Corporate Bride

21.

TWENTY-ONE – RELATIONSHIP

  What is a relationship? Is it not going out with someone, to either have dinner or just do something together? Is it not expressing publicly that you are involved with the other? Is it not, getting to know each other and having things in common?

  All the things Sydney wrote down matched with the mentioned above and he was not ready to do it. Not now, not ever! He did not want a relationship, either with her or with anyone else. He was never a fun of relationships all thanks to his parents. They made him see that love did not exist: only money and power was important.

   “Anderson,” he snapped out of his gaze when he heard his name. It took him a few seconds to realize that Hansen was calling him. He was sitting in the sofa next to him. “Have you made up your mind?” He asked.

  “No.” His reply was quick and firm. His brother sighed while face palming himself.

  “Haven’t you been listening to everything I have been telling you?” Anderson glanced at his brother and nodded. He had zoned out as soon as Hansen started talking.

 “Not a single word.” He admitted.

“Then please lend me your ear.” He told him. “Anderson, you have to do it. Looking like a couple is easy. It involves holding hands, getting to know each other, doing things together and…”

 “It sounds like getting attached to me.” Anderson cut in. “And that is what I do not want.”

Hansen grunted. “Come on, Anderson! You will only be acting.”

“Have you not read or even watched movies where the couples who act end up actually falling in love?”

“It won’t be a bad thing if you fall you love. Sydney is beautiful, attractive, sexy, and smart and has a passion to be a prominent actress. In fact, it would be a great catch.” Anderson rolled his eyes and Hansen added with a smirk. “I haven’t forgotten the way you looked at her that night.”

   Just like that, images of that faithful night and other days that she looked drop dead gorgeous, flashed through his mind. He found himself recalling every single outfit he has seen her in and admiring her in his mind.

 “I see you remember.” Hansen’s words brought him out of his trance and he frowned as soon as he saw his brother’s smirk. “It’s simple, just act.”

  Ha, Hansen was speaking as if it was going to be easy: maybe for him, but not he.  He has never been in a relationship. He has no idea what to do. Although Sydney wrote about a hundred and one things couples do, he could not bring himself to do even one of them. It was just too… couply.

 Sighing, he relaxed on the sofa and threw his head back against the headrest. No matter how much he was afraid of acting, or did not know what to do, or was scared of actually falling in love, he knew he had to do it. He just had to play along, for his own good and for his inheritance.

“Alright, I will do it.”

Hansen jumped out of his chair to squeeze his brother between his arms. “Let go of me, man.” Anderson snapped while trying to get him off him, but no, his brother held on tight.

 “You are making the right decision. Sydney will surely break that stone heart of yours that has refused to love.”

“Get off!” Anderson finally managed to get him off him, startled that his brother was starting to act like a girl.  

“Ask her out tonight.” Hansen said and his brother’s pupils dilated.

“Are you crazy?” Anderson gasped.