"Cherry, I don't think mom will be too happy to hear about it." I heavily sighed as I stared out the window. The streets of L.A were as lively and bold as ever.
"You don't trust mom?" She asked.
"I do, it's just that I'm afraid on what she's gonna think of me."
"And what is she gonna think of you?"
"I don't know, what every mother thinks when her child suddenly starts dating..."
"But I suggest you rather not hide it, Ari."
"I won't, I don't want to, but I also don't know how to tell it to her..."
"Leave that to me then."
"You sure?" I hesitantly asked her.
"Has ever mom not listened to what I had to say?"
"Uh, yeah...A few too many times." I scoffed.
"However, considering the situation," She cleared her throat embarrassingly. "She will understand and listen to what I have to say."
"I don't think she will be too happy though." I faintly sighed and turned back to the window. We were nearing our house. It was just a few blocks away. My heart was thumping at the thought of telling mom about me and Kai. Nervousness roped my body and mind. I was in a war of tug between excitement and restlessness and I could feel my intestines squeezing in as if someone was tying tight knots. The air around me got thicker and no matter how low I tried to lower the window, the fresh air wasn't of any help.
The cab suddenly halted and the once smudgy world was now a master piece portrait. We lived near the beach; across the vast ocean. The color of the water was a perfect blue; contrasting with the sky. The waves were not too high and neither too shallow. The whiteness that washed over the golden sand tempted me to run right over and wet my feet. I could hear the loud waves splashing against each other, quarreling over one another on who should be the first to touch the shore. The seagulls cried, the sun bowed, and a flushing evening was soon approaching.
As was casual, I rang the doorbell and waited for mom or dad to open the door and greet us with abundant hugs and kisses. Even though we were just away for a week.
However, this time, it was mom that opened the door.
A big smile told me how gratified and relived she was that we came home safe. She pulled us both in a tight, clumsy hug, kissed our cheeks and pushed us inside the house with our luggage before closing the door.
"Mom, where's dad?" I asked. I took off my shoes and headed to the living room. I noticed a few minor changes here and there like the changing of the curtains, or a new rug or a new pillow for the couch but nothing that would make me feel less homely.
"He's in office, will be home soon though!" Mom yelled from the kitchen.
Cherry sat next to me and I blankly looked at her.
Somewhat her expression assured me that she was going to take care of 'the matter' and I couldn't help but believe in her.
Mom soon appeared with a plate of sandwiches and placed it in front of us. "So, how was your flight?" She asked and sat across us.
"Good." Cherry said
"Tiring." I said.
"And how was your book signing?"
"Good too." Cherry replied.
"Perfect." I said and glanced at Cherry who was busy wolfing down her third sandwich already.
"Okay, anyway girls, you better bath and sleep fast because I don't want you both to have jetlagged faces tomorrow."
"Eh?" I uttered confusedly.
"Why? What is tomorrow?" Cherry asked.
"It's a surprise." Mom looked at me and smiled brightly.
"Mom as much as I love surprises, this one seems fishy..." I rubbed my hands on my jeans and rested my head on the head rest.
"It's not. I'm sure you will love it." She got up with that same bright smile and headed back to the kitchen.
My gaze followed her until she disappeared from my sight and as soon as she did, I grabbed Cherry's arm and turned her towards me. "When are you going to tell her?"
"Will you wait? We just came, Ari. Have some patience."
"Patience is my mortal enemy," I sighed. "But you better tell her before it's too late...I don't think we should waste any more time, Cherry."
"I said, leave it to me so leave it to me. If you force me, I won't talk to mom. It's all you then." She yelled and grabbed the last piece of sandwich.
"Fine..." I pouted and got up.
"Where you going?" She asked.
"Bath."
"Keep the heater on."
"Hm..."
I was just about to lay my tired body on my bed when right then, mom came in.
She sat next to me and gently stroked my hair. "Get a goodnight sleep my baby girl." Her eyes shone like pearls in the dimmed room.
"Dad's not home yet?"
"There are a few problems he needs to solve. Days have been hectic for him for the past few days."
"I want to tell him about my trip." I said as calmly as I could, but I still felt the sadness hanging to my throat.
"You have ample of time. Maybe tomorrow or the day after we can force him to take a day off." She chuckled. "Ah…" She looked down disappointedly. "He's going to China early this morning…"
"China? For how long?"
"Maybe for a week or two." She smiled faintly.
"I will stay awake—"
"No. You will sleep. You can always video chat with him, can't you?"
I nodded unwillingly and just stared down at my hands.
"By the way, how is your next book going?"
"Stuck in chapter two." I said with a faint exhale of disappointment.
"Well, give your mind some time to think and rest, okay?" She kissed my forehead and got up. "Just don't stress yourself too much. And once dad will be home, you can annoy him with your stories."
"Uh-huh." I chuckled and with one last goodnight hug, she left the room.
I grabbed my phone from on top of my bedside table to see if there were any messages from Kai or not but unfortunately, there wasn't.
I wouldn't say I was unhappy or despondent that he didn't text me because neither did I text him after coming here. I don't know, I just feel...I can't just text him right away and maybe he feels that way too? I also have to consider his schedule and health and stuff, so I better give him some time to be free from all those.
I placed my phone back to where it was and finally, let my head fall on the pillow and my mind to be captured by an unbroken sleep.
My alarm kept ringing, but my mind wouldn't work, and my body wouldn't budge.
