Chapter 1

At the age of seventeen, Phoebe was already married and has been so for a year. Of course, no one knew, and if anyone outside her close family and friends found out, they probably wouldn't even believe it— especially if they knew whom she was married to.

How did it happen anyway?

Two years ago, Phoebe's mother and her best friend met a car accident that took their lives. Upon their death, their husbands took it upon themselves to make their lifelong plan come true: to arrange the marriage oftheir children to each other.

And so it goes that at sixteen and seventeen, Phoebe Bernal and Ken Tomas Fuentabella were whisked offby their fathers to New Hampshire, where they could be legally married at such young ages. They didn't exactly know what the hurry was, but they just couldn't say no. It was all out of respect for their dead mothers, they both thought. But now, after a year of being married, it's all suddenly creeping up on Phoebe just how unusual their secretly arranged marriage was.

 And so it goes that Phoebe was legally regis- tered as Phoebe Isabelle Bernal-Fuentabella. Yes, Fuentabella, as in Kent Fuentabella. That famous actor whose face could be seen everywhere.

He was so famous the slightest move he made could create Twitter trends worldwide.

Every morning, Phoebe would get two knocks on her bedroom door. Both knocks were Kent's, who occupied the room across from hers. These knocks were quick raps on the door, accompanied by his voice just saying her name. She looked forward to these knocks because they were the only semblance that Kent actually cared for her—enough for him to care about whether she was actually awake to get to school on time.

"Phoebe!" Kent said through the door. "I'm leaving for school."

Kent always went to school a few minutes earlier than she did. They couldn't be seen going to school together because no one was supposed to know that he was in a relationship, let alone married.

To spite her husband, Phoebe opened the door, which startled him. He'd never seen the inside of her room because even though they were married, they weren't allowed by their parents to enter each other's rooms because of—you know—hormones.

No trouble with that, Phoebe thought as she took in Kent's frown. "Fine."

Kent turned to leave.

Just as Phoebe was about to close the door, he came back and stopped it with his hand. Phoebe couldn't help but feel like this could lead to something else, but then he ruined all illusions on her side and said, "Also, don't talk to me in school, okay?"

"What?" Phoebe asked in disbelief.

"Just text me or something if you have anything you need to say," he added.

"Fine, fine. Whatever."

"What?"

"Whatever you say, sir," Phoebe said before slamming the door in his face.

It's not like she needed reminding. Part of Kent's

celebrity status required him to hide this particular facet of his personal life just because many—or make that all—of his fans were girls. Just one careless rumor could end his career.

Not that Phoebe cared, really. She never even wanted to be married to him in the first place. It's just that it's so hard keeping a secret. Every movement she made served one purpose: never to reveal their secret marital status.

After a few more minutes, Phoebe walked her way to the international school just a few minutes away from their house. There, she met Jhone, her best friend and one of the few people outside her family who knew about her arranged marriage. Jhone was waving frantically at her as she entered the hallways with a frown.

"What's wrong? What happened to your face?"

Phoebe smirked at her as they walked together to class.

"Hey, is this about your husband again?"

"Hey, will you keep your voice down? People can hear you."

She loved her best friend, but sometimes she could be prone to overreacting.

"Whatever. I don't understand why you're still with him when

he annoys you so much. Why don't you just get a divorce?

"It's not that easy!" Jhone saw Phoebe's hesitation.

"What?" Jhone giggled. "Look at you! You like being married

to that jerk!"

Phoebe couldn't believe Jhone. What was she thinking?

"Shut up!" Jhone was still giggling. "Stop giggling. It's just not funny anymore. He doesn't even want me to talk to him in school. You know what he said?"

"What?"

"Just text me or something if you have anything you need to

say," Phoebe said in her mock-Kent voice, which wasn't a very good imitation.

"The nerve!"

"Exactly! I mean, I'm not allowed to talk to him here in school, but he's allowed to talk with all the pretty girls in his class?"

 Kent had a reputation for being a playboy. Every month, he

could be seen with a new conquest, which would be posted

on all showbiz news sites and talked about on showbiz news shows. Phoebe never really knew the truth about these flings, but his fans seemed to like the fact that he could date whomever he wanted, as if his playboy status made him even more desirable.

"I don't know, Fibs. This all didn't use to bother you so much.

Maybe-"

"What?"

"You're already in love with him!"

"Shut up! I thought you were my best friend!" "Friends always tell the truth."

As they walked their way to class, they passed by

Kent's classroom. They were in the same grade level but were in different sections. Aside from being ridic- ulously good-looking, Kent was also blessed with the gift of overachieving. Phoebe, not so much. She didn't really like school. And now, with what she's seeing, she had more reason not to like it.

"Look!" Jhone pointed.

Through the glass panel window, they could see Kent talking to Elisa, another celebrity who was also in the same grade. Elisa then playfully touched Kent's hand.

