He only married me to show her that he already moved on Chapter 41 - forty-one: Can we be friends?

We were both laughing when we heard a knock from the door. It's already 10:00 pm, who would knock at this hour? 

I am about to walk inside when Gabriel grabbed my hand and he take the lead inside. We heard another knock before Gabriel opened the door. And I furrowed my eyebrows when I saw Greg outside of  Gabriel's room. 

"Greg." he called him. 

"Ohh.. I'm sorry to disturb you." he said looking to our intertwined hands. And he looked up to me with a smile. "Madi, is this yours?" he shows us a white handkerchief. 

And my eyes widened as I looked back to him. That was my embroidered handkerchief with my childhood nickname.. 'Maiden'.. which also the names of my restaurants. 

I immediately take it from him and smiled. "Thank you, Greg."

"Tss!" I heard Gabriel sneered. "So, that's your only reason why you knocked on our door at this of late hour?"

"Gab?" I slightly pressed his hand. 

"Yes." Greg shortly answers. 

"You can just give it to her by tomorrow, so why did you-----"

"Because I also want to say goodnight to her." then he smiled at me. "Goodnight, Madi."

"Goodnight, Greg." I also smiled at him. 

"Goodnight, cousin." he patted Gabriel's shoulder before he disappeared in our sight. I felt Gabriel's hold tightened and I slightly winced. 

"Gab!"

"Oh, I'm sorry love." he sighed and then he checked my hand after he closed the door. 

When I was about to turn around, he pulled my hand again. 

"Love..."

I looked at him. "Hmm?"

"Can we be friends?" and my lips curled up into a wide smile with his question. I stepped back and hold again his hand. I can't believe he's really asking me this. 

"Of course, why not? Friends?" I said taking my hand and offer it for a handshake. 

"Friends." he said accepting my hand with the same smile as mine. 

Then he pulled me into hugged and I hugged him back. 

"Tsk.Tsk. Actually, my friends' list were consists of nice and kind people. Now, I really don't know If I can still call it 'nice list'."

"And why?" he looked down at me with a raised eyebrow, but his hands were still on my waist. 

"Because you added to that list. You're totally opposite of them. They know how to smile and laugh often, while you're not. They were nice towards other people but you're difficult to approach with. You're cold, distant ...." he started to open his mouth. "... rude, a big jerk and------"

"And what else.. heartless? Bastard?" he cut me off while controlling his smile. 

"Exactly! You got my point!" I said laughing at him. 

He rolled his eyes while shaking his head. "Love, I promise to lessen your bad impressions towards me."

"Owws?" I don't believe him. 

"Yes. I told you, you can slap me."

"Okay." I shrugged while smiling widely. 

"Okay, let's go to bed, it's getting late." with that I raised my eyebrow. 

"Yeah, I'm going to bed. But you... you're going sleep on the couch." I said smiling while pointing the couch. His jaws dropped. 

"Love, we both fell asleep in the bed last night."

"Yeah, we both fell asleep in the bed 'last night'." I said emphasizing the word 'last night'. "But that was last night, because tonight is another night, you're now going to sleep on the couch." I patted his cheeks before I jumped on top of the bed with my back first. 

"Ohhh.. it's really nice to sleep in the soft... and ... comfy bed... hmm..." I said while rolling my body left and right. And when I looked back on him, he still on his post-- frowning. "Hey, love? Are you just going to stand there? Are you not going to sleep?" I bite my bottom lip to suppress my laugh. 

"Love, that's a queen size bed------"

"And so?"

"It's too large for the two of us, we can sleep on both sides of the bed and it's still-----"

"Uhmm... okay." I said nodding while getting up. "If you want, you can sleep here and I'll go sleep on the couch." he frowned. "But.. I'll tell your Mom tomorrow that you let me sleep on the couch, while you're sleeping comfortably in your bed.. hmm." I acted like taking the spare of pillow, when I heard him speak. 

"God, woman! Fine, I'm going to sleep now.... 'on the couch'!" he emphasized the last three words and I chuckled. 

He gets some extra pillows and blanket from the cabinet and laid himself on the L-shaped couch. I also laid myself while staring at the ceiling. I am now back again on thinking. We can't stay like this forever, no matter how I wish.. I know we can't. 

"I love you, love." My head snapped on his direction. 

"Should I answer you back... I mean.. do I need to say I love you, too?" I asked him feeling the heaviness of this act. 

"Of course, you need to." he raised his head from the pillow. 

"Okay, I love you too."

I sighed and looked back to the ceiling. I turned my head on his direction and all I can see is just the top of his head. He rolled over and I sighed. How can I go to sleep when I know he's not comfortable. 

"Love..."

I suddenly feel comfortable calling him in that endearment. 

"Hmm? Yes, love?"

"Are you still awake?"

I heard him chuckled. And I realized my question. Of course, he's still awake. How silly of me, how would he respond when he's already sleeping? 

"Yes love." he raised his head. "Why, are you still cold? You want some cuddle buddy?"

And now I am the one who's laughing at him. 

"No thanks. I am about to ask you to sleep here in the bed, but I've changed my mind. I think you're already comfortable on that couch. So, goodnight."

"Ohh.. love, you're kidding." he immediately get up and run towards the bed. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked him when I felt the other side of the bed dipped by his weight. "Thank you, love." he said grinning widely. 

"Fine." I put two pillows in between us and I smiled to him. 

"What's that?" he asked frowning. 

"Barriers. Sleeping barriers, my love."

"Oh.. sleeping barriers, huh? I thought you want some cuddle buddy?"

"Haha.. no thanks. Just cuddle yourself, if you want." I rolled my eyes and he just laughed at me. 

"Okay, just feel free to hug me when you change your mind, love."

"Hahaha.. do you know how to spell the word 'wish'?" he raised his eyebrow. 

"Yeah, it's w-is-------"

"Wrong!"

"What? But that's the spelling of wi----"

"No. This is the newest spelling of the word 'wish'... Y - O - U !" his frown got deeper. "That's you! You 'wish' till the morning comes that I will hug you!" and with that, I turned to my side of the bed while he still laughing. 

"Okay, love. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I answered smiling. 

"I love you." and my smile fade. 

"I love you too." I sighed before I closed my eyes. 

-'Goodnight, love....'-

I silently muttered before I closed my eyes.

Chapter end