Love Just Is

Chapter FOUR ☂

Chapter FOUR ☂

My eyes snap wide open when I saw Theo peering down at me. What is he doing in my room? I look at my clock and it’s only seven in the morning.

              “Good morning, Reese. Get up now. I have a proposition for you,” he says. I raise an eyebrow and don’t do what he said. Who does he think he is? I’m not going to abide to his demands. “I said get up.” He pulls my arms, causing my blanket to fall down to the floor. But then he looks away immediately. “I’ll wait for you outside.” He sounds nervous.

              “What do you want? I’m not getting up yet so you better tell it to me here,” I drawl, still sounding sleepy. I slept at one in the morning last night so I’m not going to get up just because he told me to. He’s not the boss of me.

              He scratches the back of his head, not turning to face me. “Um, well, can you… get dressed first?”

              That’s when I realize I am only wearing a tank top and underwear. But then, why would I be embarrassed. He should be the one! I smirk, saying, “You haven’t seen a girl wearing like this? It’s your fault, you know,” I stand up and grab my robe from the hanger. “you shouldn’t have entered my room.” I go inside my bathroom. Yes, I act casual when I’m out there, but when I get inside, my face flushes. That is so embarrassing!

              “I’ll wait for you downstairs,” he says before I hear the door closes.

              How can I face him when I go down? Just act casual, Reese, I tell myself.

              I don’t want to get up just yet, but I’m not that sleepy anymore. Who will not wake up with something as embarrassing as that? Only my mom and grandma have seen me in my underwear and now… Oh, my gosh. I don’t even want to think about what Theo is thinking when he saw me like that.

              Grandma is at the front yard, talking to some folks. I’m looking over my window and thinking what I should do when I go down. I don’t really want to talk to Theo. Talking to him is not on my to-do list for the summer. But he won’t let me go that easily. I think he wants to be friends with me. He’s unlucky, though, because I’m not offering him any friendship. I wonder why I haven’t met him before. If he is Uncle Lucas’ son, I should’ve met him before, right? I shake my head and decide not to think about it anymore. If I have met him before I start hating guys, it will surely be the same like this. I don’t like talkative guys.

              Today, I will go see my friends and ask them to go to the beach. That will surely take my mind off from this hellhole that Theo made. I go down as I feel my stomach growling in protest. Apparently, I didn’t eat last night as I don’t feel like it because of Theo… again. Everything that I’m experiencing right now is because of Theo. He should be banished from this house. He’s only making my summer not summery.

              As I go down the stairs, I feel my heart beating at an irregular pace. What for? I shake my head to relax my mind. I’m thinking too much. Theo is on the couch, watching some morning show. What a lazy guy.

              “Good morning again, Reese,” he greets when he saw me pass by the living room.

              The kitchen smells good. I wonder what’s for breakfast. My eyes widen, a smile creeping up to my face. There are freshly baked muffins on the countertop table and the aroma is still in the kitchen.

              “Good morning, honey,” grandma greets me from behind.

              I smile at her. “Good morning, grandma. These smell so good. Can I have one?” I ask. Grandma can’t resist my cute puppy-eyes do I’m sure she’ll let me have one. Or maybe two. But I hope for three muffins.