Gabriella watched the video Charles had sent her several times. And every time the video played, she felt a pleasure within. She is not bored as she watches Charles toss a kiss into the air and listens to the four words he utters. She seems to be listening to her favourite music.
'Are you home already?' Gabriella was interrupted when a message from Charles suddenly pop on her screen. Gabriella gets up and leans against the headboard, embracing her pillow. She quickly scribbled a response, her smile barely leaving her lips.
'Just got home.' Gabriella responded quickly and received a response not long after.
'Can I call?' Charles suddenly asked. Gabriella began composing a message on her phone as if she hadn't just felt fatigued.
'Of course.' Her phone quickly rang after she sent her text message. She fixes her hair as if Charles would see her through an audio call. She did some vocal exercise before answering the call.
['Hello.'] Charles said. Gabriella felt really thrilled when she heard Charles deep voice that she almost screamed. She cleared her throat before speaking.
['Hi.'] Gabriella answered.
['How was your day?'] Charles asked.
['It was exhausting yet rewarding because we completed several works on our major subject. I also had a good time completing them because I was with my pals. I didn't even realize how much time had passed.'] Gabriella said while her hands were playing with her soft pillows. ['How about yours?'] Gabriella added.
['Today? I just practice badminton with my teammates and later played soccer with my friends.'] Charles replied. Gabriella didn't know what to say next so her eyes scanned her room while thinking what topic they should talk about.
['Did I interrupt you from taking a rest?] After thinking a few minutes Gabriella ended up with those phrases.
['Of course not, I actually feel more relaxed hearing your voice. I think it's me who disturbed you.'] Charles answered and laughs softly. Gabriella's heart jumps after hearing him laugh.
['No, I actually feel the same way you do.'] Gabriella replied. [Oh! By the way, I saw your mother with your brother earlier at Teaboba. I initially mistook her for your sister! But I guess I was a little awkward in front of her, but she was genuinely sweet!] Gabriella added.
She didn't mention the part when Charles' mother announced in front of the entire Teaboba café that she was his girlfriend, but it stayed with her. It is living rent-free on her mind.
['She's probably visiting my brother's fiancé since she owns the shop.'] Charles replied. They chat till midnight and didn't realize how time passed because they were so engrossed talking to one other.
Gabriella is the one who primarily tells her stories, while Charles merely listens. He didn't grow tired listening to her and didn't complain, even though Gabriella would occasionally mix her stories since she was so excited to share them. They both slept with a smile on their lips and feeling happily refreshed.
The very next day. The early birds trill as the morning sun peeks through the clouds. With a soft chilly wind and a golden light everywhere, covering natural and man-made wonders, the birds began their morning routines, full with the promise of a fresh beginning. Gabriella awoke as she felt a bright light strike her face. She gently opened her eyes, seeing the birds fly with tranquility and vitality through her windows.
She gets out of bed, puts on her slippers, and walks to the bathroom in her room. Her smile scarcely left her lips as she went about her daily skincare ritual. Who wouldn't grin in the morning after dreaming about being intimate with their crush?
After finishing her morning skin care routine, she exits her room and heads to the kitchen to have her breakfast. Gabriella repeats her dreams in her head as she puts each tablespoon of cereal to her mouth. And she would laugh every time the moment when they were acting like true lovers repeated.
Gabriella's mother attended a church ceremony on Sunday, while her brother was still on business with Carlos' father, their uncle, leaving her alone in their home. They don't have any helper because her mother dismissed everyone when her father died, leaving only the driver and their guard.
Gabriella did some exercise before continuing her unfinished schoolwork. Her mother eventually came, carrying two bags of groceries. She instantly goes out of their house to greet her mother, and she takes the bags her mother was carrying and places them on the counter in their kitchen, where she begins scanning them.
"Gab, Help me bake some cakes for your brother, he will be coming back tonight. We'll also cook his favourite dishes." Her mother said before walking to her room to change.
"He's coming back?! He'd never called me when he was away." Gabriella exclaimed while she was putting each item her mother bought out from the bags. Her mother enters the kitchen after changing her clothes and started putting out the equipment they'll need.
"The same goes with me. It was your uncle who told me they were coming back home tonight since the deal was settled earlier that they anticipated. Your brother, he's always the best in everything he do, he's always making me proud. You should follow your brother's steps." Her mother stated while going through the book she purchased along with the groceries that talks about how to properly cook certain dishes.
"Of course." Gabriela responded sparingly as she watched her mother and awaited her mother's instruction on what she should do.
"Mix all of this." Her mother instructed and handed her all the dry ingredients for baking a cake. Gabriella did what her mother said without complaining.
They kept working, her mother always telling her what to do next and asking for her help when she needed it, while Gabriella was just helping her mother without hesitation and always doing what she said.
After several hours, they finished preparing her brother's favorite dishes as well as baking the cake that her mother designed herself. And after everything, Gabriella insisted on cleaning the kitchen by herself since she wanted her mother to relax because cooking had depleted all of their energy.
She walks into her room as soon as she finishes cleaning to wash her body since she feels so sticky. She resumed working on her unfinished schoolwork after washing her body, while continuously peering out her windows to check whether her brother's automobile had come.
