Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Chloe Montclair

"Hi." He said in a soft tone.

"Hi." I replied.

"I know, you don't know me and neither do you have an idea of who I'm. I'm Andrew Censatio, Ken's best friend. He told me I will meet you at home so, I can give this to you." He said and put his hand in his pocket to bring out something.

"Here." He passes it to me. It's a flash.

"What do I do with this?."

"Nothing. Actually, important files are in there and, it's not advisable to get into the wrong hands. He told me to hand it directly to you and that's why I'm here." He explained. I took it from him and stood there still not knowing what to say.

"You can give it to him once he's back. And, I must say, you look very beautiful than in pictures."

"You've seen my picture from somewhere?."

"Ken once showed your picture to me. Okay, I have to go now." He smirked charmingly at me before exiting my room. I couldn't even thank him for his wonderful compliment before he left.

I look at the flash in my hand strangely before taking whatever it's in there off my mind. Just as I was about to go out of my room, I bumped into my friend.

"Where's he? He's gone?." She asked.

"Hmmm." I hummed. "Tiana, what do you think about him? He looks charming and nice. He said he's Ken's friend."

"Exactly what I told you minutes ago, he's his friend. And, I don't know what's so charming about him? Nothing is charming about him." She hissed and rolled her eyes.

"What's going on? You know him from somewhere before now?." I asked, curiously. I wonder why she's acting like this.

"Never did I know a brat like him from anywhere. Geez! I don't like that guy one bit."

"What?!!!"

"You heard me."

"What happened between you two? That guy I saw just now seems like a cool guy though."

"I told you, he's not cool at all. He's a jerk!." She hissed and shouted at me.

"Okay, fine. So, what happened between you two?." She explained everything to me and I couldn't help but burst into heavy laughter.

"And, what's so funny?."

"You're the funny one here. I can't believe you pulled out a stunt again with him. Come on, that guy isn't at fault here. He was probably only kidding with you and you took it personal."

"Kidding?! Did you just say he was joking? Come on, Chloe. Don't make me puke by your statement."

"You're such a sil-"

"Whatever! So, why was he here? It's not like you know him from somewhere before."

"Why? Are you interested in him?." I teased.

"Chloe!!!" She exclaimed and glared at me.

"What? It's just a harmless question."

"Tell me, why has he come here? For what?."

"Well, he learned you and I are best friends, and since I'm the only family you have... He came to ask for your hand in marriage." I said with all seriousness in my tone and face.

"Chloe!!"

"Do I look like I'm joking to you? I'm serious. He told me, he liked you and would want to know more about you since Ken has refused to tell him anything about you."

"Yo... You're joking, right?."

"Tell me if, I've ever joked with something like this before with you."

"You're... You're serious about what you just said?."

"Very serious!"

"Oh my God! But how? He.. he could have say that to me directly instead of fighting with me unnecessarily. And, why would he come to you instead? You're just my friend." She said as she eye me with a straight look on her face. "Besides, he told me he doesn't like girls that talk too much and that, they're never his spec. But now.. how is this even possible when-"

"Wait, you like him?." I asked her as I tried so hard to control my laughter. This girl is so crazy and the fact that she had no idea I was only kidding and Andrew's presence here has got nothing to do with her.

She will so kill me if she found out I've been tricking her.

"Erm.. no, I don't."

"You don't or, you're not sure? Don't tell me, just this little encounter between you two, you've grown feelings for him?."

"Chloe, I said... I do not like him!" She said through gritted teeth. Then, I couldn't hold in my laughter and burst into heavy laughter.

"Well, I was only kidding. He wasn't here because of you but for some other reason. I'm sorry, I had to pull your leg a little."

"You little witch!" She exclaimed and tried to hit me but I started running away from her laughing.

"Come here and receive your punishment before I make you pay." She threatened me in a motherly tone.

"I said, I'm sorry. I was only joking."

"Joking?! By lying to me. You little witch! Come here now." She caught me and started hitting me but, not painful though.

"So tell me, why was he here?." She asked taking a seat. I did the same thing with her and show her the flash in my hand. "He told me to give this to Ken, it contains some important files in it."

"He came all the way here and create a scene all because he wanted to give this ordinary flash to you?." She asked, rolling her eyes.

"You can't just call it ordinary, Tiana. Plus, he told me it contains very important files and he has been asked to hand it specifically to me so... You should know, it isn't something to joke about."

"Whatever! Now, let's talk about us."

"What about us?."

"Are we staying in this house forever?."

"No way!"

"So, when are we leaving? We aren't even free to go out the way we want. I know, we aren't used to it yet since, we've been locked up in the cell for a very long time but seriously Chloe, we need to explore... The time for us to do that is now. We can't just keep being in here all day, wake up, eat, sleep and continue the same routine all over every day. We need to do something. Can you talk to your boyfriend about it?."

