Can I Keep You? Chapter 8

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi!!!!! I'm soooooooooooo sorry for all those delaying. I'm very am!!! pls forgive me! I read the comments in my previous chapter and GUILT was all over me! I was so busy with exams and homework (my school is CRAZY, trust me!) I felt my head was gonna explode when I see HOMEWORK!!!!! so pls forgive me. I'll try to write as much as I can : )
I love you guys! thank you for reading and the lovely comments!!!
XOXOXO Sherwin Chin

'What do you think Aunt Maddy want from me?' I asked softly to Kenneth while we were on our way to the reading room.

'I'm not sure but I think it's about our wedding'. He grinned and ruffled my hair. 'Sherley, if I may be frank, you look very unattractive in this clothes', he said as he gave a disapproving frown to my long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

I smiled. 'Good! Now you see my point'. I shuddered at the thought of his hand moving inexorably close to the joining of my thighs.

I gasped when he grabbed my hand. 'What's wrong?' he asked.

Slowly, I slipped my hand away from his and fastened my pace. 'Hurry up!' I called over my shoulders. 'I'll blame you if we're late'.

'WAIT!' He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back forcefully into his arms. 'Are you embarrassed of what I did to you in your room?'

I grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled his ear down to my lips. 'This is the last, last, last time that you and I are talking. Then no more!!! No more', I hissed.

'I don't care because you'll be speaking to me later'. He walked ahead of me to the reading room. 'Hurry up, will you? Or I'll blame you for getting us late'.

'Dummy!' I grunted and reluctantly followed him along.

Kenneth gave a knock at the door and walked in, leaving me outside the room, thinking very hard of the possibilities that I can outrun the guards.

'Sherley, sweetheart!' I heard Aunt Maddy called from the room.

I sighed and went into the room. No escape, I thought to myself and settled on an armchair. Kenneth was sitting cozily on a couch, flipping through the magazines.

Everyone was here included Meghan who was sitting far in a corner and Austin was beside Aunt Maddy in a solemn expression, looking out the open window. Beside them was a man in coat, clearing the papers that were scattered on the table into his bag.

'Sherley', Aunt Maddy called. 'This is our solicitor, Mr. Aaron. He came to read your father's will'.

'Oh! Then too bad for me to miss it, eh?' I assumed it after seeing Mr. Aaron packing up and I felt the slightest relief in me.

'Yes, you did miss it because I don't want you to hear it from Aaron. He might give you a shock'.

Mr. Aaron gave a sheepishly look towards Aunt Maddy and continued his packing then he bowed before me and excused himself out the room.

'Sweetie, I want you to seat with Kenneth because this is quite serious', Aunt Maddy asked softly.

I looked over to Kenneth who gave me one of his wonderful smiles and scooted aside for me.

'No, it's alright. I'm just fine. Right here', I said as I patted my chair.

Just so sudden Meghan took a seat beside Kenneth; who flinched of her ghostly movements. The couch was small so their arms were touching. As for Kenneth, he looks...comfortable enough. 'Then your highness must be very brave to handle whatever Lady Anderson is going to say', Meghan said.

'Thank you, Miss Gilbert. I know I am'. I turned my gaze from her to Aunt Maddy.

'May I begin, Sherley?' asked Aunt Maddy.

'W-wait, is it really scary?' Mentally, I wasn't prepared. Everyone in the room except Kenneth seemed very sad, included Uncle Howard who was filling in another glass of wine.

Aunt Maddy nodded. 'It will change your whole life...permanently'.
I took a deep breath. 'Okay, you may start'.

Suddenly a hand wrapped around mine, a very warm hand. I looked and found the smiling Kenneth sitting on the arm of my chair, leaving poor Meghan staring after him.

'Sherley, sweetie, take a deep breath'. Aunt Maddy demonstrated it to me. 'Your father stated in his will that the throne to Reese is...divided into two parts. For Austin and...you, Sherley'.

Kenneth touched my cheek when he heard my quick inhalation. 'Are you alright?' he asked although his voice was unsteadied.

'What?' It came out a whisper from my trembling lips.

'And the will stated that you have to be marry in order to claim your throne', Aunt Maddy continued.

My head fell behind, expected to knock against the hard wood of the chair but instead against something soft. 'My arm', I heard Kenneth winced.

