Angelo's POV
As soon as we arrived in front of my house, I noticed Chinny seemed lost in thought. She had been unusually quiet for a while now. What could she be thinking about? Did I do something wrong?
I wanted to ask her but feared she'd snap at me again.
"Chinny, you should rest. You don't look like you're feeling well."
She simply smiled at me.
"O-okay," she replied, her voice slightly unsteady. I frowned at her hesitation.
What's going on with this woman?
I thought I had already impressed her with what I did earlier—was it still insufficient?
Shaking my head, I followed her inside our house. The moment she turned on the lights, I was stunned.
"YO!"
My eardrums nearly burst from the loud cheers of my friends. Confetti exploded in the air, and to my surprise, everyone was there—both my old and new friends and Chinny's.
Chinny walked toward the group and picked up a cake. I stood frozen, unable to process everything. I might cry from sheer happiness—I never expected something like this.
I stepped closer to her, my heart pounding at the sight of her efforts. This was the first time she had gone out of her way like this.
"Speechless, Gelo?" Tinnie teased.
Before she could say anything more, Aki clamped a hand over her mouth, making everyone laugh.
Did Chinny plan this surprise for me? Unbelievable.
"You're ruining the moment, my queen," Aki said playfully. "Let's give Angelo time to savor his emotions—he's overwhelmed."
I resisted the urge to punch Aki for his teasing but just smiled, even though I was slightly embarrassed.
I cupped Chinny's face and looked at her with nothing but love.
"Thank you, my love." I kissed her forehead. "You keep making me fall for you even more."
"I'm so happy right now."
"Our stomachs are turning from all this cheesiness," one of our friends joked, making me shake my head. They acted like they were cringing, but I knew they secretly enjoyed the drama.
I noticed Chinny blushing.
"Ahem."
We all turned to Farley, who cleared her throat dramatically.
"Who's blowing the candles? They're melting already. Save the romance for later."
Farley Velasquez—the ultimate moment ruiner.
We laughed, and I quickly scanned the room.
Wait, where's Jessa?
"Blow the candles? What, is it someone's birthday?" Khairro asked with his usual grumpiness.
Farley rolled her eyes. "Do we need a birthday for this? Maybe someone just wants to blow out candles for fun?"
Khairro was about to argue, but Farley cut him off with a warning glare. "Say one more word, and I'll throw you out on the street."
I scratched the back of my head, amused.
"Is your cousin always like this?" I whispered to Chinny, who was now grinning.
"No," she whispered back.
"Gelo, make a wish," Chinny said with a smile.
Even though it wasn't my birthday, it certainly felt like it. I nodded and closed my eyes.
I was already content with my life, but there was one thing that would make it complete.
I wish that I was the one she truly wanted. That when Kilorn comes back, she chooses me.
As I opened my eyes, I blew out the candles.
They all looked at me with amused smiles.
Poolside Gathering
After devouring the cake, we moved to the poolside for drinks. I had my arm around Chinny, and she didn't seem to mind. That was a good sign, right? Maybe she was starting to like me back.
"Can you believe it?" Francel started. "Yesterday, I caught Khairro on what looked like a date with Farley!"
We all burst into laughter.
"He's aging backward," someone added. "Who would've thought Khairro would go out with a lunatic—sorry, I mean, a sadist like Farley?"
We all knew that Khairro had never liked Farley's wild personality.
"It wasn't a date," Khairro grumbled. "I just kept her company. I felt bad for her—she looked so lost."
We exchanged amused glances but let it slide.
"Remember when we were all still together back then? And now, even with new friends, we still drink together," Ken laughed.
It was true.
"Speaking of the past, I just remembered something," Farley smirked. "Should I remind you, Gelo?"
Why do I even have a lunatic friend like Farley?
I suddenly recalled the time when I badly wanted to meet Chinny.
Flashback
"Far, introduce me to her," I had been following Farley around the gym, asking him repeatedly, but she kept ignoring me, too focused on punching the bag.
"Far..."
No response. Farley didn't even glance at me.
"Farley Velasquez..." I called out her full name.
She stopped punching and turned to me with apparent irritation. I loved annoying this fluffy lunatic.
"What? You keep asking the same thing, and it's getting on my nerves. Why are you asking me? Just introduce yourself! Why are you even asking for my help? I don't even know who you're talking about!"
I ignored Farley's ranting and focused on the girl who had just entered the gym.
That girl. She's the one I want to meet.
"Are you even listening to me?" Farley asked, exasperated.
"Who is she?" I asked, pointing at the girl I had been staring at. She had the most attractive smile I had ever seen.
I had always seen her from a distance, usually hanging out with Farley, Karma, and Astrid.
"My cousin. Her name is Shieneva Monasterio."
Her name was unique.
"Far, I want to meet her." I kept my eyes on her and absentmindedly popped a lollipop into my mouth. I was getting excited.
I needed to do everything to get close to that girl—and I needed Farley Velasquez's help.
"So you're making me your bridge now?" Farley rolled her eyes in disapproval.
"No, Far. You'll introduce me, and I'll take care of the rest."
I grinned at the idea forming in my mind. I knew it was a little sneaky, but I wanted her—badly.
Back to the Present
"And then, they got married," Karma said teasingly.
I shook my head as I saw Karma enjoying the story.
"Dude, I'll take my wife upstairs. You guys can stay here—there's a guest room available."
Without waiting for a reply, I scooped Chinny up in my arms. She yelped in surprise.
"Are you sure?" she asked, blinking at me.
I chuckled. "Did I marry you?" she murmured as she touched my face, her fingertips sending shivers down my spine.
"Well, you're not at a loss. I'm handsome, after all," I teased.
Our friends laughed.
"Chinny's so ridiculous when she's like this," Farley commented.
"Right? She's all over the place," Henry added.
"Huh? Who's on drugs? That's a crime," Chinny muttered, misinterpreting the conversation.
I laughed as I carried her toward her room.
"I'm jealous of #ChiLo," Aki joked. "I should just marry Tinnie so we can have our own #WeddingOfTheYear."
Tinnie smacked him on the head.
I shook my head, smiling.
I gently laid Chinny on her bed and tucked her in.