Minerva's POVI felt a breeze sweep across my entire body, waking me up in a very lazy manner.I lifted my head and glanced out of the corner of my eye to find that the sheet that should have covered me was not there. I turned over and saw Ethan sleeping in a rather uncomfortable position for his neck.I couldn't help but laugh and covered us again with the sheet that had fallen to the floor.I noticed the sun shining through the window even though the blinds were down. I looked at the wall clock, which read 12:15 pm. I lay my head back on the pillow when memories of my friends and my father caught me off guard.I sat up in bed, desperate."Ethan, wake up! We overslept!" I stumbled out of his bed and rushed to the bathroom.He simply shifted. After using the bathroom, I rushed to find my clothes. Thankfully, they were already dry and ready to be worn. I hurried back to his room.Ethan was still in the same position; I glared at him and searched for something to wake him up. I found a
I rolled my eyes and got up from the floor.I adjusted my dress again and grabbed my broken heels. Honestly, I was embarrassed to have to walk in them, but I had my pride, and I wasn't going to step barefoot on the street.Ethan grabbed his car keys and opened the door of his house, waiting for me to follow."Hadn't you told me your car wasn't here?" I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms in the doorway.Ethan raised his head a few inches, as if he were trying to remember that conversation. He looked at me again and smirked."I lied," he said with an angelic expression, shrugging.I looked at him incredulously; I had believed him like a fool. I shook my head a couple of times, and before I could say anything, he stepped forward and kissed me to silence me.I decided to let it slide; I was too happy to be bothered by trivial things like him lying about not being able to drive me home.Before leaving his building's parking lot, Ethan's cellphone rang.He took his phone out of his pocket,
"Are you two okay now?" an animated Isabella asked.I pondered my response.Relatively, yes. We had to keep a low profile since my father had forbidden him, or rather, made him promise to stay away from me, but everything was fine between us.He loved me, and I loved him. What could go wrong when we both felt the same way?Although I had to confess that I still had my doubts about the promise and the secret contract between the two of them. But that wouldn't stop me from being with him.According to the information my father and Ethan had given me, my father had made me choose between my job and him, and apparently, he had chosen his job. But then he told me about the promise he had made.It all confused me. How did we go from a contract to a promise between the two of them?I shook my head. It wasn't the time to think about that. I would have plenty of time locked in my room to rack my brain over it.Now that my friends and I had gotten out of the predicament of my escape, my father
Esther was a special person, affectionate, attentive, kind, with a free spirit within a body as small as the one standing in front of me. She wasn't very tall; in fact, I was taller than her by a few centimeters. Her eyes were gray, and she had a smile that could melt any man's heart. I imagined that if she had hair, it would be a coppery color.She was an exemplary mother, like all mothers. She often told me stories about when Ethan and Daniel were younger and the mischief they used to get into. She also mentioned how happy she was that someone like me was with her son, saying it was what I needed.Although it sometimes felt like she was trying to sell me on her son, I couldn't help but laugh at all the good things she said about Ethan.While I helped with simple tasks for the meal, she buzzed around the kitchen, doing a million things at once. It was impressive to see her so active despite her serious illness, cancer.Whenever she asked me something that I hadn't really paid much a
"See? Nothing happened," Ethan smiled at me, but at that moment, Esther arrived and hit him quite hard with a rag.He was surprised and sought refuge behind my arms. I heard Daniel's laughter behind his mother as he watched his older brother being teased."How can you do that to this poor girl? Can't you see she might keel over from the blood rushing to her head?" Esther scolded her son and hugged me protectively.I couldn't speak; I was still in shock.Esther sent her sons to take the food to the table while she comforted me."Are you okay, dear?" Her eyes showed genuine concern."Yes, thank you," I laughed, recalling everything that had just happened."Be patient with him, dear. Men can be foolish like that when they're in love," she winked at me and went to the table to supervise her sons' work.I joined them a few seconds later, taking deep breaths to prepare for what was to come. I wasn't too upset with Ethan for this, and I knew I would take it as good-natured teasing in a littl
"Minerva Finn, come here right now!" A motherly voice called me from the kitchen.I went with some shyness, peeking through the door to see her, hands on her hips, waiting for me."Yes, Mom?" I asked, clutching my little dress with embarrassment.I tried not to look her in the eyes."Did you eat your father's cookies?" she approached and knelt down in front of me to be at my eye level."No," I looked away. My mom lifted my chin so that I met her emerald eyes."You're lying, young lady. I'm your mother; you can't lie to me.""How do you know I'm lying?" I pouted and crossed my arms, furrowing my eyebrows as much as I could.My mother laughed and picked me up, sitting in the kitchen chair with me on her lap. She uncrossed my arms and forced me to stop frowning."That's because you speak with your beautiful eyes," my mother lightly tapped the tip of my nose with her index finger while smiling."Then I want to stop doing it!" I pouted.My mother laughed again."Why?" she asked after a few
"What are you doing here, honey?" My father looked at me cautiously but with a hint of joy at seeing me.I smiled, breathing unevenly due to nerves."Oh, I was looking for a... a..." I began to look around to see what I supposedly needed. I spotted a paperweight and grabbed it, showing it to him and moving away from his desk. "This!""Why do you need a paperweight?" My father looked puzzled, raising an eyebrow and crossing his arms.I tensed up. Why did I need it? I looked around again, searching for an excuse as quickly as I could."Since I'll be starting classes soon, I thought it would be useful," I shrugged as if what I was saying was the most normal thing, and then I passed by him.Just when I thought I had escaped my father and could breathe, he unexpectedly grabbed my arm and turned me toward him. I must have looked worried because my father's expression changed."Are you okay?" He looked at me with concern, not letting go of my arm."Of course, Dad, why wouldn't I be?" I smile
I waited to hear the front door of the house close.I closed my door and entered the bathroom to finish brushing my teeth.I changed into fresh clothes and approached Ethan to admire him sleeping once again. I wanted to wake him up and kiss him, but from the tired expression on his face, I couldn't bring myself to do it.It seemed like this morning "nap" was going to last a while, so I decided to go get something to eat.Knowing that my father probably hadn't left me anything prepared for breakfast, I went to the speakers in the living room and played some music at a moderate volume, knowing that Sleeping Beauty was upstairs.I focused on cooking something simple and quick—French toast with scrambled eggs.While cooking the meal, I got lost in the music playing downstairs.I closed my eyes from time to time and sang along in parts that didn't require reaching too high or too low notes, as I knew my house had enough glass to warn me that people who couldn't hit high notes weren't allow