Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Finally deciding that I looked okay enough, I walked down the stairs to meet Hiro who had called me nearly fifteen times to inform me that she was by the door waiting for me. I smoothed my dress as I adjusted my hair and walked.

I was so engrossed in smoothening my dress that I didn’t notice Emrys walking up and bumped into him.

“Watch…Paris?” he looked awestruck and at loss for words. He finally caught himself and added, “You look gorgeous.”

My cheeks flamed and I could feel my insides turn mushy because he called me gorgeous. Now, I wasn’t insecure about my looks. Honestly, I thought I was hot and always made sure to flaunt it when I could but it was Emrys freaking Cole. It meant a whole lot more that he thought I was gorgeous.

“Thank you. You too. I mean, you’re handsome not gorgeous obviously. Well, you could be gorgeous too since it’s not exclusively…”

“Thank you. Are you heading somewhere?” I nodded. “The club. A friend’s taking me.”

Worry clouded his face and he said, “Give me your phone.” I raised a brow. “I want to put my number in it so in case you need me, you can call.”

I nodded and brought out my phone, unlocking it, before handing it over to him. He put in his number and gave it back to me with a smile.

“Don’t forget to call me if there’s a problem and I’ll be there as fast as I can,” he said with a smile and gave me a slight nod before walking up.

I took deep breaths and stared at my phone for a full minute. If getting his number wasn’t progress, I didn’t know what else was. I felt my phone ringing and I knew it was Hiro so I sighed and walked outside the house with this large grin on my face.

I saw Hiro’s car and walked up to it. The moment I was inside, she glared at me and I wanted to look serious for an apology but the Emrys-caused grin wasn’t leaving my face any time soon.

“There better be a good reason why you wasted my time,” she said, her glare intensifying. “Emrys gave me his number.”

“Okay?”

“Like I didn’t ask for it. He actually put it in my phone. Himself. He touched my freaking phone. He smiled at me. Hiro, he said I was gorgeous.”

She dropped her glare and started laughing. “Do you realize how you sound right now?”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t care. All I know is that Emrys is finally noticing me and I’m happy.” She laughed and shook her head. “Drive, peasant, drive.”

She glared at me but still started the engine and drove away. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.”

“Yeah, yeah, just take me out so I can get drunk and party,” I said bursting into laughter which she joined in. “I’m going to have so much fun tonight. Maybe, I’ll even be able to get my mind together so it stops turning into a puddle whenever he’s around.”

“I’m assuming we’re talking about Emrys again,” she said and I nodded. “Girl, you’re in it deep.”

I was about to reply when my phone started ringing and I saw it was Leon. “Sorry, I need to take this.” She nodded and I picked his call. “What is it?”

“I’m having an issue here and I need your help.” “Shoot.”

“Can you please call Teagan and lie to her that there’s some important job you have for her so you can get her out of the house?” I burst into laughter at that and he groaned. “It’s not funny. I wish I was with Evelina to get her out of here but I’m at our apartment.”

I finally managed to stop laughing and I said, “Can you just take her out on a date? She has tried so hard. Maybe you can fall in love with her.”

“She’s not…she’s not the one.” “She could be if you make her.” He sighed. “I don’t know.”

“Just one date, Leon, and you can convince her it isn’t working or something. That’s the best way to get rid of her.”

He grumbled then finally said, “If it doesn’t work…” “It will.”

“Where are you by the way? I hope you’re not driving and talking to me.” I snickered. “I’m not. I’m with a friend and we’re going to a club.”

“Club? What club?”

I hung up before he could go all overprotective mode on me. It was hard to get out of those talks once he started them. I quickly put my phone on silent so that I wouldn’t be too bothered by his constant calling and have to pick it up.

I looked around and saw that the car had already stopped and we were in front of the club. I was about to get out of the car but I couldn’t ignore the look she kept giving me.

“What?”

She crossed her arms. “Are we going to pretend that this call didn’t happen?” I raised a brow. “I don’t see how it’s a big deal.”

“Really?” I nodded. “You were smiling.”

“I always smile.”

“Yes, but not like that. You looked really happy and in love.” I rolled my eyes. “You’re insane.”

