6 yrs ago
The three best friends were sitting in a cafe, Rina was browsing on her phone while Teresa and Ai had their focus on their food.
*Ring* Ring*
"Hello..... yes, this is Rina Wilson," Rina answered her call. "What?..... Where?..okay I'll be right there."
"What happened?" Ai and Teresa asked seeing Rina tense.
"Sorry guys, I gotta go.. I'll tell you later." Rina grabbed her bag and hurried out of the cafe.
*Police station*
"Ethan!" She called out her 14 years old brother, who was inside the lock-up, "What the hell is going on?"
"Rina! please get me out of here! I'm innocent." Ethan pleaded.
"You're his guardian?" A male officer approached her.
"Yes, he's my brother," Rina replied.
Another officer brought Ethan out and made him sit beside Rina.
"so it's you and your brother? What about your parents?"
"They've gone out of the town for a few days." She answered. "What's the matter, officer?"
"Let me get to the point then, your brother got into a fight with his classmate and look at that poor boy, he's been beaten up so badly," he said pointing at the boy sitting at the right side, whose parents were throwing glares at them. Rina glared at Ethan, this wasn't the first time he got in trouble. She then turned to the kid's parents, "I'm really sorry on his behalf," she apologized.
"Hey! Why are you apologizing? He hit me first!" Ethan shouted.
"Shut up, Ethan!" Rina glared at her brother and turned her gaze back to the officer.
"Not only that, but we also got these drugs in his bag." The officer showed her the white powder packets sealed in a plastic bag. Her eyes widened in horror.
"I already told you it's his and not mine!" Ethan shouted in his defense.
"Shut up, boy! Don't you dare blame my son!" The guy's dad shouted.
"Calm down, sir!" The officer looked at the man and nodded, then he turned back to Rina. She looked at her brother with questioning eyes.
"Why are you giving me that look? I'm innocent! Those aren't mine." He yelled.
"Okay, Miss Wilson. Since your parents aren't here, as his guardian you need to answer a few of our questions."
"Yes?"
"How is Ethan at home?" He asked.
"Pardon?" She frowned, why's that important?
"I mean, does he have a problem at home? or school? Any similar complaints from school or others?"
"He gets into a fight every single day," yelled the victim, Ethan's classmate.
"He did have few fights but..." Rina replied but was interrupted.
"So, it's not his first time getting involved in a fight. Great!" The officer smirked.
"Excuse me?"
"And how is his relationship with his family? Family issues? fights between parents? broken relations?" he asked further.
"hmm... he's my stepbrother. My dad married his mom a year ago.... but what does that have to do with this?" Rina looked at the officer.
"It does, usually, these kinds of children get into these problems, fights, drug possession, robbery, etc...etc.." The police officer got up from his seat as he answered, "we'll handle from here on, sir," He then smiled looking at the boy's parents, they whispered something to each other, which Rina failed to see, the officer then turned to Rina, "Thank you, Miss Wilson. You may leave now."
"Huh? What about Ethan?" Rina looked at him with a puzzled look, unaware of what was really going on.
"I'm sorry, Miss Wilson, but we need to keep him here for further investigation." The officer pushed Ethan back behind the bars.
"Trust me, Rina! I'm innocent! Those aren't mine! Get me out of here please!" Ethan shouted.
*the next day*
"How could you Ethan?" Mr. and Mrs. Wilson shouted at their son.
"But Dad..."
"Shut up, we've heard everything from Rina! We always forgave you for your behavior, but this, this is too much! How could you do this to us? They even suspended you from the school," Mrs. Wilson cried.
"Mom... I think we should hear him out first?" Rina said in defense of her brother.
"Quit it, Rina! Now, what are you trying to show? after putting me behind the bars, now you pretend to be a good sister? It's all because of you, you never liked me, in fact, you've always hated me and yesterday you got your revenge, congratulations!" Ethan mocked her clapping his hands.
"What are you talking about? Why are you blaming me?" Rina looked at him.
"Oh, of course, you've done nothing, you're so innocent. That's what! you did nothing at all, my innocent sister!" Ethan yelled at her.
"Stop it, Ethan! How dare you talk to your sister like that!" His mother shouted at him.
"Oh no, mom! She's not my sister, I can't keep playing family with them anymore!" Ethan yelled.
*slap*
"Great! Even my mom is not mine now." He looked at his mother with teary eyes, "Congratulations, Rina!" He glared at her, "You guys don't need me, have your picture-perfect family to yourself cause I'm leaving," He yelled before walking out of the house.
*Flashback ends*
"He still hates me!" Rina sighed hugging her knees.
"But you were just 18, Rina! coping up with your new family, new environment, it was hard on you too. It wasn't your fault!" Ai tried to pacify her, patting her back.
