Blurry Nights

Chapter 5: Recognition party

As early as 6:00 am on the first day of Olivia’s off, her doorbell ranged continuously making her to jump out of her comfy bed. She felt like sleeping more but she knew that the noise won’t stop until she does something about it. She opened the door to reveal Peter, standing there with a wide smile on his face. “Oh, my God, Peter” she exclaimed excitedly as she hugged her friend, she never expected him to visit her that very day. “Isn’t too early?”   

“No, it’s not and besides I wanted to surprise you especially today that I’m very excited” peter said while walking into the house.

“You are always excited everyday” Olivia countered as she followed behind him.

“Well, erase those days and record today’s own” Peter shrugged as he sat on the sofa in the sitting room and made himself comfortable. Olivia rolled her eyes at him before walking into the kitchen to get water for him.

“I don’t need that in your hand, why do you always do this to me, like a habit?” Peter protested rejecting the water in Olivia’s hand.

“Of course it turned into a habit ever since you started showing up at my house by this time of the day” Olivia deadpanned.

Peter laughed mischievously before asking, “Oli, what's the matter with you?” He patted the space beside him for Olivia to sit to which she did. 

"I'm confused, Peter". Olivia began. "It's becoming more serious than before, I feel like there's a man always with me whenever I'm drunk and I don't remember the face when morning comes".

"It's okay, Oli. I don't understand you and I won't criticize you because you are the only one that knows what you are saying. It might be that your subconsciousness is trying to pair you up with someone and I'm here to make it come through, we are going to shopping and also to the spa” Peter squealed excitedly with a dreamy look on his face which made Olivia to stare at him confused and amazed.

“Why?” Olivia asked as she finally regained her voice that stopped working momentarily from confusion.

As if this question brought him back to reality, Peter’s body suddenly went cold with nervousness. Sensing the change of feeling which he was fighting to control, Olivia gave his hand a reassuring squeeze which calmed him a bit before she asked, “Did he call you again?” And peter replied by nodding his head.

Knowing this made Olivia’s heart to ache for her friend because she was aware of the fact that Mr. James Brad Steven, Peter’s father, doesn’t give a damn about his son. “He calls you when he needs you to do something difficult for him while putting his love for you as the prize, what does he want this time?”

After making sure that his voice won’t betray him, Peter changed back to his happy mode before speaking, “He called yesterday to say that he was sorry, so we are going to the party that’s being specially organized for me by my father….he called it recognition party. I guess, that means introducing me to everyone in his family including friends”.

“That’s great news and I’m really happy for you” Olivia said with a radiant look on her face as she felt the pain in her heart disappear.

“Yeah, thanks. But you have to prepare because we are leaving now” Peter said as he pushed her into the room to change which didn't take much time before she came out .

“Is it really necessary? I mean, we don’t have to shop for new dress because I have many that I could choose from". Olivia tried to reason. “And the spa too, we don’t need it either”.

"Honey pie, we need to look good because we are meeting potential partners at the party”.

“What do you mean?  And what happened to Betty your girlfriend?” Olivia asked while shaking her head. She wasn’t surprised at all as that has always been the case with Peter…..always jumping from one girlfriend to another.

“We are no longer together”. Peter shrugged like it was a normal thing while dragging her out of the house.

Olivia was dragged round cosmetics and skin care shops by Peter with a dozen of shopping bags in their hands. She felt like collapsing as she was drained out from walking, "Peter, can we just go to the spa? We've bought enough already and I can't move my body anymore because it's aching". She wondered how someone could be so energetic even after strolling into almost every shop selling cosmetics and wears.

"Oh, Honey pie is tired, yes of course we can" Peter responded with a smirk. Olivia had refused to go to a spa with him even after he dragged her out of the house, claiming that just shopping alone  was enough and as a result she was pulled into every building in Matrix international plaza by Peter. Knowing fully well that she would eventually cave in.

Peter laughed teasingly at Olivia as he asked; Does Oli want to get a massage on her aching body  now?".

Olivia couldn't help but laugh as she made the first move by tugging Peter towards the exit of the building. She just wanted nothing but to relax and have someone to massage every bit of her body after all the wandering from one shop to another like a lost sheep. Even the dress she ended up buying took hours to obtain because of Peter's continuous nagging about one thing or the order concerning the dress.

     ---------

In Waltex building, right in the CEO's office by the window stood Nelson Smith Walter. On his desk laid so many files that needed to be reviewed by him but for some unknown reason he found it difficult to do so. He felt angry and depressed for no reason at all, some insecurities eating him up as if he was about to lose something that he values so much to someone else. It' been a long time since he felt that way, even when Paige, his girlfriend broke up with him.

"Damn it" Nelson thought. What's wrong with me? Why do I feel so worried over nothing in particular? The only time he felt that way was when his father was in stage four cancer, because he knew that he was about to lose the only person that he cared for and in turn cared for him too.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket and dialed a number.

"Make sure to get every information of that party and anyone she tries to hook up with" He commanded before ending the call.

"Huh....going to shopping and  health spa together, what sorts of a man takes care of his body that way?" Nelson snorted. The only sane reason holding him back from pushing Peter away from Olivia's side was because he was her best and only friend.