My Not So Forbidden Love

CHAPTER 2. Heart Problems

SARAH'S POV

"Hey! Sarah, what happened? You look bothered the whole day." My concerned best friend asked. We're in the school cafeteria having our snacks, and I'm not in the mood to speak about anything, of course. You know why.

"Nothing, I'm only thinking about the exam and wish this day will be over." I reasoned.

"Well, you're right. This day is so exhausting!" She cried unbelievably, and I just smiled.

Then she doesn't have any idea yet about Therese, because if she does for sure, she will mock me. She always told me to find somebody else or to date other guys on the campus that shows interest in me because, as she always said, there's no future between Andrew and me except for being siblings, and I hate her for that.

Pauline is my best friend since I came to this school and learned that she is Peter's sister. We are both taking up hotel and restaurant, and just like her brother Peter, she also knew everything about our family.

"By the way, Peter will pick us up after class." She announced while munching her food, and I nodded slowly.

"I think you should learn how to drive a car now. We are graduating already. You can't just always take a bus. Look, your father is a company's chairman, what will you think other people will say? Surely they will talk about how his daughter can't drive herself. Can't even ride a taxi alone, goodness, my friend!" she complains, ridiculously throwing her hands in the air unbelievably.

"What's wrong with riding a bus? We're all the same. I don't care about what other people might say for as long as I can reach my destination." I confidently said.

I never dream to drive on my own, well, I tried before, but my hands were shaking, and the event of how my late father died keeps on flashing in front of me, but I tell no one about it, I don't want them to worry. I just reasoned and told them I'm just afraid to and about the taxi. I just felt it creepy, sitting alone with a total stranger, right? Or maybe it's just me.

"Hi, girls!"

"Forget about driving if this hot guy will drive you everywhere," Pauline whispered, looking ahead over my shoulder. I turned to look who she was talking about and saw Damian, grinning from ear to ear, approaching our table.

He's one of the popular varsity students on the campus. He is on our school's basketball team. I don't know why, but he always asked me to go out with him, but I never said yes to any of it. I just don't want to, or maybe I just don't want to give a false impression, and so I always make excuses, but he never gives up as well, just like now.

"Hello, Damian!" Pauline waved to him with a playful smile. I also smiled at him.

"I just wonder if I can invite you girls. I'll be hosting a party at our house tonight. Since this was our last year, it's like a farewell party, and I can't miss this opportunity to share this very last moment with everyone. Please? At least this one?" He said, looking at me with his puppy eyes.

"That is so nice of you, Damian. I would love to but, I'm sorry, we have a family dinner tonight." I informed him, trying to be nice while refusing his offer.

"Oh! Guess I've got the timing wrong." He said, scratching the back of his neck.

I feel bad for him. After all, he's always so nice to me.

"Don't worry. I'm coming! Don't mind about this boring little beauty here. I'll make her come after dinner." Pauline said with so much confidence.

Little beauty, it's a nickname given by her brother Peter since he met me, he said that I am beautiful but little. So mean, right? With my 5'3 height, well, at least. I just thank God for the knowledge He gave to the person who invented heels.

"I can't promise that," I said, eyeing Pauline.

"It's all right, but if you could come, that'll really mean a lot to me." He said, smiling. I just nodded, smiling back at him.

"But if you really can't go tonight, can I ask you some other time instead, when you're free?" He keeps on trying, grabbing a chair at our table across from me while cupping his hands together on the table, pleading.

'Why can't he just give up? Is that how bad he really wants me to go with him? Why can't he just ask someone else? Okay. Why don't I try it instead, just once? And let see, maybe I could forget everything about Andrew if I just let myself and give this man a chance.' I was talking to myself.

"Alright," I respond with a smile.

"Yes! Is that a promise?" He asked excitedly, and I nodded.

"Finally! I mean, yes! I don't know what to say!" He uttered it with so much excitement in his voice.

"I can't wait, thank you." He added with a low voice. Shrugging his shoulders while grinning, then he grabbed my hands and kissed my knuckles, and I smiled at him.