"Doesn't change the fact I didn't do anything for him. Couldn't be a good sister to him!"
"So, you're getting married for your brother?" Ai sighed beside her.
"It's a fake marriage, Ai!" Rina raised her head up as she clarified. "But we have to keep it a secret from Teresa!"
"Why?" Ai cocked her head to the side.
"You know Teresa, she'll roast Ethan into dust. Don't you remember how she used to bully him whenever he used to create trouble? and also her stomach hurts when she needs to hide something and if grandy or granny gets to know about this then we're dead! Completely dead!"
"Of course you're dead!" Teresa shouted popping inside the room.
"Teresa!" Both gasped in horror!
"Hey! I'm not a ghost, 'kay! You guys didn't have to shout like that!" Teresa pouted sulkily. "And of course you're dead! Why didn't you tell me you were dating Rihito? And I get a call from granny that my own best friend is getting married that to Rihito, I should have heard it from you!" She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at Rina. "And what else, you two are having a secret meeting without me!" She eyed them accusingly.
"Aww, my bff! I'm sorry and I missed you so much!" Rina ran to her best friend and hugged her.
"Me, too! Ai too ran and hugged them both.
"Hey! You guys are squeezing me!" Teresa complained but tightened the hug. They looked at each other and smiled, but suddenly Rina started to cry?
"Hey! Now I can't even get angry at you like this. Are you having pre-marital jitters? or Is Rihito making my bff cry?" Teresa narrowed her eyes. "Tell me if I need to go fix him?" There was a murderous glint in her eyes as she cracked her knuckles.
Ai and Rina smiled nervously. Really can't tell, she's dense or sharp?!
"We just missed our bff." Ai smiled hugging Teresa from behind.
"Aww, I missed you too." Teresa hugged them both. "Now I want all the details! How? Where? Why? and when did you fall for him? when did you start dating? Why didn't I know any of this from any of you? Everything!"
Meanwhile
"That jerk, Ryouma! Now he doesn't even pick my call!" Rihito shouted holding his phone. "He has abandoned me totally!" he pouted sulkily.
"Good for him, at least he's able to avoid you. My bad! I'm stuck with you here and can't do anything about it!" Aron sighed flipping the business magazine.
"Well, now I'm stuck too." Ryouma sighed leaning against the door frame.
The two immediately turned their head towards the direction of the sound and blinked.
"Yay! My Ryouma is here!" Rihito ran to his best friend and tried to hug him but Ryouma smoothly dodged him, making him land on the floor with a *thud*
"Ouch!" Rihito glared at Ryouma. "But I missed your mean self too." Rihito smiled raising his hand, which Ryouma grabbed and pulled him up.
"Why are you here?" Aaron raised his eyebrows.
"Apparently, someone is getting married" Ryouma glared at Rihito as he answered Aaron, "and Teresa won't stay quiet for a single second, especially when her two special friends are getting married to each other! She was going on and on about how mad she is at them both, she almost killed me for not telling her about it but was spared after finally convincing her that even my best friend didn't tell me anything about his fiance. She wanted to come back as soon as possible, you think I had any choice?" Ryouma rolled his eyes.
"Hey! You don't have any right to complain! You're the one who didn't pick my call!" Rihito defended himself. " But now that you're here, hear me out... I'm not really getting married."
"What?" Ryouma cocked his eyebrow questioningly.
"But you need to keep it a secret from Teresa," Rihito added.
"Then don't bother!" Ryouma shrugged his shoulders.
"Hey! You don't need to share everything with your wife! It's best friends' secret." Rihito complained.
"Yeah, the best friend, whom she considers her brother and if it was some other girl I'd have agreed but it's her own best friend. Look I've made some vows to her and I plan to keep it as long as possible. I don't want her to cry, at least not because of me. So spare me the trouble."
"Wow! Is it the same Ryouma who didn't give a damn about anything?" Rihito looked at him in horror.
"I still don't give a damn about anything as long as it doesn't involve Teresa." Ryouma crossed his arms and smiles.
"Oh, my ears! They're going to bleed, hearing such sweet things from HIS mouth." Rihito covered his ears dramatically.
"Even I'm shocked!" Aaron nodded.
"Anyway, I told you, you'd get married within a month. But your grandy really surpass my imaginations, didn't expect it to be tomorrow." Ryouma laughed.
"I know right...." Rihito nodded. "WAIT! WHAT?" He shouted.
"Yeah." Ryouma nodded.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yeah."
"Congrats!" Aaron grinned at his best friend's misery.
"How is this possible? Only yesterday we officially agreed for the marriage, in front of grandy and granny!" Rihito cocked his head in confusion.
"I don't know about that but Congratulations bro, you're getting married tomorrow!" Ryouma walked up to him and patted his back.