As Always (drafts; on hold)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ♥ Comforted

I cooked a simple meal I found from the fridge. Two chicken thighs and wrapped asparagus with bacon for healthy diet. 

"Smells good." He say as he go in the kitchen. 

"Yes it does because I cooked it." I say with pride and grin at him. 

"Don't boast until I try it." He go near me. 

I raise my eyebrows. "You are testing me, huh?" 

He laughs. "No, actually I do believe that this will be my greatest dinner ever." He hugs my back by the waist while I'm cooking. 

I turn my head to look at him. He is still smiling. From this angle I look at him, I feel like I found an angel here on Earth. Perfect white teeth, bushy eyebrows, hazel eyes, soft lips. His lips. I swear that I will never be able to kiss someone so sweet like the way he kisses me. Well, despite the fact that he was my first kiss and I never kissed anyone before, but I know his will be unique. I raise my head up towards him to kiss him. 

I left the spatula over the plate next to the stove, and turn my whole body to face him. I hug his waist too and pull myself even closer to him. 

I pulled back reminding that I am cooking. I chuckle. "Wait, I need to finish my cooking." 

"Oh, okay." He gave me another kiss and move to sit on the high chair by the island counter across from me. "I'll stay here, be good, and appreciate the beauty infront of me." 

I rolled my eyes from him and shake my head. 

I finish the foods and prepare it on the dining table. We eat while Ian tell compliments. I don't know if it is real or he's just playing with me. I learned cooking from my Aunt Carla. She is my mother's sister. After my mom died, she visits me more often and cooked for me. I loved all of them! From simple soups to baked cakes. That's why I asked her to teach me and she did. Now, she visits not that much because of work, but I got to see her still. 

After we finish eating, we hear the front door from the other end of the house clicked open. "Ian?" His mom's voice came in. 

"In the dining!" Ian shout back. There is a wall separating each part of the house from the living room to the kitchen. Only the kitchen and dining rooms are merged as one.

"Brought company?" Mrs Martin emerged. 

"Goodevening, Mrs Martin." I stand as I kiss her cheek with greetings. 

"Guess you've eaten." 

"Yes, mom. Annie cooked." Ian answered for me and came to give her mom a hug. 

"Really? You can cook?" She asked surprised but not in a rude way. More like excited. 

I nod and smile. I feel my cheeks go hot. 

"That's wonderful!" She said. "I told Jillian before that if he will find a girl, look for someone who can cook. Guess he got one." 

She laughs. So I laugh too. Mrs Luck is always a nice woman. She and her husband. No wonder why Ian grew like this. 

"Gonna leave you now. Will be in my room if you need me." Ian nods. She turn and walked up the stairs. 

"I think you should go." Ian says. I look at him. "No, no, not that I want you to leave, but it is gettin late." He added thinking he had been rude. 

I remove my gaze in his eyes and shifted it to the floor. I don't want to go because of dad. 

"Still about your dad?" He ask taking my hand. Yes, he knew. He always does. 

"You must talk to him. The sooner, the better." He kiss my hands. I feel his breath on it as he brush his lips over my metacarpal. 

"Thank you." I say. 

He look at me like questioning my thanks.

"Thank you for making me feel special everytime." I explain.

"I'm not making you feel special. You are special." He smiles.

I smile and then frown. The whole dad thing confuses me. I think I should make it up with dad. Besides, it is not his fault. Neither do Xander's family's. I nod to Ian. "Yeah, you're right. I must talk to him." I force a smile again. 

"Good. Do this for me, for him and for yourself. He cares for you Annie. More than anyone here in this world. He loves you because you are his daughter." He say and hug me. "And remember, I'm the second one who comes after him." 

I laugh. "Thanks again." 

He pulled back. "Stop thanking me. It's normal for me to do this because I love you." 

"Ohh, okay, but thank you for loving me." 

He sigh exaggeratedly.

That made me laugh more. I grin at him and say, "If I can thank you every single moment that I'm with you, I will, but it isn't enough to pay all the things you make me feel." 

"It is not a debt to pay. It is a love to share." He replies. "And if you will just thank me everytime I'm with you how can we do this?" He kiss me and I kiss him back.

"Okay, I need to go."

"You okay to drive home by yourself?" 

"Yep. Wait, can you tell your mom that I left some foods in the microwave. Half cook so that you can heat it without burning." 

"Sure I will." He gives me final kiss and I took off. 

Dad is at the porch by the time I got home. I parked my car and take a deep breath before going out. 

"Annie." He stands. 

"Hey, dad. I'm so sorry. Sorry for being such a brat." 

"It's not being a brat, it just your response for what's inside. You're hurt. It is important to let everyone know about it. Remember that being hurt is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of life. Pain makes you feel alive." He smiles. 

I launch to hug him. 

"Sorry too that I didn't consult you first before planning it. I thought that after the dinner, you're fine with them..." He say gently and apologizingly. 

"It's not a problem now, dad. It's not your fault neither. I am sorry. They are great and Alice is really fine for me. You and her are happy and I don't want to spoil it. Maybe I just foretell my feelings and hate them already, but I guess I should know them more. They aren't that bad after all." I smile. I thank God for making me say those words. It is simply coming from my mind. It is the truth, yes, but minutes before I don't know how to face him, what to tell hom, or how to even start the conversation. I am just so anxious about it.

"It will be fine to cancel the trip. We can―" 

"No, dad." I cut him. "I'm fine. I will go with you." I try to assure him and smile. 

That surprised him. "Really?" 

"Yes." I smile. "It's time to have a new set of family and that, Alice's, is a great choice." When I said those words, it is not hurting me anymore. I am happy to say it―not the whole Xander thing, but I want dad to be happy as much as Xander wants his mom to be happy. 

Dad hugs me again and kiss my forehead. "You will always be my princess. No one can change or take away it."