Narra Tree

"This isn't Cathy's favourite." Charles said with finality in his voice and he pinned his gaze towards Jonas. While Jonas looked away because of how intimidating Charles' gaze is.

"Uhh??" Jonas mouthed as if he was unsure of what he just heard. "I'm not quite sure about that. But I'm sure that is not Gabriella's favourite drink. In fact that is her least favourite." Jonas added while laughing sarcastically which made Charles turn his gaze to Gabriella. His expression changes quickly as he looks at her.

"I didn't know about that." He said in a gentle tone.

"Because I didn't tell you. I chose not to." Gabriella said. But Charles feel like she only said those words so he would not feel be embarrassed in front of Jonas. His self-esteem diminished as this thought comes to his mind.

"By the way, I bought you your favourite drink, strawberry juice." Jonas said while emphasising the word 'favourite' and 'strawberry juice' which made Gabriella's blood boil as it sounds sarcastic in her ears.

"You can have your strawberry juice, I'm totally fine with the apple juice Charles bought." Gabriella said with a sarcastic tone refusing the cold bottle of strawberry juice in Jonas' hand. "If you don't have anything to say, please leave and give us some time alone." Gabriella added before turning her head to look at Charles who is still standing in front of them. "Don't mind him and let's eat, you'll just loss your appetite." Gabriella said to Charles in a soft voice so Charles sits on the vacant sit in front of her and started eating. While Jonas mumbles word they weren't able to hear and walk away with no choice as jealousy engulfs him.

"You don't have to do that again." Charles said with a low voice while his head was tilted. Gabriella stopped from eating and stared at him and she could literally feel how disappointed Charles' was.

"It's no big deal." Gabriella said with a smile. Charles raised his head to look at Gabriella and when he saw her smiling with those sly lips, he smiled too. As though her smile was like an epidemic that could spread quickly and affect many individual at the same time.

"If anything like that happen again, let me be the one to handle it." Charles said with a smile and continues eating.

Gabriella reached out to take the apple juice Charles had purchased, but Charles quickly held her hand and snatched the bottle away. Gabriella was taken aback by this and instantly turned to face Charles, who was looking at the bottle he was holding.

"If this is not to your taste, it's okay. I'll just buy you a new flavour. You don't have to push yourself to take whatever I gave you." Charles said and stands up to buy a new drink for Gabriella while Gabriella was left their, confused.

"Didn't I say I like his apple juice?" Gabriella asked herself while staring at Charles's back. She shrugged her shoulders and continues eating. After a few minutes, Charles come back with two bottles in hand, strawberry juice on his left arm which he bought for Gabriella and apple juice on the right hand which he also bought for Gabriella before he realized it was her least favourite drink.

"Here is yours." Charles said as he put the cold bottle of strawberry juice beside Gabriella's bento box while he put the apple juice beside his and they continue eating in silence.

When they had done eating, they returned to their classes. Before going to his room, Charles accompanied Gabriella to her class. When Gabriella's friends noticed Charles strolling behind her, they teased her. The whole class joined Gabriella's buddy in taunting her since their voices were so loud that the entire class heard them.

As soon as their professor entered the room, their afternoon classes began. They finished their afternoon lectures with discussions and a few exams. Gabriella and her companions agreed to go home together after they finished their lessons. They were all heading down the corridor, Vanessa and Olivia in front, Chloe and Gabriella behind them, when Olivia and Vanessa abruptly turned their heads to Gabriella and began mocking her. Gabriella was puzzled for a mean time until she was addressed by a nickname she recognized.

"Ella." In a deep voice, a man said. Gabriella's cheeks flushed as she realized who it was. Charles approaches them, politely greeting Gabriella's friend before facing her directly.

"Cj." Gabriella said with a smile on her lips while staring at Charles' dark almond shaped eyes. They have been staring with each other for a few minutes when Gabriella's friends suddenly interrupted them.

"We'll go first, enjoy your time with you 'lover'." Olivia said while emphasizing the word 'lover' with a malicious tone. Gabriella turned her gaze to Olivia and glared at her. Olivia, Vanessa, and Chloe just laugh at her before walking away.

"Umm… What bought you here? As far as I can remember, our campus gym is from the other building?" Gabriella said after her friends left her alone with Charles.

"I'll be riding my motor back home, if you would like to ride with me again?" Charles asked while his right hand was playing the key of his motorcycle. Gabriella's cheeks blushed when she remember how tight she tried to hug him the when he suddenly rode it fast earlier.

"Sure." Gabriella answered with a wide smile in her lips and a calm expression though her inner sides were already screaming in triumph.

They walk beside each other with a deafening silence between them. Gabriella tried her best to act tough so she wouldn't embarrass herself in front of him one more time. When they arrived at the parking lot, Charles immediately starts the engine of his motorcycle before handing Gabriella the helmet and he also help her put it on.

"Do you have assignment to finish today?" Charles asks when they were both seated on the motorcycle.

