Melissa
'Hi Max, lemme take you on a date tomorrow?'
"Come to one, Mel. It's not a real date. Just wear anything," I groaned at myself. I have been changing for the past hour, cloth after cloth, but still I got nothing.
Sighing, I looked at the frustrated image of myself in the mirror and wondered what got me to send that message to him. Seriously, isn't a man supposed to ask a girl out for a date?
And why did I mention a date? It was not a date, but after days of not talking or seeing each other, I could no longer take the tension between us.
I needed to sort things out so that everything would go back to how it was before. Chat and laugh without any awkwardness between us.
I took a deep breath, realizing that I was going to see him in less than an hour. Somehow the thought of seeing him made my stomach flutter in anticipation.
I settled on the raw hem black skinny jeans with a black top, my cleavages peaking just a little. Thank goodness my hair was so short, so I did not have to spend more time in it. Just a little bit of spraying, and I was good to go.
I put on golden sandals and applied lip gloss, slightly pouting my lips. I wasn't a makeup person that much, but some powder occasionally. I also had perfect natural brows that didn't need to shape.
Finally satisfied with my look, I rewarded my reflection with a bright smile before picking up my handbag and phone. Bibi was not at home, so I just locked the door and started on my way. We were supposed to meet at the garage.
"Mel," I heard someone calling me from behind. I slowly turned around and smiled when I saw it was Andy. He was one fine looking man and had grown tall, broad chest, well-defined jaw, clean cut hair, and a perfectly charming smile. We have known each in the last five years.
"Andy!" I went to shake his hands, but he surprised me by hugging me. It wasn't the first time he hugged me but it kind of felt awkward thinking of it now.
"What are you doing back here? I thought you were now living in school," I asked once he let me go.
"Yeah. Just missed home and you, of course," Andy gave me one of his flirty smiles.
"Aaaw, I am flattered." I slapped his arm playfully, earning a chuckle from him.
"You look more beautiful than I remembered." Andy had always liked me from the word go, but I had a way of friends zoning people who didn't romantically interest me. Don't get me wrong. He was attractive all, but there was no attraction.
"Hey, stop touching someone's girlfriend. She is now taken," Jessica's voice came from nowhere, as usual, spouting nonsense without thinking.
I felt his hand tighten on mine that I didn't even realize he was holding as Jess approached from behind. Andy gave me a quizzical look, frowning. I glared at Jess, who had a cheeky smile.
See, this is why I never confided in her. She was a blabbermouth who didn't know when to stop or when to speak.
"What do you mean taken?" It was more of a command than a question. He sounded angry, which got me even more confused.
"Um-"
"Oh, Andy. When you were away, someone won Mel's heart. And he is so hot." Jess beat me to it. I did not want to involve too many people in the charade. I thought with Andy at school, he wouldn't come to know about anything, but now...
"Talking of the devil," Jess had a huge grin plastered on her face looking behind me before I could answer Andy.
I turned around only for the air to get knocked out of my throat. When was the last time I saw him again? It felt like forever.
I had pictured how we would meet again, but nothing could come close to how I was feeling at the moment, finally seeing him again.
Dressed in black boyfriend jeans and a black polo shirt with blue denim.
Damn! was he coming from a photo session? I let my eyes wander far too long, drinking his powerful body and how it fits just right than I intended until it fell on his face.
But something was different about him. He wasn't smirking or smiling, as usual. He was angry. I wondered why. Not only that, but I noticed he was not even looking at me but rather at my hand, which was still being held by Andy.
As if out of instinct, I pulled my hands from his hold and smiled at him,
"Haze," I hated how it came out breathily.
He didn't say anything, just walked towards me. As he strode closer, I felt my heartbeat race like that of an athlete. I took a couple of steps toward him, distancing myself from Andy in the process, until we met.
He stopped in front of me, tilting his head completely, ignoring everyone around me, and his face softened as a smile formed on his lips. He leaned forward, and my pulse raced. His hand reached for my cheeks and caressed them softly.
