"SHOO! SHOO! Go away, Luna. You are one annoying cat. Leave me alone."
Callea ran when she heard Deive's ranting. He was under the acacia tree and waiting for her. He was having a war with her cat again. The first time they met, they were like sworn enemies. And Deive was always a victim of Luna's vicious attacks.
"Luna! Deive! What's going on?" she asked with her arms akimbo. Luna ran to her and she took the cat in her arms. She was mewling as if asking for her help. "Deive?"
"I am not abusing your cat or anything. She's the one who keeps rubbing her body on me." He sounded irritated as he brushed off cat hair from his cotton pants.
"Oh, Luna likes you," she concluded and let out a giggle. "She just wants you to pet him. I thought you are getting along just fine. After all, she betrayed me for you."
"Look. I can be nice to your cat as long as he won't come near me. She gives me goosebumps every time she rubs her body on me. I don't really like cats. I am more used to women…"
"What?" she asked and her face darkened.
"Nothing," he said then let out a laugh that sounded so awkward.
"Come on. Finish what you started. You prefer it if other women would rub themselves on you? Cling to you like snakes?" she interrogated and pointed her finger at him. If he would mention other women again, she would ask Luna to scratch him. Even if she was the most special woman in his life, she couldn't help but feel insecure about the woman who was vocal in showing affections to him like Lindsye.
"Nothing. I said I will concentrate on this file," he said then waved his cellphone.
"Your Kuya Torque's rules and regulation."
RULES and regulation? That was not new. As the eldest Lopez among cousins, Torque was a stickler for rules. He had to because he had to run the household at such a young age. He had to act like a parent to Lee and his two younger sisters. And he was thankful for that because he served as a guide and model even to her.
Callea laid her palm. "Let me read it." Deive gave her the cellphone. Her jaw dropped when she read the rules made by her cousin. "We are allowed to hold hands but only for five seconds. You can kiss the back of my hand and my forehead." What the heck! It isn't the Spanish era anymore. (The Philippines was under the Spanish rule until 1898 and during those time, the people were conservative. No PDAs. No kissing until marriage, among other things.) "I am not a teenager anymore. This is absurd." Even teenagers have a more aggressive love life compare to her.
Her cousin was overprotective. He had no problems intimidating her suitors when she was a teenager because he was tall and had a nice physique. And Lee also teamed up with him to scare her suitors.
Deive didn't look intimidated on dealing with them. He looked chill. He was able to sneak off her cousin's back and into her heart.
"Your cousin doesn't trust me. I have an unsavory reputation. But I am willing to show him the new Deive. He said the rules would be dissolved once we are formally engaged or married," he explained.
"As if they could guard me twenty-four-seven. Holding hands for five minutes. And I can't kiss you?" It was driving her crazy. She liked kissing Deive. And she wished she could get a kiss from him tonight. "He doesn't have to know."
"Don't tempt me, Callea. I want to prove that I am worthy to be your groom. I won't do anything to jeopardize our relationship. This is not a game anymore. This is for real."
She hugged herself after she let Luna go. "Well, I had a little chat with your grandfather. He apologized for judging me right away because of how I look."
"Oh, we had a long talk about you. He told me that if you are good for me, he has no complaints." He lay his head on her shoulder. "They thought we were a perfect match at first. Then they were dismayed because they thought we are a mismatch. But we are working things out, right?"
Based on their first meeting, it was madness. Nobody would think that they would get along - the weirdo princess of the dark and the life of the party that everyone adored. Considering his track record of gorgeous, alluring, and sophisticated women, he would rather live with the penguins of South Pole than be with her.
Funny how he got used to her horrific taste. It was normal for him to see her wearing dresses with fake blood while playing the piano. And she was used to hearing him say that she was pretty even without makeup.
"I am just wondering, your grandfather offered to help you with business. You don't have to marry me. Problem solved. You don't have to sacrifice anything. Why did you decide to stay with me?"
He gazed at her. "Why did you choose me even if you will lose Villa Celesta?"
She didn't expect that he'd throw the question back. She twiddled with her fingers and looked up at the sky. "Well… I asked the question first." She was not ready to confess her feelings for him. The realization was still fresh and she didn't know how he would feel about it.
"I think you are in love with me."