Beneath the Stars (UNDER REVISION)

02

"Pardon me?"

I almost choked on my food! The mansion was filled with a pin-drop silence. Wala man lang reaksyon itong lalaking katabi ko!

"He's going to stay with us until summer ends... for you have enough time to get to know each other." dagdag pa ni Abuela.

Mas lalong nanlaki ang aking mga mata. "Does my father even know about this?!"

"He..." Abuela was hesitant. "He was actually the one who arranged this."

Fuck!

"I'm not getting married to a complete stranger!" I said, pointing at Leandro who looked really unbothered beside me.

"We're just following your father's orders, Gabriella." Abuelo said, bakas ang inis sa kaniyang mukha.

Naiinis ba siya sa akin? Sa naging reaksyon ko?

Natural lang naman 'yon, hindi ba? Sino ba naman ang matutuwang ipapakasal ka sa lalaking hindi mo naman kilala?!

"Gabriella, please... don't make this much more hard for us than it already is." Abuela pleaded.

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako at napainom ng tubig nang wala sa oras.

Tahimik ko nalang tinapos ang pagkain ko't umalis na sa hapagkainan.

Naisipan kong magpahangin muna. Hindi pa rin kasi nagsi-sink in sa utak ko 'yong mga nangyayari. I needed some time to think about this.

Pumunta ako sa gazebo at umupo roon sa may balustrade, ipinatong ko ang dalawa kong mga paa at sumandal ako sa poste habang nakatingin sa mga bituwin sa langit. Made up of glass kasi 'yung bubong ng gazebo kaya maganda dito mag-star gazing kasi kitang-kita mo talaga.

I can't believe that my own father would sell me out like that!

Pakialam ko naman sa kaniya?! Kahit anak pa siya ng Presidente ay hindi ako magpapakasal sa lalaking 'yon! Kahit siya pa ang natitirang lalaki sa mundo, I swear to God—

"Are you mad?"

Speaking of the devil.

"Tinatanong pa 'yan?" masungit kong sabi sa kaniya.

"You're so hot-headed, aren't you?" I heard him chuckle.

"Go away, Leandro." pagtataboy ko sa kaniya, hindi man lang ito tinapunan ng tingin nang umupo siya sa aking harapan.

"Nope." he simply said. It was firm.

"You're so useless, you know?" Inangat ko ang aking tingin, I met his gorgeous eyes. "Wala ka man lang bang gagawing aksyon?" I raised a brow.

"We're particularly both useless." he corrected me. "I won't get my inheritance if I don't marry you."

I smirked. "So, you're just going to use me?"

He nodded. "Practically yes, or else I won't even stay another second here trying to get to know you."

I placed my chin above my knees as I curled up. "Fuck my life. I don't even get anything in return."

I mean, kung gagamitin niya lang din naman ako para makuha ang mana niya... ano naman ang makukuha ko? Masisira na nga ang buhay ko, lugi pa. I won't let that shit happen.

"My abs." he uttered out of nowhere.

Palihim akong napairap. Tanginang lalaki 'to!

"Mukha bang mauuto mo ako gamit 'yang abs mo?"

He scoffed. "I was just joking." He lifted my chin up. "Don't worry, I won't make your life miserable. I'm not that typical evil fiancé in the movies." he joked, I can't even afford to laugh.