Gabriella's ears twitch when she suddenly heard a familiar car approaching their house. She immediately looked out of her window and when she saw a familiar black SUV, a huge smile flashed on her lips. She excitedly ran out of her room and knock on her mother's door.
She opened the door of their house and waited for her brother to get off of his car. As soon as her brother parked his car and walks towards their front door she immediately welcomed him with a warm hug. Her brother didn't complain and just hug her back while protecting the bouquet of flowers and a black paper bag he was carrying.
"You didn't call me while you were I away! I missed you!" Gabriella said and let go of her brother.
"Sorry, we're busy out there." Her brother explained while they were walking into their house beside each other. "By the way, I bought this for you." Her brother said and handed her the black paper bag he was carrying. Gabriella's eyes widen when she saw what's inside. It was the book she has been craving to have since the day it was published but couldn't afford to buy it since she doesn't receive a large allowance.
"OMG! Thank you, brother! This is the reason why you're my favourite brother of all." Gabriella said. Her brother laughs and gently brushed her hair. When they enter, their mother was already walking down the stairs.
"You're spoiling you sister again, Alex." Their mother said.
"It is not a big deal, plus she's doing great in school so she deserves it." Alex said and walk towards his mother. He handed her the bouquet of flowers he bought along his way home and kiss her on her forehead.
"If you say so." Their mother said and walks towards their kitchen. She puts the flowers on the vase and placed it on the table. "I cooked your favourite dishes, come here and let's eat them together." Her mother added while preparing the foods on the table.
"Let me help you." Alex replied and assists his mother in preparing the foods and plates, while Gabriella hurries to her room to place the gift her brother gave her before continuing to assist her mother and brother in preparing the meals.
They all eat happily at the table as their mother continuously asks questions about Alex's vacation, to which Alex respectfully responds before asking Gabriella a question about school. They continue to converse in this manner until their dinner is over.
Gabriella quickly falls asleep after finishing all of her schoolwork because she still has classes tomorrow. Gabriella awoke before her alarm could ring the next morning. She swiftly washes her body and puts on her school uniform before leaving her room with her tote bag hanging on her right shoulder. Alex was already having his breakfast with his laptop in front of him when she came in their kitchen.
"Good Morning." Gabriella greeted her brother. When Alex heard her sister's voice he immediately raised her head and smiled at her.
"Good Morning." Alex greeted his sister back and closes his laptop so he could eat with her sister without dividing his attention. After they finish their food, they immediately get off and walk outside their house.
Gabriella steps outside their gate, while her brother heads to the parking lot to fetch his car. She waited till her brother's car stopped in front of her and then hopped in. Her brother drove her till she was in front of her school's entrance.
"Call ne when your classes are done. I'll let my assistant fetch you." Alex said before leaving with his car.
They got on school too early, so Gabriella decided to go to their library to kill time. When a hand unexpectedly touched her shoulder, she startled. She moved her head to the source of the hand and saw her friend struggling to breathe.
"Gosh, I thought I was late already. You weren't turning your head when I was calling your name earlier!" Olivia said and sat beside Gabriella.
"I didn't hear you." Gabriella answered and continues reading her book.
After a few hours, they decided to head directly to their first class. Because their classes started right away in the morning, it also ended immediately. Gabriella was fixing her things when her phone suddenly vibrated from her pocket. She took it from her pocket and when she realized who had sent the message, her heart skipped a beat.
'Let's meet in front of the soccer field.' The text says. She promptly leaves their room after reading it, without telling her pals where she was heading. She dashes to the soccer field. When she arrived, Charles wasn't there yet, so she tried to straighten her hair and wipe away the sweat she accumulated from running.
"Gabriella." An unfamiliar voice suddenly calls her. Even though she hadn't seen who was calling her, she knew it wasn't Charles because, aside from his unusual voice, he called him by another name. She turned back with a grimace, and when she realized who was speaking, her brow wrinkled even more.
"Jonas?!" Gabriella exclaimed.
"I took Charles' phone earlier when he left it in the locker room then I spotted your name on his contact list therefore I texted it to see whether it was actually you." Jonas explained.
"Now that you've verified it was me, there's nothing more we should talk about. I'm going to leave." Gabriella said and started to walk away when Jonas suddenly grabbed her by her arms to stop her from walking away.
"What more you want to say?!" Gabriella shouted as she tries to get out of Jonas' grasp.
"You aren't Charles' real girlfriend, are you?" Jonas asked. Gabriella was stunned and couldn't answer anymore so she just looks at him in the eyes. She can't admit that she wasn't really Charles girlfriend neither has the right to deny what Jonas has said.
"You told everyone that you liked me on Carlos' birthday so why not date me?" Jonas asked with a mischievous smile on his lips. Gabriella's jaw dropped at what she just heard and couldn't bring herself to talk.
She was about to answer him when she turn her gaze to her right but stopped when she saw Charles standing not far away from them. He was just watching them and when their eyes finally met, he walks away. Gabriella wanted to follow him but Jonas grabbed her arm once more.