"I don't have that many school works to finish, why?" Gabriella asked without thinking. As soon as Charles heard her answered, he started driving the motorcycle to their destination. Unlike the first time Gabriella rode with him, she's not that shy to hug her arms on him anymore. She could literally feel Charles' stone like abs on her arms. Her cheeks blushed like a tomato and a wide smile flashed on her lips.

Gabriella didn't notice the passage of time as her full attention was focused on the man she was hugging and his stone like abs that is why she felt really disappointed when the motorcycle stops. It stops in front of a narra tree. Gabriella got off the motorcycle and walks toward the narra tree. The whole city could be seen from where Gabriella was standing. Her eyes sparkle as she admires how beautifully their city was build.

"I always go here every time I felt sad and tired." Charles said when he reached Gabriella's side.

"It's so beautiful." Gabriella said as if she was seeing heaven. Charles turned his head to look at Gabriella's face and he felt something warm inside him when she see how big Gabriella's smile and how her eyes were sparkling.

"Yeah, such a beauty." Charles said while staring at her.

Gabriella took her phone out from her bag and handed it to Charles.

"Can you take a nice picture of me here?" Gabriella asked him politely so he took the phone from her and waited until Gabriella was ready. Charles was staring at Gabriella from the screen of her phone that took him a lot of time before capturing Gabriella's photos.

"You are more beautiful than the scenery." Charles said after taking photos of Gabriella. Gabriella's cheeks blushed and a wide smile appeared on her lips while she was checking her photos. The side of Charles' lips rose up, forming a small smile after seeing how Gabriella was trying her best to hold back her smile.

Charles got a blanket from his backpack and set it beneath the shade tree, then sat on it, leaving enough space for Gabriella. He sat and waited while watching Gabriella photograph the entire city. Gabriella would occasionally steal images of him while he was not looking.

"Come, sit here," Charles urged, patting the empty spot next him, prompting Gabriella to approach him and take a seat alongside him. Gabriella was going over all of the images she took when Charles moved his head above Gabriella's shoulder to have a look at them as well, which startled her since she was looking at the stolen photos of Charles, so she quickly placed her phone down. She shifted her focus to the view in front of her and began to admire it. While Charles stand up and go towards his motorcycle to get the box of pizza he bought on their way.

"Can I post this photo on my instagram account? The tree here looks really nice" Gabriella asks while showing the stolen picture of Charles with the narra tree on his back. The image of Charles on the photo was blurry because he was moving when Gabriella captured it so his face was really visible.

"Of course." Charles answered without hesitation. Gabriella smiled and continues editing the lighting of every photo she decided to upload before posting it online. After she is done editing the photos, she posted four photos, two photos of her, 1 photo of the entire city, and the stolen photo of Charles, with a caption 'This made me smile.'.

The two started eating while admiring the stunning scenery in front of them. Because Charles took her to his favourite place, it is already one of Gabriella's most cherished memories.

"Thank you for bringing me here." Gabriella said and turned his head to Charles. "I'll really cherish this moment." Gabriella added with an uncontrollable smile on her lips.

"The same goes with me." Charles replied while looking into Gabriella's eyes. Gabriella felt a thousand butterflies flew out of her stomach while their eyes were glued to each other.

Gabriella felt her phone vibrating from her bag which is placed beside her but she didn't bother to check as she wanted to enjoy this moment to the fullest. Both of them continue admiring the scenery in silence. While both of them were silent, Gabriella was already screaming in her mind while cursing herself. She wanted to strike a conversation with him but cannot think of a nice topic to talk about until something came up on her mind. She wanted to ask him who Cathy is which Jonas mentioned earlier but she also thought it was not the right time so she just brushed it off though a side of her already starts overthinking about the name.

"You are the first woman I bought here." Charles suddenly said while staring the scenery in front of him that made Gabriella turned her head to Charles. Her cheeks blushed and she felt as if she was suddenly dropped from heaven and float with the clouds. And the lingering thought she had about the name Cathy earlier had vanished completely.

"That is such a privilege, thank you sir." Gabriella jokingly replied to hide how much thrill she felt with just one sentence from him while Charles just laughs at her softly.

Gabriella was smiling from ears to ears when she heard his soft and sexy laugh. Even though the scenery in front of her was magnificent she still chose to look at Charles' face and admire it.

'Why are you such a hottie?' Gabriella asked herself in her mind. She was shocked when Charles suddenly turned his head to her and their eyes met. They stayed like that for a moment until Charles speaks up.

"Ella." Charles called her nickname softly which makes her want to scream and punch the air in triumph but then she still pretend as if it didn't bought any effect on her and just look at him with a smile, waiting for what he would tell her. "If you would let me, I would love to know you better." Charles added while still looking into her eyes intently.

"I would love to." Gabriella answered him with a very wide smile on her lips. 'I would love to forget about our deal and just play along until our relationship grows stronger.' Gabriella utters in her mind as their surrounding was engulf with silence and only the crickets around them could be heard.