Chapter 17: Chapter 17

After that night, I feel a little loneliness in my heart. Suddenly, I felt something will be missing from me once I left this place. I have no intention of staying here, but why am I feel so wrong when thinking about leaving Henry here?

"Why you are here again?" I asked him.

He was wearing a plain blue shirt and loose pants, very old-fashioned. I rolled my eyes, why this fashion is even a thing?!

"You forgot already? I promise to you that I will introduce you to my parents this day, remember?" he answered.

"Oh, really? I am just kidding last night. I didn't know you will take it seriously." I laughed, but it was fake. Shoot! I am not even ready! What will I do when I already facing them?

"You should wear something nice," Cristel said then handed me his blue knee-length dress.

"Thank you." I wore the dress then put on a little make-up. Why am I even nervous? The hell!

I asked Henry to wait for me outside their house. I don't want anyone to see us together heading towards their house. Cristel always giving me a warning on how dangerous this game I am playing. If I died at this time, I will never be able to come back in my own time. That is why even though I am fearless outside, my inside is shaking in fear.

Before knocking on the big gate, I looked around to see if any people are watching me. When I am satisfied, I knocked on the gate three times, and that's when Henry opened the gate. He was smiling from ear to ear when he looked at my whole body. I slapped his forehead to take him back to his senses.

"You looked so lovely, I can marry you already," he jokingly said.

I rolled my eyes. "You are so ugly; I can bury you already." I laughed.

He shook his head while still smiling. "You never accept my compliment. You are not believing in what am I saying to you?" he asked.

I looked away. "I don't want your compliments."

Because they are making me fall for you, idiot! That's forbidden!

"Where are your parents?" I asked him while we are both in their living room.

"Thank you for letting me date you last night. I thought you will be going to reject me. I am prepared for that in case you don't want to be with me," he said.

"That's grace, Lieutenant." I felt something pinched my heart when he said as if he knew that I will always going to reject him. I feel bad.

"My parents are still outside, they said they will be back shortly after they finished their errands. Do you want something to drink or eat?" Henry stood up.

"It's okay, you don't have to worry. I am full," I said.

He nodded his head then sit again. A loud silence goes between us. I want us to talk about something, but what is that something? I can't think of proper topics to discuss with him.

"How's your courting progress with Sonia?" I asked awkwardly.

"I brought her some of her favorite flowers and dessert. I will take her on a date later," he answered.

I nodded. Please, don't get jealous, Aliyah! You must not feel that way! You should support them!

"She likes you; I can feel that. If she didn't reject you on that day, maybe you are going to get married by now." I looked at him.

He sighed. "But she rejected me, then I found you."

I shook my head. "You should focus more on Sonia than me. As I said, the time will come that I will have to leave. If you attached too much of yourself to me, you would get hurt. That's why I am advising you like Sonia and make yourself love her."

He laughed. "I will never let you go, then. I will make you stay."

"You can't do that." Is there any way to make me stay? There is no way.

"I will, you will choose me. I will make you choose me every time." He came near to me.

"No, there's no way I will stay. I don't want to stay." I looked away.

"Aliyah..." He was about to talk more when his parents entered the mansion.

I stood up and greet them. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Dizon."

Their aura is shouting only sophistication and elegance. I can clearly tell that they are respected people in this time and place. The old woman smiled at me.

"Good morning, Miss?" She was asking for my name.

"My name is Aliyah, Ma'am. I am so glad that I met you already," I said then smiled.

"My son said that you want to meet us, why is that?" Mr. Dizon said.

"Henry is my... Best friend. I asked him jokingly if I can meet his parents, I didn't know that he will grant my request. I was so shocked when he told me that you allow me to meet you. I wasn't prepared." I laughed. I bit my lower lip after.

"Oh, I see. I thought you are my son's girlfriend. You two looks so good together." Mrs. Dizon said then smirked.

"He is courting Sonia by now, Ma'am. We can't be together," I said.

"Oh, you are courting Sonia already, son? Good thing, she doesn't reject you anymore. That's good to hear. You never tell me," her mother said to him.

He cleared his throat. "I am going to tell you if she said 'yes' to me. If she is already my girl." He darted his eyes toward me.

Her mother nodded. "Come, Aliyah. I prepared some food for your coming. I want to know you more."

I smiled at her then looked again at Henry. I heard him sighed before he went to his father in their backyard while Mrs. Dizon and I headed to the kitchen.

"I really thought you are the lady that my son's courting. When he's describing the girl, he is admiring in front of us, the lady seems very different from Sonia. I know Sonia very well since she and Henry are very close to each other since they were a child. It's more like you," Mrs. Dizon said while preparing the food.

I became silent for seconds. "It is really Sonia, Mrs. Dizon. We are just friends; I never see Henry and me in a romantic relationship. I just want us to stay this way until I can leave." I lowered my voice on the last word I uttered.

"You are leaving?" Mrs. Dizon stopped for a moment.

"Yes, when I am allowed to leave already. That's why I want to know Henry more and knowing him more means knowing you too. I want to make sure that Henry will be safe before I leave." I looked to Mrs. Dizon, seriously.

She looked away then cleared her throat. "Let's bring this to the boys," she said.

I suddenly thinking some weird things inside my head. The way she looked away from me, I know something is not right.

I hide my smile when I saw Henry outside, topless. He is doing some manly job together with his father. His sweats are dripping from his perfectly chiseled body. I looked away when he looked in my direction.

As much as possible, I am avoiding making eye contact with him the whole time where eating. I need to distract myself to avoid looking at his body.

"I need to go home now, thank you for your company." I waved goodbye to his parents.

Henry insisted to accompany me to go back to Dela Fuente's house. And of course, I turned down his offer.

"Are you sure you can go home safely without me?" he asked then smirked.

"Of course, silly man." I chuckled.

He nodded. "Sorry about my parents, did you get the information you need to know?"

I shook my head. "But I know something is not right. I need you to know it for me. You need to be careful about something your parents are hiding from you. They are doing something very bad; I just know."

"I know that too, thank you for your concern. I will tell you immediately if I discover something. Take care for me, Aliyah."

To my surprise, he kissed my forehead before letting me leave.