"Ahem! Still, I am coming to that party with or without you, little beauty." Pauline interrupts, shrugging her shoulders.

"Of course! I'm certain that you will have fun. So I have to go now. There are still a few things that I need to arrange for the party later." Damian announced, then looked back at me again, smiling.

"Okay, see you later then," Pauline said.

"Bye, Sarah." He said and waved to us.

Later in our conversation in the cafeteria. We went our separate ways, while Pauline and I still kept talking about some random things about the school and how we would miss it, until Pauline's phone rings.

"Hello. Alright, we're coming," Pauline said, then hang up, putting her phone back inside her bag.

"Peter arrived. Let's go!" She announced, pulling me.

We saw Peter leaning his back in his car, waiting for us.

Peter works with dad's architectural company in the finance department. Also, Andrew trusted him so much. They were very close, almost like brothers.

He leaned forward and kissed each of our foreheads like a sweet brother.

'Just like Andrew.' I thought.

Pauline and I sat in the car's backseat together.

"How's your day, girls?" Peter asked, smiling when he stepped into the driver's seat.

"Well, the final exam is over finally! Can't wait until we graduate and live our lives out of the stressful life of being a student." Pauline answered while I kept my sight out of the window.

"Yeah, you're right! Finally! I'm done with you and can finally chase ladies around all night." Peter said, mocking his sister.

"Pervert! That's not the right doing of a decent man." Pauline complained.

"Come on, baby sis, don't say that. Just let me enjoy my life for a while, and besides, I'm only kidding about chasing ladies, but just a lady per night. What do you think? Better?" Peter said, laughing at his sister's frowned face.

"Don't worry, once I found the right one for me, I'll behave, I promise, and be that man you wanted." He added.

"Just stop it already. You're talking too much," Pauline fussed.

"Love you, sis," Peter replied, smiling, noticing my silence and asking me.

"Little beauty, what's wrong? You've been quiet the whole time." He asked.

"You know she's acting unusual since this morning. I don't know what happened to her." Pauline answered.

"Hey, did something happen that you didn't tell me?" She asked.

"No, it's nothing really, just feeling run down and exhausted with the exam," I reasoned again.

"Don't worry, little beauty, Therese was waiting for you already, and for sure, she will absolutely cheer you up." He announced, smiling.

"Oh!" Pauline cried. I smiled back and shut my eyes, and breathed deeply. Pauline noticed it and reached for my hand. And now she has the idea of why I'm acting like this since the morning.

"Yeah! I knew it!" Suddenly Pauline said in a high-toned voice while still squeezing my hand.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

I turned to her, dumbfounded by her reaction.

"Little beauty here is being rejected by her ultimate crush," she lets out, squeezing my hand tighter.

"Ouch!" I winced. I looked at her with my eyes widened at her words and action. Who hat if she accidentally spills it out.

"What!?" Peter was shocked by his sister's words and looked at me in the rearview mirror.

"Yeah! Unfortunately, the guy she likes doesn't like her back and likes someone else." She explained confidently while shrugging her shoulders.

"Oh my God, Pauline, what are you talking about?" I asked, feeling irritated by her words, but she just looked at me, raising her eyebrows, and smirked wickedly.

"I hate you," I slightly whispered.

"That is why we are getting to a party tonight with some of our schoolmates to ease all the stress and heartaches," she said, dramatically tapping her chest.

While I just rolled my eyes at her, as I knew it already, she was just simply making an excuse for the party.

"You know, little beauty, whoever that guy is, he doesn't deserve you," Peter said, looking ahead on the road while his face seemed to be so serious. I raised my eyebrows at him, curious about what he was thinking.

"Really, I thought you want an older man who's more mature, handsome and has a stable career. It never crossed my mind that you, being attracted to a guy with your age." He unbelievably commented. I looked at him, alarmed by his sudden reaction.

"And who told you that?" I asked, fiercely raising an eyebrow.