Loving the Innocent Criminal

Chapter 1 Random Stranger in a Shady Place

Angelic

“Thank you so much for coming, Mr. Herren.” My mom shook hands with him and turned to the woman beside him, Daisy Herren, and exchanged kisses on the cheek. They are the parents of my boyfriend, Zachary.

And here comes him, walking towards me.

“Hey there, love.” He pinched both of my cheeks and I smacked his hand to stop him. He always teases my cheeks because they look fat. “That hurts!” I exclaimed. I saw how my mother’s eyebrows rose. Uh-oh, it’s a sign that I have misbehaved.

I should’ve been more feminine when it came to gathering like this. Smiling at my mother, I grabbed the hem of my silky dress and put my arms around Zachary’s to ask for permission. “Mom, can we have a little moment with Zach?” I asked.

She nodded at me and smiled at Zachary. “Sure, my dear. Zach, don’t do anything foolish, alright?” Mom knows Zach too well, and she was right.

“I promise, Mrs. Herren. I won’t embarrass your future son-in-law.” I rolled my eyes but a giggle escaped from me afterwards. For Christ’s sake, Zachary Herren!

I secretly smacked his ass. “Aww!” he whispered behind me while he massaged his cheeks.

“Bye, Mom! Dad!” My daddy, Nick, just nodded at me.

He was too busy talking – or more like negotiating with Zachary’s father, Steven, about their construction company to merge once Zach and I are married. It’s not a forced arranged marriage at all, because Zach and I love each other. He used to be my childhood crush. And now… oh well, I manifested it! I’m happy our parents are always the number one supporters in our relationship.

“What was that smack, Angelic?” Zachary whispered at me when we left our parents' table. I just rolled my eyes and shrugged at his question. “My way of proposing my love for you, love. You’re about to piss your father with your corniest joke.” Mr. Herren hates Zachary’s cockiness, but I know deep inside he loves his son. He just doesn’t feel Zachary’s mood and vibe.

“You think I was joking the moment I muttered the word son-in-law?” Zachary asked.

“Yeah. ‘Cause I’m still not your fiancee,” I answered without having a second thought. He smiled ear to ear and stepped forward, invading my personal space. He was now looking at my hair down to my nose and lips. “You’re too beautiful to be my fiancée. Are you even real?” he said, quietly.

“Don’t flutter me, please.” My cheeks blushed and I looked away.

“What? I’m telling you the truth.”

“Stop it, Zach. They’re looking at us.”

“You’re pretty. Gorgeous. Tall. Can cook for me. Do the dishes in their house. Knows how to compliment a boy. Mature. Responsible. What can I say? I’m just so stunned that you’re mine.”

God, this boy. I’m pretty sure my face is red. Zachary is a sweet lover, and he’s the one I’m looking for. Clearing my throat, I turned to face him again, sounding confident. “Of course I am. But are you kidding me? Look at yourself, Zach. You’re rich, handsome, and oh – you’re pretty hot, too. And for all I know, plenty of girls want to take me to hell because you have me. They don’t know you actually are more complicated than they thought.” I whispered the last sentence.

He chuckled softly. “And what is that?”

“You do foolish things.”

“You don’t want me to do foolish things?”

“I get that it's part of being you but.. please… don’t be stubborn all the time, alright? You might get in trouble one day.”

“Yeah, that’s why I like you.” He pinched my cheeks again and suddenly hugged me. He started kissing my neck softly, alternating it with my earlobe.

“Zach, we’re still at the event.”

He didn’t stop kissing me, and I stood on the place. My eyes wander around to see my relatives glancing at us, with their eyebrows raised but laughing in the end.

“Zachary!” He hates it when I call him his full name.

I didn’t even notice that he was now pulling down the strap of my bra. “Just give me five minutes,” he whispered.

“Zachary Herron. Is something bothering you?” There was worry in my voice.

“Nope, I’m okay. Chill.”

“I can’t help it.” I sighed and pushed his chest.

“You’re overthinking again, Angelic.”

“It’s now three minutes.”

“What?” He pulled out our hug and asked. “We’re not even close to one minute yet – “

“Two minutes and 55 seconds running. You better hug me again or you’ll lose your remaining time.” He pulled me into a hug again after that. I can’t believe he is so silly. Yeah, he has the looks, but he’s done all the stupid things.

“Well. Well. Well. Look at these two lovebirds. What a sore in the eyes!” Natasha smacked my ass and grabbed Zach’s shoulder just to get him away from me. She successfully pulls Zachary away only for her to hug me and replaced Zach’s position a while ago.

