Cyprian walked out of the cafe, squinting her eyes as a result of the light reflection caused by the hot afternoon sun. She sprinted to her apartment building, at the same time trying to decide which to take between the elevator and the stairway.
As a result of trying to get to work early during this past week, she was not able to undergo her daily routine of exercise, so she decided to take the stairs to substitute that. Since she was only going to the fifth floor, it would be enough for a light exercise.
Jogging up the stairs, to the fifth floor which had 3 apartments; one for her and the other two, shared by her four older brothers.
She pressed her door pin and walked in, straight to her room where she had to pick the dress she would wear to the lunch meeting her and Shikera had with their CEO. She chose a blue v-neck t-shirt and a black ruffled skirt, coupling it with black pumps. When she was done dressing and applying her makeup, she walked back to the door, preparing to inform her brothers that she had an outing.
As she pushed open the door, her eyeballs almost popped out their sockets when she saw the scene in the corridor. What the heck was happening in this place?
Her four brothers were surrounding someone who was sweating profusely while staring up at them. She could not recognize the person yet as he was not facing her direction.
"What's going on here?" She asked, her voice reflecting her amusement as she walked closer to them. Who had dared to get on her brothers nerves after seeing their muscular and hefty physique? And the person dared to come here to their house?
Her eldest brother turned while the rest continued staring down at Raymond.
"You can continue on your way, Cyprian. We caught someone stalking you so we just want to ask him the reason and then teach him some manners."
"Stalking me? Who...?" Her voice trailed off when her brothers made way and allowed her see the person's face.
"Raymond?!" She exclaimed, rushing towards him.
"Raymond from college?" Her eldest brother echoed, sharing a look with the others.
"He's-- Don't bother about him, I'll take him out now." Dragging Raymond with her, she hurriedly excused herself and punched the elevator button. Immediately it opened, she pulled him inside and pressed the ground floor button.
Ding!
The elevator doors closed and she turned to face Raymond, a stern look on her face. When did he form the habit of stalking people?
"Care to explain what happened back there?" She asked, watching as he breathed in and out, trying to catch his breath.
Raymond looked up at her, the makeup on her face making him furrow his brows.
"Are you going somewhere?" He asked back, ignoring her own question.
Cyprian sighed loudly, "Are we playing this game? I should have left you there and let them disfigure your handsome face instead."
Raymond hurriedly shook his head,"I just wanted to know your apartment... Forget that, did you always have elder brothers? I don't remember you having any when you were still in college?"
"Did you try to know anything about me? You only focused on your priority."
The elevator doors slid open just then and she walked out.
"Avoid my brothers at all cost because they won't let you go now that they know you are the Raymond I dated in college."
Raymond stepped out of the elevator after her, watching her swinging green hair as she walked away.
"I don't think I can avoid them--- if they can tell me what exactly it was that I did to you." He whispered to himself.
***
"Cupcake!" Cyprian yelled, immediately she sighted Shikera in the restaurant.
Noticing the weird pose with which Shikera turned to look at her, she hurried over to the corner seat in which she was sitting.
"What's the matter, Cupcake?" She asked.
"My feet..." Shikera was talking about the bunny slippers which had not allowed her to stand up, since she sat down in this seat.
She did not want to be the source of amusement for the people in the restaurant this afternoon.
Cyprian followed Shikera's gesticulation and looked under the table, her eyes widened in shock.
"What are you wearing?" She drawled.
"Slippers... " Shikera answered, in a matter of fact tone.
Cyprian sighed exasperatedly, "I am not blind, Kera. I am asking why you are wearing slippers to a lunch with your CEO."
"Because my husband locked my closet with my shoes. He told me to wear this if I really want to go out." She deadpanned, pursing her lips.
"And you agreed? Without putting up a fight?" Cyprian scoffed, not believing that Shikera just allowed her husband dictate to her. She knew the kind of friend she had and she would never put it to Shikera to do this, even in a hundred years.
"I didn't want to. But, did you see my lips?" She pointed at her lips as she leaned across the table.
Cyprian paid attention and stared at her lips, yet she didn't see anything special about it.
"I can see your lips but I don't know what exactly it is, that you want me looking out for." She stated.
Shikera sat up straight, wondering how Ethan had found out she used lipgloss when Cyprian could not. Had he been paying that much attention on her lips?
"Nevermind! Just know that I kissed him due to certain circumstances yesterday and I didn't argue with him, as a way of apologizing."
Cyprian nodded, though she did not understand why Shikera would apologize for kissing her own husband, albeit bound by contract.
"Then, you're going to wear this until Mr Lane comes, and our Team Leader?" She asked.
Shikera shook her head, "I can't let this be the cause for Team Leader bullying today. Can you get me sneakers from the boutique next door?" She asked pleadingly.
Cyprian nodded, standing up from her seat. She walked out of the restaurant as a determined smile rested on her lips.
"If your father didn't know your husband's true colour before getting you married to him, I'll take it upon myself to do that for you. No one belittles my friend... except our Team Leader though." She thought.
She entered the boutique and called out to the attender,
"Good day! Can I get a black sneaker with white stripes?" She called out in a cheerful voice.
An attendant hurried to meet her, a bright smile on her lips.
"In what size ma'am?"
Cyprian thought for a while before looking down at her own feet.
"She has super small legs but---- Take me to the section and I can check them out."
----
The lunch meeting, which was about their assignment at Anderson Corporation, stretched for four long hours. By the time they were done, they were not able to eat anything as everywhere was already dark.
Within an hour, Shikera found herself at home. After checking and making sure that Ethan wasn't home, she hurried to the living room and put on the Television.
"And here on the News On The Hour, Announcer Leah Nichols will be co-presenting the news along with Reporter Shikera Anderson."
"How beautiful she is!" Shikera screamed in excitement, burying her face in the pillow oblivious to the four pairs of eyes staring at her from the doorway.