Kiss

"Nathan, the dinner is ready. Let's eat!" I shouted outside his room after I knocked on his door.

Olivia was already waiting for me along the staircase since I knocked her first. I waited for Nathan's response for seconds and once I heard his footsteps I joined Olivia going downstairs.

Atticus was left in the dining room with the foods he brought. He arrived minutes ago so I went upstairs to call my siblings. When Olivia and I got downstairs we immediately go to the dining room. I'm even surprised to see that the table is ready and he's even placing glasses beside the plates.

"How did you do that?!" I asked unbelievably to him.

He scowled at me as he rose his gaze. "Which one?" He chuckled.

I tap the edge of the table. "This," I chuckled when I realized it's sort of funny. "I mean, since when did you know how to prepare the table?"

Him doing this is really unbelievable for me. Knowing him living in a mansion full of maids, he doesn't need to do household chores. He can just ask the maids for it!

"Well, I brought a maid with me." He suddenly said and my jaw dropped. He put air in both sides of his cheek like he's trying to suppress something.  "I'm just kidding!" He bursts out into laughter. "Of course, I didn't bring one. I'm the one who prepared the table."

I withdraw my jaw and rolled my eyes at him playfully.   We took our seat once Nathan came down and started to eat. I took my seat adjacent to Olivia and that's what boys also did.

"You know what, Sien? You are so lucky!" Olivia suddenly said and my chewing slowed.

"How can you say I am?"

"Because you have a boyfriend..." she trailed off.

"That's all?" My eyes dilated unbelievably.

"I mean... you have a boyfriend that can give you everything you want or ask for." She protruded her thin pinkish lips.

I sighed and shook my head. I know that the differences between Atticus's social status and mine are that big. My siblings know it also, especially Olivia. I just don't like how her mindset is like to our mom now. Mom always said that 'you are so smart for choosing a wealthy man' or 'I'm so proud of you for having a relationship with a wealthy man. You should marry him right away! I'm not going to be mad at you!'.

And to be honest? I don't like those. I don't want any individual to think that I love Atticus because of his money! What I like everyone to think is that I'm in a relationship with him because I love him! Nothing more, nothing less!

"I love him, Ol. I don't care about the money!" I didn't mean to raise my voice but maybe because I lose my grip, my voice raises.

"I know," she took a bite of her pizza. "It's just that you being in a relationship with Atticus..." she trailed off again and glances at Atticus. "You'll not just get billionaire once you guys are married. You'll also become famous-"

"You shouldn't think like mom." I cut her off.

The boys are just eating quietly. Olivia stops talking about it, she probably noticed that I got pissed off. I didn't say a word anymore and just continued eating as fast as I can. I can feel that Atticus is looking at me consciously while Olivia is looking at me apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Ol." I closed my eyes emphatically. I don't want this night to end with regrets and my sister will sleep with a heavy heart. It's not good for your health. "I-I just got carried away." I reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sorry too. I didn't explain that good my point is." She smiled apologetically.

I'm busy cleaning the table and bringing the plates to the sink. My siblings are upstairs now, probably sleeping or studying. Atticus went to the kitchen maybe to wash his hands. After I put the leftover foods in plastic ware, I walk towards the kitchen to put it inside the fridge.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" I startle when I saw Atticus washing the dishes.

"I'm washing dishes, baby," he chuckled.

"Oh, yeah," I closed my eyes emphatically and quickly opened them. I didn't know but I found myself being weird and stupid tonight with every household chores he's doing. "You don't have to do this, alright? Let me be the one to handle this. You should just sit and relax. You'll be driving home."

"No. You should be the one who'll just sit." He rubs the sponge on the plate after he poured a drop of the dishwashing liquid.

"This is too much. You brought dinner for us and you even prepared for the table. Then now? You're washing the dishes?" I shook my head. "Don't spoil me!" I rolled my eyes at him and tried to get the sponge from his hand.

