Okay, she had to confess a few things. One, when she insisted that she wanted to come to Spain together with Charles, it was just so she could have a good relationship with him and make him be her boyfriend. But this, what she was feeling and what he reciprocated toward her was more than everything she had ever imagined Charles was and even more. And now as she stared at him while he packed her luggage, which was tenfold of the one she had come with, she grinned lovingly.
“Don’t you think I should give that to some of the maids, the things are too much, and Mom will flick back her hair and say I got her shopping spirits.” He threw his head back and laughed at the way she had mimicked how her mother would react if she saw her luggage and on god, it was exactly like how she would, they both knew.
“Which one are you giving out? The one you bought for Julia, right?” He asked, and in reflex, Anna pulled her phone and began to take a snap of him.
“Hey, Julia. This is Anna Brayden and I'm making this video of Charles wanting to take out the gown I bought for you and give it out to the maids. I wanted to have a proof for you in case you want to take him to court, and guess what girl? I'd be in full support, I promise.” He ran toward her and Anna stood from where she sat while laughing at the pitch of her voice.
“What do you think you’re trying to do, Anna!!!” He said, at an alarming voice and she laughed, saved the snap before she threw her phone on the bed and ran for her safety.
“I told you I'd be keeping evidence of whatever happened between us, just in case you deny being in love with me someday, I can sue you and take my evidence to the judge. You can’t joke with Anna Brayden!” She stuck her tongue out at him and he glared at her. “Sorry, darling, but you don't know my password, do you?” She grinned wickedly and Charles dropped the phone back and aimed at her.
“Just wait until I catch you, Anna Brayden, you wouldn’t be the one to be saying all these things again, okay?” With one swift move, Anna was in his arms and she was giggling as though a teenager in love. The sound alone was comforting to his ears, he smiled before he began to tickle her stomach and she screamed.
“Charles! I'm sorry please help my soul! Someone should save me please!” She wailed, asking for help as her laughter threatened to pull her life out of her chest. “I won’t do it again, I promise.” She said between giggled, staring at the way he was laughing while tickling her everywhere he could lay his hand on.
She was glad she hadn't told him about her incident with those drunkards, she only told him that she had misplaced her phone, so he took her to a phone shop and got a new one for her despite the way she kept protesting that she wanted to buy it herself. When she kept insisting, he showed her that he was angry and she had no choice but to let him pamper her for a while, something she had never experienced in her entire her. The only people that spoilt and pamper her were her parents, apart from them, she had always been the one that did the pampering.
“When is Julia arriving?” He asked after she had begged and begged until he let her live and she rested her head on his shoulder after they were done packing her clothes. She was playing with the button of his jacket and she lifted her eyes slightly.
“I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you. She has already booked a flight for us, we aren’t taking the jet, I want to socialize with people and have them snap numerous pictures of us and post it online with the caption ‘couple goals’” she threw her head back and laughed at the funny expression he made, giggling at the pitch of her voice.
“But what about your phobia, Anna? I don’t want you to suffer like you did the last time.” She shook her head and told up.
“Don’t worry, I'll always have you by my side, won’t I?” He nodded his head with a smile, and she grinned at him, tilting her head so he saw the beauty he had always loved in her.
“Come lets go to the kitchen, you promised to let me cook for you before we leave. And we have at least four to five hours before it’s time for our flight.” She stretched her hand toward him, and he pulled her closer to him.
“What? You can't cook for me, just tell me when you’re famished and I'll make sure to have whatever you want to eat laid before you, that’s a promise.”
She laid her head on his chest and shook her head, “No, you spoil me too much. Won’t you let me pamper you even for a while, please?” She made her best puppy eyes and before Charles got himself out of the sentiment of Anna’s look, she was already by the door. “I'll be in the kitchen; you can join me there or wait and I'll serve you like the king that you are.”
She ran out of the kitchen and heard when he called her, “Anna! Come back right here!”
“I won’t! Just wait to eat the best meal you’ve never eaten in your life. I love you!”
“Oh god, Anna! Fine, I love you more!” She giggled and ran downstairs to the kitchen. She was glad that none of the workers were there, she loved to be alone whenever she cooked. Okay, maybe she didn’t mean that because the moment Maya called her and told her she was outside, Anna knew it would be damn fun cooking with her best friend.
❦
Maya held her tightly and Anna grinned even though all she wanted was to cry until her lungs hurt. “You promised to visit me, won’t you?” Anna asked with a beautiful smile on her face and she nodded her head.
“Of course, I will, especially when it’s time for your wedding, I'm certain Charles will propose to you. It might not be now, but he surely will.” She pinched her cheeks, and the words pleased Anna’s ears to the point that she had to hug her again, while giggling before they separated. Maya, the ever serious one that if you catch her in a sentimental moment, then it was beyond her, went back to cooking as though she wasn’t acting as sweet as she did just a few minutes ago.