I was still tired from all the traveling and I wanted to sleep just a little more. However, mom came in and woke me up. She never left the room until she was sure I was wide awake.
I groaned but eventually headed to the bathroom in my sleepy state. I remember falling asleep on the toilet seat and waking up at the sound of my sister thudding on the door.
Quickly, I took a bath, brushed my teeth and headed downstairs to the kitchen to fill my tummy. Mom made the usual; pancakes with fried eggs and I gobbled them up.
"Ari, get ready the minute you finish eating." She said and left the room.
I was too busy chewing that I couldn't ask her why and for what. But anyway, like she said, I got dressed. I thought maybe she was taking me and Cherry to the mall or something to spend some quality time together, but I was wrong all the way. She didn't want me to get dressed casually or anything, she wanted me to wear something bright and pretty and girlish type dress.
"But why mom? Are we going to a party or something?" I asked.
"We are going where I'm taking you and you're wearing what I tell you to." She annoyingly threw a yellow dress at me from my closet and walked away before I could argue with her anymore.
I tried to ask Cherry what the occasion was, but she couldn't answer me as well. She was as in the dark as I was.
After I got dressed (unwillingly) I headed down to where mom was. She was all dressed up and wore bling bling accessories and had make-up which she never does unless we go to a super important event.
"Mom...enough with the suspense, can you tell me already where we are going?"
"No time for that, we are already running late, hon. Where's your sister?"
"I don't know--"
"I'm here." I heard Cherry's voice from behind me and turned around. I wouldn't say I wasn't annoyed at her for wearing only an over-sized sweater with jeans and sneakers but why doesn't she have to wear a dress like me?
"Mom, that's so not fair--" I was about to complain but mom walked off to the garage. I hate when she does that.
"What's going on?" I asked Cherry.
"No idea." She shrugged.
"Don't lie."
"Seriously, I don't know what's up."
I sighed heavily and stomped my way to the car.
The entire ride, I kept my mouth shut and waited for mom to explain everything herself. But, the more I waited, the more impatient I got. She kept her mouth zipped so, so did I. It's only because I didn't want any unnecessary fights and awkward car situations. Plus, I wanted a smoothie from Carl's Jr.
We suddenly stopped and I looked out the window to see where we were. I wasn't sure of the place but the only thing that caught my eye was the huge mansion with the huge front yard that laid in front of me.
"Mom?" I asked.
"Come on, they might be waiting." She hurriedly got off the car.
"Cherry..."
"Yeah, totally creepy..." She commented and got down as well. "Come on, you don't want mom to pull you out now."
I closed the door behind me and followed mom. Cherry was behind me.
A butler of some kind came to escort us in the mansion. We entered this huge door that had this antique lion's head as the knocker and don't even ask me how the inside was. In just one word, it was magnifico!
My jaw dropped open not because I was not used to these kinds of things, pfft, no, it was because...forget it, it's true. It was new to me.
We stopped at what looked like the living room and I was about to take a seat on the royal couch when mom stopped me. She flicked her head towards the left and I saw that our not-so-close uncle, Mr. Brown and mom's best friend, Mrs. Brown were entering the living room. I glanced at Cherry, but she didn't react.
I tilted my head in confusion but before I could ask mom the reason we were here, my uncle and aunt came up to me and firstly, hugged me.
"Oh dear, you have grown to be so beautiful." Mrs. Brown smiled her best smile at me and took a step back for Mr. Brown to look at me. He examined me like a robot and then finally said, "She's perfect." He hugged his wife and then there were some awkward chuckles and then he took us somewhere.
"I know I'm perfect but why did he had to examine me like that?" I whispered to my sister as we were following my mom.
"I think I have an idea..." She looked at me.
"What is it?"
"I think--"
But just then, mom turned around and called me. I walked over to her and she gently held my arms. "Be at your best behavior, Ari." She said.
"I always am, Mom."
"I know, hon."
She didn't let go of my hand and I couldn't ask her what was going on because she wouldn't answer anyway.
We came to the backyard of the Browns mansion and just like any other part of the house, it was gigantic and decorated and what the hell...there were a few too many people I didn't know partying and drinking and just enjoying themselves with jokes and games.
"Mom, was it so hard for you to tell me that we were coming to a party?" I asked her but she didn't reply. She left my hand and walked towards Mrs. Brown who was calling a few of her friends to meet mom.
Seriously though, mom looks younger than any of them here...
"Cherry--" I wanted to be with Cherry since I began to feel uncomfortable but right when I turned around, I met with a fairly handsome person who wore an ivory sweater with light blue jeans.
"Sorry." I apologized and dodged him, but he blocked me again.
"Ari, right?"
"Uh, maybe."
The guy with dark green eyes chuckled, "You're amusing."
"Have me met before?" I asked confusedly.
"Maybe. I'm Cecil." He smirked.
"Okay well...good to meet you. I, uh, gotta go so see you later--"
"What's the hurry?" He suddenly grabbed a glass from the tray the waiter was taking away and handed it to me. "You're here for me, so stay."
I confusedly tilted my head and turned around to search for mom.
"Damn," He whistled. "So they kept it a secret like they always do, didn't they?"
"Huh?"
He came a little closer to me and gazed into my eyes. "You're here because I like you."
"Excuse me?" I took a step back.
"Surprising, I know. But as you can see, we're having an arranged marriage." He smirked amusingly.
"What...?"
An arranged marriage...?
"Yep and let me just tell you that you look more beautiful than in photos. I'm glad I didn't reject you."
What the hell?