"BESTIE!" she exclaimed as she swung the door open, enveloping me in a tight hug as if we hadn't seen each other in ages.
Before I could utter a word, she eagerly pulled me inside, and we settled down in the living room.
"Bestie! We crossed paths last night!" she squealed, sounding like a worm sprinkled with salt. I knew exactly who she was referring to – her long-time crush, an actor I wasn't particularly fond of due to his playboy reputation.
"But," she pouted, "we did meet, and he was entertaining another girl! He even rescued her! Ugh, we were in the middle of a conversation!"
I grinned. "Don't be too affected; he just talked to you. It's not like you two are an item."
She gave me a sideways glance, leaning back on the couch with crossed arms. "You're so bitter! Can't you just be supportive?"
"I'll support you if you choose the green flag. You're just colorblind, so even if it's already too red, you're still a go," I teased.
"Ugh! It's not obsession! I'm just a fan, okay? It's normal to have a crush on your idol. You wouldn't understand because you don't appreciate handsome guys! You're too 'stick to one' with that gecko-looking dude!"
I rolled my eyes. "Are you trying to annoy me, girl?"
She quickly retreated, intimidated by my scowl, especially since I didn't want to discuss that guy. Shena flashed a peace sign while hiding behind a small pillow.
"S-sorry! It's just you," she stammered.
"Tsk, whatever. You just don't know good taste," I retorted, raising an eyebrow.
She laughed, grabbed the TV remote, and changed the topic. "Okay, fine, let's switch topics. What do you feel like doing now? Movie marathon?"
I agreed, stepping down from the sofa. "Sure, as long as it's not chick flicks. I don't want to get depressed."
She raised an eyebrow. "Why? Do you have a lot of emotions bottled up?"
I shook my head. "No, I just prefer action or comedy. I'm not into overly sentimental stuff."
"Okay, action-comedy marathon it is!" We both settled on the couch, and she took charge of choosing the movies.
As the trailers played, we started enjoying the snacks she prepared. Amidst the laughter from the comedy scenes and excitement from the action-packed sequences, Shena suddenly burst into laughter.
"You know, even if you don't like my crushes, thank you for being supportive," she said, focusing on the screen.
"Of course, even if you're sometimes too obsessed with your crushes, I'm here for you," I replied, laughing along.
We continued watching, laughing at the comedy scenes and getting thrilled by the action-packed moments. In the middle of the movie, Shena suddenly burst out laughing.
"You know, even if you don't like my crushes, the fact remains that you still have a crush on that gecko-looking guy," she said, looking at me.
I was taken aback by her statement and immediately threw the pillow I was holding at her. "Hey! I'm not into him anymore! That's old news!"
We both laughed and continued watching. Despite our disagreements on crushes, our friendship prevailed, and we were there for each other. In the end, that was what mattered the most.
Shena still didn't know about what happened between me and Kalel earlier. I decided to keep it to myself for now, as I didn't want to see Shena storming into the dean's office due to her feisty nature.
I glanced at her open laptop, and her puzzled expression caught my attention. She quickly closed her laptop, probably to avoid another scolding from me about stalking her womanizer crush. However, that wasn't what intrigued me; it was the familiar face displayed on the screen. Shena had closed it in haste, possibly afraid that I'd scold her again for stalking her crush. But that wasn't what caught my attention; it was the familiar face on the screen.
"What's that?" I noticed something familiar. I stood up and walked towards her.
"B-Bestie, I swear! This just happened!" I grinned at her and pushed her to the side, causing her to tumble onto the couch. I reopened her laptop and read an article.
"When did you become interested in them?" Shena asked when she noticed I was silent while staring at her laptop. She approached me and looked at what I was reading. "Shena, do you know this guy? I mean, personally?" I pointed to a guy who wasn't even smiling but had become part of the Top Entrepreneur of the year.
"Not much, but I heard he's involved in the growth of a matchmaking service that you visited. But I didn't hear that he attended that event. Wait, do you know him? Was he at the event?"
I bit my nail when I read more details about him and his achievements, especially the service that I didn't think was more than just a participant. I facepalmed at what I discovered. I didn't realize he was this important and wealthy.
"I met him," I almost whispered, shocking Shena.
She quickly made me face her, eyes widening. "What? Are you sure about that? When? Where?" She bombarded me with questions while shaking me exaggeratedly. I think my brain cells were momentarily fried.
"Wait! Stop that." I halted her while she looked at me in disbelief.
"At the event, and just now. H-he's the one who drove me home." She was stunned by what she heard, but eventually burst into laughter, thinking I was joking.