"He's not my boyfriend you dimwit!." I said and smack her forehead. "I'm paid to do the job, it's fake and you know that."

"Whatever! As long as you two are still together, he's your boyfriend and you're his girlfriend. So, what do you intend to do?."

"You know, I've also been thinking about that too. The truth is, I'm also tired of being here all day... I, intend to talk to him about it once he comes back. I have to sign the contract and get the money as he promised. We can get a nice apartment and also start a business with the rest of the money too."

"Only?."

"What do you mean, only? What else are we supposed to do with the money?."

"What about shopping?! We don't have clothes. "

"Are you kidding me right now? We don't have clothes?! What about the ones he got us?."

"That's not even much." She hissed.

"Okay, ma'am. We will get, enough dress for ourselves.. happy now?."

"Yaay!!" She squealed and jumped on me.

Kenneth Domanco

"Ken, about what your dad and I talked to you about? You haven't found a girl yet?."

"But mom, I."

"It's important for you to get a woman before the next three months, Ken. Don't you get it? Do you want all that your father has worked so hard for go in vain? This is about our family and not only you. How can you be so carefree about the whole thing when you know, it won't turn out right?."

"Mom, can you at least allow me to talk first? I never said I haven't gotten a girl yet. The truth is, I have a fiancee and not a girlfriend."

"What?!!! So, it's true then. Salvador's daughter, you're going out with her? Why didn't you tell your father earlier about it then? Why did you allow your uncle make you look like a fool before your father?."

"Mom, can you at least calm down and listen to me? I'm not dating Theresa. She's is just a good friend of mine and also my business partner and that's all. I have nothing to do with her."

"Then, who's this girl you're talking about? How comes we haven't known anything about her to date? As re you deliberately hiding her from us?."

"Y'all gave me five months, we all agreed on that and, this is just my second month. I still have 3 months to go. Don't worry mom, I will introduce her to you."

"Really? What does she look like? Who's her father? What does she do for a living? Is she here in the country with us? Come on, at least tip me with a little of it." She asked in an eager tone.

"Mom please, stop it. You'll know her soon in no time. I promise you, you're going to like her. You two have a lot of things in common."

"Really?."

"Yes, Mom."

"Kenneth Domanco, how dare you to walk out on me while I'm still talking to you?." Dad burst angrily as he walked into my mom's room.

I got up from my seat and sighed. "I'm still talking to you young man, I deserve an answer from you." He added again, angrily.

"Eric please, enough! Enough of your nagging all the time. He hasn't done anything wrong and you know it."

"But he-"

"Was it wrong of him to defend himself? What he did back there was nothing but defend himself."

"But Alice-"

"Ken, you can leave now. Don't forget what we talked about."

"Sure mom. Good night Mom, good night Dad." I kissed her cheek and walk out of the house.

•

Before I got into my car, I felt my phone ringing.

It's Andrew.

"Hey!"

"You sound tired and dull, is everything okay?."

"Moron, stop acting like my girlfriend and tell me the reason why you called." I hissed.

He burst out laughing. "You know, you can't escape me even if you get married."

"And, who told you I'm ever going to get married?."

"You've found a wife and you can't let her go this time around. I think, I like her already. She seems cool."

"You gave her the flash?."

"Hmmm." He hummed. "That reminds me, why do you still have that crazy woman in your house? She's worse than your aunt."

"Crazy woman? Why would I keep a crazy woman in my house in the first place? What are you talking about?." I asked him as I got into my car and seat.

"Chloe's friend... What's that her name again...."  He trailed off trying to recall her name.

"You're talking about, Christiana?."

"Exactly! Christiana. Why did you keep her in your house?."

"Because she's that girl's friend. Why? She's a cool girl, she's cool than that crazy woman." I said.

"I can't believe you just defend that girl. She's crazy. Look, I'm never going to step foot into that house of yours until that girl is out of that place."

"Why? What happened? Did anything happen between you two?." I asked laughing.

"She literarily stopped from going into your house because she has never seen my face before and she doesn't trust me. Can you imagine that? I've been into that house for years but, she came just few days ago and won't allow me in."

"Oh my goodness! You can't be serious?." I asked again, laughing. I can't believe this happened between them. I need to watch the CCTV when I get home to get the full story. It's hard to believe that Christiana is one crazy girl like her friend.

"Stop laughing and get that girl out of there. You need her friend and not her."

"No, I can't. She's her best friend. Besides, I think I've gotten someone who would put you in place whenever you try to act funny again."

"No, you can't be serious. Don't do anything stupid Kennedy else, I will unfriend you and forget about everything we had shared. Don't test me."

"Why? Are you afraid of her?"

"I told you to stop mentioning her name to me! I... I gave Chloe the flash, you can get it from her." He said and hang up the call before I could say anything.

I smiled and shook my head.

Now... This is going to be fun.

I ignite the car engine and drove off to my house.