'It's not true! I'm dreaming, right?' I demanded as I tugged Kenneth's shirt.

'No, love'. He pressed my face against his chest. 'Don't worry. Please don't cry, darling'.

I pulled away from him and stood up from the chair. 'Why must I accept it?!' I cried. 'Why must he have to include me in his stupid will? He knows I have my life back there and now he wants me to be in these...crap!!! I don't want the throne!'

Aunt Maddy slammed the table with her hands that caused everyone jumped except me who was still in the middle of the hall, driven into madness.

'Sherley, your life is right here in Reese. And I want you to obey your father's will as I'm now the current ruler of Reese. This is a command!' Aunt Maddy shouted and stormed out the room angrily. Every word from her was filled with anger and mostly disappointment.

My head was getting heavier and tears were starting to leak out from the corner of my eyes. I turned around...and he was there, pulling me into his arms and hugged me tight.

'Okay, cry, darling', Kenneth whispered softly to my ears and sat me up on his laps as he sat on the chair. 'As hard as you can. I'll be here with you, don't you worry'.

And that I took his offer. I buried my face to his shirt, hoping to block the view of light from the window but failed. Meghan was still here, on the couch while watching us with a kind of expression that I can't define.

Kenneth cleared his throat. 'Miss Gilbert, may you leave this room?'

'Sure, Kenneth. That's very kind of you to comfort her highness. But may I have a moment with you to speak?'

'Other time', Kenneth snapped. I looked at him through my wet lashes and prodded his shoulder. 'You can go. I'm really fine', I said as I climbed down from his laps.

'I'll be right back', he said to me and rushed out after Meghan who went direct to the garden.

Bringing along my guilty conscience, I followed them secretly and hid behind the bushes when they stopped somewhere in the garden.

'That was very sweet, Kenneth. I'm sure that girl will grant you anything', said Meghan.

'Have a heart, Miss Gilbert. I'm with her no matter what, and I want nothing in return'.

Meghan laughed. 'It sounds familiar to me. When did I hear this before? Oh, hold on, now I remembered. You said those words to me after I saved you from the accident. You told me that you will never leave me no matter what'.

'Yes, I did said that but I'm afraid those words will be taken back today'.

Meghan's sly smile was disappeared and replaced by a wider smile. 'Are you sure, Kenneth? I thought you will be with me forever'. The last word was spoken with anger.

'No, I wouldn't', Kenneth confirmed firmly and brought out his hand. 'Goodbye, Miss Gilbert'.

'No!' Meghan slapped his hand away. 'You weren't like this, Kenneth. But you changed after meeting that stupid bitch! She's not beautiful or smart. All she got is the throne to Reese without efforts'.

I ignored the bitch jibe and continued to listen on. Kenneth sighed. 'What will make you stop talking bad about Sherley?'

'Kiss me and take me to your room this instant', said Meghan with a final stamp of her foot to the ground.

My knees went limp and fell into the wet grass. My heart ached so much that I want to stab it with a knife to end the pain. He wouldn't do it, right? At least not for me, I thought.

Kenneth chuckled. 'I wouldn't dare to touch you, Miss Gilbert since now you're with Ronald. I don't want to mess with the general's son'. I breathed in relief as I continued to listen on.

'But, you know why I'm with him', she cried as she grabbed his hand. 'I was just so sad after you told me that you're going to marry the princess so I---'

'So you decided to get back at me by "accidentally" unlock the door as you and Ronald were about to reach the climax', Kenneth said in a calm tone.

'Well, I---Kenneth, you have to think in my place. Would you be sad if I were sent off to marry some guy?!'

'I will but I wouldn't bed any girl just to get back at you'.

'O-okay! I'm sorry, Kenneth'. She pulled his face down and pressed a hard kiss against his lips. 'Can we reset this and go back to the way you and I were? You can pull yourself out from the marriage and maybe I can convince Ronald to wed the princess. I'm sure he wouldn't---'

'Enough!' Kenneth roared and pulled her arms roughly away from his neck. 'I'll marry Sherley no matter what you said or she said. This is my decision!' He stared at Meghan before he speaks again. 'And I don't want to go on with you. Those times were very unhappy to me, Meghan. We barely spend time together'.

Meghan's chest was rising up and down and I heard sobs; loud sobs from her. 'You'll regret this, Kenneth Raige'.

