I was about to grab her when she run away. I take a step forward to run away but someone stop me by holding my waist and pulled me to them.
"Give them time," Hunter whisper. His grip on my waist tightens as I gasp for air to calm myself. "They had a reason why they did it."
"I know, I understand but it is still not understandable to me. Since when did they plan this? I think they were planning this a long time because last month, Ayden tell me he will going to propose to his girlfriend."
"Yeah, let's not give our full attention to it. If we keep on thinking about it then you might not get proper sleep later." He went to my back and back hug me as he push me a little and make our way outside where his car was.
"Lira," someone called. I and Hunter stop in our track and look at our side.
"Mother, father, I thought you both went to brother?" They suddenly hug me.
"You did the best a while ago, Lira. You and Ayden get along together," Mom said.
"Of course, mom. However, I still need the answer from Ayden. I did he know about Melanie? I mean, I told him her name but I never remember showing her picture to him"
"He had a clue already— her name. Let them explain, I know they had a big reason." I nodded.
I know what their big reason is. Ayden is true, I start to question my existence, I wanted to run away from the pain. I never wanted to live in this kind of world, I suddenly felt lonely that year. Even when relatives are sending their love to me, I still feel not okay, I still feel lonely. I would wake up, asking if I will end up crying again or I will be stronger than last day but no. Every day is like a prison to me. I can't fight, I don't want to hurt them. I am not selfish, right? Maybe to others, I am not selfish but I am selfish to myself. I should've helped myself, I should have to stand up for myself but the thought of hurting them makes me hurt too.
Ayden just wanted to take revenge because what I just went through is very rough. I thought nothing will happen to me if I will focus on the books and not the surroundings but I am wrong. I am innocent but they try to fight me.
I feel like the pain of the past is still haunting me. Why me? I stare at myself in that big, long mirror in my room. That's the time I noticed I would never really make myself perfect, but I am who I am. I am what I want. For me, this is the perfect body, this is the perfect face. I let a heavy sighed, who am I kidding? This isn't the perfect body and face in this entire world but I am perfect for myself.
An arm wrapping in my waist interrupted me from my thoughts. I look at a mirror to see the reflection of me and that person behind me. It was Hunter. He wanted to stay and sleep here in case I had so many thoughts and can't sleep. "What are you thinking? You've been staring at yourself for like an hour now. Mind telling me?"
I smiles and hold his hand that was in my waist and he slightly danced us. "I am just thinking the words Melanie had spoken to me back then. I am not perfect, I know but for me I am perfect." He kisses my cheeks before answering.
"You shouldn't care about what people think about you. You should be who you are. You are perfect to us. You are perfect to me." I giggle but put on a sad smile after.
"You can say that because you are my relatives, but the world thinks the opposite as yours. They can be so mean or supportive."
"Don't mind them. We love you." He turns me around gives me a peck on the lips. "I love you," he whispers. I smile and peck on his lips.
"I love you too." He giggles.
"I won't be afraid this time," Shane whisper. She sat beside Ayden with a nervous face. Ayden was there with an awkward smile. They both know I wouldn't like it, at least I thought.
"So, mind telling me now?" I ask in a little stern tone.
"Hey, you first." Shane nudges Ayden's side as she whispers. Ayden looks at her with no look. I purse my lips into a thin line to stop myself from smiling, they both look like a couple. I regain myself to smile or giggle, I needed to look stern right now.
"How would I start?" He looks up, thinking. "Okay, the day when I search about her." He nodded and take a deep breath. "You told me someone is bullying you besides Hunter, right?" I nodded. "You know I am rich so I—" I scoff. "Hey, don't be like that to me, I am really rich." I took a deep breath. "I know her name from you and you said Hunter had a boyfriend—"
"Girlfriend," Shane corrected.
"Oh, girlfriend." Shane chuckled while Ayden biting his lower lips. "I don't know I had a feeling she was with him so when I searched who is his girlfriend, her name popped out. I told my man from here to watch her out. She went to Canada last year and that's how we both saw each other and I never really thought she would fall for me. I mean, I ask her to be friends with me. So my plan change a bit. I ask her to be my girlfriend so we can hang out more and gladly she agrees. In that way, I can know how she feels towards you. I also get to know that she is using Hunter for money and she wanted to break up with him so she can be with me." My brows furrowed. "I act like a loyal boyfriend, I ask her to have a date with me,"
"So you use your money to her?!" I ask.
"No, I won't spend my money for a gold digger like her." He rolls his eyes. I nodded. "I just ask her to eat with me in the restaurant and would go to clothes store or in street food. We both stayed for like 2 years?"
"2 years?!"
"Yeah,"
"So? Do you had felt with her?" He quickly shook his head.
"No, why would I fall for her?"
"How can you act so good? By 2-3 months she could have known about your plan. 2 years? How dumb she is for not knowing it was all plan."
"I give her a hint already. I ask if she would cry if I broke up with her or not going to ask her to marry me. She nodded and at like nothing happened. Means, she is also using me."
"Oh, so how does Shane get in your plan?" They both look at each other which I found very suspicious. Shane shook her head a little and Ayden get what she means and look at me.
"Of course, I tell her to look after you and that girl as she went back here. I also tell her to guide Hunter and you to each other."
"So it was a plan also? What about the faith are you and Noah talking about?"
