"So Monica, what has happened during the three years I was away?" Max asked Monica as three of them settled on the couch.
"Nothing new had happened. Oh right... I've learnt how to play the piano well, not as good as you but still perfect than average." Monica answered with a smile.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!" Bella screamed out. "Why must you always praise Max, Monica??" She asked in frustration.
"We know very well that you are a natural at playing the piano so can't you just take the glory for yourself?" She sighed as she took a bite from the apple in her hands.
"She's right Monica. You won the international piano awards after three years of learning piano while I couldn't pass the semifinals with my seven years of experience." Max added.
"But that was five years ago. I know you are far better than you were all those years. If you participated in the competition last year, I'm certain you would have left me in the dust " Monica argued back.
"Fine. He's better than you. Are you happy now??" Bella said.
"Yes. I'm very happy. I missed you so much brother. I thought you would remain in the base for ten years." Monica pouted.
"I also missed my darling sister alot. The last mission was quite A tough one but my team and I rushed the process so I could come back. Jenis especially, he was so eager to follow me but I left him behind." Max smiled when thinking of his best friend who had a crush on Monica.
"Jenis!! Why did you leave lover boy behind, I'm sure he's going to come knocking at our door tomorrow morning to see he's darling Monica." Bella teased Monica as they laughed but they didn't notice Max unusual gaze.
________
"CHRIS! CHRIS! WHO THE F*CK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE??"
"COME BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!!" He roared.
"B*STARD!!!"
"Darling please calm down. Let him go. He will come back when he's in his right mind. Don't stress yourself too much, it isn't good for your health." Sam pleaded with her husband.
"This son of ours is turning into something else. So he does all day is to spend the company's money on irrelevant things. Why couldn't he be more like his younger brother?" Mr Mitchell said in frustration.
"Don't compare our Kids dear. I know Chris will change. Just give him A little time." Sam said dejectedly.
"Time?? How long will it take for him to change?? Its been nine long years and he shows no sign of stopping. Will he change when we go bankrupt?? Or is it when he sees me six feet below will he change his lackadaisical behaviour." Mr Mitchell said in anger before exiting the mansion.
'How did things get this bad' Sam said inwardly.
_______
"So how do you think I can become such a good cook Monica?" Bella questioned before picking up her juice.
"I think you will first have to seal your mouth with the strongest super glue. Then you will block your nose to prevent you from inhaling the sweet aroma of food that will lead to you cutting off your mouth to eat the food. Thirdly, yo-"
"MAX!!" Bella screamed out annoyed.
'Hahahaha'
Monica and Max broke out in laughter.
"He's right you know. The food must be present to be judged and we all know that's impossible when you cook." Monica said in between her laughter.
"I wont argue that." Bella said as she joined in their laughter.
"So Monica, have you spoken to Marco yet?" Bella suddenly asked.
"I--"
"Marco Aari?" Max cut Monica mid sentence.
"Yes. He's every woman's dream man. " Bella said in admiration.
"How do you know him. I mean why would you be.speaking to him??" Max questioned.
"He was transferred to our school today. We kinda hanged out all afternoon so we could be considered friends." Monica explained.
"Oh..." Max said deep in thought.
"Geez, it felt like a dream speaking to him today. I mean, who would have ever believed that I would one day have lunch with country F's number 1 heartthrob." Bella continued in amazement.
"Okay enough now. Can you stop talking about number 2 in the presence of number 1??" Max joked.
"Yeah right. Like you are more handsome than Marco Huh" Bella smirked.
"Of course. This right here is the best evidence." Max said as he rubbed his hands across his face in slow motion.
Monica couldn't help but laugh at their interaction. 'How amazing things would have been if things were like this' she smiled at her thought.
"And don't forget these babies over here..." Max pointed at his muscle as he made some posture, then he showed his biceps and his firmly built body.
Any single girl that sees such a dashing and handsome dude like Max showing off his body like no other would be left drooling at his sight.
Max from a very young age was gifted with unworldly beauty like no other. To sum it up, he went to the military and built a body both men and women would trip for. He certainly was one in a million.
But to the public, he was ranked as 2nd to Marco because unlike the famous and uprising model Marco was, he was a personal and low key general in the military. But the little times he shows himself th the public during events organized by his dad's company was enough for the public to rank him 2nd.
Although he was ranked 2nd in public opinion, there are still some people like Monica and Bella who took him as their number 1 mostly because of his low key and mysterious lifestyle.
"Let's forget about your appearance now. Common, tell us what happened on your last mission." Monica said eagerly.
"Okay. Lets leave this handsome lad's beauty for another day." Max said proudly before taking a sip of his wine.
"So, my last mission took pla--"
'Ding ding'
Monica's ringtone left Max hanging mid sentence. "One moment please." Monica said before picking up the call of the unknown number.
Since she was eating with the people closest to her, she didn't require any privacy so she put the phone on loud speaker.
"Hello Monica. Its Marco."