“No, I’m stating facts. You had this smile on your face that you never have when you’re talking to anyone else.” I scoffed. “Who was that?”

“My best friend who is just that. A best friend.” “If you say so.”

“I do say so.” She rolled her eyes. “Can I go have fun now?”

She nodded and I opened the door of her car and came down. I waited for her to come down and she dragged me by the hand to the doors with a large smile on her face. I looked up at the bouncer and I felt fear run through my body. I stumbled in fear closer to Hiro who only chuckled at my reaction, my mouth opening and closing in panic.

He stood about seven feet tall and had a powerfully built build. He didn’t even smile to ease how scary he looked. I gulped as we got closer to him but as his eyes landed on Hiro, a smile came on his face.

I saw that when you looked beyond how big he was, he was actually a very handsome man. He had the Mexican beauty working for him. He’d just probably scare you away before you got to see that handsomeness.

“Hiro, what brings you here?” he asked pulling her into a quick side hug.

“The usual, Getting drunk. Levi and I broke up so I came to get over him,” she said with a giggle and looking at both of them, I could tell that they were very close.

“Do you need me to beat him up?”

She laughed and waved him off. “I can handle him myself but if I need you to do anything, I’ll let you know.”

“Do that,” he said and his eyes landed on me. “Who’s your friend?”

“Paris this is Milo. Milo, Paris. She’s off-limits.” He raised a brow. “Emrys’s girl.” His eyes widened and he smiled at me. “How are you?”

“I’m good and I’m not Emrys’s girl.” He laughed. “Enjoy your time here.”

“Will do,” Hiro said and she pulled me inside.

The moment I was inside I fell out of place. I didn’t like clubs so I kept wondering what had possessed me to agree to go to one. The thought of sweaty, intoxicated people unnerved me and just watching people drunkenly dance against each other in alcohol-fueled sexual desire made me sick.

“Are you going to drink?”

I shook my head because I was a lightweight and I knew that it would only be a couple of seconds and I’d be drunk. The last thing I wanted was to be drunk in a club and get raped. Either that or find myself in a pool without knowing how I got. The last time it happened, God knows I’d have been dead if not for Leon.

She didn’t say anything and dragged me further to a table that had two drunk girls. I assumed they were the friends she was talking about when she was talking to me. I was proved right when they grinned a soon as they saw her and ran to hug her.

“Babes,” she said as soon as she was out of the hug, “this is my newest friend, Paris. Paris my friends, Sienna and Velia.”

“Hi,” Velia said.

She made me think of a strutting cat with her round brown eyes that were like two bronze coins. Her hair was dyed lemon-yellow and was worn in a businesslike style. She had this angular build and as her eyes raked over me, I felt shivers run down my spine.

I was just about to reply Velia’s half-hearted greeting when Sienna pulled me into a hug that blocked every form of breathing. I tapped her so she’d let me out and realizing I was uncomfortable, she did.

“Sorry,” she muttered sheepishly as she pulled away. “I’m a hugger.”

The bubbly girl had slitted jade-colored eyes. Her silky, straight hair was the color of burnished iron and I knew that she had dyed it that way. I noticed how confident she was even though she was the shortest among all of us which meant that she was very short.

“No kidding,” I said and she grinned. “It’s nice to meet you both. Any friend of Hiro’s is definitely a friend of mine.”

“Okay then, let’s drink,” Sienna squealed as she went to get more drinks.

I was wondering if that was advisable since she seemed slightly intoxicated but I didn’t bother. The last thing I wanted to come off as was a spoil sport. I knew how to have fun just not the type that involved clubbing.

“I think I’ll go see if she’s okay,” Velia said with a tight-lipped smile as she left in the same direction Sienna had gone.

“I don’t think Velia likes me,” I said as I sat down on one of the chairs closest to the one Hiro was seated on.

She laughed. “She does. She’s just assessing you like she does to everyone she meets. She has issues.”

I looked in the direction she went and turned back to me. “I don’t know. She looked at me like I stole her boyfriend or something.”

“That can’t be possible. For one, she’s more inclined to women,” Hiro said still laughing.

I thought about what she said and I had a theory that she probably liked Hiro and was always jealous when she was around other girls. Either that or she just hated my face. I was at least a reasonable percent sure it was the former.

