Author's note:
Sorry again for the late update. My wattpad app was going crazy and everytime I edit my story offline, there was always an error. Good thing it was already fixed. Anyway, here's an update(shocked to know that it was one of the longest chapter I've written so far). Hope you enjoy it!
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It has only been a day after she left their provincial house and Rhian already badly misses her girlfriend- no scratch that, her ex-fake girlfriend. Even though its partly her fault-alright majorly her fault, she still couldn't help but think about the cute short-haired girl that had managed to capture her heart. She thought back to the last moment she had with Glaiza. The teary and desperate look Glaiza gave her, their shared passionate kiss, and the way the girl clung to her, was permanently etched in Rhian's mind, resulting to yet another stinging sensation piercing her chest.
Before her eyes could glaze again, her name being called pulled her out of her thoughts. She look back at the person she's video-calling and blinked a couple of times.
"Sorry, what were you saying again?" Rhian softly questioned.
Chynna sighed. "I said, we understand your reasons for leaving."
"Yeah, I must say though, this turned out to be more complicated than I thought it would be. With these romantic feelings in the way, things are much harder to deal with now. I mean, it didn't came to my mind that you'd be developing feelings for her. I guess, Glaiza had impacted and affected you that much, huh?" Brian added, his face coming in the view of Chynna's phone.
At the mention of the short-haired girl, she felt another jab in her chest. "Yeah... is she- I mean, how's... Glaiza been doing?"
Chynna and Brian glance at each other with a worried look before the former spoke. "Not really doing great. You leaving really took a toll on her. She's locking herself up in the room, barely eats and talks to us, and she's mostly crying, and sometimes, we hear her occasional pained screams in her room. We tried comforting her but she shut us out. Even Katrina wasn't of much help."
"What about Benjamin?" Rhian blurted out.
"Yeah, he's here. He just came back from his trip with his friends and immediately went straight here when he heard about Glaiza's state. Without a surprise, Glaiza welcomed him and let herself be comforted by the guy. And so far, Ben had manage to calm the crying girl." Chynna replied.
"Oh." Rhian managed to say. Instinctively, she clench her fist at the thought of Benjamin comforting her ex-fake girlfriend.
But who am I kidding? Its my fault Glaiza's in a depressing state, anyway. Besides, its Benjamin whose comforting her. Any boyfriend would do that their lover. So who am I to feel jealous?
"Rhian, do you really think... breaking things off with Glaiza is the solution to your dilemma?" Brian carefully asks. "Do you not... regret your decision?"
Rhian gave a deep sigh before flashing a sad smile. "I'm starting to. I didn't like what my decision has led to, much less the idea of ending things with Glaiza. I've thought long and hard about it, and everytime I came to the conclusion that I'll be leaving Glaiza, really pains me... But really, what choice do I have?"
A week before I broke things off with Glaiza, my parents reminded me that my marriage with Jason is moved to an earlier date, four days after they come back from France. Aside from the fact that it angered me, it also made me panicked. We were still no closer in convincing them and Jason to call off the marriage. Not to mention that my feelings for Glaiza became stronger each day. It was so messed up. But then I thought about Benjamin, and how Glaiza's still in a relationship with him. If I agree to continue with our fake relationship, Glaiza's still has her strings attached to Ben, giving me the mentality that I'd forever be her second option, romantically speaking. I don't think I could endure that much pain. She's still very much in love with him anyway, so who am I to hope that she'll choose me over him?
So I did what's best for me and, hopefully for Glaiza. I finally agreed to Jason's marriage. By doing so, I won't anymore feel the pain of seeing Glaiza be with her significant other during our continuous fake relationship. And Glaiza could now focus on Benjamin, without her feelings being confused anymore because of me. As for my feelings, its better that I do not act on it, and focus my attention to Jason, my future husband-to-be. He already has feelings for me, and I'm sure with time, I'll learn to love him. Then everything would turn okay in the end.
I think.
"I'm truly sorry that things had turned out this way, Rhian. But for what its worth, we root for you more than Ben. We saw how you care for Glaiza, how you comfort her during her lowest hours, and how much you made her happy. And for that, we are truly grateful." Chynna reassured.