"Whatever you're be thinking, baby. I'm not thinking those."

"But really, just let me handle this." I bump the side of my but to his so he can move. "Go, you seat there." I pointed the chair at the dining table. We don't have furniture much here so the only chairs are it.

"Have you done your homework?" He rose his brows at me and took the sponge from my hand and rose it higher. He's way too much taller than me so I can't do anything to reach it.

"Oh, the homework!" I held my forehead when I realized that I almost forgot that I still have homework to do.

"I'll do your homework or I'll wash the dishes?" He asked me. "You choose," he smirks sexily.

"Fine!" I rolled my eyes. "I'll do my homework!" Then I ran upstairs to get my school bag.

Atticus is always like that as the weeks passed by. I always told him that he doesn't need to do that for us. We aren't his responsibility. But he doesn't listen to me. He'll just chuckle and hugged me.

Hmm, annoying but... melodious.

"How's your school?"

I almost ran when mom asked me once I got downstairs. It's already late in the evening and I woke up feeling thirsty so I went downstairs. I'm even surprised that she's home tonight. I'm expecting her to be in her work these hours. Then I realized that it's her rest day.

She's sitting at the dining table with a cup of tea. She's wearing her old pair of sleepwear and her short curly hair looks messy. I wonder if she ate dinner now.

"It's fine-"

"Well, what am I expecting to? You're always doing your best, my beautiful daughter. You never failed to make us proud." She cuts me off and ran to me to hug me. "You're such a perfect daughter! You have the highest grade in your school and you even have one of the wealthiest sons in our state!" She giggled.

I sighed after hearing those. I don't need her praise. My siblings do!

"Have you eaten dinner?" I tried to change the topic.

"Yeah," she crossed her arms over her chest. "Anyway, where are you going? Are you trying to sneak out to see your boyfriend?"

"What?! I'm not, mom. I'm thirsty so I went downstairs." I shook my head.

"Relax, sweetie. I won't be mad at you if you do that." She chuckled. "Did he asked you about living together? You should say yes! Did you said yes?!" She excitedly uttered.

"Mom, what are you talking about?" I scowled at her.

"Don't worry! I'll be the one to explain it in your father, Sien!" She assured me.

"Mom, listen, okay? That thing you are talking about has never been pop-up in our mind! So, please! Please, stop talking about that." I said calmly albeit if my blood is already boiling. "I'm just fifteen!" I reminded her.

"You guys will think about that soon!" She rolled her eyes. "And if she asks you about it... answer him 'yes'."

I went back upstairs that night without drinking water. Albeit if I'm thirsty. I just don't want to listen to my mom talking about it. I'm used to her words but that one is too much! She's like giving me to Atticus at a very young age. What kind of thinking she has?

"I will never let you do this to my siblings, mom." I cried as I hugged my pillow tightly.

The next morning, it's Saturday. We don't have class so we just stayed at home. I'm preparing lunch right now and Nathan was in the living room watching his favorite cartoon. The only time he can watch TV is when mom is asleep or not around. I feel bad for him. Mom's reason is that "he has low grades and even failing grades then he has that face to waste electricity by watching TV."

"Baby, wake up."

Slowly, I opened my eyes and to my surprise it was Atticus. I roamed my eyes around and I realized I fell asleep in the living room.

"Let's eat dinner." He caressed my cheek.

"I haven't cooked dinner yet." I startle and stood up immediately.

"Hey, relax," he held my wrist and pulled me. "I already brought food to us."

I stared at him. His monolid eyes, his long narrowed nose, and his soft and thin naturally red lips are placed perfectly in his beautiful face. His sharp jaw added to his attractive look.

"You don't have to do this always. We aren't your responsibility, Atticus."

"You are," he places the loose strands at the back of my ear. "You guys are my responsibility. They are your family. You are my girlfriend and I considered you as my family already." He smiled.

"Your family... is my family too." He then leaned forward and planted a kiss on my forehead.