LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 18: In Big Trouble
Ethan's POV
I was turning on my bed since sleeping has become hard for me since I arrived on the farm. My room was smaller than I used to, and I was not comfortable sharing a room with someone. I feel glad Jonathan is a good guy. He didn't ask questions, and I like him for respecting my privacy.
The only thing that bothers me is that he likes Meliza, too, and I don't understand why I feel bothered about it; I should not give a damn, but ever since I met that girl, I couldn't take her off of my damn mind, even if there were a lot of things that occupied my head.
I couldn't stop thinking about Iza, and what the girls had said about her heightened my curiosity. As I evaluated my feelings, I suddenly felt alarmed and swore never to go down that road. I hated her before I even met her. But I couldn't stop thinking about her angelic face, and her gaze had a quiet fire, a blend of strength and vulnerability that left me breathless.
After I met her, I couldn't accept that she was that beautiful. Where was she hiding all this time? I didn't want the girls to win; they bet that I would fall into Meliza's trap, too, and I told them there was no need to bet since I would never like her.
I woke up the following morning before my alarm clock could buzz and quickly bathed. I don't want to give Iza the fulfillment of reprimanding me. I am not an early riser since, for the past months, I have been partying every night, coming home past midnight, and waking up late the following day. That was my routine since after I graduated college to piss my father off.
Meliza checked my work, but she didn't say anything to me. She only looked at the stable, walked out as fast as possible, and rode Vince's pick-up towards the plantation. During lunch, she sat at the farthest side of the dining hall with her friend, Ruby.
She kept her head down while Nicole and her friends continued talking about her without caring if Iza heard them.
"What made you think Meliza is a social climber, Nicole?" I asked her during a coffee break one afternoon. She and her friends kept tailing me wherever I went, and all of them were trying to get my attention by serving me my coffee and handing me my cookies.
I didn't complain since I was used to having maids growing up in my parent's house and even in my own place. I loved the attention they gave me, and I didn't like the idea that Meliza didn't even look at me during break time as if I didn't exist while the girls were doing their best to have my slightest attention.
It dawned on me that Meliza didn't like me because she thought I was penniless and not the son of the farm's owner. It made me angry that I wanted her to know I was the only son of Isagani Almendraz.
"Don't tell me you are one of them, Ethan," Crystal said when she caught me staring at Meliza sitting at the side of the swimming pool alone during our barbecue party.
"What do you mean?" I asked as I turned my attention to her.
"You like her too. I had been watching you," she replied, and I laughed.
"That is crazy. I was staring at Meliza since I wondered what they saw in her," I muttered, averting her gaze.
"We shared the same thought; Iza tried to distance herself from everyone, but that is her strategy. She wanted to look mysterious to have everyone's attention, especially the boys. She lured boys by acting like a fragile girl." Crystal replied as my cold gaze returned to Meliza.
I hated what happened in my life, and I still needed to figure out how to leave this place and gain my father's trust again, but I swore never to ask for help from him, no matter what happened.
My earnings on the farm would never be enough. Lately, having Iza in my thoughts is an additional burden, and I must get her out of my system. And the only thing I can do is stay as far away from her as possible.
During dinner, I uttered those hurtful words, and I smiled when I saw the fire of anger in Meliza's eyes. That is what I want, and I don't want her to look at me with sweetness because that is the last thing I need. I am not proud of what I have done, but that is the best thing to do.
"What is wrong with you?" Vince asked the moment he got inside my room. I could see the anger on his face, and I hadn't seen my cousin this angry before.
"You know the answer to that question, and you don't need to ask me because right now, everything is wrong in my life, and I hate where I am right," I answered as I sat on the edge of my bed.
"That is not what I am talking about; why do you need to be a jerk with Meliza? If you are angry with the world because of what is happening with your life, I think it is about time that you should have a reflection." He responded as he clenched his fists on his sides.
"Why are you so affected? It doesn't bother you if I insulted girls before!" I yelled, and I mirrored his expression as he came closer to me.
"Do you want to hit me? Go ahead, Vince!" I added as I stood up and faced him.
"Meliza is different from those girls, and I understood why you were irritated with those women, but Iza hasn't done anything wrong towards you." My cousin hissed as his angry stare penetrated my core.
"You really like that girl even if you knew she only likes you for your money. Do you know the main reason why she was interested in you?" I asked.
"It was because she thought you were the son of my father and the heir of Adriana's company," I added before Vince could answer me.
"How I wished that was the case," he responded, his facial expression softening.
"Meliza rejected me; the rumors you heard about her were all lies. If she were a social climber, she would have accepted me as her boyfriend right away after I confessed my feelings for her last year." Vince added with pain in his voice, and it caught my attention.
"Iza broke my heart, and she didn't want to come back here because of me, but she had no choice since her mother forced her to work here on your farm. She told me we could never be more than friends, and she shattered my heart, but I didn't take it against her. I respect her decision." My cousin continued while I remained speechless.
"Even if you think she was only using me, or the rumors were true about her, you have no right to insult her in front of everyone. You have no right to do something like that because she had done nothing wrong to you." He summed up, and I felt like a fool as I stared at Vince.
"You barely know her. Stop being a jerk. I don't want to hear you say nasty words to Meliza ever again," Vince warned me.
"Are you threatening me? I couldn't believe you would side with her. I am your best friend, and that girl is a stranger to you. You are only defending Iza because your feelings for her blinded you." I stated.
"Meliza is not even that beautiful, Vince. Wake up; why do you like her so much when she is way out of your league, and you know your parents will never approve of her." I added, and he stepped closer with those blaring eyes.
"Come on, Ethan. You need to grow up! You don't need to worry about me; this is my life. You have to fix your own life before you meddle with mine, " he responded angrily.
"You are worse than everyone around her. You treated her like trash, and you were lying to yourself; you knew she was beautiful, and you called her names. I don't understand you at all." He added.
"I can't tolerate your behavior anymore. I want to help you, but you are being a jerk, and for the first time, I was ashamed to call you my best friend." Vince said, and got out of my room, slamming the door so hard that I almost jumped on my feet.
It felt like my cousin had slapped me in the face. It hurt me to know that he felt ashamed I was his best friend. He avoided me at all costs for the rest of the week, and I became angrier when I found him spending more time with Meliza.
Saturday came, and it was time for team building. I didn't want to participate, but it is part of my contract. For me, it was ridiculous, but it was part of the farm's policy.
I wished to leave and spend my time roaming around the San Fernando capital, but I got pissed with Vince and Iza, and for the first time, I wanted to prove them wrong. I am not a jerk and needed to show everyone that.
They divided us into eight groups, and I couldn't believe I picked up number five, which meant I belonged to Meliza's group.
"If you don't have any questions, you can now report to your team leader, and we will start our first activity in fifteen minutes," Nina said before focusing on me and giving me a warning look.
Meliza stood near the fountain, and some boys joined her while the girls lingered near me. I couldn't believe her team members were so hard-headed. I looked at Vince, and he quickly averted my gaze.
I let out a sigh before I made my way toward her to appease my cousin, and it seemed like my entire world stood still when she gave me a sweet smile that made my whole body turn so hot that I wished to take her into my arms and kiss her.
I could feel my heart pounding loudly as I watched her continue talking in front of us. I couldn't believe I would be fascinated by someone like her. She was way out of my league, and my desire to know this young woman was too fierce.
I had never felt this way about anyone, and I had never experienced this kind of longing to have someone in my arms. I was in big trouble as I realized I wanted Meliza to be mine.