Chapter 36: Just another day of pretending


    Ohh... dear God, I hate mornings! I hate waking up early! I hate taking a bath early! But this time I have


    no other choice.


    When I heard the sshing water from the bathroom, I remember I''m not being in my bedroom. I


    opened my left eye and closed it again.


    "Argh! Oh, my God! Why is there such a thing called morning? Why do we have to wake up early in the


    morning?" Iined to myself as I got upzily up on the bed, but still in half-closed eyes.


    Getting up, I was scratching my head. I know I have a bird''s nest in my head, but I don''t care. I was


    about to take my first step when I bumped into something hard and wet.


    "Argh!" I pushed it and opened my eyes feeling irritated. But as soon as I opened them, the handsome


    face of my smiling boss was the first thing that appeared in my sight. I crunched my eyebrows when he


    didn''t move.


    "Good morning, love. How''s your sleep?" his smile turned into a grin after seeing my creaky face.


    I was about to speak when my nose hit his fresh apple scent smell.


    And suddenly, water dripped from his wet hair andnded on his shoulder. My eyes followed the drops


    of water from his shoulder down to his bare chest and my mouth went dry as it continued to flow down


    on his toned stomach and to the white towel that loosely hanging on his waist.


    I gasped and my eyes widened as I realized what he was just wearing.


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    "Oh my God, Gabriel Wilsons!" I pushed him on his chest.


    "Why? I''m not doing anything, love?"


    "Oh my goodness! Why are you just wearing a towel?" I averted my eyes away from his V-line.


    "Because I just got out of the shower. What should I supposed to wear---or do you want me to wear


    nothing?" and I screamed when he acted like he''s going to take off his towel.


    "Good gracious God, Gabriel!" I run immediately to the bathroom and I heard himughed before I


    mmed the door. "Argh!"


    I entered the shower room, but then his apple scent filled my nostrils.


    I sighed.


    "Haist! Just another day of pretending," I told myself before I started taking off my clothes. Thanks to


    their maids for putting all my bathroom essentials here. My favourite aloe vera shampoo, my honey


    vani soap and of course my honey vani in shower lotion. I don''t use hair conditioners. Why?


    Because I told you, I hate mornings, so I don''t have time to put it on my hair. My time is always limited


    in the morning.


    "Hmm... perfect," I muttered to myself after putting on my face cream. I just finished taking a bath.


    "Oh my! Tsk.tsk.tsk." I shake my head when I remember I didn''t bring my clothes inside.


    "Argh!"


    I pulled an extra towel to wrap in my hair as I wrapped the first one around my body.


    I opened the bathroom door and peeked my head out, and when I noticed that he''s no longer in the


    room, I stepped out and tiptoed towards his closet. Their maid has already arranged my stuff in one of


    his cabs inside.


    "Why do you walk on tiptoe?"


    I almost lost my bnce when Gabriel suddenly opened the door. I gripped the end of the towel in front


    of my chest.


    "Didn''t you know how to knock?" I red at him, but he just chuckled.


    "What do I need to knock in my own room?" he continued to walk inside.


    -''Yeah... why does he need to knock on his own room? Argh! stupid!''-


    I rolled my eyes and just walked normally to ''his'' closet. Yes, it''s his--- not mine.


    "What should I wear?" I asked myself scratching the side of my neck. "It''s a family pic... hmm...


    shorts? Dress?" I sighed, in the end, I just picked my nude sundress and nude t sandals. I don''t


    know why I love nude colours, maybe because they blended well with my skin colour. I just put on


    mascara and lip gloss.


    When I went back to the bedroom, I couldn''t help raising an eyebrow when I found him sitting in the


    corner of the bed with his phone in his hand.


    "You''re still here?" I checked my wristwatch and it''s fifteen minutes before seven in the morning.


    "I''m waiting for you."


    "Hmm... but why? I thought your Mom said, all the boys need to go early to the pic site?"


    "Yeah, but it''s still early." he stood up and put the phone in his back pocket.


    I just shrugged. "Let''s go?" I asked him but he looked at me and frowned.


    "Are you not going to bring your bag?"


    "What for? I already have my pouch." I showed him my small pouch with a cellphone,pact mirror,


    lip gloss and powder inside.


    "But that''s too small."


    I rolled my eyes and sighed. I know what he is talking about.


