Moonville Series 1: Secret Lovers

It was on Wednesday morning when Angel felt the weight of her situation. Her body felt so heavy she doesn't want to get out of the bed. She just forced herself to take a bath and get dressed for school. When she went out of her bedroom, she met Alex who had just went out as well.

"Good morning, Ate."

Angel just looked at her.

Alex felt her sister's unwellness. 'Are you okay? Can you go to school?"

"I can make it through. Don't worry," Angel said as she headed to the stairs.

Alex followed her sister worriedly. Their parents were already in the dining room when they arrived.

'We've been waiting for you," Alice told them.

Alex kissed her parents on the cheeks and greeted 'Good morning.' Angel was quite hesitant to greet them, so she just kissed them. She felt their bodies tensed as she kissed them on the cheeks. She then went to her seat after. Gone is the happy conversation whenever they eat. They have been like that since Sunday morning. On the night after the confrontation on Saturday, the couple did not eat dinner with the two sisters.

Even Alex who is normally talkative is just eating silently. She always glances at Angel, giving her a smile to somehow appease her. Though Alex could not remove the sadness from those smile.

And because they are grounded, their driver takes them to school every morning as per their father's order. That's why Angel and Alex can't even discuss what happened. They fear that the driver is their father's spy. Angel is putting her books inside her locker when Hannah suddenly appeared in front of her.

'Angel!"

She was shocked at her sudden appearance.

'What happened to the survey?"

'Survey?' Angel frowned.

'Where is the survey to the JPIA members? It's Wednesday now and we still haven't found our representative for Mr. and Ms. JPIA."

Angel remembered the survey that Hannah is talking about. She wasn't able to do it because of what happened to their family. She suddenly panicked upon remembering it.

'What are we going to do now? I was never impressed with that idea of yours because I don't like that we have to wait for a week to know the result. But because I know you can do it, you can find our representative for the pageant, I let you.

But, what happened? We don't have the survey! My gosh, Angel! I assigned you to do that because I know you can. I am already taking care of a lot of things for the Business Week. I don't know if I can handle more."

Angel is not sure if it's because she's feeling under the weather, or because she is not eating properly lately; or is it because she lacks sleep, or because Hannah humiliated her. She just felt her eyes tear up, and it seems she can't stop the tears from falling down her face.

But before she could cry, she felt someone hold her shoulder. She turned around and there was Bryan, smiling at her.

'Hi Hannah!" Bryan said calmly to the super stressed JPIA president.

Hannah stopped nagging Angel. 'Bryan..."

'Did Angel tell you already?"

'What is it?"

'That I'm competing for Mr. JPIA."

Angel looked at Bryan in surprise.

"You?" Hannah was obviously surprised as well.

'Yeah. Can't I? I'm also good looking, right?"

'Very good looking...' Angel looked away.

'Yes, but... I'm just not expecting you to join. Weren't you asked to join Mr. Business School before? I heard you rejected the offer."

"Well, it just happened that Angel convinced me."

Angel looked at him again. 'Bryan...' She can't believe it. 'Why?' Why is he doing that for her?

"Wow... Well, that's... that's great news. We definitely have a big chance of winning. Angel, who is our Ms. JPIA?"

Angel looked back at Hannah. Again, she doesn't know how to answer her.

'She's still convincing her," Bryan said.

'Right!" Angel said, finally able to speak again. 'And I'm about to convince her."

"Well, that's good. Even though your plan to take the survey did not succeed, you still managed to find our candidates. Good job."

Angel felt good with that complement, and she doesn't know why. Maybe because she is too pathetic that a simple compliment can make her feel very happy.

'So I guess, I need to call your trainer," Hannah told Bryan. 'Please coordinate with Angel to know when your practice for your talent and Q&A will be. Okay?" 'Sure," Bryan answered.

Hannah left the two, obviously very pleased with what happened.

Angel felt very embarrassed not only because Bryan saw her being scolded by Hannah earlier. She is also embarrassed about what happened to the cafeteria the other day. 'Good thing Hannah agreed."

Angel looked at Bryan.

'It's a good thing that I really am good looking," Bryan said. And then he smirked.

And for the first time, Angel is not annoyed at that smirk of his. She actually felt she missed that smile. She missed him. Since that incident last Monday he started avoiding her. 'Are you okay?"

