Chapter 33

Ana Louella

Jandi poured some tea on my teacup and placed some tiara-shaped cookies on my plate. I thanked her, and she did the same with Ace and Dane.

"Jandi, I-" Ace started, but Dane cut him off by shoving a cookie in his mouth.

Ace glared at Dane as he munched on the cookie. I wish I could laugh at them, but that would be impolite, so I just giggled innerly.

"We've been doing this for years now. If only I had a choice, I wouldn't-" Dane cut him off again by shoving another cookie in his mouth.

"Good, Ace?" Jandi asked, and Ace nodded.

"Ana, eat." She said as she turned to me.

I took one cookie from the plate and took a bite on it. Jandi was looking at me the whole time I was munching the cookie and when I swallowed, she asked me.

"Ana, good?"

"Yes! I loved it!" I exclaimed, and she giggled.

"Try this." She said as she placed a piece of princess' dress-shaped cookie on my plate.

I was about to eat it when Drake showed up, so I stopped what I was about to do and put the cookie back on the plate.

"I have a surprise for you." He said as he kneeled beside the chair where Jandi was sitting.

"Really?" She gasped, and Drake nodded.

"What is it?" She asked.

She draped her hands on his shoulder, and Drake pulled her up as he stood. He began walking as he carried her sister.

"Follow me!" Jandi exclaimed.

Ace, Dane and I followed them. Drake led us to a cute white-striped huge pink gift box with a yellow ribbon on top. Jandi screamed in happiness as she clapped her hands. Drake put her down, and she instantly jumped up and down.

"Open! Open!" She exclaimed.

"But you said that I am mean. I-" She cut his brother off.

"Please. JD, please." She pleaded.

"Am I really mean?" Drake asked.

"No! Best brother. Open, please JD." She pleaded again.

Drake chuckled at his sister as he started to untie the ribbon. I never thought that Drake has this sweet side, but I guess this side of him is only meant for his sister.

"Move backwards." Drake ordered, and we did what we are told to do.

He removed the lid, and the walls of the box started falling. There are two people inside it whom I assumed were their parents. The woman wearing a queen's outfit looks like she is in her forties, but her body stays in shape and her skin is still fair. The man wearing a king's outfit looks like he is in his fifties; although his body is in good shape too, he has dark complexion unlike the woman.

"Mom! Dad!" Jandi exclaimed as she rushed towards them and hugged both of them.

"Happy birthday, sweetie!" Her parents exclaimed.

"You'd come. I knew." She said, grinning from ear to ear.

"We won't miss any of your birthdays." Her mom said.

"And we have tons of presents for you. Check your room later." Her dad piped up, and she thanked them.

"Mom, Dad… Ana, my friend." She said as she tugged my arm, pulling me along with her.

"Nice to meet you, Ana." Her mom.

She kissed both of my cheeks, and her dad did the same to me. I was so dumbfounded, and I didn't even know how to react.

"I- nice meeting you too, Mr. Ellizar, Mrs. Ellizar." I said and smiled at her to hide the nervousness I'm feeling.

"Don't be so formal, dear. Call me Uncle David or simply uncle." Her dad said.

"Sure Mr.- uncle." I replied and smiled at him.

"And you may call me, auntie or Auntie Juliet." Her dad said.

Drake and Jandi's parents seem nice. Now, I can't even tell where Drake got his attitude from.

"You're so beautiful auntie." I blurted.

Uncle David and Auntie Juliet laughed at my remark, and I felt my face heat up.

"How about we take our seats and talk about how you and my little princess met." Auntie Juliet suggested, and I nodded at her.

We gathered around a huge rectangular table, and we did talk about how Jandi and I met as we drank tea and ate some pastries and sandwiches.

"Are you friends with these guys?" Auntie Juliet asked out of nowhere.

I almost choke on the tea I was drinking. I coughed a couple of times, and Auntie Juliet immediately rubbed my back.

"Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, and I just nodded.

"Well, we- we're-"

Drake glared at me, so I stopped talking.

"We're not friends with that girl." He answered.

"Then, is he your girlfriend?" Auntie Juliet asked.

I bit my lower lip as I slapped myself mentally.

'Idiot, you shouldn't have come here!' I chid myself innerly.

"What- no!" Drake shouted.

"I assume, this is your girlfriend, Ace. I heard, you're really good at handling girls." Her dad spoke out as he wriggled his eyebrow at Ace, and I saw Ace smirked at him.

I felt my face heat up with his remark, and I bowed my head in shame.

'How I wish I am really his girlfriend.' I said innerly.

"You heard it right uncle, but she's not my girlfriend… ye-" Drake cut him off.

"Will you just shut up?" He snapped as slammed his hands on the table.

"Fine, but will you stop being grumpy for a while?" Auntie Juliet spoke out.

Drake really has a problem with his attitude, and it makes me so sick of him.

"Mom, dad… dance… can we?" Jandi asked suddenly.

"Oh sure, sweetie." Auntie Juliet replied.

"JD, dance with me." She said, and Drake went in front of him and held her hands.

"Ana, dance with Ace." She added, and I instantly shook my head.