"Yeah, you've done so much for her, Rhian. Honestly, your romantic actions outweighs Ben's. Mind you, as Glaiza's friends, we tend to be overprotective when it comes to her admirers and suitors; and Ben passed our standards. But as time passed by, during your fake relationship and much observations, I realize that we might have lowered our standards for Glaiza's love interests. To put it simply, you're more romantic than Ben. And I can confidently say that you, Rhian, showed Glaiza what true and genuine romantic love looks like. That's what Ben is lacking." Brian gently smiles, to which Chynna mirrored him in agreement.
For a second, Rhian swells in relief and joy. Its nice to think that Glaiza's friends approve of her for their friend. She shot them a grateful smile before she asks about where the rest of the group are.
"Your friends are out to handle about their school's enrollment and said that they'll be back late in the afternoon. As for Kat and Paul, well..." Chynna hesitates. "They're kinda... pissed at you for what you did at Glaiza. They've also thrown some very... intense curses at you and, well, yeah, they're furious."
"But don't worry, I'm sure they'll come around. Just give them time." Brian instantly reassures.
Rhian reluctantly nodded. She's not surprise about it, since she's seen how the two seems to be the most protective of Glaiza about certain things. She just hopes that what Brian says are true. She doesn't want to get on their bad sides, knowing that the two are pretty scary and intimidating at times.
"Uh Rhian, I'm afraid we have to hang up now. Kat's on her way downstairs." Just as Brian said that, Rhian heard Kat's semi-deep voice resonating the room, calling both Brian and Chynna's name, saying something about helping in cooking lunch.
"Sure. Hey, thank you guys for this. I really appreciate it. Take good care of Glaiza for me. And please, contact me if anything goes wrong there. Especially with Glaiza." Rhian says.
"Will do." Chynna and Brian gave a determined smile before they hang up.
Rhian face-planted herself on the bed, still clutching her phone. For a minute, she stared at her mobile's black screen, imagining the cute short-haired girl lying beside her staring back at her with her usual cheeky smile. Not being able to resist it, Rhian swipe her hand to her gallery and scroll down to all the pictures she has with Glaiza. She unconsciously smiles at Glaiza's mostly wacky selfies, pictures with Poncho their family dog, cute pictures of the two of them (the one where their foreheads connecting while they're smiling at each other, was Rhian's favorite), and stolen shots of herself (all of which are when she's reading a book).
Rhian briefly closed her eyes, preventing the tears that threatened to fall. She had enough crying yesterday. She had made her choice. From this day onwards, she'll be spending her remaining life with Jason.
No matter how much I despise it.
She was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the door open then close. Based from the heavy footsteps, she could tell that it was her husband-to-be. Wordlessly, Jason sat beside the lying girl and enclosed his manly fingers together.
"The photographer was kind enough to send me a soft copy of our raw pre-wedding photos, before they started editing it. I must say, you look mature and more beautiful in it. Not to say that you're not now, but the camera really captures your beauty. Not to mention that one photo of you holding Poncho on your lap as you scratch his ears was so cute. What with your nose scrunching and your eyes crinkling." Jason lightly chuckles at the memory.
"Mhm." Rhian hummed distractingly, not really in the mood for Jason's company right now.
After that time she left their provincial house, Rhian and Jason were immediately dressed into fancy dresses and suits, and was informed that their pre-wedding photoshoot is about to start. Well, at least to Rhian. Jason probably know of it beforehand, as he appeared nonchalant to the news, as opposed to Rhian, whose face contorted in shock and disbelief.
Cringey, annoyed, and irritated are the perfect words to describe her feelings towards the photoshoot. She was whisked away by at least three women to take care of her wardrobe change, and her hair and makeup. She was forced to obey the photographer's nagging advices on how to pose and her ears to ache from all the noises she had to endure from the busy people. Rhian despises how she had to perfect her fake smiles and act all lovey-dovey with Jason. Her hands twitch with an urge to slap Jason's prying hands whenever he clutch her waist tightly against him, or when it slide dangerously close to her bum. But she bury that urge and ground her jaw in control and great restraint, as her peripheral vision always caught sight of her parents, especially her father.
"Are you really going to be like this, Rhian?" Jason asks, the bed dipping as he turn his body to face her.
"Yes." Rhian says, as she kept her eyes glued to the dark screen of her phone.
"Can you at least look at me when you speak? 'Cause it feels like I'm wasting my time talking here." Jason added.
Rhian robotically turn her sidewards to meet his gaze, and blankly says, "You are."
