Unexpected meetups

"What can I say? We drove all the way from Gensan." Phoenix added. He was hugged by the other three guys and was asking for his life update. I just stayed by his side awkwardly. The guys seemed to notice me and raised their eyebrows at Phoenix.

"She's my ..." He stuttered.

"Girlfriend.” I butted in, finishing his sentence for him. “I'm his girlfriend. I'm Seria by the way."

Phoenix smiled at me, slinging his arms on my shoulder.

Seeing these handsome guys with beautiful girls beside them, I don't want to embarrass Phoenix. The guys offered a polite smile and came to me to shake my hands. They even look happy and laugh at Phoenix.

"It's good that Phoenix has a love life now. I’m amazed how you tamed his playboy life. Just kidding bro." Joked the guy with the shades on and blonde hair and offered his hands for me to shake.

"I’m Dax." He shook my hands. “You’re beautiful, by the way.”

“Thank you.” I accepted his hands and shook them.

"Wow, Phoenix here really partied hard last time so we were shocked when he disappeared in the city." He pointed at Phoenix, shaking his head and offering his hand to me. "By the way, I'm Luke."

I shook his hands, sensing his boy next door aura.

The other handsome man came and introduced himself. "Hey there Sereia. I'm Leroy.. The coolest, the nicest, and the most handsome in this group." He had some piercings on and some tattoos that made him look like a bad boy type.

I smiled at all of them and examined their faces. They're handsome, I gotta give them that.

Now that the three of them are introduced, I was about to feel relieved when the last guy came out from the beach house and approached us. His expressionless face was still the same.

I gulped. Oh no, he’s really here!

He first saw Phoenix and greeted him with a handshake. When he saw me, his eyes changed.

His eyes glued on me, “Sereia? Why are you here?”

He first saw Phoenix and greeted him with a handshake. When he saw me, his eyes changed.

His eyes glued on me, “Sereia? Why are you here?”

Phoenix looked at both of us, sensing it. “Why? She’s my girlfriend.”

Eion looked at him, “She’s my cousin.”

Phoenix gave me a look, not believing it. I gave him a nervous smile, “Oh, sorry, I forgot to tell you this. You didn’t tell me we were going here.”

Believe me, I really didn’t expect it. Who knew that my cousin would be his business partner. Such a small world.

“Why are you here? I thought you were busy with your girlfriend in America?” I said. “Remember? You didn’t even answer my phone calls and she suspected that I was your other girl.”

“She’s now my fiance.” He said. At that, a beautiful woman with brown hair and eyes with fair skin and had foreign genes came and linked her arms to him.

“Hi, Sereia!” She greeted me warmly and I grinned.

“Hello, Snow! It’s good to finally meet you face to face. You look beautiful.” I complimented her and her cheeks reddened. I feel a bit shy of her but she seems really sweet. It’s just that I talked to her last time at the wrong timing.

“You’re beautiful too.” She said.

I raised my eyebrows at my cousin beside her and he shrugged, “Let’s catch up later.”

I nodded.

"All right, now that we all know each other, we'll just borrow your Phoenix, Sereia. We'll make sure he comes back well." Said Leroy, grabbing Phoenix from beside me and I agreed.

Phoenix shot a glare at me, demanding an explanation and I just stuck out my tongue at him childishly and waved at him. "Enjoy, babe!" I yelled after them and the men just laughed at Phoenix’s expression.

So now, it was only me and Snow left.

“Now, shall we have some girl time?”

She guided me to where the other girls were.

Snow held my hand, sensing that I was nervous to meet people. “Everyone, they finally arrived. She’s Sereia. Eion’s cousin and Phoenix’s girlfriend.”

They all stopped talking to each other and stared at me. One of them squealed, “Hi, welcome to the club Sereia. I’m Emma by the way.” Said a girl with pale skin and pink hair with white shades framing her face that made her look like a doll. “I’m Dax’s girlfriend.” She continued.

I smiled at her and then one of them butted in, "Hi Sereia, I'm Ember, Luke’s girlfriend.”  Said the girl in a blue dress.

"And I'm Hannah." Said a girl from behind me, wearing a white dress. I think I know her a bit. Eion mentioned her and Luke last time as they are both siblings and are both Eion’s cousins too on his mother’s side, which is Aunt Lena Hudson. While I am cousins with Eion in my mom, Gabriela Hudson Isolde, and Eion’s father, Adam Hudson.

I noticed Hannah’s tummy was a bit big...she noticed my line of sight and laughed. "I'm not fat. I'm just pregnant."

"That's the same thing, Hannah," Emma commented, chewing on bubblegum. "You want a bubblegum?"

It's rude to reject so I accepted her offer.

"While the boys are away, we gotta cook lunch. But what do you prefer? Should we just cook our own lunch? Or buy in the nearby resto?" Asked Snow.

I was about to answer to cook lunch when all of them said simultaneously, "Let's just buy our food. I mean we came here to rest.”

"Is that okay with you, Sereia?" Aria asked.

I nodded my head. I don't have the right to decide since I'm new here...

Phoenix is right. If he really came here without a girlfriend, he would really be out of place. Everyone here is pretty. Well, good thing I am too. Phoenix chose the right person to ask.

All of us girls went to the said nearby restaurant and ordered food. They seem lovely and classy, I feel a bit uncomfy but they are nice to me so I feel welcomed.

The boys arrived later when the food arrived.

We were seated at a table for 10, each seated by their partner. To my right was Phoenix and to my left was Eion.

"How is it, do you feel comfortable here?" Phoenix asked in a low voice.

I nodded my head. "Of course, I have been here when we had family gatherings. Why?"

"Nothing. I just thought that you would be uncomfortable. If you really feel it, just tell me I would drive you home."

I stared at him, smiling. "Thanks for the concern Phoenix. But I am enjoying going here and I'm not going home. Or you want me to go home?"

"Of course not."

"Then good. Let’s enjoy the rest of our time here.” I said to him and he decided to give it up. He then started to his food.

From beside me, my cousin, Eion turned to face me. “Really, cuz, if I have known you would have come here-“

“It’s just sudden.” I interjected, “You didn’t tell me about your engagement. I should have congratulated you or sent a gift. To think you considered me as your closest cousin.”

I feel hurt that he didn’t even tell me about it. Hmph.

He shrugged, “Well, I figured you would be busy regaining your land here.”

I gasped, “How did you know that was my-“

He cut my sentences off. “Tita Gabriela told me about it.”

I rolled my eyes at that, “Of course she would.”

He paused, looked at me with seriousness in his face, “Then should I just tell Phoenix to give it to you? Or should I just buy the land for you?” He suggested, and I shook my head.

“No. I don’t need your help cuz.” I replied, grabbing the utensils and starting to eat now. “How did you even know Phoenix?”

“We met at an event and my dad knew of him so he recommended Phoenix to me.” He answered. “I was looking for Snow’s ring at that time and it just happened that the Hill corporation specializes in that field.”

I nodded at that, now biting on the food in my mouth.

“You’re blaming me that I didn’t tell you about my engagement when you didn’t even tell me that you are also in a relationship with him. I thought you were just going to regain your land? What happened?”  He asked.