“Natasha! That’s my girlfriend!” Zach barked.

“I know it, possessive boy! Give me a sec to give my best friend a happy birthday!” I heard Natasha say while hugging me. She whispered in my ear. “Happy birthday! Wish you the best in your life!”

“Aww, this is too sweet, Nat. Thank you!” She gave me a small pink box with a bow tie on the top. I wonder what this is. But looking at Natasha’s grin, I know it’s something that I shouldn’t open publicly. God, this girl!

She winked at me and pulled out our hug. “Here’s your girlfriend, Zach. Don’t be too possessive. Angelic might fall in love with you because you’re too clingy!”

Zachary pulled out his hand in his pocket and gave Natasha a middle finger sign. I laughed when they exchanged the same finger gesture and grabbed Zachary’s hands. “Stop it.” I was still laughing when he turned at me.

“I know I already greeted you earlier with a happy birthday, but can I greet you again?”

Rolling my eyes, I started to laugh again. What’s on his petty mind this time, huh? “Sure, babe. What is it?” I asked, holding both of his hands in mine, when he suddenly knelt on the ground. My hands flew to my mouth, which was now wide open.

I can’t stop staring at him, kneeling on the ground while pulling out something from his pocket.

Inside of my head, I thought. Oh God, I’m still seventeen. I get that we’re bound to marry one day but this is too early for him to propose –

“Tadaaan!” Zachary pulled out a circular ring that had white flowers surrounding it.

Oh, it wasn’t a real proposal.

“Happy seventeenth birthday, Angelic! You are the most gorgeous and beautiful girl that I ever met. Soon, you will have my surname. Do you promise to make me your husband one day?” My eyes started swelling because of the cheesy lines coming from his mouth.

A tear escaped from my eyes and I wiped it away before someone saw it. But I knew deep inside, I could feel a pair of eyes looking at the scene Zach created.

“Zach – I’m… I don’t know what to say. Thank you,” I breathed air, crossing my hands on my chest while looking down at him. “T-Thank you.” I said again and slipped the ring on my middle finger, but Zach was still on the ground, kneeling.

“What are you doing? Stand up now! I want to kiss you.” Zachary grinned widely as soon as he kissed the ring on my finger before standing on the ground. I grabbed the collar of his tuxedo and kissed him excitedly.

I can’t explain how I feel. My heart beats too much. I worry it’s going to come out of my chest. I feel nervous, but joyful at the same time. His presence makes me feel so alive in the world. He’s the only person that makes me feel like this.

It’s like I’m living inside a fairy tale that every girl wishes for.

To me, this is not a fairy tale or a fictional world.

This is my reality.

A sweet reality of living my life with the boy whom I loved so dearly.

Zachary went to his parent's table and so did I. After that little stunt, he pulled at me. God, I thought he was really proposing! That jerk… but I still love him though. He made me smile because of that.

When Zachary found my eyes, he winked at me and I giggled internally. My parents are here and I don’t want to see their child getting head over heels to that boy. Mommy made a little video presentation on the screen while my dad was just sitting beside me, but I know he was so proud of me growing up.

I almost tore up with their speech. Glad that I didn’t though. It would be embarrassing. After the formal event, we started partying.

“Dad, can I have a drink, please? I’m now seventeen!” I pleaded to him but he shook his head to say no. “You’re right. You are still seventeen. No drinks.”

I sighed and just nodded at him. It has never been a headache for my dad and mom. Every time they say no and yes, I always follow their orders because I truly believe that they are always right. I have seen teenagers who ruined their lives because of drugs, teenage pregnancy, and even crimes they have committed.

All of them were one of my mom’s clients. She, being an attorney in the city, holds a great reputation that needs to be taken care of. That is why I learned to behave. Always.

“Drinks?” A waiter asked me but I shook my head and smiled at him. “I can’t.”

He looks like my age. “It’s your birthday, though.” I smiled in return and he didn’t need to be told twice. But the waiter stilled, turning back, and grabbed a piece of paper from his breast pocket. “Someone sent me a message for you. Here.” Although he was a stranger, I was quite curious about the message someone sent me. I was thinking it was Zachary’s another little prank.

He handed me a crumpled piece of paper that said ‘Happy Birthday, Angelic Cruella Patterson’ in clean calligraphy font. I thought it was printed at first, but considering the texture and the ink, it was the person’s penmanship!

“Wow!” I whispered while smiling at the paper. It’s cute, to be honest. This time, I know it wasn’t Zachary’s little prank that he was trying to pull at me, because Zachary Herren would never have clean penmanship like that. My boyfriend’s penmanship looks like chicken scratch handwriting.

