16 CHAPTER 15

“What happened to you after that?” I asked him after a long silence between us.

“We didn’t officially broke up. We just… didn’t talked for a while. We didn’t talked about our relationship. We didn’t talk... at all.” He explained.

I nodded my head and was about to asked something again when my phone rang.

“Excuse me,” he nodded so I answered the call.

“Hey, you’re not going home yet?” she asked. Shit! I almost forgot about her.

I slapped my forehead with my hand because of it.

“Coming.” I said and immediately put my phone down.

“Drake, I have to go. Ghale is already waiting for me.”

“Uh, I actually didn’t told you yet about what I really wanted to tell you.” My forehead creased while looking at him.

“Oh,” I stopped. “Can we talk about it tomorrow?” I continued and he nodded.

“Okay, let me walk you to your car.” He smiled and I agreed.

We walked towards the parking lot and saw Ghale waiting for me with her friends.

When her friends saw us, they immediately said their goodbyes to Ghale.

I stopped walking meters away from Ghale and faced Drake.

“I need to go.” He nodded. “Take care.” He replied and I nodded my head. I walked away from him while he was still looking at me.

When I went inside the car, I saw him walking towards his car.

“Haven’t you heard of the news spreading in the campus about him and Stephanie?” Ghale suddenly asked me while we were on the road.

I nodded my head without looking at her.

“I did.”

“Then why are you with him? Didn’t you ever think that you’ll be in trouble for staying close to him?” she said, obviously frustrated.

“Because I promise Mom and Dad that I will help them.”

“You should have think of yourself!”

“I did! Will you please stop acting like you truly care? If it wasn’t because of you I wouldn’t have been in this situation! You should have think about that first!”

I can’t help but to raise my voice to her. If she didn’t refuse the engagement, I wouldn’t have to choose to be a masochist.

“You really think I want to be close to him despite of the pain I am feeling? I don’t! If only I could give myself some space to think about everything that’s happening, I would! But like you! I can’t! And I chose not to.”

Silence enveloped between us until we reached our mansion.

“I-I’m so sorry, Fely,” she suddenly said in a small voice.

“You know what Ghale? You know why I chose this? Because I know my responsibilities.” I stopped and looked at her eyes seriously.

“Do you know yours?” when she didn’t replied, I walked away and went straight to my room.

I broke down after I closed my room door.

I am too drained for all of this. Everything is turning upside down. I am experiencing things that are unexplainable. I am too tired but they didn’t even know it.

I heard a knock followed by a voice.

“Fely?”

“Yes? Come in.” I answered with a tired voice. I saw Mom entering my room. It looks like she’s from work and immediately went to my room.

She smiled so I smiled back.

“Did you talked to Drake about it?” she seems so excited about it while my smile slowly fell.

“I-I didn’t, uh we haven’t talked about it.” I had a hard time explaining to her.

From an excited expression, she looked at me, disappointed.

“You don’t really have a plan on helping us, right?” she asked me. I quickly got up from the bed and faced Mom.

“No, Mom. I do. I’m planning to help you. I just need more time. Okay?”

She shook her head and walked out but before that, she left some words ‘I need to remember’.

“Just be sure about that. I’m giving you a week. If not, then I have to agree to the engagement.”

I sighed when she left the room.

I’m tired. Fucking tired from all of this.

I went to the bathroom and took a bath. I need a cold shower to calm myself. I put myself under the shower and feel the water running all over my skin. It’s refreshing but every time I remember all my problems, stress took over my system.

When I can’t take the cold anymore, I stepped out of the bathroom and changed to my lingerie.

It was 10:45 in the evening but still, I’m having a hard time sleeping.

Instead of forcing myself to sleep, I went out to my terrace and looked at the city lights of the lively England.

Ghale. I just realized how lucky she is. Mom and Dad never forced her to do anything she doesn’t want. She can do anything she desires, while here I am, forced to get married to a guy I never knew.

Danny has the same situation of Ghale, but unlike Ghale, she doesn’t take everything for granted.

Mom is spoiled to Dad. Like Ghale, she does everything she desires because she knew that Dad would always support her.

While Dad, he’s strict most of the times but he’s also the sweetest. He would do anything for his family. For us.

But, as I have noticed, our parents treated me different unlike my sisters. I know it’s bad to say that but I have felt the favoritism going on between me and my siblings.

I heaved a deep sigh and went inside.

I still need to wake up early tomorrow for school.

***

“We need to go!” Ghale kissed our parents’ cheek and so did I.

“Bye!” I waved at them and they nodded.

As we drove to school, I noticed Ghale’s silence.

It’s so odd for her to be silent like this.

“Are you okay?” I asked her. She glanced at me and smiled.

“Yup,” I nodded but still unconvinced.

When we reached the parking lot, she immediately went out so I followed her.

“I want to walk you to your room but I still have to finish my plates, I need to pass this today. Are you okay alone?” I nodded so she immediately kissed my cheeks and run towards their building.

She’s an architecture student, a dean’s lister, she’s one of the popular girls in our campus because of her beauty and brain.

As I continued walking, I saw Drake walking towards me.

“I need to talk to you.” Before I could even reply, he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the secret garden.

When we reached there, I pulled my arm and massaged it a little bit.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” I nodded and asked him what we need to talk about.

“Well, there’s a lot of rumors spreading in the campus now and I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. So please, listen to me.” He started.

I remained silent so he continued.

“Remember what I told you yesterday?” he asked and I nodded.

“I told you that I haven’t said the words I really need to say, right?” I nodded again.

“I’m going to tell it to you now.” I nodded my head again.

“The moon is beautiful, isn't it?” And I nodded. Again.

Wait, what?