Sarah's POV
"And then she was like how dare you kiss my boyfriend" she tried to say it in a sassy tone.
"And guess what happened next? They started slapping each other. Everyone was just laughing. But you know what? I just walked out of the class."
"Woah! That was dramatic," I said, as I stirred the gravy. After thirty minutes of listening to her school drama, I finally commented. It wouldn't have ended if she hadn't walked out of the class.
"What's the occasion? BTW," she asked as she tasted gravy from the saucepan.
"Nothing," I said, as I plated the steak. Its juicy texture was already watering my mouth.
"Oh, so what about your job? I guess you got a better job."
Better? Yes, it is.
"It is actually. The working hours are suitable for my schedule." I had served everything. Since, I had no dining area. We were using my study table. I had cleared it up by putting my books on the bed. We were short of chairs. So Lilly climbed on the table. It was good. The smell of steak with the gravy that my mother used to cook for me.I had also made some fries. It felt like home. I decided to invite her, to make it feel less lonely.
"Is it worth paying?" She said by looking at the variety of dishes.
"It is," my mouth was stuffed with fries.
"Really? What do you do ?"
Okay. What should I do? I was not prepared for this question. Was I ashamed?. But it was confidential. Right? I had the right to lie about my source of income.
"It's about data entry." I lied casually.
"And working hours?"
Shut up and eat your food. I didn't say that. Because I didn't want her to think I am earning black money.
"It's online. Like you don't have to go there"
"Oh that's nice. And… this gravy is something. You are such a dark horse. How are you so good at cooking." she was definitely enjoying, by the way she wiggled her eyes
"Thanks," I said as I poured some more in her bowl.
I could have told her if I wanted to that it was my mom's recipe. I never talked about my mom to someone ever. It always felt too personal. I never had someone that close to talk about such things. But the truth is I never really told anyone how I truly feel. What was going on with my life. These things were casual happenings of my daily routine. With Lilly it was always one way conversation. She was asking questions and I was answering her. She told me about the fight that happened today in her school. I also had some worth telling stories about my university like Tina. The mean girl in my life and her chicks were some worth telling gossip. But it never happened, not that I didn't like her. I was on my own for everything. It was not like that before my mother died. It was different. I used to be more lively. I had someone I liked. Regardless of the fact I never told him, it was still a happy memory. Having a crush.
Even though it was not that serious.
I was putting dishes into the sink. Lilly was arranging my books on the study table.
"It was good! Thank You," she grinned as she was done with the books.
"Don't thank me too early, we have dessert," I announced.
"Really? " she jumped in excitement.
"Yeah," I unpacked the brownies I had ordered. I was searching for clean forks, when the message popped from the phone on the shelf. I picked it up.
'Saturday sharp at eight in the morning. I will pick you up'
It was Clarke. Another photoshoot? Everyone was still crazy about the last one. Still, I had no choice and it was the service I was being paid for.
'Sure' I typed.
"Is that your boyfriend," I flinched as I heard her, I turned to see her. She was peeking into my phone.
"No," I denied her allegation with a frown on my face.
"He just said he will pick you," she read.
"It's work, Lilly," I turned to pick up forks.
"Really? You said it's online," she said as she picked the plate herself and grabbed a fork from my head. She started walking towards my bed. She was planning to eat on my bed.
I was busted, "It's not totally online," I said as I picked my plate.
"Weird!" she commented as she sat on my bed.
Last thing I wanted this night was to worry about anything, so I ignored everything. Even the sick feeling in my stomach I felt by the thought of facing him again.
For half of my life, I remember longing for weekends. To finally have rest. And the whole week I always felt the time was slow, deliberately. The weekend of my life I wanted to avoid so much arrived just so soon. I had decided so much to do this weekend. I was finally able to do some shopping for myself. And my exams were also going to start by next week. So I was not able to go shopping again, this time I had money but not time. So, I postponed it to th week after my exams. Well it was the only option.
Sharp at eight, I walked out of my apartment. I saw two men dressed in black outside the building.
"Madam, you will have to walk a bit. The car is parked a little bit far."
I got confused. Clarke came alone last night. And parked his car in front of my building.
Am I going to get kidnapped or something? Oh my God, his fans are crazy. I was following and plotting different scenarios in my mind at the same time. There were three cars. Two BMWs and a shiny black mercedes. Maybe he changes his car a lot, I tried to convince myself, as I walked towards the car.
