Chapter 4: Chapter 4

I returned to my mansion with both hands clenched. I didn't pay so much attention to my way that I didn't notice somebody was blocking my way. And I bumped to him.

"Walk with your eyes looking ahead, Mabel!" growled Ashton, who was standing in front of me and still looking annoyed at me.

I rubbed my forehead with a frown. I forgot that Ashton's chest was so hard.

"Where have you been?" Ashton asked then.

"None of your business," I replied. Ashton is so annoying! Why didn't he ask if my forehead was okay or not? But instead gave me another question.

"Mabel," Ashton coaxed.

"What are you doing in front of my mansion?" I asked, pretending not to know about him and Rainy.

"Your dad asked me to teach Rainy about business today," Ashton replied nonchalantly.

I fell silent at his answer. Didn't Sarah say that I would also learn about it? Why it's only Rainy?

"What is it?"

I immediately shook my head. "Nothing,"

"I'm hungry, come eat with me." Ashton grabbed my arm.

"Haven't you and Rainy been able to eat yet?" I asked, though I was a little irritated by the question.

"I want to eat with you,"

I smiled as Ashton walked ahead of me. As usual he opened the car door for me.

Besides having a regular ice cream place together, Ashton and I also had a favorite restaurant together. We were heading there now, though we didn't speak to each other during the way.

"You haven't answered my question earlier. Where have you been?" Ashton repeated, seemingly eager to know where I went to.

"I had to settle my father's business," I replied on behalf of my father, so Ashton wouldn't worry so much anymore.

Ashton nodded and then sighed. "Sorry for yelling at you last night. And sorry for not picking up your calls either. I left my phone this morning when I got to your mansion,"

I just smiled and nodded.

"Are you sure you don't have anything you want to talk about? You called me five times this morning," Ashton seemed to sense something odd.

I swallowed hard. Should I tell Ashton about Adrian? Last night, Ashton overreacted over Adrian. If I told him now, we'd be fighting each other again. And I didn't want that to happen. We just made up, I didn't want to risk ruining this moment.

"I just... wanted to make up with you," I smiled sweetly afterward.

Ashton glanced at me briefly, before finally smiling contentedly. "I am happy, and at the same time feel strange hearing your words. You were never the first to try to make up with me, Mabel. Did you fall out of bed last night?"

Ashton touched my head and rubbed it, and instead made my hair messy. "Hey!" I pushed his hand away from me.

"How about you and Rainy?" I changed the subject. "I mean, after this morning, you two must have gotten closer."

"You seem to be getting more interested in who will be on my bed,"

My cheeks immediately reddened hearing what he just said.

"Rainy is my future sister, so don't try to break her heart like the rest of your women! Otherwise..." I threatened him.

Ashton smirked. "Otherwise what would you do? Give me a kiss on my lips?"

"Ash!"

"I know you'll never see me as more than a childhood best friend, Mabel. And I won't cross the line," Ashton said in a soft voice. "We're here," he continued, and got out of the car first.

"Ashton!" I shouted at him when he chose to enter the restaurant ahead of me. I sighed, unbuckled my seatbelt and whispered. "What if I want you to cross that line, Ash?"

I could enjoy my meal freely in front of Ashton. I was never embarrassed if my food scraps was left on the corner of my lips, because Ashton would clean them up with his thumb.

Like now, Ashton smiled seeing me really enjoying my fried chicken. I was also confused why he smiled when he saw me eating greedily? Maybe it was because my face showed a funny look.

"Looks like I'm going to leave my old life behind,"

I immediately stopped eating.

"I don't like how you think about me," Ashton sighed deeply.

I had no idea how I thought about him bothering him so much. "I said that out of emotion, Ash. Don't mind it,"

"But what we say when we're angry is true," Ashton sipped his cola.

I couldn't argue with him, because he was right. All this time I didn't dare tell him about my feelings because I thought of him as a player.

"You mean you're going to stop being a player?" I continued to eat.

Ashton ignored my question, instead bringing his face closer. "Hey, Mabel. Have you ever heard of a man becoming a player just because he can't get the woman he wants?"

"You mean, you like a woman that you can't possibly get?" I asked, almost choking. "Who is that woman? I'm not sure you can't get her. Even a woman as difficult as Shelly, you managed to win her heart."

Shelly, our neighbors used to be a very cold woman and wouldn't easily fall into the hands of any man, but with Ashton, that woman's heart melted too.

I grabbed my drink and gulped it down, not realizing Ashton's eyes were still on me. "What?"

"I really like this woman,"

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked again. "Do you need my help getting her?"

Ashton didn't budge. He sat back down to his original position. "No,"

"So what?" I was ready to be heartbroken for the umpteenth time, but Ashton said no. He actually put off the heartbreak I was about to get.

Ashton seemed reluctant to tell me, and my little heart screamed Rainy's name. "Is that woman Rainy?" I asked carefully. My question really caught Ashton's attention just now. "You like Rainy, Ash?"

Ashton didn't answer, instead looking annoyed at my guess.

"Are you embarassed to admit it in front of me?" I laughed, even though my heart ached.