"Like, I mean, she would force you to go to the party to had some fun and find your man but then you don't want and your feeling was only on Hunter. Hunter was going after you so Shane won't—"
"I don't get it."
"Shane is acting like she would push you away from Hunter so you would try to determine what your true feeling for Hunter but Hunter was in the party you would go. So I think there was a string attached in both of yous pinky."
"You are nervous, you're saying words can't comprehend."
"Just think about your relationship with Hunter, don't ever think about it anymore." He nodded. "So you forgive me, us?" I look at both of them. "Me and Melanie's relationship was fake."
"What can I do? You both had my heart and trust." I had a fist bump with them. "Okay, now that I know the truth, you two owe me one." I giggle while Hunter squeezes my hand.
"What is it?" Ayden asks while Shane's face falls into a pale one.
"I want to saw you proposing to Shane." His jaw dropped but had a smile a little.
"What?" Shane ask.
"Why? Ayden doesn't have a girlfriend anymore."
"But—" Shane go cut by Ayden. I don't know what happened but Shane looks at Ayden with an afraid look while Ayden is assuring her.
In the afternoon, Dad tells me to invite mom and dad and my friends so I invite them. We, Hunter, Shane, and I went to the kitchen and eat along with the others and I enjoyed the stay. Dad, Dylan, talked with them, and the dining area was occupied by our laugh.
I flinch when I feel a hand on my thigh. I look at it and see Hunter looking at me. He's been looking at me since we both entered the area. "What do you want? You've been staring at me the whole time, aren't you getting tired looking at my face?" I ask, playfully as I chopped the meat.
"No. You're beautiful and I love you too much that I can't feel any tired when I am with you.." He said in his flirty and serious tone. It's weird how my stomach reacts to his words. I heard Shane, James and Ayden compliment me being pretty but it hits hard when I heard Hunter saying those. The fact that he said I love you and said it loud that everyone at the table could hear it.
I bite my lips to stop myself from smiling and look down to hide my cheeks that are heating. Everyone cheered, I cursed under my breath while this guy beside me, Hunter has that cheeky smile while still looking at me. When I look up, I saw Mom and Dad giving me a sweet smile Dad Dylan was also with them and their eyes says it all, they also teasing me. I mentally facepalm myself, I look at Hunter who still has the same smile.
Their attention came back to their topic when Dad Dylan starts it. My eyes fall at Shane and Ayden in our front, they both are being lovey-dovey. They all have their world while Hunter also has his world. He keeps on bothering me to have our world too, of course, I reject him. We're in the dining area and in front of the food, we can't just talk and flirt here while others are watching us.
"Lia, can you look at me too? You've been looking at your brother for like an hour now. Spare some glance to me too," he said like a child, pouting. "I want your attention to me only!" He stamps his feet.
I look at him while furrowing my brows, trying to act annoyed but already smiling inside. He's cute. "I didn't see him for like a month now so yeah.."
"But you didn't also see me for—"
"No, we both spend time yesterday and you even sleep here, right? You see my face this early morning and we both went to the café together," I stated, "Ayden, he's going back to Canada and would come back after so many years again. I am using this chance to be with him before I get married to you.."
"Married to me?" He cheekily smiles. "Can you say it again? But now, call me hubby.." I rolled my eyes as he chuckled.
"I won't say it again."
"Come on!"
"I will give you all my attention later. Just let me adore my brother for now," I whisper. He pouted while I chuckled. I look back at Shane and Ayden. Ayden was looking so surprised while Shane's face turn into a pale one.
What's happening?
"Sienna," Dad called. I look at him as I got confused. Who is Sienna? Everyone looks at that person while I continue to stare at dad. Sienna? I think I heard her name already. Ow! When dad was introducing me to our relatives! "You're Sienna," he reiterated. My brows furrowed as so much and curiosity was eating me. I follow dad's stare and Shane was the first person I saw.
"Uhmm, Mr. Dylan," Shane called, a little nervous.
"Dad? Who is Sienna?" I ask. Shane looks at me with her afraid look. Ayden had a confused look while staring at Dad and Shane and vice versa. I look back at dad.
There's a silence and we can hear a pin drop. Why is dad calling Shane different names?
"Your parents can't find you all over the city, where have you been?" Dad cut the silence with her question. A lot of questions came to my mind.
As far as I remember I didn't tell dad about Shane and her background so how did he know? Shane left her town and went here to continue her studies and to loosen the grip of her parents from her, that's what I thought. Her parents told her she would have arranged marriage after she finish studying business and so she could take the CEO position after marrying.
"Mr. Dylan," Shane's eyes filled with tears as she whisper dad's name with formality.
"Why did you do that? You made your parents worried about you."
"Please don't tell them about me, I don't want them to know about my location." I got more curious when I heard their conversation. Dad slightly stands up and looks at Shane.
"Why?"
"They wanted me to study business while I want to study education. They can't understand what I like. They keep on forcing me to do the things I do not like, just add the marriage I will have with someone I don't know. "
"But you know business could only go with that process," Dad reply, sadly.
"I want to decide what I like. I want them to support me but they are just not like what I like."
"What is happening?" I jumped in. Dad and Shane look at me. "Sienna? But her name is Shane?"
"Shane is her nickname while her biological name was Sienna, my dear," Dad said
"Then who is she?"
"She is your cousin."
To be continued.