Reaping Me Softly

Chapter 27 - Gathered Together

The next morning, Lia's parents' left the house early. She was relieved at that as Simeon still stayed until morning. She had to cook on her own for two people and brought the food upstairs, so they could eat together. A smile was playing on her lips as they eat, one could see the visible happiness in her eyes, as well as Simeon's. 

But she knows that would end soon. They need to talk, and even if she does not want to discuss her engagement with his friend, she has to. Drinking her water, she gulped and stared at him who was silently eating, 

"Did Alec tell you?" she asked slowly.

He raised his head, munching without noise, then his throat moved. 

"About what?"

"Simeon..." She sighed deeply. "About our engagement." 

She watched his face turned grim. His eyes became dangerous and dark, even his jaw was tightly clenched like he was mad. His lips were formed into the thin line and his eyes, it was dull. She could see nothing in his eyes but gloom. He was angry, she could feel it. Their heavy breathing filled the silence surrounding them.

Lia swallowed hard. She lowered down her head to her plate, the food was almost left untouched and the things they were about to talk was enough reason to lose her appetite. 

She can't read him. All she knows was he's angry, silently. With how his jaw moved, she could tell that Simeon was fighting with his inner self. She wanted to know his thoughts about it... But minutes had passed yet he still remains silent. 

"Last night, we went to meet the family my parents arranged me with. I was shocked and bewildered when I saw him in the room. Then, I realized that he was the one whom my parents chose for me, Simeon. I called you after that but you were not picking up your phone..."

"What did he say about it?" He asked casually then, continued eating like it was not a big deal to him.

With a shattered heart, she spoke, "He said he has a girlfriend and that he'll do something to break the agreement." 

"And your thoughts about engaging with my friend?" His shoulders squared and then, leaned away from her, his hands above his chest as he looked at her intently. 

Her eyes fell weakly. "Why are you acting like everything does not matter to you?" 

"Baby, everything matters to me..." 

Shaking her head, she got off of the bed. "You're being casual around me, Simeon. You're not even asking me if I'm okay, or what! How do I feel now? If I wanted to go out and unwind for a bit because these things are stressing me out, Simeon!" She tried to keep her voice low. 

"Lia," he called slowly. "You're angry, I am, too. But nothing will happen if we are led by our anger. At least one should stay calm and think through this, right?" 

His words were like cold water that awakened her. 

She opened her mouth but no words came out. Eventually, she walked through her long sofa and sat there frustratingly. She covered her face in embarrassment. Now that he pointed it out, she realized that what she has been doing brought nothing to her but anxiety. 

Since then, whenever her parents' do something she hated, all she did was be angry. She was always enraged that she forgot to think of any solutions, if there is, the only answer she always comes up with and considers was to run away from the problem. 

Just like she was about to do last night. To hide as it was the easiest one she could think of, but a temporary solution, like what Simeon told her before. 

"I don't know what to do anymore, Simeon..." She turner her head in his direction. "I wanted to end this once and for all. But you were right... Nothing will happen if I keep being like this. I desired to be free but I'm not even doing anything that could help me escape."

He got out of the bed and walked towards her. A hint of sympathy was visible in his eyes as he sat beside her, taking her hands to hold onto. 

"We'll think of the solution, Lia. I..." He coughed fakely. "Alec told me about it the other day. I was out due to personal matters, so I wasn't able to answer your call, or even inform you about it. But he'll help us get through this, baby. We're not alone, okay?" 

Lia bit the inside of her cheek. Everything frustrates her... She just wanted to be free but why does it take a lot of effort? She knows that overcoming this phase will not be easy, knowing her family, and for sure, Alec's father will get in the way, too. 

"I'll meet him today..." he notified her. "If you want to come, you can."

She sniffed, leaning her head to his shoulder. "Can we stay like this for a while?"

"Of course," she felt him kiss her hair. "We can ask each other random questions again like we usually do."

"You go first..."

"As usual, love..."

