Chapter 3 IMMATURE

"What was that all about? An afternoon date with your boyfriend?" Elias sneered when he saw me.

"W-what?" How long has he been standing there?

Did he see us, Jackson and me sitting next to each other?

He walked towards me on the swing, so slowly, as if he was counting his steps. When he finally stood in front of me, so tall, I felt...so tiny.

I thought I'd be happy to see him, but I wasn't. What's wrong with me?

You were waiting to see him, Liana, so why nervous? I took a deep breath. 'Calm down', I whispered to myself. I was finally calming down when Elias ruined it all.

"I don't understand why you're still pretending to consider Mom's marriage ideas, when you have a boyfriend," he said, and so sure that Jackson was mine, giving me no chance to explain"

I looked up at him, and his words, sharp and unexpected, cut through the air. I tried to gather my thoughts, to find some semblance of control. But it was no use.

And then, a wave of emotion crashed over me, as tears fought to fall down from my eyes.

"No! you're totally wrong... Jackson isn't my boyfriend," I said with my voice barely audible now. He's the driver's son! I wanted to include .

It's not that I had something against servants or workers in the house, it was just I wanted to clear any doubts about my relationship with him. Jackson was the driver's son and, he often ran errands for mama so it wasn't unusual to see him messing around the area.

"So, Jackson is his name..." "Yes and He is not my boyfriend," I said firmly, This time trying to defend myself.

"Is that the best you can come up with?" He scoffed, as a mocking smirk spread across his lips.

"How do you expect me to trust your words, when each time I see you....You are always with him?"

I was so confused, like, what? Me and Jackson? Seriously, when did he even see us together? Oh shoot! Could it have been last night, when he got here? Yes, I was with Jackson when his car past us last night, but it was nothing serious....i wanted to tell him everything, but I couldn't find the words! I couldn't hold it in anymore, and tears started falling. I had to hide my face from him.

To stop myself from crying, I clenched the swing's rope so tightly.

"Liana, why don't you just be honest and tell mom the truth?" He was almost begging now.

"Just tell her the truth so we can stop this whole marriage once and for all."

Wiping my tears , I stared at him again. "I don't care if you believe me or not, but Jackson is not my boyfriend. I am engaged to you, and I'm only marrying you no one else! That's a fact!"

His gazed was fixed on my eyes, that I started to feel awkward and self aware. His eyes burned with a dangerous, fiery gaze.

Just when I thought I couldn't bear his intense stare anymore, then he hit me with a big, sarcastic grin.

Seriously! "Do you really love mom this much that you're willing to go to such lengths, even to sacrifice your love for....Jackson, because of her?"

No, I won't take this anymore. I don't love that Jackson! I struggled to get up from the swing, but when I finally stood up, his chest was right there, like, bam, in my face!

Talk about a gorgeous distraction! I tried really hard to forget about how... masculine he was, took a deep breath, and looked up at him, saying,

"I don't love Jackson, and I am marrying you, not because of Mom."

"Oh really?" He asked, his fingers suddenly on my chin.

My eyes went wide with surprise when his fingers touched my face! He was holding on tight, and it kind of hurt, but Elias face was super close to mine.

"So, tell me, why do you want to become my wife?" "What's the reason?..... If I tell you why, you'll just be a jerk and make fun of me like you always do? Should I tell him? Ugh, should I? Just tell him already, my heart was yelling, and then it started pounding again. I took a big breath.

Alright, Elias, here it comes...... I looked him in the eyes and finally told him how I felt about him all these years. "Because I love you." Wow, I said it! I did it, finally I confessed my feelings to him?

That was the only reason why I turned down mom's offer of adopting me. I knew he was shocked, cause he was still holding my chin, he didn't move or say a word. He was just staring into my eyes and I couldn't look away. We stood there, inches apart, facing each other as what felt like a lifetime.

Time seems to have paused and it was like we were the only two people in the world. Damn, I couldn't read him at all. Was he Angry? Happy? Confused? I wish I knew what he was thinking about that moment.

Come on, Elias, say what's on your mind! I challenged him with my eyes. This time, I felt like it was my stare that was more intense now.

His eyes just went... blank, emotionless, out of nowhere. Then he released my chin... and turned away from me. "Don't be a fool," he said, his voice all rough. He didn't even look back.

