2 weeks later...
(Lisa's POV)
I was sleeping soundly until I felt a presence by my bed. When I opened my eyes, I saw Valin... perhaps it was his security system watching me, or just another dream. Regardless I smiled and closed my eyes.
"Oh... I thought you'd be happier to see me." He muttered sulkingly, that's when my eyes shot back open and I sat up in bed. The first thing I did was pinch my cheek and then check my phone for the time, 3 A.M.
"Is it really you?" I asked, looking up at him from the bed. He squatted down low enough to meet my face then kissed me, pressing his lips on mine until I opened my mouth wider and allowed the kiss to become more intimate. After that, he pulled away and smiled saying,
"That depends on who you think I am." I stifled a laugh, and then I felt myself start to cry so I embraced him to hide my face.
"Valin... welcome home!" He climbed in bed on top of me and whispered,
"I'm glad to be back."
Earlier...
I had started going to work regularly before he came back, by request of Dite wanting to meet me in person. She had critiques on a song I'd written for her, as well as requests for changes, but it seemed like no matter what I did she was never satisfied.
"Hey, I know we just have a work relationship but I happened to see your profile. I sent you a friend request because I thought maybe we could be friends. It would be good for both of us if we got along, right? Plus I can recommend you to some music artists I know." I know she's lying, at least partially... should I tell her that Valin already told me about their past relationship... or play dumb as Aluma suggested?
"I don't add people I don't know very well.. so maybe we should hang out in a less professional setting first?" She frowned and then tapped the table with her perfectly manicured pink nails.
"That might be hard because I'm so famous... Oh, but one of my friends is having a party this weekend! You should stop by." I used to like large parties but now I prefer small gatherings with close friends.
"Is it okay if I invite some friends?" She stared at me silently for 5 good seconds before saying,
"Is one of those friends your boyfriend?" I felt like my heart was squeezed. Just being here was stressful because I kept thinking that Valin would come home and I wouldn't be there to welcome him back. It's not a big deal... but it's important to me.
"No, my boyfriend is out of town to attend to family matters." Her face revealed a mixture of emotions.
"Well .... that's fine then. No more than 3 friends though. I'll text you the address." She pulled out her phone to share the details immediately, while I updated Aluma and Innoccence on the situation in our group chat.
"Of course we'll come!" Aluma replied,
"I'll bring my brass knuckles just in case some faces need to be rearranged," Innoccence added, Their replies made me laugh. The party was at a mansion, the music wasn't as loud as I was used to since I could still hear everyone speak and the rooms were spacious enough that 20 people could stand around comfortably. Once we got there Dite volunteered to show us around. She showed Aluma and Innoccence the pool, saying they could rent bikinis in the lounge.
"I actually wanted to talk to you alone for a little bit." She whispered to me. I know they can hear the conversation. Their hearing is so sensitive now that this whole environment is probably annoying but they didn't let it show.
"That's fine... hey guys I'll be back soon!" I called, they both eyed Dite and nodded while looking through their bathing suit options. Dite took me into a back room with a bar, once the door was closed, the room fell silently, it was almost like we were the only ones in this house.
"Would you like a drink? I can mix something up for you. I'm actually pretty good at it." Dite invited while making a drink for herself.
"Um... no thank you." She shrugged, then delicately took a sip from her glass.
"Okay... I should get straight to the point... I like you. You've written 2 songs for me while I had writer's block, and they were both hits. You're agreeable and cute... So I don't want to drop a bomb on you like this but... it looks like we're dating the same guy." I stared at her blankly so she continued, "Valin Walker, right? I'm so busy with my career that I'm never home and we had to keep our relationship private-"
"Aren't you with Micheal?" I interrupted.
"That's just for publicity," Dite explained, causing me to roll my eyes then she raised her voice and said, "It's the truth!"
"You wouldn't know... but Valin already told me about you..." Her eyes widened then she looked away from me and bit her lip, "According to him you weren't even dating."
"He's lying!" As she yelled this she threw the glass in her hand at the wall behind me. "Think about it, I'm rich, beautiful, famous. Between the two of us, who do you think would be the real girlfriend?"
"This is Valin we're talking about, he has investments and his own business. He doesn't need your money and I have a hard enough time getting him to accept me buying things for him. He also hates attention so taking a chance and dating someone as famous as you? He would rather not. Yeah you're beautiful, but I am pretty too, I have no doubts that he's crazy about me. There's no way he's dating you. It's laughable you think I would fall for such a crappy lie."
"... What did he say about me?" She mumbled in response
"He said he couldn't be serious about you because you liked his brother and he didn't seem to have any lingering feelings."
"That's not true! I mean... I did like Zai but that's only because I met him first! If I met Valin first... I would... I would have noticed him properly." She's practically confessing to lying now.
"Do you really want to be friends" My question made her scoff
"Of course not... How about this... make it so I can meet with Valin. I want to talk to him face to face, or I'll make sure you can't work in this town anymore. I'll ruin your reputation so badly that your parents will disown you." It was my turn to scoff,
"If he's your boyfriend why do you need my help to meet up with him?" She bit her lip.
"Fine! Okay, I lied..." Dite then flopped onto the sofa across the room, "But... I think he was being dishonest too... we had a deep connection and it looks like he implied that what we had was nothing. I blew it, and I don't want to steal him from you... okay, that's another lie but I don't think I can. Valin isn't that easily persuaded. I just want to talk to him, please." She looked sincere at this point but I am so irritated by how she initially approached me that I don't know if I want to do her any favors.
"I must look stupid to you if you think I would willingly let you meet up with my boyfriend when you're so obviously still pining over him." Her eyes widened and she stared me down,
"I wasn't planning on asking you for help, you were supposed to bring him with you today... I said you could bring a guest, but you brought two women I've never met." Oh!... She doesn't know that he's out of town.
"He's away visiting family right now." Dite groaned,
"Of course!... my luck just sucks... to be honest I want to destroy your career... make you cry but I know if I do all that he will hate me forever." She's hung up on Valin... maybe their relationship was more important than he implied, at least to her.
"I'll talk to him for you... maybe you can talk and get closure. But you better not make a move on him or mess with my career! I mean it." She gasped and then started walking toward me, "Stop! Don't come near me, you threw a glass at me and have been crazy and erratic since we met... It's up to him if he wants to talk." Her facial expression became negative again and she scowled at me and then said,
"Fine but if he doesn't want to talk... you might reap the consequences." She left the room first revealing Aluma and Innoccence who were waiting for me. She gave them both dirty looks before walking away. I came outside to join them and inform them of what happened but they shook their heads and whispered that they had heard everything. We left around an hour later so they could fill up on snacks and drinks. Aluma carried the sleeping Innoccence out on her back but I was stopped at the door by a man I don't know.
"Hey, I don't think we've met but this is my house." He started. Maybe he has something to say about Dite...
"Oh I'm sorry for not greeting you, Dite invited me and said it would be fine." He laughed, and replied,
"Oh no... it's fine... I just don't want you to go... without us becoming acquainted. Could we exchange numbers and I'll invite you myself, next time, miss..?"
"I'm Lisa and um... not thanks I don't like giving out my number to strangers." He pouted,
"I'm Marc... we'll if we see each other in the future, I'll ask again." I gave him a half smile and followed after Aluma and Innoccence who went to the car ahead of me.
It was this very night that Valin finally returned home. His hair was still long and his attire looked foreign, yet regal. He didn't stay dressed long enough for me to admire the clothes properly, though and I was too sleepy to focus on anything other than him.