"An arranged marriage?" I scoffed in annoyance. "Will you excuse me for a minute? I need to go and talk to my mom." I quickly turned back on my heels and marched towards mom who was talking to a gorgeous looking lady. Of course, every daughter would think that her mother is the prettiest of them all. Mom looked a lot younger than that lady.
"Mom!" I yelled and she confusedly turned around.
"W-what is it, Ari? Keep your voice low, will you?" She shouted at me in a whisper and turned around again to talk to the lady.
I stopped behind her with furious eyes and boiling blood. "Mom, am I getting married to this Cecil guy or whatever his name is?"
She turned around again and sighed. "Yes."
"What?!" I crossed my arms annoyedly, "Mommy," I mumbled and slightly dragged her away from the other ladies. "You can't just arrange a marriage without my consent…"
"I think that's what 'arrange marriage' means, Ari." She said coldly.
"But Mom--"
"I don't want to hear you arguing or making a commotion right now," She glared at me. "You understand?"
I couldn't say anything more because of her death glare. So, I turned around and walked away. I knew it wasn't right to act this way with mom, but I was getting so angry by the minute that I couldn't control my face from turning plum red.
I looked around for Cherry and saw her standing by the desserts section. She was eating a chocolate cupcake and was done eating it by the time I reached her.
"Cherry, did you know about this?" I asked, frustrated.
"About what? Damn, these cupcakes are delicious." She took another one from the rack.
"About my marriage with Cecil." I said with gritted teeth.
"Cecil who?"
I rolled my eyes, "The son of this super gigantic mansion!"
"What?" She frowned confusedly but didn't stop eating.
"So, mom kept it a secret from you too, huh."
"Wait," she gulped her cupcake and grabbed a tissue from the table behind her to wipe her hands. "You're saying mom has arranged a marriage with you? Before mine? How could she do that?! It's not fair-"
"Cherry, that's not the point." I slightly stomped my feet. "The point is, I can't marry Cecil! I have someone else…" I trailed off.
"Of course,…This is a problem now." She exhaled loudly. "But it's still not fair that you're going to get married before me so excuse me while I go and talk to our lovely mother about this matter." She fakes smiled at me and walked away.
"Cherry, wait--" She didn't hear me and soon disappeared from my sight.
I turned around to face the table filled with tasty looking desserts and thought of taking one for myself and trying it but before I could pick one; A strawberry cupcake, someone tapped my shoulder.
I looked back and saw that it was Cecil. Again.
I ignored him, grabbed the muffin and walked away.
However, not long after he was repeatedly calling my name; following me wherever I went.
"Ari. Ari. Stop. Ari. Come on. Ari. Wow, you're playing hard to get, aren't you? Ari--"
I stopped and his voice came to a pause as well.
I swallowed the cupcake, waited for the remains to slide down my throat and then turned around, keeping my eyes as rageful as possible.
"What is it? Stop following me, will you?"
"What? Can't I follow my Fiancée?"
I groaned. "I am not your Fiancée, okay? So, you better get that thought out of your mind."
"But our parents have already decided so, I don't think you have a say in this matter." He smirked.
"Are you okay with this? Marrying me? A stranger?"
"Hm, I don't think we are 'complete strangers' since our parents know each other but why not, you're beautiful and you look smart." He gradually started to approach me. "We do look good together and you probably won't find someone as handsome as me."
"Wrong. I already found someone who is more handsome than you." I bragged which I thought was not right, but I couldn't stop myself from saying it while he praises himself shamelessly.
"Oh?" The self-conceited look on his face dulled a little. "You have?"
"Yes, that's why, I don't have any plans on marrying you and I'm gonna see to it that my mother understands that too."
He didn't say anything else.
I felt like I won so, I turned around and proudly walked away from Cecil.
We went home silently and it was a bit awkward since I wanted to tell mom about the love of my life but the aura she had wasn't right and time was running out because if I don't do something now, I'll be stuck in this arranged marriage and heck, I'll die before I marry Cecil or anyone who isn't to my liking.
Mom seemed tired with all the talking and continuous smiling. She slumped down on the couch, leaned back her head on the head rest and closed her eyes.
Me and Cherry glanced at each other.
I texted her if weather she talked to mom about this sudden marriage and she replied that she couldn't because mom wouldn't listen to her. She would keep ignoring her so Cherry didn't have a chance at it.
"Mom--" I uttered but she raised her hand without looking at me.
"Ari, whatever it is, I won't be hearing it tonight. I'm exhausted and my head is pounding. So please, stay quiet and go and get me an aspirin."
I pursed my lips and went to the kitchen to get mom the medicine she needed.
While I was fetching for the glass on the counter, my phone buzzed.
I caught a glimpse at the name of the sender and at once, I ran to give my mom the glass of half-filled water and the tablet and ran back to kitchen to grab my phone.
It was a message from Kai.
Him: Are you sleeping?
Me: No. But how was your flight?
My heart was thumping loudly against my chest.
Him: It was okay.
Me: Okay.
For some reason, I was feeling nervous to chat with him like this. Even though the time we spent in Shanghai turned out to be less awkward.
Him: We just reached our dome, so I'll text or call you once I wake up again. Is that okay?
Me: Of course. Get some rest.
Him: I will.
I wanted to send him a smiley or a cute emoji but thought otherwise.
Kai went offline since his 'last seen' was already showing.
I clicked off my phone too and ran my hands through my hair disappointedly.
How was I going to tell mom that me and VANILLA''s Kai are now 'together'?
What am I going to tell her? How am I going to convince her that I don't want to marry Cecil...?
Right when I was drowning in questions, Cherry came in the kitchen, flickered her eyes at me and walked to the fridge to grab a cold-water bottle.
She gulped a few sips and then asked me if I need any.
I nodded and she threw me the bottle.
I caught it before it could fall on the floor and for a few seconds, just felt the coldness seep into my warm palms.
"I'll talk to her in the morning and tell her everything," She suddenly said. "Don't worry about it all."
I drank a small sip. The cold water tingled my throat as it slowly slid down. "How?"
"Leave it up to me." Cherry gave me an assured look and I suddenly felt my shoulders relaxing as if some heavy thing just dropped off from my shoulders. "I'm gonna take a shower now." She turned around and left the kitchen.
I took another few sips and just stayed there in the kitchen for a long time just thinking about me and Kai and how tomorrow will turn out.
Unexpectedly, my phone buzzed again, and I flinched.
It was a message from Kai again.
Him: Forgot to tell you something.
Me: What?
Him: I love you.
That was it. Those words were enough to make my heart stop, my cheeks warm and make my eyes blur.
I wanted to type, 'I like you too' but I couldn't do it. I couldn't move my fingers just yet. I just stared at the message for so long that it was too late to reply. Kai went offline again.
I don't remember for how long I was in the kitchen, but I think for far too long because Cherry had already went to sleep and mom came in the kitchen in her night gown and yelled at me to go to sleep because it was already late enough outside.
I laid on my bed and thought of replying to Kai before I could regret it.
And so, even though an hour had already passed, even though my eye lids were getting heavy and even though he must be fast asleep, I typed, "I love you too" and sent it.
However, I quickly turned off the screen and closed my eyes.
I didn't want to know if he saw the message or not. I tried to doze off and just when I knew I was drifting into sleep, my phone buzzed once again.
Him: And I thought I made a mistake by saying it sooner.
I smiled at his message, but this time didn't reply.
I now felt a kind of relief that I responded to him.
I placed my phone beside me and closed my eyes again.
The thought of being with Kai made me fall asleep quicker than usual.