Hiro was about to say something again when Sienna shouted over the music, “I have shots.”

Velia and Hiro joined in her cheering and they all took shots from the tray while Sienna passed one to me. I shook my head to tell her I wasn’t interested and she pouted.

“You want me to drink?” she nodded, batting her eyelashes. “I don’t know…”

“Let loose. You’re at a club in Atham City for chrissakes,” she said and Hiro nodded. “Okay, fine,” I muttered. “Let’s do this.”

“1…2…3…”

We downed the shots as we threw our heads back. I thought that for the first time in the history of my life, I would have a great time at the club. Just forgetting the worries of relationships that might not work and have fun with girls like me.

After the first shot and watching the girls become drunk, I thought it would be a smart idea if I let them have fun instead of joining. My mind was bothered by the thought that we had no designated driver and I cherished my life too much to let either of them drive me back.

I was alone and after the third drunk guy that had come to flirt with me, I decided to find Hiro and tell her I was ready to go home. I scanned the floor for her but I didn’t find her. My eyes landed on another interesting sight instead.

I walked up to the table. “Kosara?”

He looked up at me through his gold rimmed glasses and smiled. “Paris, it’s been years. What are you doing in Atham City?”

“Stuff,” I said vaguely as I waved my hand to dismiss the topic. “Brielle didn’t tell you I came to stay with her?”

“We are going through a rocky time now,” he said sadly but shook his head and smiled. “Come sit with us.”

I looked again at the girl that was with him and I saw that she was really beautiful. She had droopy brown eyes that were like two drops of chocolate. Her luxurious, curly coffee brown hair was worn in a style that would remind you of a rooster’s crest. Her skin was dark-colored just like Kosara’s and from the look on her face, you could tell she was a severe person.

The question was, what was she doing with him? I decided that I’d be getting answers as I sat down with them.

The girl looked at me, an intense stare that spoke volumes, and said, “I was actually just leaving. Both of you can catch up.”

“Amara…” Kosara started but she cut him off. “Will you at least come for father’s birthday party?”

“I’ll think about it,” she said but from her tone, I could tell she wasn’t going to be thinking about anything anytime soon.

Kosara shook his head. “Fine, be like that. I’ll come to your house tomorrow.”

“Whatever,” she said as she stood up and walked out without sparing us another glance.

I watched as she walked away and there was this air of confidence about her that I couldn’t just place. Her lean build carried so much authority that it unnerved me to great ends. I could tell she was a very intimidating person and I found myself pitying the man that would fall in love with her.

“Sorry about that,” he said with a sigh. “That is my elder sister, Amarachi. She has a little issue with the family and my choice of a wife. We’re still trying to deal with that.”

“It’s fine. I understand,” I said with a smile and cleared my throat. “So, what’s going on between you and Brielle?”

“I don’t know and that’s the problem. I think she’s being overbearing right now and I want to believe it’s because of the wedding jitters but I know something else is wrong,” he said placing his head on his hands. “I don’t understand what is going on.”

“She said you guys fought today.”

He scoffed. “She thinks I’m cheating on her. Can you believe that?” “I didn’t,” I said lightly.

“Ever since I said we couldn’t live together for obvious reasons, she started acting out. I can’t make a call without her asking me the most stupid questions ever and she actually thinks I’m just using her.” He looked at me and I could see the frustration in his eyes. “You’re her best friend. What is going on?”

“I don’t know either,” I said with a shrug. “Maybe she’s scared that one day you’ll realize you want better and leave her. It could be just the wedding jitters. You know, marriage is a big thing.”

“Well, I’d prefer she’d talk to me about it instead of overreacting every time.” I nodded. “Did you ever say you wanted to call off the wedding?”

He looked mortified. “Why would I do that? I love her. All I told her was that she’s making the thought of marriage seem depressing.”

“Well, that’s what she thinks. Maybe you guys should have a long talk?”

“I think I’ll do that. Right now, even.” He stood up and gave me a grateful smile. “Thank you. I owe you one. Let’s catch up sometime.”

“Will do.”

I watched him leave and I smiled at how nice I was becoming. I could become a marriage counsellor or a love doctor. The only thing was that when would I apply my many award- winning counsels? Probably never at this rate.