A Celebrity's Kiss

PROLOGUE

"Love." 

I looked at my door as I saw my Mom. I immediately put my last earring as she smiled at me and walked towards me. 

"Ma?" I looked at her in the mirror. She just looked at her side then shook her head. "It's.. it's nothing, love." she massaged lightly my shoulders as she put her cheek to my cheek. "Look at you! You have grown as a fine lady!" 

"Ma, I just turned sixteen, please." we both chuckled as I prepare my bag since she told me that we will be having dinner with her friend's family. 

"Ready to— oh my." Mom and I looked at Dad as he was admiring us both. "Ready to go?" 

"How about my brothers?" I asked as I looked at myself in the mirror, checking if I have missed something. "Oh, your two Elder Brothers can't go, but the other one will," I smiled as I heard. 

"Really though?" I chuckled. "I wonder who it might be?" 

"Let's go? They might be waiting for us, "

I nodded as we went outside of our house, technically, a mansion. As far as I can remember I used to play with my three elder brothers when I was a little, but now, they have ruling the entire business world since they are really doing their best to be on top. I like how they are responsible in every decisions they made and I am inspired to do it as well. They always saying that, "obey Mom and Dad, it's for the best."

However, I knew in my heart that they have plans to my future and my career, and I didn't want to talk about it first. But I remember this last time when Mom asked me what would I take in my college. Well, of course I answered safely. 

"I don't know it yet."

She asked me, "Why?" and I just shrugged. 

Mom was nagging me already to decide on which path will I take since she told me that when she asked my brothers they answered, "Business,"

So, I guess, they are expecting me to say it as well, but I knew in my heart that I don't.. wike it. "So maybe, I need to decide already, I don't want Mom to nag at me again." I sighed as I thought. 

"Kuya, anong sa tingin mo?" ("Brother, what do you think?")

"I don't know ask Kuya," I rolled my eyes as I looked at my Eldest Brother, Draco. "Kuya," 

"I don't know, Night," he shook his head. "Ano bang gusto mong itake?" ("What course do you want to take?) I looked at him and my other brother, Daniel, and I looked down. "I really don't have in my mind right now, Kuya,"

He tapped my head as he smiled. "Don't stressed yourself, you're gonna be fine."

I smiled as I nodded. "Okay, Kuya."

"Nightingale!" I smiled as my Mom and looked at her. "I was calling you for like three times, what are you thinking?" I just giggled and smiled at her. 

"Oh, no. Nothing, Mom." I smiled at her. "Let's go, Dad has a short-tempered." she chuckled as she held my shoulder to guide me outside. 

"Let's go?" he asked. "I was about to go in, since you two aren't going out, what happened?" Dad furrowed his brows as he looked at us. "I went to the comfort room," Mom said. 

Dad opened his car's door for Mom. I seated at the backseat. "Mom," 

"Yes, love?"

"Sino ulit ime-meet natin?" ("Who are the people we would meet?") I asked as I looked at Dad starting off the engine already. 

"Our family friend." I just smiled as I put my earbuds and turn on my music on the way to a hotel and restaurant. 

My Mom and Dad are talking about I don't know what but I'm not really familiar of it so I just ignore and let them talk, in their own language. As we went along the drive, I wonder who would be to my brothers will come. I mean, those three were like all over the world and it was rare to see and talk to them for like a minute. 

"We're here, anak."

I nodded as I do some retouch to my make-up and looked at the mirror and smiled. "Smile, okay? Don't be nervous." I chuckled as I was enlightened to see Daniel, my third brother. "Kuya Dani!" 

I immediately ran towards him as he put his phone to his pocket and smiled at me and chuckled when I immediately hugged him. "Hi, Gale, how are you, love?" 

"I'm good, Kuya." he softened the hug and he smiled to our Mom and hand-shake with Dad. "Hi, Mom. I missed you." he smiled as he hugged and kissed Mom's head. 

"I missed you," I said. He chuckled as he held my shoulders, "I missed you, too. But," he heavily sighed. "Yes?" 

"After dinner, I'm going back to France," he forced a smile. He knew I would be so sad when I heard that that's why he pinched my both cheeks as he laughed. 

"Don't do that, sad face, you're ugly." 

"Ugh! I hate you!" he hugged me as we looked at our parents. "You too don't really grow up," Dad shook his head as he laughed softly with Mom. "Let's go inside, they are already there," I pursed my lips and I smiled to Dad. "Okay." 

Dad smiled to the waiter and he guided us to our seats, Kuya was just behind me so I looked out of him just maybe he would ran away. 

"Ah, kumpadre!" they do hand shake and our Moms do their thing. "So, where's your sons?" that man asked. 

"You know my sons," he chuckled. "But, the two eldest send their regards, my third was here as well. Daniel, come here," Kuya did hand shake to this man as I smiled to Mom's friend.

"Where's your son?" Mom looked around and asked her friend. "Oh, still on his taping, he said he would come." she looked at me as she smiled. "Nightingale, right?" 