    "Tsk.Tsk. My dear love..." I patted his cheek with my free hand. "I''m not used to bringing my closet and


    makeup stand outside or wherever I go. I''m contented with this." I lifted my pouch and smiled. "My little


    beautiful pouch, with apact mirror, face powder and lip gloss, that''s all!" I shrugged.


    He then took my hand and intertwined with his.


    "You can go out without makeup or any girly stuff?" he asked again and I chuckled.


    "Yup, without any of it. Why? Does ''she'' brings all her things when you goi out?"


    His face suddenly turned serious.


    -''Ah-ow!''- I bit my lip... out of line.


    But then he miraculously answered my question.


    "Yes." I looked at him when he spoke. "She brings all her makeup and girly stuff every time we go out


    and have a family bonding like this."


    "Ohh... I see." that''s all my mouth can say. But my mind still has a lot of questions about ''her'', but I


    chose to keep it aside.


    His face remained serious until we reached the living room with my hand still in his. I just sighed and


    started wearing my best actress smile when I saw Sav and Chris on the couch ying with their toys.


    "Good morning kids." I greeted them.


    Their face lit when they both looked up at me. They both run towards me and I have to take my hand


    from Gabriel''s grasp to kneel and receive their hugs.


    "Careful Sav, Chris." I smiled when they both hugged me and kissed me on my cheeks.


    "Good morning Madi," they said in unison.


    "You look so beautiful today," Chris said smiling and kissed me on the cheek again.


    "Hey, stop kissing my girlfriend. She''s mine."


    I nced at the frowning Gabriel and was about tough if I didn''t remember that this is just an ''act''.


    "Gab, he''s just a kid!" I yfully red at him.


    And this is it. I know this is the beginning of what he said ''extra sweet and so much in love with each


    other''.


    "I know---" but he was cut off by Chris who''s grinning widely.


    "I was wrong Madi, I''m sorry." We both looked back at him.


    "What do you mean, Chris?" I asked him confused.


    "Sorry, but you''re not beautiful." I raised my eyebrow and Gabriel walked closer to us, grinning.


    "Because you looked lovely and gorgeous today," he added and kissed my forehead and both my


    cheeks.


    Gabriel''s grin disappeared and reced by a deep frown.


    Sav and I both giggled at Chris''s action, but the three of usughed together when we heard Gabriel


    yfully growl.


    "Don''t do that again, Christian Wilsons!" he red at Chris, but the kid justughed at him harder.


    "But why?" he asked innocently.


    "Because she''s my girlfriend and she''s mine, not yours!"


    I stood up, shaking my head. I looked at him and raised an eyebrow.


    -''Seriously? We need to act like this even in front of the kids?''-


    I asked him through my eyes and he nodded. It means he understands the silent question.


    He walked over to me and took my hand.


    "Love---" But his words stopped in mid-air when Chris spoke.


    "Okay fine, she''s yours, but remember Gab, when I have my girlfriend I won''t let you kiss and hug her


    or even touch her!"


    Gabriel and I both looked at each other and I bit my lip to stifle myughter.


    "Okay," Gabriel said ruffling the kid''s hair. I know he''s just holding back hisugh.


    He then dragged me into the kitchen and stopped when we were about three or four steps away from


    the door.


    "Why?" I asked him looking directly in his eyes.


    "Remember what we talked aboutst night?" he whispered to my ear. I gripped my pouch when his


    lips brushed my earlobe.


    "Yeah, don''t worry, I haven''t forgotten about it yet." I smiled and was about to take a step when he


    suddenly pulled me and wrapped his arms around me. I wanted to ask him why, but I got it when his


    Mom suddenly appeared in the kitchen''s door.


    "Ohh... my children, good morning." she greeted us with a wide smile.


    "Good morning, Ma." we both greeted her back in unison. Except that I didn''t mention the word ''Ma''.


    "How''s your sleep?" there''s a hidden meaning on her question, but I just let Gabriel answered it.


    "It was great," he answered briefly.


    But she raised an eyebrow. "Just great?"


    "Ma?" he red at her.


    "Okay, fine." she shrugged with a grin before walking back to the living room.


    I sighed loudly when she disappeared from our sight. He smiled at me and kissed me on the forehead.


    "It will be okay, just keep on my side, okay?"


    I smiled and nodded. Then we went back to the living room with his hand on my lower back.