From where she stood, for she had collected the cooking from Anna saying she wasn’t strong enough to do anything and also, she was taking a flight so she had to be as strong as she could. “Where do you think Nate lives with his wife, Maya?” She threw that question at her even though she was certain there was no one Maya hated at the moment lie she hated Nate, but it was always fun to see the furious part of Maya.
Behold, she turned with a glare in her eyes and asked, “Are you still thinking about him? Because if you are, nothing can stop this spatula from getting to your skull, Anna Brayden!” She raised the spatula she was using in stirring the same and Anna quickly took a defensive step backward as she laughed heartily.
“And you could really smack that on me! My god, Maya! Is everything violence to you?” She laughed, but when she saw that Maya was far from being serious about the whole thing, she slowed down her breathing and shook her head, “I wasn’t thinking about him, Maya, I was merely curious, that’s all.”
Maya sighed and rolled her eyes exasperatedly. “I thought you’re still having these fantasies about him, I'd have make sure I reset your annoying brain.” She chuckled softly and went back to work, “That reminds me, where's Jack? I haven’t been seeing them around because it seems like Charles makes a friend out of his girlfriend.”
Slowly, as she nibbled on an apple, Anna nodded her head. But there was something beyond what Maya had asked her about, she had realized that it had been over a week, but she hadn’t even thought about Jack because everything was Charles and she wanted it to be that way. The kiss had no strings attached after all. Maybe because of the kiss, she might decide to forgive him for whatever he did to her. Maybe it wasn’t for them to feel past the sentiment of the moment, it was for them to stop being enemies. Not friends, either, but not enemies as well.
“I don’t know where they are but maybe they’ve gone back to California because if they were still in Spain, you know that girl would’ve looked for Charles.” When Maya glared at her, she lifted her hands up and laughed, “Okay, maybe not him. She’s obsessed with the fact that she has seen Anna Brayden, I'm certain she would've come here herself.”
Maya placed down the spatula and stared at Anna longer than a minute before she took both her hands and squeezed them lightly, “Did you know that you have a stain of blush on your cheeks? Tell me, what happens between you Jack?” She asked with uncertainly on her voice, but she knew that so long as she asked, Anna would never lie to her and if she didn’t want to tell her something, then she would be as straightforward as she could. Maybe politely saying, ‘I’ll tell you, Maya, but I'm not ready for that at this moment.’
Anna blushed harder and there was a pleased look in her eyes, “We kissed.” When Maya gasped as though she told her she had killed a man and hid the body with Jack, she chuckled and held her shoulders. Guiding her to the kitchen island, they sat down, and Anna explained more. “I haven’t told you about it because it’s attached to something bad, you know he always shows up whenever I'm in danger or in pain, right? I nearly got raped that day.” Abruptly, Maya stood up and she was already scrutinizing Anna’s body as though a mother checking to see whether her child was fine or not.
“Maya!” She held both her hands and put her back on the chair as her chest rumbled with laughter, “Of course he didn't let that happen. If it had, you know I can’t keep that away from you, right? I’m fine, intact, alright. It’s just that I don’t want to have a reason to remember about that day, that’s all. But...” She let her words trailed off as the pleased look was back on her face. She didn’t know whether it was because of how good the kiss felt or the giddy feeling of knowing that sweet and soft side of Jack she had never seen in her life.
Maya covered her mouth with her palms, “Just look at the way you’re grinning, oh my god! Anna, are you safe?”
She had asked herself this question numerously, but she knew she was certainly safe. She had even forgotten about him, didn’t she? It wasn’t until she asked her that she remembered everything. “I'm safe, Maya. It was just that, I've never felt the way I did on that day. He had to carry me in his arms back home and he kissed me. Do you know what he said before he first kissed me?” She giggled and Maya that was gob smacked with everything, slowly shook her head, “Damn the consequences!” She informed her excitedly and stood up. “Maya, you can’t imagine how it felt like to be kissed by him...”
“I know that you’d miss me, that's why I told you to stay there while I cooked.” They all heard a manly voice and Anna didn't have to turn to know who it was. She went pale but when she saw the pleased smile on his lips, she knew he only heard the last words and that could simply be anyone, wouldn’t it? She smiled at him and he pressed his lips so hard on hers. “You should’ve run and gotten one for yourself.” She chuckled with her mouth on his and her eyes fixed firmly on Maya that was flashing her a look that showed she should calm down. And of course, there was, ‘We have to continue this conversation some time.’ Maya will never let go of everything until she heard the whole thing.