"Bestie, please! That's impossible. What you're saying is impossible. Montgomery is rarely in the country. He prefers going abroad, and he never goes out without bodyguards."
I pursed my lips. "Do you still not believe me if I tell you that I'm his next match?"
She gaped, and it took a few seconds before she recovered and closed her mouth. "That's not funny, Bella! Are you really saying you met him at the event? This isn't a joke?"
I nodded, my face serious. "Yes, Shena. This is not a joke," I said, referring to her laptop. "He's the one I matched with. He's the guy I was with at the event."
She swallowed, unable to believe what I just said. "No... this can't be, Bella. Maybe you made a mistake. Maybe he just looks like the guy you were with."
I rolled my eyes and brought the laptop closer to her. "Look at this, Shena. It's him. It's Montgomery."
She scrutinized Montgomery's picture on the laptop, studying every detail of his face. After a few moments, she nodded, as if accepting the truth.
"Oh my God, Bella," she whispered, still staring at the laptop. "It's true. You were with Montgomery."
She sat on the couch, seemingly drained of energy. "How did this happen, Bella? How did you meet him? What did you do?"
I smiled, somewhat awkwardly. "Nothing, Shena. It just happened that we matched. I didn't even know it was him until earlier."
She looked at me, still in disbelief. "So... what now? What's your plan?"
I remained silent and headed straight to her condo's dirty kitchen. I felt her follow me.
"If you were telling the truth, why did you suddenly become a sugar baby? Did you choose that yourself? I thought you had pride for that kind of thing?"
I opened her almost overflowing refrigerator, filled with all sorts of goodies. She never runs out of food, so whenever I run out of something to eat, she invites me to her condo. Rich things.
"It's a three-month contract," I took some water and poured it into a glass. "I have to accomplish it because the payment will be tripled. I'm broke, so I had no choice but to go along with it," I sipped it and didn't hold back.
"If I were you, I'd agree too. Besides, he's so handsome!"
She really has a thing for handsome guys, which is why she often cries because her boyfriends, I mean ex-boyfriends, end up being womanizers.
"You'll be rich in just like 3 months! Maybe he'll even give you a house as a gift!" She added.
"No, there's no way I could accept that. I'm not that materialistic. I will end that contract, and nothing more. The end!"
"Ugh! Bestie, just enjoy the blessings given. Okay? We should be practical now!"
"I can't. I can't become dependent on that man. I have my pride, and I won't compromise it for temporary wealth," I said, looking at her.
"Pride more, Bella! But girl, think about it. You also accept help from me, right? What's the difference? You're just friends, and there's a contract. You know, many successful relationships start from this kind of setup," Shena said as she walked towards the sofa.
I nodded. "But that's different. There's no expectation. This contract, it's like you're flaunting your pride."
She sat down, her expression serious. "Bestie, sometimes, you have to let go of your pride for a while to achieve something greater. Three months is just a short period, and if it means securing your future, why not?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Securing my future? I have plans, and those plans don't involve relying on a man for financial stability."
She burst into a loud laugh. "Bestie, you're so old-fashioned. Isn't empowered women the trend now? That's why you're empowered. If you need to sacrifice a little for your future, why not?"
I didn't know if I should be firm or engage in a debate, but despite everything, her words made me think. I smiled slightly. "Thank you, Shena, but you know, my priorities are different."
"Oh, come on, Bestie. This is a rare chance. You're sacrificing so much for your job. Give yourself a break, and let someone else take care of you for a change. Forget about your pride for now, girl!"
I forced a smile. "Fine, but I'll do it my way, no compromising on values."
I went straight to her room because the bathroom was inside. She didn't mind my actions because she even preferred me staying here, but I declined because I didn't want to depend on her. She already helped me a lot.
*****
I've sighed multiple times today because of what happened yesterday. To think that unexpected events happened consecutively, my head feels like it's about to explode anytime.
I sighed again and stopped wiping the table. "I've probably counted a hundred sighs today, Bella. If you have a problem, you can tell us."
I forced a smile at Tasha, who stopped just to check on me with the towels she'd be using later.
Someone wanted to rent the entire bar, so we were busy cleaning. I overheard that a known actor would be renting, and we'd be busy all night. Apparently, he's quite finicky, and he doesn't want to be bothered by other people except for the guests and friends he invited.
"Ma'am, you really can't be here."
"Are you joking right now? This is a club, right? And I'm here every weekend. What the hell is with this shitty event?"
I paused in my steps upon hearing commotion at the entrance. A woman seemed determined to enter, so I peeked to check.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the entire bar is currently occupied. Customer entry resumes tomorrow." The woman insisted on entering.
