CHAPTER 4.

SUNNY

As I arrive at Mike's father's house, it's still early in the morning, around 7:30 a.m.

My heart is racing just parking my car in front of the black gate. I pick up my phone and call Mike to let him know that I am at his home.

"Hello, buddy. Are you sure that your parents won't holler at me when they see me here? It's still early," I ask him, as we have something we are both working on online.

"They won't bother you. Besides, it's my birthday, and I want you to help with the preparations. What's more?" Mike replies bluntly, as if he's unaware that his mother told him to warn us to stop coming to his house.

"Alright. I just arrived. Let me drive in," I say, knowing it's better that I get to greet Mike's parents first before they leave for work.

My parents aren't around, since they traveled for a business trip. That gives me free liberty to do as I please.

As I honk, I watch the security man step out to see who it is. He recognizes me. He's an old man—Jasper, I think Mike calls him.

Jasper goes back to the gate and pulls it open, since he's been working for Mike's father for a long time, back when Mike was sixteen and we were in high school.

I draw a sharp breath and park my car in the driveway. Mike's parents are successful, too. I take a look at his parents' cars before I turn off my engine and get out.

The early morning wind blows my hair, and I peer up at the balcony at the side of the house.

There, I see Maryann, dressed in a short white nightdress, watching me.

My breathing hitches as I see how beautiful she looks, how the white nightdress frames her body, and how big her breasts are.

I cannot take my eyes off her as I feel my throat run dry and blood gush through my veins just from admiring her. Her long blonde hair hangs loosely, falling behind her back. The early morning wind blows around her face and makes her hair fly in the breeze.

She is stunning. Before I can say hi to her, I see her parents rushing out of the house.

As soon as Mrs. Ella's gaze locks on me, her expression turns grim as she frowns.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew," I greet them, knowing they're off to work.

Mike's mother looks pissed off seeing me. She's overprotective of her daughter, especially knowing her daughter is beautiful.

"Sunny, why are you here early? Why didn't you wait until the party starts at six?"

Before I can reply, Mike rushes out of the house like he already knows his mother will try to send me away.

"Mom, you and Dad are going to be late for work. Sunny and I have something important to work on on my laptop, so I invited him over."

Mrs. Ella peers at me as if she is contemplating her son's words. "Stay away from my daughter. I don't care if you are Mike's best friend or not. Just keep your distance from my little angel."

"Mom, how can you say that!" Mike shouts back. "Sunny sees Ann as his sister. You are just too paranoid. Get going and stop bullying my friends!"

His Dad warns him, "Mike, you don't talk to your mother like that."

"Then tell her to stop chasing my friends away."

I don't like how Mike talks back to his mother, but I know that she can be overbearing.

"It's okay, Mike. Your mother is right. Besides, Maryann isn't a little girl anymore. I will keep my distance from her," I say to clear the tension. The atmosphere lightens as Mrs. Ella nods and rushes to her car with her husband.

Once they get into their different cars—Mrs. Ella entering her black Jeep, while her husband hops into his blue car—they drive off.

"Why would you say that to my mother? You make it look like her suspicions are right," Mike complains as he leads me back into their living room. He's unaware that Maryann was standing on the balcony, listening to us.

I'm not happy that I blurted out that I will only treat Maryann as my sister. She's not related to me by blood. We are not siblings, and I don't plan to keep my word.

Before I enter the living room, Maryann is no longer on the balcony. I wonder if she heard my response to her mother, if she still has a crush on me, or if she also sees me as a brother, even though we are unrelated.

I draw a sharp breath as the living room smells nice, like my home.

"I don't have anything to say to make your mother comfortable. You know she is protective of your little sister. Where is she?" I ask, as I walk over to take my seat on the black couch like I own the place.

"My mother is protective of Maryann, but she's already eighteen, so she can mingle now or have a boyfriend. I won't stop her," Mike says as he moves toward the grand staircase in the living room.

"Where is Maryann?" I ask once more, as I still want to get a perfect view of her body.

"She's in her room. What do you want with her? You should keep off. The event planner will soon be here to start with the decorations." Mike starts to climb the stairs, and I ask him, "Wait, have you had breakfast? I am famished because I didn't eat at home. Jessica wants to see you, and she wants to attend your party, but I slipped off."

"I don't want your sister here. She's a bully. Fine, wait. Let me have a bath. I will come downstairs to make tea for us." Mike quickly rushes upstairs.

I sigh and pull out my phone to see the text messages I have.

My girlfriend, Victoria Owen, is the one texting me. She lives nearby, and we met during my years in high school. She was a junior, a year ahead of my sister's class.

Victoria is tall, fair-skinned, and was among the junior cheerleaders back then. She is also studying business management and believes she will help me run my father's company when we get married.

Little does Victoria know that I don't plan to marry her. We are just in a relationship, which doesn't mean I must marry her. She is too extravagant, but I cannot blame her, since we all come from rich homes.