"What am I gonna tell her if I will see her tomorrow?" I thought. I was pacing in my room, thinking of a good plan. Sheryl was still upset so I couldn't convince her to tell the truth. Then, I stopped in front of the mirror. I looked like a lunatic as I practiced how to explain things to Helena.
The following day, I decided to shave my face clean that shocked everyone who saw me that morning.
"What's new?" Owen asked when he came to my office. I shrugged.
"He has a girlfriend!"
That unmistakable voice made my body shiver--- for longing and fearing that she might still be angry.
"Helena, what's up? How's New York?" Owen asked as they hugged each other.
"Not bad," she said casually. "Hi, Brad! What's up?" I gulped at her casualness.
"Hi," I replied. "I'm happy to see you back."
She was smiling but there wasn't any warmth. I tried to hug her but she was quick to catch my hand and shook it instead.
"You seem happy. And look at you, all shaved and deliciously handsome and so... so in love. When can I meet your lovely girlfriend?" Helena blabbered. I scratched my head, unable to answer.
"He has one?!" Owen blurted then he turned to me. "Where have you been hiding this woman? Did you kidnap her?"
I was about to answer when Luke and Shane came. "What kidnap are you talking about?"
"Noth~,"
"Brad has a girlfriend!" Helena quickly said.
"Damn! Is that true?" Shane asked. They looked at me like I was a specimen, waiting for my answer.
"Can you just sit down? We have a very important matter to talk about," I said, hoping that they would stop asking.
Owen jumped over and threw himself on the sofa while the other boys sat. Helena hesitantly sat on the available seat which is next to me.
"Alright, what's the plan?" I asked.
"Simple. Helena will be my wife's bodyguard starting tomorrow. If necessary, she will also teach her martial arts. I'm okay with it. My wife is a bit stubborn so I just want her to be safe at all times," Luke replied.
"How about their schedule? Do you already have it?" Owen asked Luke who turned to Helena.
"Uhm... I would suggest that the campaign must be low key. And I guess that's what Mrs. Adams wants. Off the radar means lesser possibilities of harassment," Helena suggested. We all agreed.
"No working on weekends and engagements should only be from 8 am- 3 pm," Luke added.
"I have to know the details of the campaign. Locations, people involve and stuff like that and I will do the rest of the researching," Helena said. Owen and Shane borrowed my computer at once and printed out the things Helena asked for.
"Well, I am impressed, gentlemen, on how fast you maneuver," she joked.
"Now that everything is settled, I have one last question to ask before we all go," Owen said with his hand raised.
"What?" I asked. Owen turned to his brother and then Luke who shared a smile. At that time, I felt really nervous.
"Who is your girlfriend?" Owen exclaimed. "C'mon tell us. I thought you said no secrets in this brotherhood."
I wasn't so sure whether to laugh at his childishness or be annoyed by it. I looked at Helena who raised her brow at me.
I inhaled then harshly exhaled, "Fine! Do you really wanna know who my girlfriend is?"
"You bet! We're dying to know," Shane replied.
"Who's that unfortunate being?" Luke teased.
"You know her," I replied. Their faces brightened with curiosity, urging me to tell them. Helena looked down and I wasn't so sure whether she was trying to suppress her tears or just simply uninterested.
"Who?"
"C'mon! C'mon!"
"She's... in front of you," I said as I turned to Helena who immediately raised her head to meet my gaze, and then she turned to the boys who were as perplexed as to her.
"What?!" they said nearly in unison. The surprise was on their faces.
"You and you...," Shane said, pointing at Helena and me, "are a couple?"
"What are you doing?" Helena asked.
"Answering your question," I said as I held her cold and trembling hand.
"No. I mean, what are you doing?" she asked.
"Making things official... unless you disagree," I said with a nervous smile. She was speechless and I took advantage of it.
"I love you," I whispered before kissing Helena in front of my friends. I didn't care about what they think. All I knew was to show everyone that I was serious about my feelings towards her.
Owen cleared his throat then said, "C'mon guys! We're outta here!"
"Call us when you're done," I heard Luke said followed by footsteps walking away then the door closed. After a long passionate kiss, I looked at Helena. I looked at her eyes full of questions.
"Please stop fooling around, Brad. I just want to know the truth. Well, why should I care when I am just a friend?" she replied.
"I am not fooling around. Why don't you believe the truth that I love you?" I asked. She looked away.
"Because... I know you too well," Helena answered.
"What?"
"I know you, Brad. Your preferences... for women, for your life, and so on. I don't even fit in," she replied.
"A- hah! You know me well, huh?" I asked, smiling. "So what are my preferences? for women?"
"Well, you want someone who has a long brunette or black hair, feminine, and... like Amanda," she said.
I chuckled. "Helena... that was when we were in high school," I replied. "Things change... and Amanda is history."
She looked at me intently, criticizing every word and gestures. I knew that she wasn't fully convinced about my intention.
"Give me time to prove my love. Do you wanna be my girlfriend?" I asked. There was a long silence before she said yes. And what a better way to seal the relationship than a long passionate kiss.
Since our relationship became official, Helena came home to my apartment in Mevious, where we lived like a married couple.
Everything seemed perfect until one day. I was preparing to go home when an unexpected visitor came to my office.
Knock. Knock.
I tilted my head, thinking who it might me as I wasn't expecting anyone that day.
"Come in," I said as I fixed the documents on the table.
"H-hi, Brad."
I suddenly looked at the woman upon hearing her voice. She was standing in front of me. I blinked a couple of times to make sure that I wasn't hallucinating.
It was certainly her. She was wearing a low cut red mini dress, exposing her cleavage and skinny thighs.