Chapter 13: Chapter 13

I had every reason to believe that Brielle was mentally unstable. When I told her about my scheduled meeting with Leon’s family that night, she went on and on about how she really shipped both of us. And when I asked about Emrys, she said it just had to be one out of the two and, in her words, guy I’d had sex with the previous night. I didn’t need to be Sherlock to know that she was talking about Ryker.

“I didn’t sleep with him,” I said with a groan.

“Right. Because any normal woman of your age…” “I’m just twenty-three going to four.”

“…would have a man in her room and claim nothing happened,” she finished, rolling her eyes.

“I swear we did nothing. Can you just help me pick out a dress? I don’t want Leon’s parents thinking I’m not up to their class or something worse.”

“This is a great sign,” she squealed and that only confused me. I raised a brow. “What sign exactly?”

She nudged me with her elbow and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “You know.” “Actually, I don’t.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s a sign that you want to be pretty for your soon-to-be boyfriend because why else would you want to dress pretty?”

Because I’m scared that his family would think I’m plain and not best friend worthy and order their son to eat me, I wanted to say but I settled with, “Because I’m his best friend and I have to leave a good impression on them.”

“That’s what they all say,” she said with a scoff. “Why are you just meeting his family for the first time though?”

“They don’t live in the country,” I said and it wasn’t entirely a lie because his family was living in another continent.

She would have made some silly suggestion, I saw it in her eyes, but Hiro burst into my room nearly ten minutes after I texted her of the situation knowing Brielle would rather bombard me with questions than help me find a dress.

“Hiro?” Brielle asked, surprised. “How do you know Paris?”

She laughed. “We met a couple of days back and really hit it off.”

“That’s actually really nice,” Brielle said glancing at me with her famous ‘we have to talk about this’ look.

“So, when is this date you told me about?” Hiro asked as she plopped her backside on my bed without even asking.

“It’s not a date,” I said, groaning as I buried my face in my hands.

“He’s taking you to meet his family. Doesn’t that sound like that date that is a huge step in a relationship to you?” Hiro asked with a raised brow.

“That’s what I said!” Brielle shouted.

I glared at Brielle and faced Hiro, repeating the one phrase I’d been saying all day, “It’s not a date.”

“Honestly, I think he’s in love with you from what you’ve said about him and I think you are secretly in love with him too,” Hiro said, placing her hand under her chin. “Or what do you think Brie?”

“I think so too. It would explain a lot,” she said with a bright smile. “He doesn’t love me. He’s not that stupid,” I muttered.

“And why would he be stupid to be in love with you?” Brielle asked, her tone indicating she was really interested in the topic.

“Because he’s my best friend,” I all but shouted.

Hiro raised a brow. “I don’t know why you think that explains everything because it doesn’t.”

I groaned for the millionth time that evening. “Can we just forget about this and get me into a dress? I have less than an hour until Leon comes to get me.”

“Fine but we will talk about this tomorrow. We’re going to have a girl’s night,” Brielle suggested, clapping her hands excitedly.

“I can’t. I have a date tomorrow night,” Hiro said with a sigh. “But you guys can go on and imagine I’m there.”

“But there will be ice cream and Channing Tatum. You can never go wrong with those two,” Brielle whined.

“Agreed but if I’m coming, I’m going to be up for a more recent sappy romance movie like Crazy Rich Asians.”

“But classical movies are the best,” Brielle whined again. “Or we could do both?” I suggested.

“I’ll go for my date and come around the time we’ll be watching the rich Asians fall in love,” Hiro said sending a wink my way.

“I don’t know what that wink means and I don’t think I want to know,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Just get me something to wear. It seems that ever since I came to Atham City, I’ve lost every sense of fashion I once had.”

“That’s because you never had it,” Brielle said bursting into laughter as she walked over to my wardrobe and began scanning it for clothes.

I didn’t bring much with me when I was coming because I was an emotional shopaholic and knew I would eventually buy more than I came with.

Unfortunately, I didn’t need to be shopping as much as I did when I was either stressed or worried. I was just okay the way I was. Happy because my first and last love was finally feeling something for me even though it would never be as strong as what I felt for him.

Brielle groaned and I looked at her. “What I’m looking for is a dress that says ‘I know fashion but I respect that you’re his parents’ and I’m not seeing that in your closet. How do you have so many slutty clothes?”

“I over shop,” I said with a chuckle even though I knew it was partially a lie since Leon and his sister always shopped for me.

I knew that if I told Brielle that, there was no way I would leave early so I decided to leave that little detail out of our discussion.

“You think?”

“Maybe you have something in your own closet?” Hiro suggested. “Not really,” Brielle said with a sigh.

“Let’s improvise then. Create a mix with something in your closet and something in hers. It doesn’t have to be a dress, you know,” Hiro said with a shrug.

“That is a great idea. I’ll just have to mull over what I saw in her closet and see what to make a perfect match with mine.”

“Remember that we don’t have all the time in the world.”

Brielle nodded and proceeded to think. “I saw this really lovely white jumpsuit that could work. It has this elegance to it and I have shoes that will be perfect with it and matching jewelries.”

“Okay that’s great,” I said trying to remember what jumpsuit she was talking about.

“Yes, and I could give you my coat so that you don’t feel the cold too much once you’re outside. The jumpsuit is way too flimsy.”

“What about her makeup?” Hiro asked leaning on her elbow.

Before Brielle could form a reply, I said, “I’m going natural tonight. No makeup at all.” “Not even mascara?” Brielle asked with widened eyes.

I nodded. “Yes. I don’t really feel the need to put on makeup since it’s at his house and I’ll only be meeting his family. I don’t want to be too much.”

