Chapter 2: Ava and James, The First Meeting.
The sun beat down on the shores of the Philippines, casting a warm glow over the scene.
Many years before the engagement party, a chubby little girl named Ava, around five years of age, dashed eagerly along the sandy beach.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept a drawing she held, causing it to fly out of her grasp and towards the shimmering water.
"That's mine!" Ava shouted, her voice filled with urgency. Before the drawing could be lost to the waves, a boy of about eight years old sprang into action.
With swift determination, he reached out and skillfully caught the drawing, rescuing it from a dunk in the water...
The boy furrowed his brow, his scowl deepening on his handsome young face as he responded, "Did I say it was mine? I was only trying to help you, you know!"
In response, the chubby little girl swiftly snatched the paper from his grasp and embraced it tightly, holding it close to her as if it were a precious treasure.
"Thank you," she murmured softly, her gaze averted as she spoke.
She felt a pang of regret for her initial outburst, fearing that he might snatch the paper and make off with it, denying her the chance to reclaim her prized creation.
It was a labor of love, and she felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment upon its completion.
It was a token of her affection for her future husband, who was due to visit that day. She longed to bestow it upon him as a symbol of her earnest desire to be his cherished partner when the time was right.
She had only found out a week ago that her beloved fiancé would be coming to visit, and she was determined to give him a special gift that would ensure he would never forget her.
The young girl, with her cherubic cheeks and innocent demeanor, understood that it would be many years before she blossomed into a mature woman. She believed that only then would her true beauty be revealed to her beloved.
Her twin brother informed her that the boy was three years her senior, making him a young man.
When she celebrated her eighteenth birthday, he would be twenty-one, the age at which they planned to announce their engagement.
Fearing that he might forget about her and marry someone else, the young girl created a masterpiece to serve as a token, reminding him to wait for her to blossom into her true beauty.
She trusted her father's words, as he had never misled her.
As she put the finishing touches on her masterpiece, her heart raced with anticipation. This drawing was special, and she couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he received it.
However, just as she stepped outside to find him, a sudden gust of wind swept the precious drawing from her hands and sent it spiraling through the air.
Her sense of dismay was overwhelming as she watched her artwork twirl and dance in the wind, seemingly destined to be lost.
But then, to her immense relief, the boy she had been hoping to give the drawing to leaped into action. With a graceful movement, he managed to catch the swirling paper just before it plummeted into the nearby water.
At that moment, she couldn't help but gaze at him in awe. If he hadn't been there to rescue her masterpiece, it would have been lost forever. The gratitude and admiration she felt for him welled up inside her, leaving her with a profound sense of appreciation for his timely intervention.
"Thank you." were the only words she could shyly say while averting her gaze.
The young boy's warm smile lit up his face as he reached out to gently ruffle the little girl's hair. "It's all right, no harm was done," he reassured her in a kind and soothing voice.
Content that she was okay, he turned to resume his leisurely stroll.
However, after taking a few steps, a sudden thought crossed his mind, causing him to turn around abruptly.
To his surprise, the little girl had vanished without a trace. He wanted to inquire if she was part of the family residing in the nearby house.
The boy was curious for his own reasons; he found the little girl endearing despite her chubby appearance and believed that she would grow into a beautiful young woman.
The little girl had disappeared, leaving the boy puzzled and filled with a sense of loss.
He felt a deep yearning to discover her whereabouts, but the thought of returning to the house where he was obligated to marry the family's daughter was unbearable.
So, he made the conscious choice to wander aimlessly, allowing his feet to guide him away from the looming expectations and discussions about his future.
The young boy was distraught when he discovered that his marriage had been arranged by his father and his best friend during a night of heavy drinking.
It was a shock to him to learn that before he was even born, it had been decided that he would be the one to marry her, simply because he was born first, rather than his twin brother.
Despite his heartfelt pleas and desperate appeals to his father, the decision remained unchanged, and all he received in response from his father was a callous, mocking laugh.
"James, if you see this little girl, you would not say that. I'm sure she will be a beauty, just like her mother and father. How about we go and visit them first so you can meet her yourself? If you still don't want to marry her, then we can talk about it when we get home."
These were the words spoken by his father as they strolled through the picturesque garden, surrounded by colorful flowers and the gentle hum of bees.
James was hesitant, but his father had promised to introduce him to the girl and that's why he tagged along.
The boy had already decided that he would only marry for love when he grew up. Therefore, even if that cute little girl turned out to be one of the most beautiful women on earth, he would still ask his father to let his twin brother take his place.
***
***
After approximately sixty minutes had passed, one of the household assistants went in search of James when he did not return, and eventually discovered him fast asleep under a large tree.
Despite his attempts to avoid being found, he was unable to stay awake and evade detection.
Reluctantly, he had no option but to return to the main residence and fulfill his obligation to meet the person he was supposed to be.
When he arrived at the house, he was not surprised to see the chubby little girl sitting next to the lady of the house.
From the way she carried herself with an air of importance, he had already surmised that she was the one.
Despite this, he politely greeted both of them, all the while finding his gaze drawn to the little girl's chubby, cherubic face. Strangely, he felt a warmth growing inside him as he looked at her, realizing that he may come to love her deeply in time.
As he prepared to meet the adorable little girl, a mischievous idea struck him.
In a moment of poor judgment, he whispered a thoughtless remark into the child's ear, hoping to be humorous.
He mentioned that he wished she would lose her baby fat before turning eighteen, adding that he wouldn't consider marrying her if she didn't. Little did he realize the impact of his words at the time.
After hearing the hurtful words from the boy, the chubby little girl's eyes widened in pure horror.
Her round face flushed with anger as she clenched her fists and took a deep breath.
In a sudden surge of emotion, she defiantly stomped on the boy's feet with all her might before turning away to sprint as fast as her little feet could carry her.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, leaving behind glistening trails on her rosy skin.
On that life-changing day, the chubby little girl made an unspoken vow to herself.
She vowed that she would never allow herself to be controlled by her father's oppressive demands.
Determined and resolute, she promised that when the time came, she would escape before ever being forced to marry a tyrant like him.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
AJZHEN
AJZHEN Welcome! To my new book.
After receiving many requests, here it is... The story of the children from the characters of my first and second books.
I hope that you will give it a chance, it's a slow burn story. So, please, be patient.
Thank you!
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