Seriously, was that all he could say to me after I confessed my feelings to him? I felt so embarrassed, I finally confess my feelings to the man I loved and only to be rejected afterwards! Oh, I was so humiliated by his reaction. I guess I was hoping for something cute like those scenes I usually see in my favorite romantic movies.

You know, where the girl confesses her feelings to the boy, the guy kisses or hugs her? "That's what I was hoping hope for, anyway." But Elias didn't. Instead, he called me a fool. Fool. Fool. Fool.

The stupid word just kept on ringing in my head. Could you imagine how embarrassing it was? I couldn't bring myself to look at him during dinner. I don't think he even spare me a glance.

Mama Celeste carried the conversation. She probably sensed the awkwardness between Elias and me. She looked so disappointed.

The following day, I avoided everyone. I was so embarrassed and hurt after my fight with Elias.

People might not understand why a seventeen-year-old would be so affected, but I couldn't help how I felt. I mean what else, could I do? I waited for him for three years, and when I finally told him how I felt, he made fun of me.

It would have been better if he'd just rejected me. But to tell me I was a fool for feeling this way? It broke my heart into pieces..... He considered me as afool. That hurt me much. So inorder to forget about the heartbreak for a while... I wish I could, I spent my whole morning with Isabella in Santa Rosalía.

Together with the mansion driver, we went to the marketplace to shop for foodstuffs. Even with all the noise and chaos of the market, with vendors yelling and people everywhere, I couldn't escape thinking about Elias. It was like my brain was just replaying everything. My brain was just refusing to let it go, no matter what.

I had lunch at Isabella's place in Santa Rosalía. Her mom and dad were so accommodating just like Isabella who was truly a sincere and happy soul. Among all the helpers, she was the only one closest and dearest to me. It was a wonderful meal. I ate some meals that I don't normally eat at the villa. It was all fancy but still they were delicious and satisfying.

I was happy that I didn't have to put up with Elias's cold attitude treatment at lunchtime. I bet mama was already annoyed at me for coming home for lunch. She doesn't like it when I'm not around her during meal times.

I planned that I will just tell her the everything. Also It was my way of telling Elias that I was angry at him about what he did.

I was such a little rebel!

In the afternoon, when we arrived at Rosevale from Santa Rosalía, I went straight to my favorite spot. As usual, I was there alone. There was never a time that I had company in the lagoon... well, except that time on my fourteenth birthday when Elias secretly followed me, just to tell me he didn't want me to become his sister. Who would want that one anyway?

Only Mama Celeste maybe. You're probably curious now, why no one else dare to go there except Elias, right? Well, it's because Mama Celeste made sure it was a special place just for her sweetheart ... and who do you think that was? Me, of course!

The farmers, the servants, everyone in Santa Rosalía knew they weren't allowed.

So, you see, Mommy Carol really loved me.

The lagoon was my secret little spot, all mine. That was why, the lagoon was filled with grand mahogany trees and blossoms ground,

I could lie down, dream, read, do everything I wanted... comfortably.

I was such a mess....

always sobbing.....

Even right now..... Whenever I missed Elias, I would come here and cry my eyes out.

Whenever I wanted to be with him, but couldn't, I will cry here. And because I was hurt badly by his words today, I came there to cry also. Yes, like always, after I have cried to my satisfaction...I'd fall asleep....to forget all the pain, you know? I always wondered why is sleep so amazing after a good cry?

My eyes snapped open, and, this enormous figure just appeared out of nowhere, and whoosh, he lifted me up from the ground! He was holding me in his arms, which felt incredibly strong, and I totally lost it.

I started screaming and kicking, pleading with him to put me down. But it was so dark, I couldn't even see his face.

How did it get so late? I didn't mean to stay out this long!

"Who are you? Put me down!" I yelled as loud as I could. Why was he not responding? Was he mute or deaf? How could he not say a single word?

The giant figure was just carrying me as he walked fast. I could hear him gasping for air as if he ran a marathon.

"Please, let me go!" I yelled again. I was seriously freaking out....you could imagine how scared I was! Goosebumps covered my skin and my mind flashed back to Elena's stories about fairies, witches, wolves and other terrifying night creatures that lurked in the dark.

"Help! Help! Please, somebody save me!" I shouted and kicked as much as I could.

"Let go of me, you monster!" Where was he Carrying me to? What was he Planning to do with me?