Phoebe couldn't help herself. She imitated the quick knocks

that Kent would make on her bedroom door there on the

glass panel. Kent immediately rec-ognized the sound and

looked her way, his eyebrows raised.

Ugh, what a flirt! You're already married, jerk! Phoebe wanted to scream. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she was startled to find Kent standing right in front of her.

"Don't you remember what I said earlier?" he asked through

gritted teeth. Everyone in his class was looking at the two of

them.

"No," Phoebe said in a voice that's even smaller. She felt

guilty. For all she knew, she could be ruining his career right

at this very moment.

"Didn't I already tell you..." Kent began to say in his normal

voice. Phoebe was startled. What's he doing? she thought.

"That I don't date girls I don't personally know?"

As if this weren't enough, he then took her hand as he said,

"What's your name again?" What the hell is going on? Phoebe thought as he tightened his grip on her hand. He then took a pen from his pocket and proceeded to sign his name on the back of her hand. "Here's an autograph. Is that okay?"

 Phoebe wanted to barf on his nice-guy act. She's memorized his celebrity signature because he once forced her to help him forge his signatures on the posters he was giving away to his fan club. Phoebe took her hand away from Kent, who was still smiling at her.

"Ms. Bernal? What are you still doing here? It's almost time for class" Ms. Flores, Kent's homeroom adviser, said as she

approached the classroom.

"Sorry, ma'am.

Jhone pulled Phoebe away toward class. "What were you

thinking? Just a few minutes ago you were shushing me, and then you started going hysterical there? So embarrassing!"

"Sorry, Jhone. Ugh, he's so annoying! Did you see what he

did?"

Right after school, Phoebe went straight home, going through the back door of their own house. Yes, she had to because no one was supposed to know that she was sharing a house with Kent. She was then surprised to find Kent's father, James, the kitchen.

"Hi, Papa," she said. She still felt a bit giddy whenever she

called Kent's father Papa.

She had a father-in-law. She still couldn't believe it.

"Where's Kent? How come you never come home together?"

 "Well, you know your son. He always acts like he doesn't even know me when we're not at home."

James could only laugh it off. "Sorry, hija. He's just wary how to go about this because, you know, he just signed a major contract... Anyway, we've been talking about how to make the big reveal on your eighteenth birthday since that's the legal age here."

Phoebe shrugged. "Hmm, wel, I don't even know if Kent will

push through with that plan."

"I'm really sorry. Anyway, you two are doing great, right?"

"Ah yes, of course. Why wouldn't we be?" she lied.

Of course, she couldn't say the truth because he wouldn't

believe her. Kent always put up such a big display of affection toward her whenever their parents were around.

They then heard the front gate opening.

 "Manang Lourdes!" Kent said.

Manang Lourdes, the caretaker, then rushed into the kitchen and started brewing coffee.

This was Kent's after-school treat: to drink brewed coffee and annoy Phoebe to no end.

Kent entered the kitchen. "Pa, you didn't say you were

dropping by. Have you been waiting a long time?"

"No, 'course not. I was just here a few minutes before

Phoebe."

Phoebe could feel Kent inching toward her, and this made her want to scream.

She just couldn't stand another minute of acting all sweet

with him.

"Hey, babe." He gave her a peck on the cheek, which she tried to avoid by moving her face away. But he caught her in time and was still successful with his fake kiss. He then took her hand and laced his fingers through hers. She tried to remove her hand from his grip, but he tightened it while still managing a fake smile.

Manang Lourdes, who was privy to how Kent and Phoebe

really were, was surprised to find the two holding hands as

she handed Kent his coffee. Kent mo- mentarily freed Phoebe from his death grip to take the cup.

"Hmm, okay, you two seem to be doing great. I better go. I

just checked on the utility bills." He looked at them. "You kids better behave."

Phoebe nodded. She was caught off guard when Kent hugged her from behind and said, "Yes, sir" There was a hint of playfulness in his voice.

"Manang Lourdes, do look after these two," James said to the caretaker. Then he turned to them. "And you two, l'm telling you, behave. You're still kids, for god's sake."

The moment James closed the door behind him, Kent

dropped his arms.

 "Ha! You enjoyed it, didn't you?"

"I didn't even do anything, you jerk!"

Phoebe ran upstairs to her room, but before she could get in, Kent called her.

"Hey, didn't I tell you not to approach me in school?

What were you thinking, making a scene like that?"

"What? You're the one talking-making a scene-with that

Elisa! Need I remind you that you're married?"

"So what? It's not like anyone knows I am. Plus, it's good for

my image. Elisa has tons of fans."

"Whatever."

"And Elisa can't help talking about me. That's good press. I'm the ideal girl's ideal man."

"Fine, whatever"

"Anyway, why are you acting like that? Are you jealous?"

Kent's grin started getting wider, which annoyed Phoebe. She wanted to throw her bag at his face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" "Someone's jealous!" Phoebe sighed theatrically and closed the door behind her. She then went straight to her bathroom where she planned to drown her annoyance away in the bathtub.

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