'For what?' Kenneth said as if he had not realized the pain he gave to Meghan was too much. But I supposed she deserved it...

'I'll make you realized that I'm the only one for you!!!' she cried and ran into the mansion, slamming the door behind her that made the windows shattered.

I plopped onto the grass and treated myself with slow and heavy breathing. It was too dramatic, I thought to myself. Kenneth was too straightforward and Meghan was too cruel.

'What are you doing here?'

Slowly, I lifted my head up and smiled sheepishly. 'Hi', I breathed out.

Kenneth took my hand and pulled me up from the ground. 'Eavesdropping?'

'Yeah, kind of but I didn't hear much'. That wasn't true because I heard everything. Kenneth seemed to see through me and smiled. 'You are very cute when you feel guilty', he said.

'Thanks', I reply bitterly and that made him laugh.

'Ken, look here', I commanded as I placed my hands against his cheeks and pulled his eyes to mine.

'What are you doing?' he asked while trying to hold back, yet another laugh.

'Are you sure you're not hiding anything behind this stoned face?' I asked him as I tighten my hold on his face.

He rolled his eyes. 'Stoned face?'

My eyes shot to his lips that were smudged with Meghan's lipstick. I pulled out a tissue from my pocket and wiped it away slowly. 'I want to say something before we get to the main point'.

He nodded and wrapped his arms around me; I ignored that and continued to wipe the smudge. 'Go on', he said.

'Firstly I want to apologize to you for I'm the cause of all those arguments'. He shook his head and was about to cut in but I stopped him. 'Next is that you're so blunt that the words from you were so cruel'.

He smiled. 'Aren't you mad of what she said of you?'

I sighed. 'No, not really. She was right about me', I said softly.

'No, she's not, my dear'.

I raised an eyebrow. 'So you think I'm beautiful and smart?'

'Beautiful and smart and also the future ruler of Reese', he said.

'Future ruler? But I got this throne without efforts and I know NOTHING about this country. Worst of all, I didn't know that there is such country exists!'

His fingers were now fidgeting with my hair as he put on his thoughtful look. 'Well, that can be fixed but now what I want from you is your affirmation of being a ruler of Reese by marrying to me'.

Silence took over us for a few minutes as I closed my eyes, filling my head with deep thoughts. When I opened my eyes again, Kenneth was smiling as if he can read my mind and knew my answer. He dipped his head for his lips to retrieve mine but I pressed my palm to his mouth. 'Not so fast', I whispered.

His eyes widened as he studied my face. 'Oh, God! Please don't do this!' he pleaded.

I smiled. 'Our marriage will be a secret between the parliaments and us. The people of Reese don't need to know about this, right?' He nodded and I continued, 'I don't want anyone knows that I'm married, Ken. Marriage is such a big thing and now I actually took out a lot of guts to agree to this'.

He patted my head. 'I understand. I'll tell this to Lady Anderson. It will be a secret until you feel ready to tell it out'. He hugged me to his chest and held me like that for a long moment.

'I haven't really finish talking, Ken. I---I don't want to consummate on our wedding night', I murmured against his chest.

'WHAT?!' he yelled and pulled me away from his chest. 'What you mean you don't want?'

'Generally, to me, the marriage between us is fake so there's no need for us to make it 'real', right, Ken?'

He nodded solemnly. 'Fine but no guarantee that nothing can happen'.

I sighed. 'Just give me time, Ken'.

He chuckled and nodded. 'Alright, your wish is my command. Come, let's fix YOUR problem. I have some books about Reese. They are good'.

'My problem?!' I gasped but thought for a while and reluctantly nodded. 'Wait, may I know what kind of accident were you in?'

'I thought you didn't hear much'. He hesitated. 'I-I used to love riding motorcycles and that day I brought Meghan along and I have no idea why the brakes weren't working that time. Meghan wanted to hop out from the bike to save herself but in some way I was hooked along by her'. He sounded amused.

I can't imagine how Meghan saved Kenneth from the accident but mostly I can't imagine Kenneth riding a motorcycle. He always seemed proper.....

He frowned deeply. 'What, you looking down on me?'

I laughed nervously. 'Yeah...'

'Alright, I'll prove it to you', he said and took my hand, pulling me somewhere.

'Where are you taking me?'

He smiled. 'We are going for a ride, on my motorcycle'.