Jason sighes. "Rhian, come on."
"Jason, please. I'm not really in the mood to talk to anyone. All I want right now is to be left away with my thoughts. Don't worry, I'm not planning on leaving and running away from this predicament I'm in. I'm exhausted from it, 'cause I know that whatever I do, you and my parents won't listen or give a crap about my opinions and my feelings. So please, give me just this day to be alone and let me sulk on my bed." Rhian snapped.
Jason turn a deaf ear to the girl's plea, amd instead just sighed at Rhian's stubborness, until he caught sight of something dangling from the girl's neck.
"That's pretty. I've never seen you wear that before." Jason commented, already close to touching it, to better see the necklace. But Rhian was quick to wave his hand off.
"Don't! I can't have you unintentionally yank it off. This is very special to me." Rhian says.
"Mind sharing why its special?" Jason replied.
Rhian look at him for a minute, weighing her options. Just seconds ago, she was practically sending the guy out as she was in no mood to talk, especially to him. But since it wasn't about the marriage or something related to it that Jason wants to talk about, she guess that its okay for them to maybe converse. Besides, the subject has something to do with Glaiza. Rhian is always fond of talking about her. Anything about the bubbly short-haired girl were always worth sharing. The happy ones, at least.
Even the thought of her smiling face had me feeling tingles in my stomach already. God Rhian, you're so whipped for her.
With a small smile on her face, Rhian narrates the time she and Glaiza had their friendship necklaces, or rather, their promise necklaces. Unconsiously, she was whisked back to the good old times.
Flashback
Cute childish giggles resonated throughout the treehouse as both 8 year-old Rhian and Glaiza put random clips on random places of the hair of Rhian's mother. The woman is free from her work today, and she decided to spend time with the kids.
"Easy on the hair, you two. You're pulling them a little too hard." Rhian's mother, Clare, says as she wince when a particular strand of her hair was being tugged.
"Sorry." They both chuckled in unison.
After doing her hair, the two proceeded to put makeup. All the while, the two couldn't stop giggling when Clare would tell jokes about animals. By the time the makeover was done, the two requested for them to take a picture of Clare. When the woman was handed the phone to look at the picture, she gave a playful frown towards the two.
"So this is the 'beautiful makeover' you two said you'll give me?" Clare says.
The two giggled among themselves as they assess Clare's ridiculous hair-filled clips, and makeup that has intentional smudges on her eyebrows, eyelids, and lips. The blush on her cheeks were also put a little to much.
"You look pretty, mom." Rhian commented, earning a shove on her rib from the giggling Glaiza.
"A very pretty clown." Glaiza added. The two chuckled once more.
"A clown, huh?" Clare crawled slowly to the two. "Well, I'll show you how a clown like me punish kids who transforms me into this ugly mess!"
Before the two could react, they were attacked by Clare's fingers tickling them all over. The 8 year-olds burst into laughter as they doubled up on the floor. Clare's kisses on their tummies also tickled as they begged the adult to stop through fits of laughters.
Clare pulled away, smiling as she look at the kids lying down on the wooden floor with grins on their faces. "Sooo, how do you two feel on going to a festival today?"
The two looked at each other in surprise before they nodded their head frantically at Clare with beaming delight. The adult carried Rhian by her chest while she situated Glaiza on her back, before the three of them climbed off the treehouse. She put the girls down, and almost immediately they ran off inside the house, seemingly excited. That is, until they bumped into the knees of tall man in a business suit.
"Woah, there! What's with all the running?" Mr. Ramos said as he tried to calm down the excited girls.
"Tita Clare's taking us to a festival, tito! And we're sooo excited!" Glaiza says jumping up and down in glee. Rhian could only giggle at the bubbly girl's cuteness.
Mr. Ramos creased his eyebrows curiously, his gaze turn to Rhian. "You're mommy's not at work?"
"I took a free day today. There's not much to do in the office anyway. Just some papers to go through, nothing major. And I figured what better way to spend time with these youngsters than take them to a festival? They could use some fresh air. Being cooped up here might be tiresome." Clare says as she came into view. She smiled as she watch the two already gushing things by themselves.
"Yeah, that would do them good." Mr. Ramos agreed. "Take two of my best bodyguards while you're at it. Crowded places is a skilled pickpocketers and subtle kidnappers' playground. Its important that at least one of you is alert at times."
