5: the meeting

I head out my room like a zombie. I'm ready to go to school physically, but not mentally.

"Roma is getting married?"

I stopped walking after I heard my sister.

Then I glared at her. "No! Not yet! I don't want to get married yet! I just turned eighteen. Did you hear that? Eight-teen!" I stated hysterically.

All of them looked shocked after what I've done.

"That's okay, sis. That's a legal age already," my sister replied.

My eyed widened at her. "What?!"

Reine flinched after I screamed like that.

"What's the name of the guy?" Reine asked Mom.

I answered before even my mom uttered a word. "Rendel Caden Baltazar Morgenstern? Who the hell is that jerk?!"

"How old is the guy?"

"He's nineteen," Mom answered.

"Yeah, he's already nineteen. He's a freshman student at University of the Philippines, BS Chemical Engineering course!"

"You really read it, huh?" Mom reacted.

"Of course! That's what you told me, right? You told me to do it before that meeting. And it was this coming Saturday! Ah, no. it's already tomorrow! Tomorrow! I'm a responsible and obedient daughter, right? That's why I'm doing this," I complained hysterically.

"Is he handsome?"

I glared at my sister after hearing what she asked. She still has the guts to ask me that nonsense and ridiculous question? What the hell.

"I don't care how he looks like!"

"Why? Are you interested?" I asked and she just smirked and shrugged her shoulders as an answer.

"If you're interested, just take my place. Because I don't want to do this."

"I don't want to. What if he's ugly as hell? Besides, I'm just twelve years old. Duh?"

I heaved a sigh out of frustration. "Whatever!"

I aggressively marched outside our house and went to my bike. My eyes widened when I saw that my bike was damaged. The chain was broken and it made my blood boiled more.

"What the—who the hell used my bike?!"

I know that none of my stupid siblings would tell the truth. I heaved a sigh and rolled my eyes then shook my head. Am I a reincarnation of a criminal to experience these misfortunes?

When I looked at the sky, it was covered with color grey clouds. It looks like it's going to rain. So, I have no choice but just to take a walk to go to school no matter how bad I feel today.

After some minutes, I finally gone through the shortcut. I'm already at the road again. Then a few moments, I stopped walking when someone honked and a car stopped by.

"Mr. Danny," I uttered as I him inside the car as its driver.

"Why are you walking today? Where's your bike?"

"Ah, it's broken so I can't use it. How about you? Where are you heading to?"

"Su-jin left her school project so I'm going to deliver it to her."

Mr. Danny is the family driver of that Korean family where my Mom was working to.

"Do you wanna have a ride?" he offered.

I checked my wrist watch and saw that I still have less than twenty minutes.

"Okay," I answered then I went inside the car's backseat.

That international private school where those Korean kids we're attending to was just a bit near to my school. So, when I get off there, it will be just a few minute-walk.

But after just a couple of minutes, the car suddenly stopped. Then Mr. Danny went off the car and opened its hood to check what's wrong.

Just after a few moments of checking it, Mr. Danny went back here and peeped at my window.

"I'm sorry, Roma. But it looks like there's something wrong with its engine. It will take hours to fix it."

I get off the car. "It's okay. I'm just going to make a quick walk. Thank you."

I made a brisk walk until I was gone on Mr. Danny's sight. Then I ran as fast as I can when I felt a raindrop on my face. I don't want to get soak in the rain! Please, just pour after I arrive at school!

Until the rain poured heavily and thank goodness I arrived on school on time. I made it to our classroom even I was sweating and panting from running fast. But that's okay. At least I wasn't late.

--

Our last subject before break time—Culture, Society, & Politics.

We're at the middle of class discussion and I can hear my stupid seatmates giggling. I rolled my eyes and shook my head. If our teacher noticed or heard them, they will be dead. She's our strictest teacher so I'm sure that she will be furious once they were caught.

"Martinez and company!"

I was startled when she screamed. And wait, did I hear my name?

"Why are you being noisy while in my class, huh? Face the wall!" she commanded furiously while pointing at the wall at the back of the class.

"But, Ma'am—"

"I said face the wall! The four of you!"

I haven't even defended myself. I can even see her eyes blazing in flames while looking at us, so I was left no choice but for obey her even it was unfair for me.

