-Mary Adelaide Rose-Payne-

Why aren’t these half-naked men not making my heart race, while Aaron’s hand on top of my head made it jump?

I did my best to zoom in their muscular abs and biceps which Aaron promised that will make my heart race but nothing’s working!

“What are you doing—”

“AGHK!” I shrieked in shock as soon as a talking head suddenly popped up beside me. Holding my chest, I checked to see who it was. “Aaron! You frightened me.” I panted.

He then just smiled at me and took this chance to grab my phone. “What were you watching— ohh…” His eyes widen when he saw my phone’s content. “You naughty girl—.”

I snatched my phone from his hands, “I am not. I was just following your instructions.”

He crossed his arms, “Then have they already raced your heart?”

I sighed and shook my head.

Leaning his face close to mine, he then cocked one eyebrow, “Do you perhaps prefer… women?”

“What?”

“I was just joking.” Aaron said and chuckled, placing his hand on my head once more and ruffling it, causing my hair to be messed up. Now my heart raced again. What now?

-Aaron Payne-

That night, Mrs. Potter prepared dinner and we had it together. For a reason that I do not know why I always catch Mary’s eyes staring at my hands. But what’s weirder is that she tried to ask each and everyone inside the house to pat her head, and they all agreed to do so!

I was inside my bedroom when she knocked on the door. “Yes?”

“May I come in?”

“Yeah, you may,” I told her and immediately regretted it when she opened the door. “Mary!” My jaw dropped and I looked away as fast as lightning. “What are you wearing?!” I hissed.

“Oh, this? Mom said that this will help our relationship!” There goes again the scripted lines of hers.

“What?” I said through my gritted teeth. How can that revealing lingerie even help our relationship?! Your mom’s a dirty woman for meddling in our affairs and for poisoning my mind! “Cover yourself right now!” I said.

“Uhm, okay…” I heard some fabrics before she spoke again, “There. Done.”

I turned around and sighed in relief. She had wrapped herself with her bathrobe. “What do you need?”

“Right.” She walked towards me and gave me her robotic smile, “Will you please put your hand on top of my head?”

My brows raised, “Hmm? What for?”

“Just please do it.” She lowered her head down for me to reach it easier. With my long arm, I stretched it out and placed it on top of her petite head. “Hmm… that’s not it.” She mumbled.

I pulled my hand away, “What do you mean? Why are you doing this? You’ve been asking everyone to place their hand on your head.”

She blinked, “I did?”

I nodded, “Yes, you did.”

“Did I make you mad because of it?”

“Of course not.” I shook my head, “I’m just wondering why you’re doing this.”

She paused for a second to think, “Uhmm…” Mary looked so cute with her lips pouted out while looking up at the ceiling. Her short straight brows were furrowed while her big doe eyes were narrowed. The innocent girl was thinking hard.

Cute.

Dammit, why am I like this?

Without even thinking, my arm stretched out again and involuntarily rested on top of her head, patting it.

Mary stiffened.

I stiffened.

I was about to explain, “I—”

But then she ran.

-Mary Adelaide Rose-Payne-

I ran. I ran because my heart raced so fast that I needed to run fast to keep its normal pace.

Once I got inside my room, I locked the door and immediately looked at my phone filled with half-naked men, “What’s wrong with me? It’s these men! A-HA! IT’S WORKING!” (That was a terrible excuse).

---

In the next two days, I always wake up just in time when Aaron leaves the house. He smiles and waves goodbye at me. At first, I just kept on waving goodbye too. But when I thought that I needed to be a good wife and start making his lunchboxes, I would then wake up early and send him off from the door.

He smiled as he took the lunchbox I made, “Mary. You don’t really need to do this every day.”

I stretched my lips, “Mom said that to be a good wife, I—”

“Yes, yes.” He sighed, “I know.” It was the first time I saw him sigh. Usually, when I give him the lunchboxes, he would be happy.

Did I do say something wrong this time? I worried and my brows furrowed. My head hung low as I thought hard. Was it because I told about my mom again?

But suddenly, a big hand rested on top of my head. My eyes widened and my head snapped up at him.

He smiled at me and said, “Thank you for making me lunchboxes every day. They’re delicious.” Aaron then gently caresses my hair.

I sucked in my breath. Here we go again… I could feel my heart beating fast.

For the first time, I found it difficult to look into his eyes as his hand patted my hair. “You’ll be a good wife and wait for me until I come home, right?”

Blinking, my head nodded automatically.

“Good girl.” Aaron then caressed my head one last time before pulling away and waving goodbye.

I don’t know why but my eyes followed him until his car vanished from my sight. Unknowingly, my hand lifted up and rested on my own head, “Why does my heart beat fast when his hand comes up there?” I mumbled.

Mrs. Potter then appeared from nowhere. “Agh!” I shrieked

She turned to face me and smiled sweetly, “That’s where everything starts, honey.”

---

It took a few more days before Aaron woke me up early and reminded me to get changed.

“Wake up, Mary. It’s your first day of school EVER!” He sounds very happy.