Clare nodded thankfully, as she watch her husband crouch down, eye-level with the kids. She couldn't make up the words he's saying to the two. Her lips twitch in fondness as her husband place a kiss on Rhian's forehead and ruffled Glaiza's hair before he stood up. Her heart warmed as he approach her and place a tender kiss on her forehead.
"Have fun and be safe, okay?" He whsipered. Clare could only nod and stare at him lovingly. He gave her a warm smile before he was off to his business meeting.
"Alright you two, come and lets get you dressed up." Clare says as she grab the tiny hands of the 8 year-olds and made their way to Rhian's room.
♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧♧
After a 20-minute car ride listening to all of Frozen's sound tracks, the car halted in front of a tall concave, design-filled wooden sign that says Town's Flower and Mask Festival!
Rhian and Glaiza squealed in excitement and began running inside, to which Clare immediately followed them in pursuit. Two lovely ladies stood in front of them, placing fresh flower necklaces around their neck and mask on top of their head. Clare thanked the ladies and smiled as she saw her daughter wearing her mask, which was twice the size of her small head. It hanged loosely around her face, making Glaiza giggle and just push it on top of her head to keep it from falling.
Clare was pulled from stores to stores and payed for festival-themed snacks and sweets. She didn't mind it though, she's glad that the two were having fun. Spoiling them today with what they want, poses no problem to Clare as this is the first time in months did the two enjoyed themselves outside their house.
"Okay you two, I'm going to buy us some meals. I assume you're feeling hungry?" Clare says.
"Very." Glaiza nodded her head frantically while Rhian only smiled in response, since she's currently having her face painted with the festival's theme.
"Alright." Clare smiled. "You stay here, okay?"
She turn her gaze to the two bodyguards. "Make sure you have your eyes on them at all times. Contact me immediately when something happens."
The black-suited men nodded professionally before Clare pats Rhian and Glaiza's head and headed to find them their lunch. By the time Rhian's face-paint was finished, she payed her with a smile.
"Wow! You did a wonderful job, miss! It looks good! Thanks again!" Rhian says as she inspect her face at a mirror.
"You're very welcome, dear one." The lady chuckled before she focus on another customer of hers.
Rhian felt a hand enclosed on her arm before she was abruptly turned. Glaiza's face inch closer to hers as she pulled Rhian's arms towards hers. The short-haired girl's eyes widened in awe as she took in the intricate design scattered on Rhian's forehead down to her side profile.
"Woah! Rhi, your face, its beautiful! You look like the forest fairy we watched yesterday!" Glaiza commented, her gaze tracing every bit of Rhian's face.
Rhian smiled, as she witness the girl's big, cute eyes and an equally bright smile up close. "You think so?"
"Yup!" Glaiza beamed. "You're pretty. Like really, really, pretty. And more cute too! I really like your face that way!"
Rhian chuckled. "You're cute too, G."
Glaiza gave her signature cheeky smile, before something caught her eye. She told the rich girl to stay where she is, before jogging up to a woman designing a flower necklace. Rhian squinted her eyes curiously, watching her friend talk to the woman. Shortly after, Glaiza run back to her.
Glaiza's hands that were on her back, held it in front of the girl wherein a purple flower was enclosed in Glaiza's tiny hand. "I wanted to buy the flower necklace, but I only have a single penny with me. So, I just ask for a single flower and the kind lady gave that to me... Sooo, here."
Instead of taking it, Rhian's head tilted in confusion. Glaiza offered a smile at the silent girl and placed the flower behind Rhian's ear.
Glaiza then put her hands on the front pockets of her jumper with a smile, rocking herself back and forth. "It matches the paint on your face... Oh, and your shoes too!"
Rhian beamed at the gesture and gave the girl a sweet smile. "Tha-"
Before Rhian could finish uttering her thanks, a body bumped into her, rather forcefully, making her stumble, had it not for Glaiza's quick hands to steady the girl in front of her. Glaiza's gaze immediately shot up to the one who bumped her friend, spotting three boys(two thin ones and a fat one), seemingly just the same age as Rhian and Glaiza's, gushing among themselves with whatever it is on the chubby boy's hands.
Glaiza made her way towards them and poke the fat one's shoulder, to which the boy turn. Eyeing her up and down in distate for interrupting them, he said in a bored tone, "What?"
"You bumped into my friend and she almost fall to the ground." Glaiza stated.