"No way! What's the use of your bar if you won't accept customers? Are you all crazy?! Call your fucking manager!" The woman's friends tried to stop her, but the situation drew attention.
"Let them in." A baritone voice spoke from beside me. I looked up and recognized the man. He had many tattoos on his body, including a dragon tattoo descending from his arm to his neck.
Everyone knew this man. I wondered how Shena would react if she were here. She might faint from excitement. Her crush, the actor who seemed like a genuine playboy in my eyes, was here.
The woman stopped resisting, her eyebrows raised in surprise as the bouncers stepped aside. I couldn't make out her face clearly, but based on her attire, she gave off similar vibes to Shena – a bit bitchy and clearly spoiled.
"Isabella, sir Carlo is looking for you," Tasha informed me as she approached.
"O- okay, I'll go." I placed the cleaning cloth I used in the kitchen before washing my hands. When I reached Carlo's office, he was talking to a man whose face I couldn't immediately discern.
"Isabella is here." Carlo said with a smile. I glanced at the man he was talking to, but I couldn't see his face clearly.
"Hi," He said while smiling at me. I didn't smile back and looked at Carlo, who seemed like he was tiptoeing to escape.
"Sir Carlo, where are you going? Maybe explain what this is for?" I watched as he absentmindedly scratched the back of his neck, forcing a strained smile.
"Um, Isabella, Mr. Montgomery informed me," he began hesitantly. "You will be on leave for a week."
A week? My mind raced with questions. Why? Where were we supposed to go for an entire week? This couldn't have come at a worse time. Did Alex know that I didn't have classes the whole week? Maybe he asked someone? But that was impossible.
Unable to respond, I felt speechless at Carlo's words. My mind swirled with thoughts, and I didn't realize that Alex was already in front of me. I lifted my gaze to him, feeling small as I recognized the significant height difference. He was so tall, making me look like his younger sister.
"I'll pick you up after your shift today, okay?"
His words were gentle, his tone soft. I wanted to scold him, but his demeanor left me powerless. It was tough to blame him; anyone could see how many admirers he had.
A sly grin played on his lips, creating the sense that he was sharing a secret, just between us. His eyes twinkled with a playful glint, and it was getting harder to resist the magnetic charm he exuded.
His messy dark hair framed a face that combined rugged charm with refinement. Deep brown eyes showed warmth and mystery, and a well-defined jawline and playful smile struck a balanced strength.
"O-okay."
I lowered my gaze because apparently, I've been staring at him. I was startled when he lifted my chin with his thumb, making our eyes meet. It felt like a thousand butterflies were going wild in my stomach. Why do I feel this way about this guy?
His eyes lingered on mine. "Are you mad?" I sternly controlled my expression. I didn't want him to read my emotions; he might use it against me.
I pulled away, trying to shift my focus. "No... it's part of my responsibility as your match. You're here to fulfill the contract, right?"
A mischievous grin appeared on his face, starting with the subtle twitch of his lips and spreading to reveal perfectly white teeth.
"Hmm, yeah, but maybe not?"
I rolled my eyes at his response. What is he doing here then? I already signed the papers, and this should be starting now.
"Are you saying you just decided to drop by? Are you playing with me?" My lips pressed together, showing my annoyance.
I saw him amusingly chuckle, so I punched him in the stomach. Instead of getting mad, he laughed as if my punch meant nothing.
Is this guy abnormal?
I glared at him while clenching my fist. When he saw my reaction, he immediately stopped laughing and pretended to cough, but that smirk still lingered on his face. I stared at him, trying to hide the small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Feisty. I like that," he said, still chuckling under his breath.
"Stop playing around," I snapped, crossing my arms. "We have a contract to fulfill, and I expect you to take it seriously."
He leaned against the wall, that mischievous glint never leaving his eyes. "Don't worry, Isabella. I'm not here to play games. I just believe in making things interesting."
His words only fueled my annoyance. "Interesting? This isn't a game, Mr. Montgomery, especially when money is involved."
He straightened up, a subtle change in his demeanor. "Fair enough. I'll pick you up later, and we'll discuss the details of our little adventure."
"You're handsome, but you're clearly a playboy." I muttered to myself.
"I heard that," he said with a furrowed brow. I pretended to be surprised.
"I gasped. "Oh, really?"
He nodded, his eyes locking onto mine with a playful challenge. "Yep, I have pretty good hearing. One of the perks of being me."
I rolled my eyes, dismissing his remark. "Great, Mr. Montgomery, but let's keep the focus on our agreement. No distractions."
He grinned, undeterred by my attempt to maintain a professional tone. "No distractions, huh? Well, let's see how well you stick to that."