Angel smiled and nodded. She sniffed to totally stop her tears from flowing.

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'Thanks... Thank you for helping me," Angel said.

'So, do you believe now that we should not avoid each other? I mean, you're not you right now. You're not the tough and fierce Angelica Martinez that you really are."

"I looked stupid, right?" Angel felt embarrassed again.

"You looked vulnerable and... well, pathetic."

'I wasn't able to do the survey because of what happened... Wait, so you're really joining the pageant?"

Bryan winced. 'I just realized what I did."

'I'm sorry." Angel felt guilty.

'It's not your fault. It's actually me who did not think carefully before deciding. But, it's here so I need to do it. I don't need to win anyway, right?"

"Actually, you need to. Hannah wants us to win over JFINEX, and she wants JPIA to be the overall champion."

'Oh no...!" Bryan suddenly became problematic.

'Another thing. I don't have a candidate for Ms. JPIA."

"I think I can help you with that."

"Huh?"

"I know someone who could be our Ms. JPIA. And I'll help you convince her."

Angel feels like crying again. She really feels great that Bryan is here to help her.

"But promise me you won't cry. I don't like to see you crying."

Bryan looked into her eyes, and the world seemed to stop suddenly. It's as if they were alone in that crowded corridor of the Business School. Nothing else seems to matter. And when he held her hand, Angel felt the warmth of his touch and it seems to radiate through her heart, making her feel safe.

"And to make sure of that, I will not leave your side. Promise."

Bryan smiled and touched her face. And that touch, that smile of him, that assurance, it made Angel feel better.

"But for now, let's go to our class first."

Angel nodded. Still holding her hand, Bryan led her to their first class this morning. He did not let go of her until he opened the door for her.

Kimberly Agustin is a freshman BS Accountancy student and is a new member of JPIA. She is the daughter of the Chief Human Resource Officer of Tarlac General Hospital, the hospital owned by Bryan's family. She's beautiful, smart, and very kind. She is the girl that Bryan is talking about.

The only problem is, she had never joined any beauty pageant even though she has what it takes to win those kinds of competition. The reason is because she is very shy. But Angel and Bryan persuaded her very well. Not that Bryan threatened her because he is the son of her father's boss. But even if Bryan did not brought that up, Kim still feels obligated to grant his request.

In the end, the two were able to convince her. They promised to help her train so that she knows what to do on the pageant. Angel was very happy Kim accepted their offer.

'It's a good thing that you instantly thought of Kim," Angel told Bryan. They are now at the school cafeteria eating lunch together.

'Truth is, I have a crush on her." Bryan winked at her.

'Really..." Angel suddenly felt disappointed. 'You know, she also has a crush on you."

'Really?" Bryan seems to like what she said.

Angel nodded. 'Hm-hm. If you'll court her you'll definitely win her over." She seems to lose her appetite.

'I'll remember that. But, it's good that she agreed. At least we solved your problem."

'Thanks for helping me."

'It's nothing. I'm glad I helped you." Bryan smiled at her.

'That smile...' The feeling that it brings. Angel is getting used to that wonderful feeling. And it makes her happy, that warmth that Bryan's smile sends to her heart. It makes her feel safe. It makes her want to smile. She looked away and continued eating.

'What if we just pretend?"

'Hmn?" Angel looked at him.

'I just thought, if we have a relationship, will our parents be forced to reconcile? For the sake of our love for each other."

'We're just dating and not yet married or engaged. My family does not need to reconcile with yours."

'But at least, there's a chance it could happen if your parents think that you love me and our relationship makes you happy. I think that would be more important than what happened 20 years ago."

"I don't know... You know, I feel weird about that something that happened 20 years ago. They can't even tell us what it was."

'Agree."

They looked at each other.

'We need to know what it is," Bryan said. 'And like what I've said, it might help if they think we are in a relationship. I'll ask Mom and Dad."

'Alright. Do it. You know Dad is still mad at me so I can't do anything for now."

"Don't worry. I'll do everything that I can."

Again, Bryan smiled. And whenever he does, it feels like Angel is being assured that everything will be alright. Because of that, she somehow felt better. It seems like her problems are slowly getting solved.