so funny?"
He chuckled again. "You sure this is not a big deal for you?" He murmured enough for her to hear. And even without glancing at him, she knew he was now smiling at that moment or if not, probably controlling a mischievous smile for her. Knowing Francis? He's a major tease!
"And so?" She murmured back and gritted her teeth again. Then she looked at the old ones and when she saw them busy talking, she sneered secretly. The brute! It's a good thing that their parents were still busy chit chatting about the dishes she cooked or they would notice her change of mood that time.
Then her blood immediately boiled when she heard that deep and manly voice again.
"Miss Stenley.."
She gritted her teeth. "What now, Mr. Al Gala?" She softly and grumpily replied while her heart was fuming with anger and irritation.
Francis chuckled boyishly again and said, "Your mother told us to drop the formalities between us."
"And so?"
"And so.. Should I start calling you 'Venz' now?"