"You want me to be with her?"

I bit my lip and nodded slowly. "As long as you change, and not hurt her."

Ashton looked uncomfortable after that. After we finished eating, he said that he had other things to do so he couldn't spend more time with me.

"Earth to Mabel! Are you okay?"

I gasped when Rainy called me. Ever since coming back after going out with Ashton, I kept thinking about him. Why do I feel like I said the wrong thing to him? Because obviously I felt haunted by that feeling right now. I mean, Ashton never made excuses like that. Even when there were important company meetings, he prefered to eat ice cream with me.

"Oh hey, Rainy. What's wrong?" I put on my best smile as best I could.

Rainy sat next to me. I realized I'd been sitting in the living room for an hour with the television on, and I was... just daydreaming. It seemed like it was raining outside too, because of the roar.

"Your face is pale," Rainy explained. "You're not sick, are you?"

I shook my head. "I'm just tired,"

"You must be thinking about your arranged marriage. If I were in your position, I'd be daydreaming too." Rainy rubbed my shoulder lightly.

I just nodded, not really bothered by Rainy's words.

"Tomorrow morning you'll be studying with Ashton and me. I was going to ask you to join us this morning, but dad said you needed some alone time."

Oh.

"By the way, what's Ashton's favorite food? I want to bring him some food for lunch,"

"He likes anything," I smiled blandly.

"There's no specific food?" Rainy sighed. "Today, he said he was on a diet. That's why he didn't eat lunch with me. I don't know what kind of diet he is on. Though his body is very athletic,"

So that's the excuse Ashton used to refuse Rainy's invitation? Doesn't he like Rainy? Why did he refuse to eat with her? I didn't get it.

"That's why I intend to bring my homemade food so we can eat together. I can also measure the portion of the meal, so it doesn't interfere with his diet."

Rainy is very kind, just like her mother. I promised myself to beat Ashton after this. How could he be so hard on a woman as perfect as Rainy?

"Good idea," I nodded my head instantly. "Bring some for me too, please?"

Rainy raised both eyebrows and laughed. "Of course!"

I smiled warmly.

"You know Mabel, I flatter you a lot."

Rainy's confession really surprised me.

"When I first saw you, I knew there was something about you. And after getting to know you, I really realized that you are special. You have a beautiful blonde wavy hair, hypnotic amber eyes, and when you smile, it feels like any man will interested in you." Rainy seemed to be concentrating on her words, afraid of the wrong choice of words.

"Even sometimes... I feel like Ashton likes you too,"

"No, no no no!" I immediately shook my head. "He's just my best friend, Rainy. He couldn't possibly like me,"

"And then, is there a chance for him to like me?" Rainy's eyes showed light.

"Ashton actually likes you too. I can see it, but Ashton will still always be Ashton. He's so complicated to understand," When I said his name, his face already appeared in my mind. Especially his smile...

Rainy's face changed, showing her shy smile. Her expression showed it all to me. She was very interested in Ashton. Her cheeks flushed red at the thought of the man. Cute, isn't she?

The smile on my face faded when I saw a man approaching us. Adrian, he's here!

"Excuse me ladies, but I have business to deal with one of you."

Rainy immediately got up from her place. I quickly looked away as if I didn't hear what Adrian just said. What does he want now?

"I'll give you two some time to talk," Rainy awkwardly said. After that she just left.

Adrian was now sitting next to me. "Come with me?"

I didn't respond. He must had gone mad to think I was going with him.

"Not now, but later tonight." Adrian continued even though I didn't respond. "There's a small party at my friend's mansion,"

"I don't like parties!" I snapped.

"But you're gonna like this one," Adrian insisted.

I immediately turned to face him. "There's never been anything I liked about parties,"

Adrian smirked. His eyes staring at me with a meaning. "You're getting more interesting when you challenge me with this stubbornness of yours, Mabel."

I looked back at him hatefully. Why can't he understand to just leave me alone?

"It's settle, you will go with me." Adrian rose from his place after drawing his arbitrary conclusion.

"I'm not leaving!"

"Oh really?"

"Mabel!" Rainy suddenly interrupted. She shouted really cheerfully.

"Rainy, what's wrong?" I asked, worried about Rainy's quick change of attitude.

"Ashton! He's taking me to a party tonight!"

Adrian raised an eyebrow at me. And silently uttered a word. "See?"

"I can't believe this," Rainy quivered just because Ashton asked her out with him.

I smiled stiffly. "Congratulations,"

Rainy jumped up and down after that. "What dress should I wear tonight?"

"Anything suits you. You better prepare everything from now on," I suggested, which Rainy immediately followed by heading to her room.

"You don't fit in pretending to be happy on top of your own sadness," Adrian commented after Rainy left.

I ignored what Adrian said. I thought about what Rainy said earlier. So Ashton took Rainy, and not me? I needed to see both of them tonight.

"I take your invitation, Adrian."

Adrian shook his head and chuckled lightly. "You said that you didn't like parties? Because of Ashton you changed your mind that fast?"

"Shut up!"