"Mama ! Mama! Help!" I cried aloud but I doubted if she would have heard me from here..I needed someone's help. I needed Elias to save me from this terrifying creature.

"Elias, please help! Elias !" "Keep quiet, will you?" the monster finally spoke and, what, he even demanded me not to say a word again The voice sounded so familiar..... Then, like, way down the street, near a streetlight, I spotted Elias's car.

Hmm, that made me suspicious, so I looked at the guy who was with me to see who he was. For sure, I could see his face now because we were getting closer to the light.

And when I finally saw him, I was totally shocked, like,

WHAT?!

The man carrying me in his arms was Elias himself! I was so shocked, I couldn't even get a word out of my mouth...what was he planning to do with me? He opened the door of the passenger's seat and shoved me to the seat.

Good thing was the seat was soft, if not my butt would have been bruised. Immediately the door was slammed shut! I was too confused to even ask what was going on..... Why did he take carry me out from the lagoon? What did I do to make him so angry with me? He open the door to the driver's seat and started driving us to the villa.

He wasn't saying a word. He was just clenching his teeth as if he wanted to breathe out fire....you would see the frustration and anger all over his face.

He didn't even look at me. What was wrong with him? When we got to the house, Elias pulled me out of the car! He held my wrist so tight as he dragged me to the terrace.

Mama Celeste was there, waiting for us. "Liana, sweetie, I'm so happy you're back!" She said with a big smile when she saw me. Was she crying since? Elias ignored what mom was saying, as he kept dragging me until we were in the living room.

I had to hurry to keep up with his long leg so I wouldn't fall. "You're hurting me," I pleaded.

He didn't even bother to reply, he pushed me onto the sofa, the force catching me completely off guard.

"Ouch!" I cried out, as my back hit the cushions. That really hurt! What on earth was his problem today? Mama walked fast to where we were, her expression a mixture of relief and concern.

"Sweetie, where have you been?? We've been searching for you," she asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

I finally understood. All the questions in my mind were answered. They had been searching for me!

"Mom, I-l-I'm so sorry. I slept off in the lagoon....I didn't know you have been so worried and searching for me..." tears started to well up in my eyes. "The lagoon? You have been there till now?" She exclaimed, completely shocked. "I'm s....so sorry, Mom," I cried, hiding my face in my hands. I was so ashamed for being out so late.

Mom came close to me and gave hugged me tight. "I was so worried about you, sweetie." Her words hit me with guilt.

My conscience made me cry even more. Why did I do that to Mama Celeste? After a long silence, he face me as he finally spoke up. It was the first time he said something to me, since he carried me from the lagoon.

"Liana, must you be so immature?" he said, his voice tight with annoyance and something else I couldn't quite read.

"How can you be so incredibly reckless and utterly inconsiderate of the people around you?" I knew he had being trying to control his anger, struggling to keep his tone even. But finally, the words had come, spilling out into the air between us.

"Elias, enough," Mama pleaded on my behalf. "She didn't do it intentionally."

"No, stop protecting her, Mom! Don't you see? The more you condone her behavior, the more you're turning her into a spoiled child!" he exclaimed, his voice rising. I felt such deep shame, both towards him and towards Mama, that I began to cry even harder. What was I to do? They were now arguing all because of me!

"I apologize...I-I truly didn't mean to," I stated once I finally mustered the courage to speak to him.

Mom was still embracing me.

"Silence! You can't just easily erase a mistake with an apology. When will you ever mature?" he remarked before he stormed off, leaving us.

I was utterly devastated. My heart was broken, again.

After he went to his room, Mama explained what happened, she explained that it was already night when she began searching for me.

She'd assumed I was with Isabella in the kitchen, messing around with baking cakes, since I'd been obsessed with it. But when she found out I wasn't there, Mom became concerned.

She didn't think I will be at the lagoon because it was after 8:00 PM.

So she sent a bunch of people to find me. Elias was the one that found me. I begged Mom's forgiveness for my careless and insensitive actions.

Elias's judgment on that point was true. She told me there was no need for me to apologize because it wasn't intentional.

She was happy that I was safely back. Even so, I felt so terrible. I was such an Idiot.

"Don't worry about Elias if he's upset, sweetheart . He's just concerned about you," Mom said. I stared at Mom's gorgeous face with disbelief.

Elias, concerned about me? Would that even be possible?