Chapter 4

Aella POV

Alright, that's cute! He's looking at me like I'm an angel from heaven or is it from hell? Kidding!

I tried to divert my feelings by looking at the sky again and I wasn't mistaken, it was very beautiful. The stars are twinkling like what the song Twinkle Twinkle says.

"Come on. It’s past 1 AM." Nancy said as she stood up and arranged herself.

Andrew, Vincent and I nodded at the same time. Vincent held out his hand to help me stand and I accepted it. For the second time, I touched his hand ---- His soft and firm hand. It sends a different shiver down my spine. It makes my blood inside to boil.

"Thanks!" I said to him as he gave me a shy smile and it’s... Cute. --- Cute? What is he? A boy? You could have said handsome, hot or whatever because that is what men would like to be called. But yeah, well everything about him is cute. Oh! I mean, handsome, hot or whatever. He's perfect. We walked through the door of the living room and saw three of our cousins were already sleeping.

They already arranged all the mattresses.

"Why are you sleeping here?" Vincent asked, confused.

We all looked at him and gave him a smile. "Well, the rooms upstairs are for our parents and guests while the rooms over there are for those who brought their girlfriends/boyfriends or our other cousins who already have their own families," Andrew explained as he pointed to the rooms near the kitchen.

"Why didn't you go to a hotel or rent a villa or something?" Vincent asked again.

"Our Grandparents wanted all of us to sleep and stay here no matter what," Andrew replied.

"And this place..." Nancy started, pointing to the living room. " Is the single's den." She added, making Andrew and I chuckle.

Vincent looked a bit shocked but he managed it.

"So you go upstairs. You know your room and we'll be sleeping." Andrew said, pushing Vincent to go up and clash his body next to his sister, Zoey who was already sleeping.

"Yes. Yes. Yes." Vincent said as he started to step on the stairs.

"Goodnight, mate." He said to Andrew in the most Australian accent. I left there shocked. His accent is delicious. Oh!!! I mean.. Ahhh.. What do you call this.. Is it precious? No. No. No. Not precious. What's happening to me? Beautiful --- Oh yes! That's it. His accent is very beautiful and unique. It’s very sexy. No, I mean nice. Nice? Did I mean that? Yes, of course. That's what I meant.

When he looked at me, his eyes were sparkling and talking to me silently.

"Goodnight, Aella." He said giving me such a sweet smile. "Nancy." He said to Nancy and nodded before he went up.

Vincent POV

What the hell is happening to me? Why can't I sleep? Whenever I close my eyes, it’s her face that I can see. Her chuckle a while ago sounds like music to my ears.

It’s only your first day here, Vincent and you're now starting to like this girl?

Is that even possible?

Then I remembered this one girl I met. She told me something about love at first sight. Love? Is that even a word? If it is, I really don't know what it means. I haven't experienced that kind of love. I never fell in love with anyone before, strange, but true. It’s rare for me. Rare --- I think 'doesn't exist' is more suitable than rare.

The next morning I woke up at 8 AM because I'm exhausted. I brushed my teeth and had my shower before I went downstairs. I saw Aella still sleeping so I lean on the wall and look at her. Her hair is messy and spreads across her face, her mouth is slightly open but overall even if she sleeps like that, I still think it’s cute.

I looked around me and found no one so I fished out my phone and take photos of her.

"Vincent?" I heard someone says behind me. When I look at whose voice it belongs, I saw Zoey.

"What are you doing here? She asked me while looking at the phone I'm holding and snatch it from me.

"You're taking Aella a picture?" She asked me and boy, she looks confused but still curious.

"Sssh! Quiet. She's still sleeping. Give me that." I whispered as I snatched back my phone from her.

She gave me a smirk and shook her head before she headed outside for breakfast and I followed her.

"So Vincent, did you slept well?" Andrew's father asked.

Zoey looked and gave me a teasing smile.

"Yes, thank you." I said before I sat down at the chair. The sun feels so good on my skin; I put down my phone on the table and put on my ray ban.

I saw Andrew approach us, wearing his signature khaki pants.

"Where do you want to go?" Andrew asked me before he sat down beside me.

"Anywhere."

"Why don't you go to the city? The three of you. I'll tell Nancy and Aella to come with you if you want." Their Uncle Rey asked.

Right, that's a good idea, I can have Aella some time alone if possible and I can ask her the million-dollar question.

"Yes yes, please do that Uncle," Andrew replied to his uncle.

I'm feeling excited to have Aella by myself.

By yourself?

You mean, you'll just stare at her as she gets along with her cousins?

Yes, but whatever.

Aella POV

I woke up because I heard murmurs around me. When I opened my eyes, I found no one. I decided to get up to wash my face and brush my teeth. While I was walking to go outside I saw Zoey.

''Good morning'' I greeted her.

''Good morning Aella, how was your sleep?'' She asked.

''It was like a dead woman,'' I said to her, smiling.

''I want to tell you something'' she said as she pulled me closer to her like she'd be gossiping about something.