"So?" The boy said. "Its her fault for standing in the way."
At this point, Rhian approached her friend when she saw Glaiza clenching her fist.
"No, its not." Glaiza firmly says. "Look, I know its just an accident, but still, you should apologize."
The three laughed and snorted, before the fat guy sauntered closer to Glaiza, towering over her short figure.
"What if I don't want to? What are you going to do about it," The boy shoved Glaiza's tiny shoulder. "Little girl."
Rhian stand in-between and was about to grab Glaiza and steer them away from trouble, but the guy, acting all mighty, shove Rhian aside. This time, little Rhian really lost her footing and connected herself to the ground, earning a scrape knee from the impact, as the girl was wearing jean shorts.
At this, Glaiza's held back anger resurfaced and doubled, as she witness the blood on the girl's knee and the wince of pain on Rhian's face. She pounce on the boy and began hitting the fat boy's chest and face with her tiny, fisted hands, kicking the two thin boys who attempted to aid their friend. The short-haired girl didn't plan on stopping, wanting to make sure the fat boy writhe in pain under her.
It was only when a strong, muscular hands circled around her and lifted her from the person's chest, did Glaiza's fists disconnect from her enemy's face. She paid no mind to the crowd forming around them and instead has her focus towards the fat boy, who was being assisted by one of Clare's bodyguards. She snickered, when she saw blood trickling down the boy's nose, a busted lip, and a hint of bruise forming on his cheek. When his squinted eyes lock with hers, Glaiza poke her tongue out and smirked in victory.
Glaiza wiggled onto the other bodyguard's grip and made her way over to Rhian, just in time for Clare to arrive at the scene.
"What in the world happened?!" Clare exclaimed and walked briskly to the two kids, upon seeing her injured daughter.
"Nothing ma. I just fell and scrape my knee." Rhian answered, not before giving Glaiza a warning look not to explain anything.
Clare, ignorant to all that happened, bought this half-lie, half-truth, and tended to her daughter's wound. Then, they ate their food in silence. Clare didn't mind it, as she thought that the kids were just enjoying their meals. After that, she caught sight of her bodyguards and huffed, and made her way towards them. Rhian turn to her friend, who was holding the pressed flower that had apparently fall from Rhian's head during her fall. She was staring at it sadly, and Rhian know why.
She nudge her friend and gave a reassuring smile. "Hey, its alright. We have plenty of flowers at my house."
Glaiza sighs. "Its not the same, though. You don't have this kind of flower at home, that's why I got this for you. No flower matches your outfit, but this. It completes your cute look... And now its dead." She gaze up at Rhian with a sad look. "I really like this flower for you."
Rhian smiled gently and took the girl's hand. She pulled themselves towards her mom and ask if they could roam again by themselves. Clare reluctantly agreed, and this time she went with them, just two feet behind them.
Rhian let her friend lead where they go, her form of cheering her up. Just then she heard the girl squeal in excitement and felt her hand pull towards a stand owned by a middle-aged man in a slightly scrumpy clothes. Glaiza's eyes scan the animal stuffed toys that hang from the stand. Knowing that it would take minutes to admire even just one stuffed toy, Rhian decided to go to its neighboring stand where a lady sat on a makeshift chair with a suit-filled accessories.
Rhian knows all of it are fake, as the prices didn't come close to the ones her mother owns. But it didn't change the fact that she like all of the designs. While scanning all of them, she heard her friend's voice beside her, pointing at a particular accesory and asking about it. Rhian lips twitch when she saw a stuffed panda bear enclosed in her arm.
"Oh, that one comes with this matching one. They're paired together." The lady said, as she pointed the white necklace and a black necklace. "They're usually to be worn between lovers."
Glaiza tilts her head curiously. "What's a lover?"
"Oh, uhm, they're someone really special to you. Like, uh, how do I say this? Uhm, like you really love this person and you always wanna be with them all the time. You don't want to hurt them but instead you want to make them smile, like all the time. Whenever they smiles, you also smile. Like you adore everything about them." The lady explains, in the best way she hope the kids would understand.
Glaiza pondered at this for a moment before she gaze at Rhian. When Rhian's eyes met her in a curious manner, Glaiza smiled, before turning to the lady.
"Hey! That's how I feel about Rhian! And she's been my lover for 3 years now!" Glaiza says proudly, before turning to Rhian with a beaming smile. "Isn't that cool?"