I smiled as I nodded. "But you can also call me Gale po," 

"Sit down, will you?" the man just offered the seats Kuya was on my right, my Mom and Dad was on my left side. The one who was across seats with me is vacant. I just shrugged as they asked for the menu and Kuya wasn't giving a slightest attention, he just went by nodding and saying yes to Mom and Dad this whole time asking "what do you want?"

"Yes, and for my son, please give him this, and also this," the woman pointed out what's on the menu and she smiled at Kuya. "How's the company doing?"

"Oh," Kuya put down his phone and smiled at her. "The company is in good hands, Kuya Draco was giving his best to handle the company and Kuya Dom was with him," 

"How about you, young man?" he looked at the man and he smiled. "I'm living in the moment, I guess." he chuckled. "I was able to help my Kuya's in our company, I am living my life as a painter in France today," he said, proudly.

The man smiled at him, "I'm happy for you, then." 

"Thanks, Tito Gio," 

"So, Nightingale, right?" I nodded as the man asked me. "Yes po." 

"Hi, I'm Giuseppe, but you can call me Tito Gio," he lend his hand as he introduced himself. "Nice meeting you po," I smiled and shake his hand. "We finally met you!" 

I looked at my Mom as she smiled at me. "How long you'd stay in Switzerland, Night?" I bit my lower lip as I looked at them. "Well, Almost a decade, as far as I can remember." I chuckled. 

"Really though?" I nodded. "I was already there when I was in Grade four," I shrugged. "My grandma just moved in when I was in Grade seven." 

"You stayed there, alone?" Tito Gio asked. "Yes, in three years, I was alone." I smiled. 

"I wasn't that aware I just said yes because Mom and Dad wanted me to be there, so.. I couldn't agree more." I looked away as they looking at me confusingly. 

"So--" 

"Sorry, I'm late." he ran his fingers through his hair as he smiled to us. "Hi, I'm Lorenzo Garcia," he turned to me as he smiled. "You must be Night.. Nightingale Zales?" I continuously looked at him as I nodded. "Yes, yes I am."

"Hi, Night, Happy to finally meet you," he smiled and lend his hand towards my direction. I slowly put my hand to his hand just to do the hand shake as I asked him. 

"Why?" he furrowed his brows as he looked at everyone and chuckled. "Just because," 

"You're timing is great, honey." he kissed his Mom on the cheeks as he hand-hug his father. "Let's eat." 

"So I think the house that you picked Lorenzo is nice." he smiled as he continue eating. Our family talks about business, my Kuya butt in. I wasn't able to understand them, because, duh? I just turned sixteen? And they're talking on their own language. I don't understand what's going on. 

"Excuse me, I have to answer this," I smiled as I stood up and went outside the restaurant. "Hello?" 

[Sis! What's happening there?!] I furrowed my brows as I answer, "The dinner is not yet done, can I please go inside na?" I looked at them as I saw them looking, my eyes turned big! "They were looking at me, I gotta go, I'll talk to you later, sis! Bye!" 

I heaved a sigh as I went inside the restaurant. I smiled as I sat down. "Who's that?" Dad asked. 

"Ria," I shrugged. 

"Why did she call you?" Mom interrogated me. "Mom, we're eating," Kuya answered. "Please," he smiled at Mom. "Oh, alright." 

"Kuya, it's fine." I smiled. "She just asked me if I already finished my tasks to be passed tomorrow," I shrugged. 

Dad laughed as he looked at Garcia family. "She excel in everything that she do," I furrowed my brows as I turned it into smile when they looked at me. "She's always number one in everything." Dad told them. 

"Dad, I'm.. not, please," I smiled to them. 

"What do you mean, you're not?" Tito Gio asked. "Well, Tito.. sometimes, I'm tardy so, I think I'm not always on top just because of that," I looked down and he started laughing. 

"You're really a Zales!" I looked at him as he smiled. "Don't worry, it's fine if you're not always on top in everything." Tita Gracia said. 

"As long as you did your best, that's enough." I smiled and said thank you. 

They continued talking about their companies and stuffs and in the middle of their talk Kuya immediately said that he had a flight so he can't be there that long. He kissed my forehead as well as Mom then he went to the airport. I stood up and looked at the windows near our table. 

"This restaurant is nice," I looked around and I saw Lorenzo standing to his seat and walks through me. "Yes?" 

"Nightingale, I know that you already knew what's happening here," my brows furrowed as I looked at the outside. "What's.. what's happening?" 

"Oh.." he looked at me and tilted his face. "You.. you don't know it yet?" 

I slowly shook my head as he sweetly smiled. "Starting today," he looked at me and said, "I'm gonna be your fiancé"  

"WHAT?!" 

He chuckled as he held my hands and let me faced him. All of the people inside the restaurant was looking at us. I saw Mom's eyes sparkling! Oh my god, what's happening? He looked down at me since he's very tall, and I was just four-eleven tall. He knelt down his one knee and all of the people was shocked. 

He smiled. "Will you marry me?" 

———

:))