Stand-In Bride

Forteen: At least talk to me

The helicopter ride was torture for Carter. He couldn't say something or rather couldn't think of something to say. Gian wasn't even looking his way obviously avoiding him.

He know that the moment he go back, everything is coming to an end. The problem is he doesn't want it to end.

He may sound like a teenager but he still want to talk about the kiss that happened. Gian was seriously avoiding him since then. Maybe she felt something too and decided against it, or maybe she's too embarrassed to talk to him, he thought about the possibilities.

They landed on an airport, Gian walked ahead of him. He tried to catch up but a man hugged her. Carter looked at them and scoffed, not pleased to the scene before his eye.

"Darling." David kissed her on both cheek. "Nice to see you again." He smiled

Gian rolled her eyes and continued walking into the airport, not bothering to reply.

"Carter Sebastian is still alive, I see." He said walking beside her

"Are you disappointed?" She asked with a sarcastic smirk "You sound disappointed."

If Carter could hear them, Gian doesn't care. "You're hearing it wrong." He said "Why would I want him dead?"

"I don't know, David." She shrugged "You tell me." She challenged "Or maybe, it's me you want dead."

"Grave assumption you have, darling." David smiled, peaking behind to see Carter not far from them. "Don't take things personally."

She stopped, pulled David by the collar. "You asshole! I trusted you, and your just going to feed me to the dogs?" She said seething

Carter stood there, shocked by the sudden rage. No one dared to stop Gian.

"Just like what I said, don't take things too personally." David said holding Gian's hands on his shirt. "You know what business is all about, Darling. You, of all people, should understand that it's all about money." He explained sweetly

Gian scoffed, thinking how easily he sold her. Of course, millions could blind a person. Deep down inside her, something ached. She treated David like her family, and he betrayed her.

The men who came to their hotel wasn't any men, they were David's men. They're after Gian. Ian informed her before they left the treehouse.

"Why don't you just kill me now? I badly want to see you try." She said pushing David

He stumbled back a little then straighten his shirt with his hands. "I wouldn't do that. My client still need you."

Gian's jaw clenched, her palms turned into fists. She was about to punch David when Carter pulled her away, weapons God arm around her shoulder. "Let's go." He whispered looking around since they're causing a scene and Gian wasn't wearing anything to cover her face. She could be the headline the next morning if she continue.

She looked at David. Her eyes full of anger from the betrayal. "I have no intention of backing down from a coward like you, David. I hope you kill me first because if not, I won't stop until you're dead or I am."

Gian walked away. Carter stood there looking at David, until he has decided. With his non-injured hand, he punched David and walked away Like nothing happened. It felt so wrong walking away not punching that man, he thought.

"Why did you do that?" Gian asked

"Oh so were in speaking terms now?" He sarcastically asked "I thought we were playing 'ignore'"

"That's not even a thing."

"Well, now, it is."

Gian smiled, then chuckled. Carter stopped, his face filled with anger is now even worse. "What's funny?"

"Why are you so angry?" Gian find it humorous. It's ridiculously funny that she's angry for a moment but Carter was more angry and now she thinks she has no right to feel angry anymore. She should have punched David herself, but maybe Carter needed it more than her.

Carter scoffed and continued walking. He didn't even answer her. She can call him silly all she wants, but being angry keeps him sane as of the moment. It takes his brain from thinking about her and what's ahead.

To be honest, he's more angry of himself than anyone else. He can't even tell her what he feels. He can't even think straight in front of her. He can't even say something rational.

Maybe being angry is a way of coping. Coping from cowardice.

***

"Carter..." Gian called, mastering the courage within her. Carter looked at her then looked away, back to the window beside him. The clouds outside is way more entertaining as of the moment.

She's been avoiding every attempt of Carter since they depart for London, and now that Carter's doing the same, it's bothering Gian.

"Why were you avoiding me?" Carter muttered not looking at her.

Gian looked ahead, thinking of the best answer she could say. Her heart pounding in her chest. The question caught her off guard. "Carter..."

"Is it because I kissed you?" He sound helpless, almost. He turned to Gian, "I told you I am not sorry. I will never be."

Gian looked away. She can't look at him when his eyes are pulling her closer. After what happened, she was upset and sad that she got angry with herself for feeling such way. By now, she already accepted the fact that she like Carter. More than she should. And she's not that dumb to not figure that Carter like her too.

If you ask her when or how, she wouldn't have the answer. It just happened. It's not like she decided to like him because if she has a choice, she definitely wouldn't allow it.

She's avoiding him because she can't look him in the eye and not feel her chest tightening.  

"Don't take it seriously. It's just a kiss."

Carter was quite and it bothers Gian. Forgetting about what happened is one thing, and forgetting about her feelings is another.

"How's your arm?" Carter didn't answer. "You should change the gauze every day." She sighed when Carter obviously don't have a plan on conversing.

"You could at least talk to me."

Carter scoffed, "Funny," he said "I should have told you that."

"Carter..."

"I like you." Carter confessed looking at her then looked away.

Gian swallowed hard, her heart pounding inside her chest like hammer. She looked away. She didn't know what to do, or say. She remained quite.

"You could at least talk to me." Carter muttered

Like lightning, she was struck by her own words and it hurts.