I swear I stopped breathing. I felt my entire body turning mush under his touch. He must have noticed the effect he had on me, like that sexy but mischievous smirk I missed a lot could be seen on his face before his hand snaked around my waist and pulled me towards him.
His lips touched my cheeks and time stopped. My breath came to a halt. Max's lips lighted on my cheek like a dew, freckled petal caught in a breeze, so soft and with the trimmest hint of coolness.
It was, but a simple peck. But why was I melting and turning dizzy?
As the soft skin left the side of my face, the exact spot where they had come into contact burned and tingled. A hot blazing fire pulsed through me, and I had to blink a couple of times to get myself together.
"Hey beautiful, I missed you," he said, his voice so deep than I remembered, and I could not help but give a meek.
The trance came to an end when a throat was cleared. That is when I remembered that we had company.
My eyes turned wide, and I could only embrace my fate strongly. Embarrassing myself has also become my hobby nowadays.
I tried to free myself from Max, only to have him hold me back, my back pressing against his sturdy chest and his chin slowly settling on the nook of my neck.
What the heck!
He was in boyfriend mode!
"Max," Andy spoke in a cold voice, making me furrow my eyebrows in confusion.
But how did he know his name? Maybe Jess told him.
"Andy." My back vibrated as Max spoke.
If I thought Jess might have told Andy about Max, the thought was thrown out of the window. And the way they uttered each other's name...something was definitely amiss.
I looked at both of them in confusion as I sensed tension rising around us. It might have been my illusion, but judging by the look on Jessica's facial expression, it was not her.
¨You guys know each other? ¨ I asked, breaking in the tension the two had created.
"We go to the same university," Max answered, not breaking eye contact with Andy.
"Ah, okay. " I cleared my throat to get their attention. "Um, Max, Andy, is my friend ever since, and Andy, Max is-"
"His man," I was cut short, not that I minded.
His.
The word reverberated in my head, my breath hitching as I titled my head looking at him. His eyes found mine and offered me a sweet smile that made me feel like my heart was besmeared in honey.
He was acting!
Like a mantra, I chanted in my head over and over again. He had to be acting.
"I didn't know you date, ¨ Andy's voice made me tilt my head so I was looking at him. ¨After all, you are the big player at school." He added, mockery and bitterness that made my stomach to clench uncomfortably.
Was he still seeing other girls? Of course, he had to. This little charade of playing boyfriend was only in front of Bibi and my friends. I hesitantly freed myself from Max's embrace and was slightly disappointed that he let go so easily.
¨Um, I have no idea what you two have going on...¨ I started gesturing between them, then turned towards Andy, ¨But we are getting late. Good to see you again, Andy. ¨ I finished.
I could see that he wanted to say more, but I turned to face Max.
"Ready to go, beautiful?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. I nodded with a smile that did not reach my eyes.
I was expecting his red, beautiful car when we got to the parking lot, the one near the petrol station, but there was a black... car. I wasn't kidding when I said I know nothing about cars.
"2018 jeep grand Cherokee Trackhawk," Max winked at me as if reading my thoughts.
"This belongs to you?" I asked, still taking in the black raven, jet-black four-wheel-drive car.
¨No, I stole it from the old couple. ¨ Came, the comeback that earned him a glare.
¨What? ¨ he asked, feigning innocent, but his laughing face gave him away. He opened the passenger's door for me, and I got in.
I quickly reached for the seat belt, hoping that it won't get stuck this time, and thank goodness it did not.
¨Oh, quick learner, I see, ¨ he commented the moment he entered the car. At first, I did not understand what he meant until he added. ¨You did the seatbelt. ¨ In an instant, my face was burning to my chagrin.
"So, where to, beautiful?" he asked, with a smile, starting the car.
"I assume you know where Curvy Hills is?" I asked him. Max nodded in acknowledgement but had his eyebrow quirked questioningly.
"Let's drive then." I grinned at his confused face.
¨Are you taking me hiking? ¨ he asked, but I did not answer. Instead, closed my eyes, pretending to be sleepy. I heard his husky chuckle, which made me smile.