“Are you sure?” Hiro asked exchanging looks with Brielle and I nodded again. “Okay, whatever you want.”

“At least, you’ll do your hair?” Brielle asked finally getting over the shock that I was deciding to go out makeup free.

“Nothing too complex. Just simple and sweet.”

“So, you’re going for the ‘next door neighbor who bakes cookies and loves smiling’ look?” Brielle asked, her brows shooting up.

“I don’t think there’s a look with those particular words but yeah, something like that will do,” I replied and Brielle shook her head. “What?”

“You’re missing the whole point of the date and trying to make it like a friendly get together,” Hiro replied and Brielle nodded.

“That is what it is,” I said trying my best to sound calm and not like I was ready to blow up from anger.

“Okay, okay, whatever you say boss,” Hiro said raising up her hands in surrender while laughing like she knew something I didn’t.

I knew I couldn’t take one more minute of their madness so I said, “Can we just get this over with?”

“Aye, aye, captain,” Brielle said and I glared at her so she rushed to my closet to get out the jumpsuit she spoke of. “This is it.”

I recognized it the moment I laid my eyes on it. Leon had bought it for me on my twenty- third birthday and I had never worn it since then. I decided against telling Brielle and Hiro because I didn’t want to bother myself with what they would say.

“Okay, then,” I said as she left the room to get the shoes and everything else after ordering me to put on the clothe.

When I wore it, I realized it was much tighter than it had been when he bought it for me meaning that it accentuated my nonexistent curves. I had always been slightly embarrassed that I could have a backside that was as flat as a pan but after my birthday, it appeared I was gaining a little more flesh in the backside.

To any other person, it wouldn’t have been noticeable because I was still a flat as ever but I noticed it after years of looking at my backside in the mirror and wondering when it will grow. If anything, the jumpsuit was proof that it was growing.

It had a halter plunge V-neck with a zip belt around my waist and was so long that it covered my feet. I knew that the heels would make it shorter when I wore them.

When Brielle came back, she tossed her sequined silver block heels at me and gave me the cutest mahogany brown purse with silver jewelries. I put them on while she hung her coat on the closet’s door and waited for me to be done so she could begin with my hair.

Like I had told her, she had made a simple braid crown for me that involved more pins than I’d ever used in my entire life. I would have complained if I didn’t actually think I looked beautiful with it. All natural.

“Thank you so much, Brie,” I said and she waved it off. “Also, I’d like it if you can talk to Emrys for me to help a friend.”

“The guy you slept with?” Brielle asked with a raised brow. Hiro’s eyes widened. “You slept with someone?”

I rolled my eyes as I glared at Brielle. “I did not sleep with him and his name is Ryker.”

“So, there was a guy,” Hiro said, wiggling her eyebrows and I glared at her. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry.”

I turned my attention back to Brielle. “So, Brielle can you talk to him? Ryker needs a job and I think he’ll do well as a model. He just needs someone that can get him in and you know how popular Emrys is.”

Emrys nodded. “I’ll try but you’re still going to have to talk to him yourself about Ryker and

your current annoyance with him.” “I’m not annoyed with him. I just…” Ping!

I glanced at my phone and saw that it was a text from Leon telling me that he was in his car waiting for me. Of course, he wouldn’t come to the door. It wasn’t a date.

“He’s here,” I said and Hiro squealed. “He’s in his car so I’m afraid you won’t be seeing him now.”

“No fair,” Hiro whined, pouting. “Maybe next time.”

“I doubt there’ll be a next time but okay.” I stood up from the bed and patted down the jumpsuit as I pulled on Brielle’s coat. “I’ll be back soon enough and Brielle please keep aside ice cream for me in case I come back crying. Parents are unpredictable.”

“Okay, dear. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Brielle called after me and I shook my head as I walked out the door.

When I got to the door, I saw an unfamiliar car parked in front of the house and easily assumed it was Leon so I walked to the car and knocked on the window. In barely two minutes, I was in the car. I thought about scolding Leon for reckless spending but thought better of it since it would make me a hypocrite.

“Took you long enough,” Leon said, rolling his eyes as he started driving. “There’s no need to be snarky,” I said but I knew he was joking.

Leon always complained that he never knew why it took girls so long to get ready and because I was one of those girls, we joked about it a lot.

Leon suddenly laughed and I raised a brow thinking he was crazy. “I was just thinking about how we’re the worst bosses ever.”

I chuckled. “What makes you say that?”

“Look at us. You left on a one-year vacation and instead of being there, I left our work to come protect you in case Avyanna tries anything. And just a month back, your mother was begging us to take a break from work. The irony.”

I laughed. “It’s not like the company would crash or something. Our team is capable of handling themselves on their own. Besides, as much as I hate to admit it, Teagan would make a good boss.”

He nodded. “True but you’ll never tell her that, right?”

“Her ego is already way too much. I’m not going to add to it,” I said with a chuckle. “When last did you talk to her, anyway?”

He grimaced. “Yesterday night.”

I burst into laughter. “She doesn’t give up.”

“That would be a good thing if I didn’t wish she’d give up on me already.” “She’s not that bad.”

He rolled his eyes. “You can’t even stand her presence and you always say, ‘the only reason why she’s still working with us is because she’s good and I don’t want to lose her’.”

“I do not sound like that,” I said, crossing my arms and frowning at his cruddy attempt of imitating me.

He shrugged. “You sound like that to me.”

“Unbelievable,” I muttered and he grinned. “I think this might just be the end of our friendship.”

“In your dreams, Paris. In your dreams.”

I smiled, thinking that it would only ever be in my dreams if I could help it. I couldn’t help but let my mind wander away into comparing my car ride with Leon to my car ride with Emrys and I just knew there was a bond between Leon and I that no one else would have with me.