Chapter 31

Mariella’s POV


“You look as if you’re utterly serious!” Minerva laughed at my tone of voice. My eyes are on the verge of pouring like rain.

            “I’m not joking,” she halted her cup of coffee just a few inches from her lips. “I am serious, Minerva.”

            “Mariella…” Dear Heavens, I always adore how the smoothness of my name casually comes out from her lips. “It’s impossible that I cannot meet Darwin. He was named by Derrick as my guardian.”

            I gave her an awkward and breathy laugh, one that made her pursed her lips.

            “Are you okay?” she asked. I looked up to her, narrowing my eyes. “Do you have a heart, Minerva?”

            “Of course I do.” She took a small bite from that oatmeal cookie that comes with the coffee, “Let’s change the topic. I bet the story of my life bores you.”

            “No.” I leaned closer. “It was Darwin who bored me.”

            “Because he’s not that sexy for you?”

            I shook my head. “Nope...” 

I then lifted my gaze to the woman who only sees me as her friend while crossing my hands atop the table.

            “Then what is it? He intimidates you?”

            “No.” I took a long, deep breath. Minerva was about to open her mouth again when I cut her off in the middle of her sentence.

            “It’s because I loved you,” I placed my hand atop hers, as if I had a ring to put on her finger. “And I always will.”

***

Minerva’s POV


I immediately jerked my hand away from her.

            I was nervous, utterly nervous. My knees are shaking, even my mouth refuses to open. Beads of sweat flow down from my face. 

Is Mariella drunk? Is she really voicing out her real feelings?

            Maybe this is a prank.

            “Cut it off, Mariella!” Even my voice is quivering. I just immediately shut my lips and clenched my teeth, hoping my tongue wouldn’t act on its own.

            “I’m serious, Minerva.” I just gave her a cackle. 

I don’t know why I did that. I sound nervous. I look anxious. And most of all, I feel ridiculous. Not the funny sort of ridiculous. I just couldn’t decipher what my heart really feels right now. At this very moment.

            Mariella is a good person. Well, maybe not so good that could pass her into the next saint of the decade. But she has a pure, untainted heart, like one that we rarely see these days. I agree she’s magnificent and superb. 

            And despite all those too-good adjectives, I don’t see her as more than a friend. Aside from the fact that I prefer to ride men on top of my bed. She’s just…Mariella. The friend that I’ve constantly chit chat with, the sister I never had.

            “I’m sorry, Mariella…” She blinked at those words—my words. “But you are just a friend to me. Like a sister I never had.”

            Then I kissed her. On her cheeks.

            I stand before her like some awkward teenage girl. Well, I’m not a teenager, but I am indeed awkward. I don’t know why I feel and act like this despite the fact that I’ve rejected several men in my life already. It just feels different when it comes to saying no to people close to your heart.

            “I got to go now, Mariella.” She was still pinned on her seat. Eyes straight at me, and I presume she will never take them off.

            I clutched at my shoulder bag, gripping it in order to stop myself from turning around, turning back at her.

            I’m sorry Mariella…I thought.

            I feel bad for walking away, for leaving Mariella to the very moment that she confessed that she had feelings for me—that she fucking loved me.

            My stomach hurts and I immediately put my hand atop my belly. I can say Hemera is upset at me for rejecting her future godmother.

            Calm down, little one. I whispered down, at my belly. The honking of a car startled me and I abruptly hoisted my head.

            “Minerva!”

            “Lushan!” Is he following me?

            “Wanna ride?” Well, my feet damnfully hurt, as well as my stomach. Not to mention my heart aches for unwittingly leaving Mariella like a mayfly.

            “Yes please!” Gosh, why did I use please? Maybe it's because I’m in public that’s why my tongue uses that word on its own? Perhaps yes, maybe not.

            Lushan started the car and, as I peered outside the window, I could see that Mariella had a nice view on the sidewalk. She probably saw me entering Lushan’s car.

            Well, I wanna badly lay my ass in the soft cushion of a car so I don’t mind whatever Mariella thinks of me. She can freely think anything she wants. I just want to let my booty breathe and my feet rest at least for a couple of minutes, or at least an hour.

            “Are you still going to Chateau Bellerose?”

            “No.” Darwin and Gyzell are probably dancing atop the bed at this moment.

            “Take me to Darwin’s penthouse. That’s where I live.”

            “You two are live-in partners?” I nodded.

            I rested my head and back.  I trust Lushan that he will not do anything to me.

            So I let sleepiness close my eyes, and I eventually plunged into the phantoms of the dream world.

***

Lushan’s POV

 
She was sleeping like a lamb that fully trusts her shepherd to take care of her, look after her.

            It looks like she had a chit chat with that female best friend of hers.

            I thought she was going somewhere else when she walked away from Darwin and Gyzell. Too bad she didn’t. But it was also good that she did meet her nurse friend in this cozy coffee shop.

            I looked back at the back seat. She was still sleeping soundly, snoring. Good.

            I stopped when the traffic light turned red and quickly grabbed my phone. Putting it in a silent mode, I secretly took a picture of the sleeping Minerva Miriam Miller.

            And I sent it to Darwin.