CHAPTER 22

The door opened. Unfortunately, it was Cassy who opened it.

"Cassy, is Arien home?"

"Zion, what brought you here early in the morning?"

"Just checking, Arien."

"Oh, do you want to check Arien? But Arien wasn't sick at all."

"Yes, I know."

"You know it, but why did you bring flowers and fruit? Hahaha! I thought you were visiting a sick person!"

Zion felt ashamed because he didn't know what to bring when visiting a girl he liked, since he didn't have experience.

"Anyway, Cassy, about, Arien?"

"Oh sorry, Arien went to her work. She will be back late. Would you like to wait for her?"

"No need, since she's not here. Please give this present to her for me. I'll leave now. Thanks Cas."

Inside his car, Zion thought about what would be the best gift for a girl. He searched the internet. And he found a lot of results. He immediately went to the mall to buy a bracelet. Then he bought an expensive one and engraved a word on it. He was excited about giving it to me tomorrow.

In the parking lot, Zion waited for me with a big, warm smile. Zion approached me.

The students were murmuring.

"So, it's true she bewitched Zion?"

"I think so. With her look, how could Zion approach her?"

"Let's leave now. I am afraid she will curse us."

Before Zion got close to me, Dave suddenly appeared, and he called me.

"Arien, I have something important to talk about with you."

"Good morning, Dave!" I greeted him, and Dave pulled me beside him.

"Wow, not only Zion, she bewitched Dave as well!" One student said.

Dave asked me to go with him to the school building. I turned around to look at Zion. He looked so disappointed and glum.

"Dave, please wait for a moment." I said to Dave.

I walked close to Zion, and whispered to him, "Let's eat lunch at the lake later." Zion smiled and nodded at me. I turned my back and left him.

"Dave, what do you want to tell me?"

"There are rumors spreading now on campus about you. I want you to be careful."

"What rumors?"

"Nicole will tell you later."

Dave dropped me in front of my classroom. Nicole called me.

"Arien, have you heard the rumors?" I shook my head.

"God, someone is spreading that you are a witch, and you bewitched Zion with some potion. That's why Zion approached you. Arien, you better remove your disguise and show them your beauty." I covered Nicole's mouth.

"It's OK, Nicole. I am not affected by the rumors. And as long as I have friends who believe in me, that's enough for me. I don't care what others think of me." I explained, and smiled at Nicole.

"Anyway, Arien, it's my birthday on Saturday. Hope you don't have work. I'm going to have a pool party."

"I have work and practice on Saturday, but I will try to attend if I get permission from my boss to go home early."

"Great! I'm going to prepare your swimming wear.""

No need for that Nics, I will not swim."

"Why not? Our pool is not too deep. It is OK if you don't know how to swim. Or it is OK if you don't swim, just wear swimming wear. I forgot you put makeup on your face for disguise."

"That's not what I mean Nicole."

Cassy suddenly appeared behind us. And it startled us.

"Don't worry about it, Nicole. I will prepare Arien's swimming wear." Cassy stated.

"Cas, don't surprise us like that. You gave us a heart attack."

"I am here to pick you guys up for lunch. And let's go now!" Cassy pulled us from our seats.

"Wait, Cas!" I said.

"What? Don't tell me you're going to eat lunch again with Zion!" I nodded to her.

"Nics, you call Zion to come to the cafeteria." Cassy demanded of her, and Nicole followed Cassy and called Zion.

In the cafeteria, Zion didn't give me the bracelet because he didn't have a chance.

"OK, starting today onwards, we are all going to eat our lunch together." Cassy declared. Everyone agreed with her.

Jessica saw us and approached our table. And it annoyed Cassy when she sat beside Zion and started clinging to Zion.

Zion saw me when I glanced at him.

"Jessica, behave yourself!" Zion said.

"Why? Your mom announced our engagement date last Saturday, anyway. Later on, you will be my fiancee and get married to me." Jessica stated it while looking at me.

"Jessica, are you looking for trouble here?" Dave frowned at her.

"Relax, Dave. I was just announcing it to you. I'm sure you know about this, right? Since our families were friends a long time ago." Jessica grinned at me. And she continued talking.

"All of you know about it, except for these two countryside girls. Anyway, Nicole, I will come to your birthday party on Saturday because your mom invited me." Jessica added.

"It's my birthday, Jess, and I didn't want to invite you. You are just making trouble at my birthday party." Nicole hinted at it.

"Oh come on Nics, I need to guard my future fiancee from a hideous snatcher." Jessica was looking at me with one brow raised.

Everybody fell silent for a moment because they knew who Jessica was targeting with her words. Then Zion looked at me, and my tears fell down suddenly and I surprised everyone. I stood up and ran away. Dave and Zion stood at once, but Zion pushed Dave back to his seat. And Zion followed me immediately.

"Hey! Do we have a love triangle in our group?" Lawrence asked and continued to inquire about everyone. "Am I the one who was behind what happened? And I thought only Dave liked Arien. What about Zion acting like a boyfriend to Arien? Everybody, please explain it to me." Nicole smacked Lawrence's head.

"Yes! You're behind because you are always busy clinging to Nicole." Jake teased Lawrence.

Everyone stood up and left Jessica alone at the table.

Meanwhile, Zion ran to catch up with me.

"Arien, wait!" Zion grabbed me. I lowered my head not to show my crying face to Zion. Zion lifted my face and wiped my tears.

"Arien, don't mind Jessica's words. I will not get engaged to her."

"But both of your parents decided on it."

"Wait! What am I saying? Zion wasn't my boyfriend. It doesn't matter to me if he gets engaged. We are not in a relationship." In my mind,

"Don't worry, Arien, that will never happen. I promise that to you."

Zion took out the bracelet and put it on my wrist. And there are words that were engraved on it.