Chapter 8 : Josiah

• “Are you okay?”
• Hannah asked me as we ate in our favorite restaurant. It is our anniversary and she wanted us to be together for the whole day. Good thing, most of the day is free cut for me.
• I looked at her and smiled, assuring. “Yeah, I’m good.”
• I put more of the pasta on her plate and also put in some pizza. I stare at her face and she’s looking at me like she’s confused as to why I am being like this to her.
• “Jos,” she called as she breathed heavily.
• I smiled at her, silently praying that I would be able to shrug off anything that she will throw at me today.
• I haven’t told her about the merger. Hell, I don’t know if I could. How do I even tell her that I am getting married to someone that’s not her? I can’t. I don’t want her to get hurt.
• “Are you really okay?” she asked. “We can cancel, you know…”
• I stared at Hannah and shook my head. “I’m fine, babe.”
• “Are you sure?” she asked with a worried face.
• I smiled and nodded.
• She stared at me for a few moments before taking another deep breath. I hate that she doesn’t feel secure with me right now. I hate that she couldn’t be happy on our special day.
• “It was just really stressful at school. We got a lot of presentations coming up,” I explained.
• She nodded and held my hand. “You look really stressed,” she commented. “You have dark circles under your eyes,” she smiled and then laughed.
• I narrowed my eyes at her, preventing a smile from flashing from my face.
• “Let’s enjoy our date,” I told her as I kissed her knuckles.
• She nodded. “We will.”
• ~*~
• “Where have you been?” Mom, being the nagger that she is, asked me as soon as I was late for our breakfast.
• I don’t really understand why she agreed that I have my own place when I she requires me to eat breakfast with them. She’s so twisted, I don’t really know what I would do with her.
• “I woke up late, Mom.” I almost rolled my eyes before sitting in front of the dining table.
• “Come on, darling. Stop pestering your son. It’s still early in the morning,” Dad chuckled as Mom sat across me.
• Mom was still giving me dagger looks even when we dined. She seemed mad at me but, what’s new? That’s how she always looks at me when she knows that I spent time with Hannah.
• “How are you and Eunice coming?” Dad asked as he placed the newspaper he’s reading down and took a sip on his coffee.
• Mom looked at me, seemingly interested.
• “What about her?” I asked back before biting on the French toast in front of me.
• “Do you like her?” Dad asked.
• I shot him a look. “I don’t,” I replied frankly. I don’t want to lie in front of them. And besides, they know I have a girlfriend.
• Dad’s brow rose. “Is there no chance that you’ll like her in the future?”
• I narrowed my eyes at him. “Nope, I love Hannah, Dad.”
• I can see how his jaw clenched the moment I mentioned Hannah. I know they don’t like her and I don’t give a damn. To be honest, Mom even asked me one time if Hannah was my form of rebellion.
• She’s not. She’s my sanctuary. And they can’t understand that.
• I they knew my form of rebellion, I bet they wouldn’t hesitate on kicking me out of the family tree.
• “Does she know you’re getting married?” Mom asked.
• I clenched my fists under the table and looked at her sharply. “Don’t, Mom.”
• She narrowed her eyes at me. “I can tell her, Josiah. I can definitely tell her that you are getting married and the woman is not her,” she said with a serious tone. “But I chose not to because I’d like her to know it from you.”
• I am so mad. I am so perplexed. Why is this happening in my life?
• “You should tell her soon, Josiah,” Dad spoke. “You don’t want her to be hurt when she knew it from others.”
• I know that. But if they would just stop meddling with my life, then everything would be perfect.
• We ate in silence—or at least it’s just me. Mom and Dad were blatantly planning about the wedding in front of me. I already lost my appetite and I was just staring at the food in front of me.
• How can my parents be so insensitive to my needs? Sometimes, I wonder if I’m an adopted child. They don’t seem to love me enough.
• “By the way, Josiah, you have to accompany Eunice later,” Mom said.
• I narrowed my eyes at her. “Where?”
• “She’s going to pick her wedding dress. I want you to accompany her and be comfortable with her.”
• I sucked a deep breath and tried to calm my boiling nerves. I am already on the edge but my mother doesn’t seem to care about it at all. She likes adding fire to my boiling blood, doesn’t she?
• “The driver will pick you up at school. Don’t worry,” she added.
• I raised my brow. I don’t worry about the driver. What I’m worried about is if someone sees me getting in a car with a woman and then it would reach Hannah.
• Damn. I feel like I am cheating.
• “Be good to her or else,” Mom said in a threatening voice.
• Well, I am good to her. I am civil. But Eunice always looks like she’s going to kill me. And that makes me think of someone I can’t remember. Maybe I have seen her somewhere but I couldn’t recall because it doesn’t really hold a heavy weight on me.
• “I am trying to be nice to her, Mom.”
• “Good,” Mom started. “Because I don’t want her to think that you’re a rude boy.”
• I rolled my eyes and wiped my lips with the table napkin. “I have to go to school,” I said as I stood up and left the house.
• What a beautiful life!
• ~*~
• I saw Eunice and her friends at the cafeteria the moment I got into the campus. They seem to be seriously talking about something when Eunice met eyes with mine.
• I took a deep breath and walked towards her.
• Eunice didn’t even budge and stood up to meet me halfway. “You don’t have to come with me to pick out the dress,” she said when she was already in front of me.
• I raised my brow. So, she knew I was coming with her?
• “Why? I was tasked to accompany you,” I replied.
• She pursed her lips in a thin line and rolled her eyes. What the fuck? She’s acting so tough when she’s a woman.
• “I never pegged you as the obedient type, Josiah,” I heard her say.
• I smirked. “And are you?”
• “I am not,” she replied, seemingly angry. “But I don’t want to disappoint my parents.”
• I admit I was a little stunned. I never thought she would have that kind of mentality. The first time we met, she walked out on that dinner because she was so mad about the fixed marriage.
• And now she’s saying that she doesn’t want to disappoint her parents? Wow. That’s a huge improvement.
• I cocked my head to side and crossed my arms. “I’m sorry but I don’t want my mother to cause trouble, so…” I shrugged.
• I can see her expression darkening at the words I just spat. She took a deep breath and I knew she was already calming herself.
• “What time does your class end?” I asked.
• She stared at me like she’s trying to read what’s on my mind. She looked a little stunned at how I am acting but then she sighed.
• “I finish at 3PM,” she replied in defeat.
• I nodded. “Good,” I replied as I leaned closer to her. She froze. “I’ll see you around, fiancée.”
• I can sense my victory this time because she was still stunned and couldn’t move when I left her in the middle of the populous cafeteria.