I heaved a sigh while I'm standing right here in front of a wall with these three jerks. Great. This is really a wonderful day.

"What were you even doing why you're giggling during her class?" I fumed with a low voice.

"It's Eric. He's hiding Rico's wallet and I found it funny," Jacob answered.

"Both of you are really morons. Why did you even hide my wallet? You and Eric are the only ones who deserve to stand here," Rico complained.

I rolled my eyes at them. "All of you are such kids."

I wasn't supposed to be here! I didn't do anything with them. This day was really a jinx.

--

Finally, it was already break time so we have gone back to our seats after our teacher left. I rest my head on my desk the moment I sat on my chair.

After a few moments, I felt that my classmates are rushing inside the room and went quiet so I decided to lift my head to see what's happening.

Then I saw our adviser entered the room.

"Sorry if I interrupted your break time. But don't worry, I'll make this announcement quick. I'm just going to announce our class ranking!" Then she showed us the bond paper that she's holding where the whole class was ranked from 1 to 45.

After she announced it, my classmates went curious and excited. I'm not really that interested in rankings. I'm not that grade-conscious and I'm just doing the best that I can so my grades will be all passing.

"Congratulations, Roma Cassandra Martinez for making to the first rank!"

I was surprised by that announcement. My teacher smiled at me and my classmates gave me an applause. And because of that, my mood felt light and smiled unconsciously. I guess this day is not that bad.

After our teacher posted the ranking beside our blackboard, she left immediately and my classmates continued their break time and checked their ranks at the same time.

"Cass!"

After hearing someone called me, I shifted my gaze to our door and saw my friends there so I stood up and approached them.

"Your rankings have released?" AJ queried.

I jus nodded as an answer. Then AJ entered our room and took a glimpse on our rank list. She quickly went back to me after that and I saw a big smile on her face then she held me both on my shoulders.

"You did great, Cass! You made it! We made it!" she cheered while shaking me and I'm just smiling even I feel dizzy from what she was doing.

"How about you?" I asked.

And I am also happy after knowing that my girl-friends were on the ranking's top five.

--

Saturday. And this is also the day when I'm going to meet my fiancé. Do I have a choice? It will be cliché if I'm going to escape. I don't care anymore who that Judas is.

I'm with my parents, wearing semi-formal attires, in an expensive restaurant. This was the meeting place that was told by Rendel's parents. I won't deny that this is my first time to go on a restaurant like this. We're here at the second floor beside the glass wall in a four-seater table.

Cold atmosphere from the AC, large and luminous chandeliers, brown and white motif, and elegant, intimidating ambience was what it was giving off.

Then a man who looks like in his mid-30s approached us.

"Hello, Mr. Martinez," he greeted us.

"Mr. Morgenstern?" my dad asked.

"Yes," he answered then he sat on a seat in front of us.

We're a bit surprised how young looking he was. He looks like that confident yet intimidating middle-aged man because of his good posture and youthful aura. He was like a model-actor who retired in show business because he chose to get married and build a family.

"He's handsome," my mom whispered.

"Mom!" I whispered under my teeth.

"Before anything else, I'm Michael Morgenstern, Caden's father. Let's just wait for him for a while. He won't take too long," he stated.

"So, you must be Rhea, Roma's mother. Nice to meet you."

"Yes, it's me. Nice to meet you," Mom replied giggling so I simply poked her with my elbow.

"And she must be Roma. She's pretty."

I just smiled as a response. For real, huh? I was about to get choked with that.

"Oh, he's here."

When Michael said it, I felt a bit nervous and slowly turned to see him.

My forehead wrinkled when I saw him. It was really Caden? A short nerd-looking guy with a thin and frail body. He doesn't look like his father.

But anyway, who cares? Even if he's a literal worm, I don't care at all.

He's coming this way, then he waved his hand and smiled. But when he went here, he just passed us by so I wondered why.

"Wait, it's not Caden?" I asked.

Michael raised his brows and laughed a bit.

"No. That's him," he answered then pointed at the guy near the platform.

My eyes widened the moment I saw him. Seriously? That's Caden? I can't take my eyes off of him anymore while I'm making a disgusted look on my face. And when our eyes met, he slowed down his walk while looking at me intently.

We're not breaking an eye contact until he came closer.

"You?" I asked in surprise.

He just forced a smile then shrugged his shoulders.