They both chuckled. For a moment, they both forgot their concerns. With low voices, they talked and laughed together in her room, not minding anything for a second. It felt good to have someone to laugh with, she thought. Being weird together, making each other happy was her biggest achievement so far. 

When lunch came, Simeon had to leave the house. She was glad that no one saw him while leaving and when he was gone, she fixed herself after receiving a reply from Alec, sending details in where they would meet. 

She will come with Simeon... If someone familiar saw them, they wouldn't suspect. As Alec's girlfriend will come, too. Thinking their plan pains her but it was for the best. 

Wearing faded blue jeans, paired with blacktop and sneakers, she grabbed her black round bag and left the house. A grab was already waiting outside their home, and without further ado, she went inside the lift. 

It took her less than twenty minutes to arrived at the meeting place. She went inside the cozy coffee shop, the interior designed brought peace to her. Even the soft and calming instrumental music has made her smile for a bit. Roaming her eyes around the warm brown place, she saw a familiar built with a woman, sitting in the corner. 

Sighing, she walked near them. 

"Alec," she called. Two pairs of eyes landed on her.

"Oh, you must be Lia..." The girl stood up and smiled and offered her hand for a shake. "I'm Sam, uh... Alec's girl."

Lia smiled genuinely and took her hand. "I'm sorry..." For some reason, she uttered. She quickly shook her head and withdrew her hand. 

She felt guilty, yes. But both of them were victims... She has no intention of ruining their relationship, and neither Alec. She just hopes that they could find a way to stop their parents from marrying them off and if not, shattered hearts will scatter. 

"Let's just wait for Simeon," Alec uttered when she sat across the woman. "For now, order something while we wait for him."

"No, I'm fine," her eyes settled on the girl named Sam. 

Her smiles were contagious she can't help but, let out a small smile, too. Sam looked like a light person, a happy-go-lucky who just smiled at problems. She kinda envies her for that... She also wants to be happy, too, considering all the predicaments that were thrown at them.

"I heard a lot about you," Sam started. "The rumors were true about you being beautiful. And you also looked kind, I mean, to me. You brought silence and a kind of good-girl vibe. Something like that."

"Whoever spread that, I can say that she's a legit gossiper," she jokingly said. 

"Babe, I thought she was a very serious person! Heard what she said?!" She even slaps Alec's arm who just shook his head. 

"Here he is..." 

Everyone fell silent when they saw Simeon entering the shop. She wanted to run and meet him halfway but that's not her. So she waited until he stopped near them. 

"Should we switch positions or something?"

Her forehead knotted fiercely. "Don't you want to sit beside me?" 

"Love, of course, I want to. But in case..." 

Rolling her eyes, she scoots over and taps the space beside her. Simeon's shoulders dropped before giving up. Later that, they both ordered an iced coffee and began to talk. 

"So, what now?" Sam smiled a bit. "We should talk seriously now. Things shall discuss and no details should be left behind."

Honestly, her mind seems blank. She does not know how to start... She has a lot of things to say but now that she's in the position to talk, everything seems gone. 

"So, as you all know, Lia and I were... Well, our parents decided to arrange us for marriage we both clearly don't want..." It was Alec who looked clueless, too. "We are gathered here to think of ways we could come up with to stop this ridiculous arrangement from happening. I am in a relationship with Sam, and so Lia, with you, Simeon. We should help each other or else..." 

"Yes," was all she could say. "I have realized that running away from this chaos will not solve the problem. I was thinking of it, but I wanted to finally put an end to my family's greediness and that to marry off with someone I don't even like."

Alec scoffed at her last words. "We shared the same sentiments."

"And so, we shall break this. Slowly but surely... If we have to make up stories like for instance, I was cheated on and or whatever that could help, we will just to stop our families from planning!"

"That would ruin my reputation, Lia," Alec commented in dismayed. "My mom would kill me."

"That could be one of the factors to stop the engagement, babe..." Sam agreed. "But if you don't want it, we could think of anything else..."