"Yeah!" Rhian grinned innocently. "Do you want try those necklaces?"
Glaiza glance at the lady with a hopeful look, to which she nodded. Glaiza squealed and took the white necklace, locking it on Rhian's neck, then the latter in turn placed it on Glaiza's. The black and white yin and yang necklaces fit both their necks perfectly, as if it meant only for them.
"It suits you." Rhian commented, eyeing Glaiza's pendant appreciatively.
"Yours too." Glaiza replied. "Hey! This could be our promise necklaces to each other!"
"I'd love that, but Glaiza, we need to pay it." Rhian says with a chuckle.
Glaiza's smile lowered, until her eyebrows lit up in realization. She search the front pockets of her jumper and placed the object in front of the lady. Sliding the single, almost rusty penny towards her, Glaiza gave a sheepish smile. "Will this count? We really love this necklaces."
"Keep that." The lady slide the penny back at Glaiza before smiling. "I'll give the necklaces for free."
The girls squealed and as if on cue, gave the lady a hug. The latter chuckled, amused at the kids' behavior for the past 2 minutes. They bid goodbye when the bodyguards reminded them that it was time to go home. Clare and the bodyguards brisk walk towards the car to place all the souvenirs and foods the bought from the festival.
While siting at the bench, munching on cotton candies and chocolate bars, Rhian glance at her and before she could speak, she chuckled when she saw chocolate crumbs and chocolate frosting on the corner of Glaiza's mouth. She grab the hankerchief dangling on Glaiza's front pocket and wipe it on the girl's mouth. The girl gave a thankful smile in response.
"Hey G, what did you mean about these promise necklaces?" Rhian asks, pointing at both their necklaces.
"Oh, right." Glaiza put down her half-eaten chocolate bar and faced the girl. "Its about our promise that we wear it at all times and that we stay as lovers to each other. And I mean, only to each other. This necklace is special to me, just as you are special to me, Rhi. And I intend to wear this everyday... Will you promise me to also do that?"
Rhian sat still. It was a rare sight to see her friend being serious. She was always used to her smiles and laughs. But she knows that moments like this, where Glaiza speaks somberly, means that whatever she says should be taken seriously. So as she gaze at Glaiza's big, doe eyes that held genuine truth, Rhian already know her answer.
"Yes. I promise to wear this at all times and to be your only lover forever." Rhian mustered confidently.
"You really mean that?" Glaiza softly asks, her eyes lit up in hope.
To prove that she really meant every word she said, she gently grab Glaiza's necklace and hers, and connect them together, their pieces fitting to complete the circumference of the yin and yang.
"I promise." Rhian nodded with a smile.
End of Flashback
Rhian smiled at the nostalgia. "Back then, we didn't know that the definition of a lover was something more than the lady had said, neither did we probe on it...We were innocent to everything. We were contented on what was said to us... But, in a way, we might have act as lovers. I mean, to me at least. Glaiza had been very sweet to me evers since we were young. She was always by my side, showed interest in what I speak, protected me from anyone that hurts me, and cared for me... She made me feel special and loved, in her own cute childish way."
"Oh, how I miss those times with her. How her cheeky smile could lit up even the darkest atmosphere in the room. Her laugh that was so contagious, you can't help but join in with her in joy. Her humor and wit that just captures your whole attention and sucked your interest solely to her. She was also very brave and mischievous. Her big, anime eyes, which I adore the most, always was an open book that I easily read. Sometimes it held a glint of mischief and playfullness that would quite often brought us in trouble. But it was worth it though, we were always forgiven because of Glaiza's incredible way of guilt-tripping others. Other times, it held so much brightness and so much passion whenever she talk about anything... Glaiza was an interesting kid back then, and she was my favorite person. One that no one could compare to. She was something else that way."
Rhian's eyes darted towards the window with a distant look, but still a ghost of a smile was still present on her face. "Now that I think about it, I guess I already like her as more than a friend back then. But it held no meaning to an 8 year-old me... As opposed to now, wherein that simple crush blooms into something more."
Jason stare at her with an unreadable expression. "You really do love her, huh?"
"Always have and always will." Rhian softly answered.
Jason stare at her long and hard before he speak. "Guess that's my cue to announce to our parents that the marriage is cancelled."
Rhian shot her gaze towards him in cofusion.