"I- I'm-"

Ace went in front of me and held my hands then he led me to the same spot where we danced earlier. He placed my hands on his shoulders, and my heartbeat instantly quickened. I was stunned when he suddenly tugged my waist and pulled me closer to him. I never expected that I would get another chance to dance with him, and this is beyond what I expected him to do right now. This is surreal.

"Wha- what are- are you doing?" I stammered.

"Shut up!" Ace whispered angrily.

"You- I-"

"Come back JD!" Jandi bawled, cutting me off.

Ace let go of me, and I felt the same emptiness I felt earlier. I watched him leave as he followed Drake.

What is he doing to me? He was acting as if he wanted to be closer to me and then, he would leave me all puzzled.

'I shouldn't be thinking about this right now!' I chid myself innerly.

I kneeled in front of Jandi and tried to comfort her, but she won't stop crying.

"Hey, hush now. I will dance with you instead." I consoled, but she was still crying.

"Don't you want to dance with me, princess Jandi?" I asked.

"I do… but JD… so mean." She sobbed.

"David, go and talk to your son right now! Go and fix his attitude!" Auntie Juliet yelled.

"Sure, I'll go and get him a girlfriend." Uncle David jested.

Dane giggled at his remark. Auntie Juliet scowled at her husband and slapped his back.

"You're hurting me!" Uncle David snapped.

"Go now!" Auntie Juliet yelled as she slapped his arm.

Uncle David scammed as he rubbed the spot where his wife hit him.

"Hush now, sweetie. He will surely get a serious scolding from your dad." Auntie Juliet said as she wiped her daughter's tears.

"Ana… dance." She sobbed as she rubbed his eyes.

"I won't dance with you unless you smile." I said.

She sniffed for a couple of times and bit her lips. She rubbed her eyes again and then the corners of her mouth turned up.

"Such a beautiful princess." I said, and she even widened her smile.

"Let's dance, shall we?" Auntie Juliet piped up, and Jandi jumped up and down.

"Music!" She yelled.

We danced to different genres of music. Jandi was smiling the whole time she was dancing, and I couldn't get happier. I love seeing how happy she is, and I hope, she will have this look for the rest of her life.

"Ana, mom… Jandi... tired and hungry." She said as she heaved.

"Let's sit first and get you some food." Auntie Juliet spoke out as she picked Jandi up.

I followed them and as soon as Auntie Juliet placed Jandi on her chair, she started eating.

"I hope you won't stop being friends with Jandi." Auntie Juliet said, breaking the silence.

"I have no reasons to do that, auntie." I replied.

"Drake can be so mean sometimes, but he is a good man. He became like this because of us." She said.

"We can talk about this some other time but for now, let's set aside the negativity first." She added, and I nodded at her.

After Jandi finished eating, we danced to a couple of songs, but the devils and Uncle David didn't come back. The sky is starting to get dark and as much as I want to stay with Jandi until her birthday ends, I have to go home now and prepare stuff for my classes tomorrow.

I kneeled in front of Jandi and ran my hand on her soft straight black hair and then I adjusted her tiara and secured it.

"As much as I want to stay with you, I need to prepare for my classes tomorrow. Ana needs to go home now, Princess Jandi." I said as I held her chin.

"But… I want you… stay. Please." She pleaded.

"Sweetie, Ana needs to go home now, but she'll visit you again." Auntie Juliet piped up.

"Ana… will you?" Jandi asked, and I nodded.

"We can play on weekends." I replied.

'If your brother will let me be with you.' I added innerly.

"Okay. Ana, go home. See you next week." Jandi said and then she kissed both of my cheeks.

"Oh! Here's Drake. He'll send you home. Right, sweetie?" Auntie Juliet stated as she turned to Jandi.

"No! He's mean. Ace…Ana, send home." Jandi said.

"Sure-" Ace started, but he was cut off when Drake walked past him.

"Let's go." Drake snorted as he tugged my arm.

"Drake-"

"Just walk already!" He snapped at me.

"Drake, you're-"

He started walking and pulled me along with him. I wasn't even able to kiss Jandi. How could he just drag me?

"Happy birthday Jandi! See you soon!" I shouted.

"Bye!" I heard Jandi reply as she waved her hands at me.

Drake led me to his car and pushed me into the passenger seat. He closed the door and got into the driver's seat. He started the engine and then we drove away.

"Make sure that this would be the last time I'll see your face, dimwit." He snapped.

"Why are you so overbearing? What have I done to deserve-"

"Because you're a hypocrite. You- quit pretending that you want to befriend my sister!"

"I am not pretending! I really want to be friends with her!"

"Just stay away from her, Louella! She doesn't need you! Stay away from us!"

"I'll stay away from you, but I won't leave your sister!"

He stopped the car abruptly and if I hadn't buckled my seat belt, I would probably hit my head.

"What are-"

"Get the hell out of this car!"

"Fine! I don't want to be near a jerk anyway!"

I got out of the car and slammed the door shut.

"Jerk!" I yelled as I kicked his car's wheel.

I couldn't see his reaction, but I can imagine him scowling at me. Drake drove away, leaving me in the middle of an unfamiliar road. I don't know this place, and I can't see any bus stop shelters. More than that, there are no vehicles passing by.

"How the hell can I go home now?" I yelled.