Fated to Wed (English)

Chapter Five

The plan was simple, really. Pretend we have a group project, pick up Liana, and drop her off for a "study session." But in reality, Liana and Theo were sneaking off on a date, and I, unfortunately, was the awkward third wheel.

I stood outside Liana's house, straddling my trusty old bicycle with its extra seat at the back. Stay cool, Delilah. I was here to help them, after all—well, help Theo, technically, since I was being paid to.

I rang the doorbell, feeling my palms sweat a little. Liana’s parents were strict, far too strict for someone as sweet and innocent as her. Dating was off-limits in their household, and if they knew she was sneaking around with Theo, it would be a disaster.

The door opened, and Mrs. Sandoval, Liana's mom, appeared. “Oh, Delilah, nice to see you again,” she said, smiling warmly. “Another group project?”

I nodded quickly, trying to sound as innocent as possible. “Yes, ma’am. We’re meeting at the library today.” I tried to ignore the guilt gnawing at my insides.

Liana’s mom chuckled, oblivious. “Good, good. Don’t stay too late, okay?”

Liana slipped out of the door just then, her eyes flickering between me and her mom. Once we were outside, she exhaled in relief. “Thanks for this,” she whispered, hopping onto the seat behind me.

“No problem,” I muttered, though I felt a twinge of something inside me. Why was I even helping them? Theo didn’t deserve someone like Liana, yet here I was, aiding and abetting their little romance.

We peddled our way to the café where Theo was waiting, with Liana’s arms around my waist. My legs ached a little, but I was used to it by now. The ride wasn’t long, but every moment felt heavy, knowing I was only helping them get closer.

When we finally reached the café, Theo was standing outside, checking his watch. His face lit up when he saw us—well, saw Liana, really. He barely even noticed me as I parked the bike and Liana jumped off.

“Hey, beautiful,” Theo greeted Liana, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. She ducked away, glancing around nervously.

“Not here,” Liana whispered, her eyes darting toward the windows of the café as if her parents could magically appear at any moment.

I cleared my throat, feeling like I was intruding. “You guys should get inside.”

They nodded and headed in, leaving me to follow behind like the odd one out, which I guess I was.

Later that week, I was in my room, going over my notes for an upcoming quiz when Theo barged in, as usual. He did this all the time, acting like my room was his second home. I glanced up from my study materials, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't you knock?" I muttered.

Theo smirked, plopping down on the floor next to me. “Why should I? You’d just tell me to leave, anyway.”

“You’re disturbing me,” I shot back, though I didn’t bother to push him out. “Shouldn’t you be studying too?”

“I am,” he said, holding up a book half-heartedly. “Sort of.”

I rolled my eyes. Hopeless. We studied in silence for a while, or at least I did. Theo seemed more interested in eating the snacks his mom had brought up earlier. He handed me a cookie, and I absentmindedly took a bite while flipping through my notes.

A few moments later, I felt his eyes on me. “What?” I asked, glancing up.

“You’ve got a crumb,” he said, motioning to the side of my mouth.

Before I could react, Theo reached over and wiped it away with his thumb. His hand lingered for a second longer than necessary, brushing against my cheek. My breath hitched unexpectedly, and for some reason, my heart gave a strange little leap. What the hell?

I quickly turned my face away, hoping he wouldn’t notice the heat rising in my cheeks. Calm down, Delilah. It’s nothing. But still, I couldn’t help the awkward silence that followed. What was that?

“You alright?” Theo asked, his voice sounding oddly concerned.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I muttered, pretending to focus back on my notes. It was just a crumb, no big deal. But for the rest of the night, I couldn’t shake the memory of his hand against my skin. Why did it feel so strange?

Days passed, and I continued to help Theo woo Liana, but I couldn’t quite shake that strange feeling from before. Each time Theo was near, I found myself slightly on edge, not because of his attitude, but because I kept wondering if it would happen again. Would I feel that heart-racing sensation if he touched me again?

I tried to brush it off. Focus. I had quizzes to pass, chores to finish, and I needed to keep helping Aunt Brenda. There was no room for distractions.

But one evening, as I sat at my desk, furiously trying to memorize formulas for an upcoming exam, Theo barged into my room—again.

This time, though, he was practically bouncing with excitement. A wide grin spread across his face, and I could almost feel the energy radiating off of him.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously. "You’re not here to annoy me, are you?"

Theo plopped down in the chair next to me, barely able to contain his excitement. "Liana said yes."

I blinked, confused for a second. "Wait—yes to what?"

He flashed me a triumphant grin. "She agreed to be my girlfriend!"

I stared at him, my brain taking a moment to catch up. Liana said yes? The plan had worked. Theo actually won her over.

"That’s… great," I managed to say, though the words felt heavier than I expected.

"I know, right? I told you this would work!" Theo stood up, pacing the room in excitement. "Man, I can’t believe it. She really likes me."

I forced a smile, nodding slowly. "Yeah… I’m happy for you."

Theo didn’t notice my lack of enthusiasm, too caught up in his celebration. He grabbed one of my pens off the desk, spinning it between his fingers. "Honestly, I couldn’t have done it without your help. You’re the best, Delilah."

"No problem," I said quietly, though something in my chest twisted uncomfortably. I should’ve been happy for him. This was the whole point, right? I was helping him get the girl he wanted. So why did it feel like someone had just punched me in the gut?

"Are you okay?" Theo asked, noticing my silence for the first time.

I quickly nodded, waving a hand. "Yeah, yeah. Just… distracted with this exam stuff."

"Don’t overwork yourself," Theo said, patting me on the shoulder. "Besides, now that Liana’s mine, maybe I can help you out in return."

"Help me?" I raised an eyebrow, masking my discomfort with a sarcastic grin. "What, you think you’re some kind of genius now?"

Theo laughed. "Not exactly, but hey, I owe you one."

As I watched him continue to celebrate, my smile faded. I didn’t understand why my chest hurt, why I suddenly felt hollow inside. This was what I’d agreed to help with. So why did it feel like I was losing something?

And why did watching him celebrate feel like the worst thing in the world?