I folded the paper neatly and squarely. Then, I started walking towards the waiter who gave me the piece of paper. “Hi, who gave you this?” I asked politely.

He seemed shy because I talked to him. “You wouldn’t want to know. He came from Thornhill High.”

“Oh,” I whispered.

The thing about it is, Thornhill High is a school supported by the government. There are a lot of nerds in that school. It’s a government school where they offer scholarships to those teenagers who are smart enough but can’t afford an education. Basically, we have this stereotyping thing that is always happening in our school, Stumberson High.

Students from Stumberson High hate that government school because of the stupid idea that it was a government school. They hate those students who cannot afford a quality education, which I find illogical and immature. Aside from being racist, they mock and make fun of them whenever there’s an event.

I smiled at the boy in front of me. “Tell him it’s okay. Can I tell you a secret?”

“Yes?”

“I hate those kids, too.” It was a joke, but he wasn’t laughing.

“Really?” He smirked and added, “You’re Zachary Herren’s girlfriend. I think you’re one of them.”

I sighed because I couldn’t convince him. “Alright. Just tell the guy or warm girl who gave this to me a warm thanks. Is that alright?”

He nodded and told me that it was cool, that he would do it. “Okay, I’ll go now,” I said. Before I could walk out, I saw Zachary wearing a waiter's uniform while handing drinks to a familiar sight of the girls. I squinted my eyes when I saw the girls flirting with him. He just quietly nodded and bowed down at them, making the girls giggle more.

How dare they!

Since when did this jerk become so respectful and have social etiquette?

When he turned away and our eyes collided, his eyes widened and I saw him frozen in his place. I started walking toward him aggressively and grabbed his hand away from that place so we wouldn’t make a scene or get the attention of people.

When I took him to a quiet and shady place, I sighed in front of him. “What is this again, Zach? A waiter's uniform, huh? If this is a prank again, then, please, stop it already! It’s enough, okay? It’s not fun anymore.”

I tried my voice to be soothing and calm but I just couldn’t accept the fact that he flirted with the girls earlier!

He didn’t talk and just looked down at me. He looks taller than before. Why is that?

“Hey, I’m talking to you, love!” I exclaimed.

I was about to grab his hand when he stepped back, as if he was afraid of what I was going to do. Okay. He’s weird tonight. Was it because I kissed him earlier? Was he feeling shy?

I’m overthinking again! No way in hell Zach feels shy making out in public.

“Zach – “

An unfamiliar baritone voice cut me off. “I’m not Zachary.”

My jaw fell open because of what he had said. What? I mouthed at him.

Yes. His voice seems a little odd to my boyfriend. But he is my boyfriend, right?

The leaves of the fake tree planted on the place we were standing silhouetted on his face. I couldn’t see his face clearly because of that. And besides, he is so tall. I needed to look up to see his face. Suddenly, he steps forward and invades my personal space.

I gasped.

He looks like my boyfriend, but he wasn’t my boyfriend. I could see it in his eyes. His green ocean eyes were drooping, which reminded me of a famous American-French actor, Timothee Chalamet. Unlike Zach’s energetic eyes, his eyes were deeper and more mysterious. Hazy. He has bags under his eyes, making him look like a dead person who can walk. I couldn’t explain it when I stared at those eyes.

“I’m sorry? Who are you, then?” I asked, confused. “I’m not your boyfriend,” he reiterated. I saw him putting both of his hands in his pockets.

“Oh.” That’s the only word that came out of my mouth.

I touched the tip of my hair, looking dazzled. “I see. I sincerely apologize. You look like my boyfriend.” I chuckled softly and bit my lower lip. Just… what the heck happened?

“Yeah. I always get that every time. But I’m not related to Zachary,” he answered politely. I cleared my throat and started scrunching my nose. Heaving a deep sigh, I said, “Okay, then. I’m really, really, sorry. See you!”

Turning away from him, I stopped when he called my name. “Angelic…”

“Yeah?” I asked, looking back. My heart started palpitating, and I could feel something that I couldn’t explain – like a thing was pulling me to this guy.

“Aren’t you supposed to ask my name?” It wasn’t a question. It was more like a statement.

I chuckled. “Sure. What’s your name?”

He smiles, but his eyes are not. Weird. “I’m Owen. Owen Lacoste.”

I nodded. “Owen. Nice to meet you, Owen,” I whispered before bidding goodbye to him.

God, that was embarrassing! Did I just pull on a random stranger in a shady place?