C12 Aunt Carmella

"Do you know any piece, sweetie?" Kendrick's grandmother asked her. She timidly smiled. Of course, she knew a piece because her father enrolled her in a music academy when she was a little kid, but it had been a long time since she played, so she was doubting herself.

"Do you know anything?" Kendrick asked her as well, and she could see that the man was somewhat nervous because of how his face looked. She smiled timidly at the man and then looked at Aunt Carmela and then Kendrick's grandmother. She nodded her head, and she saw how Kendrick's eyebrows were knitted together. Probably, her pretend boyfriend didn't expect that she would be nodding. She just had to stay calm and have a presence of mind. Just like what Kendrick said to her before they came inside the house, his family were also just people. The only difference was they were rich.

"Okay, dear. Go and play for us. This is usually what we do whenever we are all together here in the house," Aunt Carmela said to her in a friendly voice. She didn't know if the woman was just pretending or what. There were times she felt like the woman was testing her, but since the old woman arrived, she stopped being like the woman of the house, just how she had approached her.

Alice walked towards the grand piano. It was not her first time touching one because before, she also experienced competing in a piano contest, but she needed to stop when her piano was broken, and she didn't have money to buy a new one. She took a deep breath and then looked at Kendrick. Even if the man wouldn't say it, she knew that he was feeling more nervous than her. It was as if he didn't say the words that he uttered to her when they were on their way here.

Alice began to press the piano keys, and a simple, tender sound filled the whole living room. She closed her eyes as she continued to play the music. She didn't know that she missed playing the piano. Maybe, if she only had the money, she would buy one and continue learning it. This piece that she was playing at the moment was one of her favorites. She felt like she was being moved in every note of the music. It was as if the piece was full of emotions, and she hoped that Kendrick's family would appreciate the music she was playing.

She knew that she was not an expert, but this sound just made her feel calm and just be true to herself. Her fingers looked like they had a life of their own. It was as if they were moving so naturally, as if they were really meant to be there. She was meant to be playing the piano.

The sound from her piece brought a different kind of feeling inside her heart. She finally hit the last note, and when she opened her eyes, she heard the sound of claps at the same time. Everyone was in awe. She could see the amazement in their eyes because of what she had done. She smiled at Kendrick, who was also smiling at her. She could see that Kendrick was so proud of her, as if she was really his girlfriend.

"Well done, dear," Kendrick's grandmother said as she stood up from the chair where she was sitting. "That's one of my favorite classical music, and I could say that that's a challenging piece, but you are able to pull it off," the old woman said, and she could see the admiration in her eyes. "Thank you," she said to the old woman. "That's excellent. You look like you are from a prominent family, sweetie," Aunt Carmela uttered, which surprised her. The woman had a really sharp tongue.

"What is that, Carmella?" The old woman suddenly asked and then she was looking at her and Kendrick. "Oh, mom. Kendrick introduced to us his girlfriend earlier, and we found out that she is not from an elite family. She is Alice Benson but not in any chance related to Benson Pharmaceutical," Aunt Carmela said as she couldn't stop herself. So, why was it even a big deal? If only she could speak and tell them that they do not have to worry because she was just Kendrick's pretend girlfriend, but she knew that she couldn't because that would put her and Kendrick into trouble.

She tried her best to keep her mouth shut because she knew that no matter what she would say, she would just be the poor girl and besides, she wouldn't like herself to look uneducated. She would let Kendrick deal with them since he said that he got her back.

Alice kept on trying to talk to herself so that her mouth wouldn't open and defend herself from the belittling of Kendrick's Aunt. She knew that she didn't deserve that, but she had no plans to lower down her level as well. So, he should prove that.

"Is there something wrong with that Aunt Carmela? I think your first husband is not also from an elite family, I heard," Kendrick said, which almost made her eyes widened. She couldn't imagine that he really thought of something that could backfire to his Aunt Carmela. From there, she knew that something was going on in the family, especially Aunt Carmela and Kendrick. It seemed that the two were just treating each other casually, but deep inside they were not really on good terms.

"So, as my mother?" He added, and then he turned to his dad who was just sitting quietly on the couch. Mr. Nelson Villarama seemed to have no plan of joining the current discussion that was happening. He was just there and taking a sip of his tea as if there was nothing that's happening around him.