"HOW'S the groom that I had chosen for you, hija? Are you closer to Deive now? Do you get along?"
Callea just smiled when he heard her Grandpa Tomasino's inquiries. She was in her room and sketching whatever she fancied. She was not in the mood to work on her creepy and bloody story so she was just playing with other ideas. Her grandfather knew that she was awake during midnight.
"We are getting along just fine. He is so nice and a gentleman. He is caring, too."
"Yes. Jorje mentioned that he is having fun staying at the mansion. Deive told nothing but good things about you. He is raining you with praises. That you are beautiful and you are a good cook. He said that you cured his wound when he had a little accident and you are good at playing the piano."
"Really, grandpa? He said those things about me?" she asked and cupped her own cheek.
Her face becomes hot even if she was not sure if Deive was sincere with his praises. She felt like she shortcharged him with praises after everything they went through. He groomed the garden and the pool area. She could view him in the attic while he was cleaning up the garden. There were times that he would state up to the direction of the little as if he knew that she was watching. But during dinner, he didn't mention it. He only asked her how he could in improving the mansion.
"He looks smitten on you, Callea," her grandfather said in a pleased tone. "We thought you won't get along with Deive since he is a city boy and very outgoing. I was told that he likes very vocal and social women. But he likes you even if you are a homebody. He said that you are beautiful like a night fairy. Good thing that you didn't put our family in a bad light, hija. I feared that Deive would be scared on his first night there. That you will don a vampire or witch costume..."
"I followed what you wanted, Grandpa. I didn't face Deive while wearing my costumes. knows that I create graphic novels. At least he appreciates my talent."
She heard her grandfather take a deep breath on the other line. He didn't approve of her love for the night and creepy creatures at first. He didn't like that she preferred to stay inside her room to sketch gory creatures instead of meeting people.
"Callea, I know you are mad at me for forcing you to marry a man you don't know well. But this is the only way I could think of so you could live a normal life. I want you to go back to the Callea who was outgoing and a ray of sunshine. Someone who likes to befriend people and doesn't hide in the dark..."
"Thank you, Grandpa!" she cut him off right away so he won't dissect the old Callea that he knew. That Callea was already dead. She was different now.
Sure, she would marry the man he had chosen for her, but that's it. She won't change a thing about herself. She didn't want to change. She was happy in her own dark world.
"We will meet when I return to the Philippines, hija." He was in the United States and visiting some of their relatives.
"See you soon, Grandpa. Take care of yourself."
She went back to sketching when her grandfather cut off the call. She was free with Deive now. There were no eyes to judge them or guard their every move. They won't be forced to pretend as the smitten couple yet.
She was satisfied when she finished sketching Deive's image. He was wearing cotton pants and not wearing any shirt. It was the image of the Deive she was at the garden the first night they met. That image of him always made her want to smile. He was so adorable. She remembered how he tried to charm her even if he didn't know who she really was and how he tried to protect her from the ghosts at the mansion. That kind of character was something that can't be faked.
She didn't know what prompted her to sketch him. She stopped sketching the faces of the people she knew a long time ago. She preferred to sketch images from her imagination. But there was a force that commanded her to create a sketch of him. It was not something scary but something fond of her heart. She loved it.
She jolted when there's a knock on the door. "Callea, this is Deive. Open the door. I brought you some milk."
She opened the door right away. She thought was asleep. She drank at the sight of him. He was wearing a white sando and jogging pants. "Thanks. I hope it is not a bother."
"Not at all," he said while holding the tray that has milk and wheat crackers. "They said that milk is good even for grown-ups. You need this since you have an unusual work schedule. And I can't sleep yet. Can we chat for a minute?"
She widened the door's opening. "Come in..." She hesitated a bit when she surveyed her room. "That is if it is okay for you to enter my haunted room."
He smiled softly then looked inside as if he was hesitating to step in. "I am fine. I already saw it last night and I am not scared anymore. Well, except for the man-hater cat. She might have issues with strange men giving you milk."
"She's sleeping with Marina tonight."
"Good," he commented then went inside. "Are you not busy?"
She cleared half of her desk that has books on it so he could put them on the tray. "I had just finished talking to Grandpa Tomas. I told him that we are getting along. He is happy about it."
"I also mentioned that to my Grandpa Jorje. I think my grandfather nearly made a somersault when I told him that I find you beautiful."
"If he only knew," Callea muttered while shaking her head.
She gave him a heated gaze. "Why, Callea? You are really beautiful."