As I opened the car's door, I hovered myself to peek inside. Where I found familiar eyes but not it was not Clarke It was him.
"I-uhh-I thought," why I was so nervous all of sudden?
"Clarke got some sh*t to deal with."
Very nice way to explain that someone is busy.
"Hurry up, we don't have time to stare" he was now looking straight ahead.
I sat in the passenger seat. It was going to be super awkward. I knew.
"Fasten your seat belt." I heard his words.
I did the same and the most awkward journey of life started.
No talking, no music, just us. It was okay, at least I was not feeling sick. But I had to ask,
"Where are we going," without looking at him. For some reason it felt too dangerous. t o look into those. After a long silence, which felt too embarrassing. He answered as shortly as he could, not moving his eyes from the road.
"Ashwell."
I had never been there, but I had heard a lot about it. But why the hell in Ashwell. I knew it was far and I wasn't ready for that. I was expecting him to head to the highway. But we weren't, we were still in the city. Two cars were behind us. The car was covered completely.
I was reading my to-do list for studies. When the car pulled. It was a mall. An expensive one. It was necessary for me to look at him, which I did. He took out something from his leather wallet.
"Go buy something less revealing for yourself and wear it." It was a credit card, stuck between his forefinger and middle finger.
I looked at my dress. Top was sleeveless and a bit short. Showing a little bit of my belly button.
"This is inappropriate for the occasion," he said, stretching his back against the seat.
Who the hell was going to tell me about the occasion?
"And what's the occasion?" My question was not weird that made his eyes roll.
"We are going to visit my Grandma." His rude tone blessed me with the information.
"I was not told that families will be involved in this," I crossed my legs and bent myself a little bit. My head was in his direction. Unconsciously, I was trying to have his attention.
"Just do what I said," now his highness was finally looking at me. I cleared a lump from my throat as the tension began to build.
"Why?" my tone was weak, not annoyed as it should be. But still I asked.
He straightened his posture and sighed. His body moved a bit closer, hand resting on the top of my seat. I was caged.
"You are paid enough not to ask. I don't like girls who question a lot."
Why the hell, he whispered and moved his eyes on my lips?
Again, my heart was racing. And his other hand, with a credit card tucked in his fingers, brushed against my cheek.
"Is that okay?" he arched his eyebrow. The sudden urge to let this happen, happen what? I didn't know myself. It was terrifying.
I moved my body away from him. Hitting my back in the car's door. It was prominent, the way I was panting. It was clear I got nervous.
I adjusted my posture again. He was stuck in his spot. I tried to take the card, but he pressed it between his fingers. My eyes followed him in curiosity.
"Be quick. We don't have forever," it was rude again. For what I was thankful for. He loosened his grip and I took the card and rushed out of the car.
The environment I experienced inside made me forget what just happened. People were staring at me. Of course, I was looking like a sh*t when all of them were dressed like models. I was walking numb. There were many stores with the names giving you expensive chills. Sassy tones of people talking like they will kill me if I talk to them. Made me nervous.
Why the hell, I was nervous?
Besides being in London for all of my life, I had never been to rich places like this. I had the right to be nervous, right? Most of all, I was alone. Clarke was busy, which he explained as sh*t. He should have been born this rude, I deduced.
"Yo gorgeous," was the store that caught my attention. It looked nice and expensive. Since he parked in front of this expensive mall, the card would have enough balance I assumed.
I entered the store. And the strange stares of the salespersons and customers, did affect my confidence. For a whole five minutes, no one approached. My expressions were neutral. I was trying to not show how much I was affected.
"How can I help you, madam," A beautiful girl, who was a salesman, approached me.
"I was looking for something modest," I was surprised my voice didn't stutter.
"Can you tell me what's the occasion? Is it a date?" her hands pressed against each other, she was standing respectfully. I was relieved.
"Yeah, his grandmother," his grandmother? I was acting like I was talking about my boyfriend.
Her eyebrows wiggled, "Oh! No wonder you looked nervous," she commented.
Of course I looked nervous, but because of how they looked down on me.
She helped me choose the outfit. And I was very thankful, she also suggested me the footwears. I bought some makeup to make myself presentable or likeable? In the women's restroom I worked on myself. Got dressed, wore makeup, styled my hair. And the end result was something I didn't expect.
Why the hell was I nervous to show up like this in front of him?