Jason smiled forcefully. "You don't have to marry me anymore. I'm letting you go, Rhian."
Wait, WHAT?
Jason inch closer and grab both of the rich girl's hands. "I now see how much you love Glaiza. No matter what I do, and whenever I convince your parents into at least making you like me, you're still devoted to Glaiza. I guess I can never really amount myself to her. Maybe if things were different, if you and I have been childhood friends, maybe you'll express your interest in me. But sadly, it isn't. Although it aches me to let you go, it would pain me more if I see you stuck with someone you're not happy for the rest of your life. I guess I can't really bring you genuine happiness like Glaiza has done. And I do not want to rob you of that anymore. So yes, I'll let you be with Glaiza and I will not come between the two of you anymore. You're an incredible person Rhian, and you deserve an equally incredible person in your life. And that person can only be Glaiza, not me."
Tears sprang in Rhian's eyes and without thinking, she pounce herself to Jason, enclosing him in a hug. Not in a million years could she guess or even thought that Jason was willing to let her go from a marriage he wants have with her. She couldn't believe that beneath his arrogance and cockiness, store an understanding and willing person.
"Thank you, Jason. This really means a lot to me." Rhian sniffed when she pulled away. But then, her grateful smile momentarily became into a slight frown at a realization.
What comes after this, then? I've hurt Glaiza and I doubt that she'll forgive me that easily, let alone rekindle back to our previous relationship. What if she don't take me back? What if she doesn't want to be with me anymore? And oh gosh, she still have Benjamin.
Suddenly, Rhian's hope are starting to crumble into pieces. She didn't gave much thought at the Benjamin dilemma. She was so caught up at the fact that she want to be Glaiza's lover again, without thinking that she's still in a relationship. Would this sudden freedom be all gone to waste?
"Hey, she'll take you back, okay?" Jason reassured, already knowing what the girl was doubting about.
"B-But what if she don't? She still has Benjamin. What are the chances of her choosing me over her lover?" Rhian doubted.
"Lover?" Jason confusingly asks. Rhian mentally slap herself at that.
Right. He doesn't know that Benjamin was indeed Glaiza's lover. We only stated Ben as Glaiza's former suitor.
Thinking that she has nothing to lose, Rhian told everything. How he was right about their fake relationship, how they rekindle their friendship, their closeness, confessing her feelings, their set-up where Glaiza's two timing her and Ben, up to their current situation.
"Oh wow, so I was right all along." Jason muttered, still sinking in the information he's receive. "I'm not surprised that you develop feelings for her though. Glaiza's pretty sweet with you, dare I say intimate, from the beginning. That was pretty bold of her, considering that she's in a relationship with Ben. I guess that's why I had my doubts about your 'relationship'. It was so obvious that you were awkward around showing PDA with her, as opposed to Glaiza's comfortable sweet moments with you."
Rhian blushed in embarassment, scratching her cheek as she chuckled awkwardly. "Y-Yeah. I have no experience in romance so, I didn't really... know how to act."
"At first. But I saw how you warmed up to her later on. Guess Glaiza brought that change, huh?" Jason gave her a side glance.
Rhian nodded slowly before her gaze went down. "But I don't think she doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. Benjamin's-"
"It doesn't matter." Jason cut her off. "What matters is Glaiza. She still clearly has feelings for you. And based from my observations, I think she wants you more than Benjamin himself. You guys should talk things through. You never know, maybe she's waiting for you to come back to her. And if it turns out that she's not, well, at least you clear things through. I'm sure there are other gals there that would want to be with you. We may never know the future, but if you hold yourself back to the things you want to do, you'll end up having regrets. So go, talk to her."
Rhian ponder at this. Jason has a point, though. Glaiza didn't technically told her to call quits. Maybe she still have a chance. Because she's sure as hell want Glaiza back. But first things first, she need a plan. She can't just stumble in front of the short-haired girl and begged herself to take her back. She need first to resort on things that would stand in between her and Glaiza.
"Hey Jay, I need your help. I don't think I could do this on my own." Rhian asks.
"Anything for my ex-fianceè." Jason replied, making Rhian chuckle.
"Now, lets think about ways on getting your girl back." Jason smirks.
My girl.
God, that sounds pleasant to my ears.
Wait for me Glaiza, I'm coming for you.
Hope you still want me back just as much as I want you.