''Yes?'' I asked with confusion.

''I think Vincent likes you.'' She said, smiling like she won the lottery

No I don't want to believe her. It's impossible. But I managed to talk to her

''You're saying it like you're 101 percent sure of it. How is that even possible?'' I said to her, sounding more confused than ever.

''Last night I noticed him looking at you as if you're going somewhere and will never come back." She said.

''Really? I haven't noticed that. But I caught him looking and he just smiled'' I replied.

''What?!'' and now she's jumping like a child ''Really? You know what? I caught him taking pictures of you while you were sleeping''

''Huh? Why?'' oh my, I don't drool, do I?

''Simply because he likes you!! Yes!!'' She's grinning widely. She even jumps up and down

I laughed at her. ''He took pictures?'' she nods. ''Oh! That's why I heard murmurs''

''You heard us?'' she asked

''Not exactly, I thought I was just dreaming''

We smiled at the thought that Zoey likes me but I really don't take it seriously because I just don't like to put it that way. We went outside to grab our breakfast when my uncle Andy asked me.

''Aella?'' he started

''Yes, uncle?''

''Would you mind if you accompanied the three of them to the city'' he pointed to Andrew, Zoey and Vincent.

''No Uncle, it’s okay'' I replied.

I saw Vincent smiling and I could see that he was happy about what I replied. That makes me smile

After eating, we prepared to go to the city. I wear my sleeveless tops, jeans and wedge so that I don't look so little beside Vincent if ever he walks besides me and I wish that he would do that.

My uncle Rey's driver drove us to the city. Nancy and I sat in front of the van while the three of them were at the back. Nancy turns on the radio and switches the station to other stations. He stopped at the station where 'Making Love Out of nothing at All' is playing. We sang softly because it's Nancy's favorite song. She always sings it in the karaoke.

''Are they going to rent karaoke tomorrow'' I asked her.

''Yes, I think they will'' she answered ''But we should ask them and if they won't, we should convince them to'' she continued.

''Okay, as you wish''

Vincent POV

Andrew, Zoey and I sat at the back of the van while Aella and Nancy sat in front. I can hear them singing softly and they have a lovely voice I guess. I'm happy because Aella came with us not to mention that she looks really hot in her tops, jeans and that lovely wedge heels. I took my phone out of my pocket and saw a girl sleeping peacefully on my wallpaper. I can feel my heartbeat becomes faster. Why is this happening? I'm sure when I go back to Australia, I'll meet lots of hot ass girls again and my favorite hobby will be back. I hate having emotions, it can destroy your life, it will make your life shorter and it can make you sick. I can have any girls I want in just a blink of an eye. I am Vincent Johnsons, one of the most popular bachelors in Australia, I achieved my goals at a young age and I'm proud of it. I'm working for a company as a CEO which I own, so money is very easy for me. But this girl, this girl sitting in front of this van makes me think that I still don't have everything, she makes me think that I'm worthless, that I'm missing a piece of my life. We just met yesterday and yet I'm feeling this way. It's like I've known her for a long time.

Now I believe that this girl really has power. First, the electricity she sends in my veins. Secondly, the power in mind and it will be effective when you look into her eyes. You'll be stuck in her eyes like you were being hypnotized.

Aella POV

This why, this is why I don't like sitting in front, all I can see is the road. I can feel someone's watching my back so I look on my back and saw that Vincent is watching me so I smiled.

''You look very pleased with what you see'' I teased him and saw a flush on his face

''Oh, that? Yeah! Yeah! This is really a great country.'' He looks away from me and glances at his window and back at me again. ''There are lots of beautiful things around here. Americans are nice''

''Of course we are''. He was a little shocked by what I said. Huh! Yeah, two can play at a game.

''Yes, we are nice? Or yes we're beautiful?'' he said while smirking and crossing his arms in his chest.

''Depends on what you can see, it could be both or it could be just one'' I paused ''The choice is always yours'' Sometimes I'm good at this game and now is the part of that sometimes.

He didn't say anything but he smiled. I arranged myself and looked at Nancy who was watching me. She smiled and her eyes are like teasing me.

''I think he likes you'' It's a statement and not a question. I turned my head back to see if they heard it and luckily they didn't.

''ewan ko, parang di naman'' (I don't know, but I don't think so).

My Grandparents have lots of Filipino friends here and they started to like their cultures and beliefs so they decided to learn their language. When we heard them talking in Filipino, Nancy and I were very confused because at first, we thought that it was Spanish because we understood some of the words but then when we asked GF, he told us that it's a Filipino language.

Long story short, Nancy and I started to learn this particular language because of certain reasons. 1. If we wanted to talk about something which is only for the two of us, it's nice to have a language that wouldn't understand by the people around us. 2. We would understand our GF and GM's friends when they are talking. 3. We just wanted to learn other languages aside from French which was taught in our class and of course our very own language.

Our conversation ended up like that because we finally arrived in the heart of California.