With Strings Attached

Chapter 6: Unhand

I walked slower willing my heart to reduce its crazy drumming.

"There you are." Ayden smiled when he saw me.

For some reason, my vision started to blur with tears which I furiously blinked away. "Hi!" I brightly said. "I got lost and ended up in the garden."

"Dumiretso ka at hindi ka kumanan, ano?" he said lightly tapping the tip of my nose. "Ang sabi ko kasi ay samahan na kita. Pero, itong asawa ko ay hindi hilig makinig," he reprimanded gently.

He put an arm around my shoulders. "By the way, Aiyla, let me introduce you to some of the cousins that you have not met because they were all a no-show at the wedding. This is Oona, this is Charleesa but she prefers to be called Charlie..."

Oona, Charlie...sila 'yung nasa banyo kanina...

"...and these are the twins Jehanne and Johann."

She was there with them, too—

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a dead ringer for Chinese actress Dilraba Dilmurat?" Johann asked cutting my thoughts off.

"I'm sorry, who—?"

"Dilraba Dilmurat," he said blushing as he shyly extended his hand. "I'm Johann. Eighteen. I'm a first-year film student..."

"Aiyla," I automatically replied shaking his clammy hand.

"Hi..." He blushed some more. "Do you want to see a photo of her—I mean of Dilraba...?"

I wasn't sure why I found his awkwardness endearing. "Sure," I said.

"Wait..." He took his out of his pocket before he showed all of us a picture.

I smiled. "Ang layo naman, Johann. Let's not offend her fans by calling me her dead ringer. Nakakahiya naman sa kanya."

"Kamukha mo," he earnestly said. "Believe me. I know because I have the biggest crush on Dilraba—"

"You are standing too close to my wife, Cousin," Ayden commented.

Johann nearly stumbled for jumping back nearly a foot away. "Sorry, Kuya Ayden, I mean nothing inappropriate..."

"You better," Ayden replied although he was smiling.

I was ready to say that no harm was done but I saw the look on Ayden's face so I kept my mouth shut and put an arm around his waist instead.

Jehann rolled her eyes. "Is that display of possessiveness real or just for show, Kuya?" she asked. "It's not like you to be so territorial."

"Why would I not be protective of my wife?" Ayden's voice was pleasant yet firm.

"Protective? You're protecting her from my twin brother?" Jehann asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Kilala mo naman itong kapatid ko. You know how socially awkward he is."

"And I also know how much of a nosy brat you are," Ayden countered.

Jehann huffed. "You know what, it's none of my business. Pero, paplastikin mo talaga kami? We know naman the circumstances of yours and Aiyla's union—"

"And what circumstances are we exactly talking about if I may ask?" I asked.

She stared in surprise at me.

"I mean, aside from the fact that we got married because we are head over heels for each other like other couples, what other reason is there for us to get wed?"

The look on Jehanne's face was priceless. "What I mean is...we all know that..."

"Yes?" I asked tilting my head to the side.