Billionaire's Best Friend

VII. Be My Date

Nina’s POV:

I dropped the keys into the bowl before shrugging off the jacket and hung it to the wall. Exhaling a deep breath, a hand through my hair before staring at the diamond ring on my left finger.

Shaking my head, I smack my cheeks. “Why are you having second thoughts?” I whisper to myself, wanting to kick my own behind.

“What are you doing?” Kevin asked, still a step upstairs before he walked towards me. He was in a casual t-shirt with dark jeans, and a constipated look on his face. “Why are you kicking yourself? Did you eat something bad again and need to far-”

I grabbed the shoes beside the door and began smacking him on the arm, causing him to go into defense. “I tot! I told you that already! Tot! Tot!"

He covered his face, a single leg drifting in the air, pretending to be hurt. “I’m kidding! Why are you always so violent?”

I threw the slipper down and huffed out a breath, blowing off the single strand of hair. “I thought that was one of my charming characteristics,” I said, before flopping onto the couch.

I grab the pillow and hug it tightly. “Where are you heading tonight?”

Kevin grabs his leather jacket and drifts it on. “My bachelor party, remember?”

“You’re the only one who does a bachelor party a year before the wedding.”

Kevin held his shoes and dropped it onto the wooden floor. “The sooner I do it, the faster I can get it over with.”

I rest my elbow on the side, cheek against knuckles. “You really don’t like going out, do you?”

He pushes his feet into the leather shoes. “I don’t like going to loud and cramped places. You know I’m catastrophic, and allergic to stupidity. I tell you, alcohol brings out the dumbest part of humanity.”

“And yet your bachelor party is at a club.” I drape off an arm, allowing it to dangle in the air as my mind wonders what to eat tonight.

He shrugs, “The guys suggest it. You know, I should experience life once before going to prison.” There was a large grin on his face, and I can’t help but allow it to contaminate me. Kevin spread out his arms, sticking a single shoe out. “How does your fiance look?”

I place a hand in the air and wave him to come closer. Kevin slides over and leans downward, seemingly posing like he’s in a magazine before granting me a cheeky smile. I pinch whatever baby fat is left on his face. “Yes. That’s it.”

“What’s it?”

“Your face.”

“What about my face?”

“Your face is protection enough. I don’t need any reason to stop you from going because no girl will-”

“How dare you!” He stood up straight, placing his hands on his waist. “This handsome face is the one you will see for the rest of your life. Every morning and every night, yet you dare to insult it?”

I exaggerate a groan. “Every morning and every night? Are you serious!” I threw an arm in the air.

Kevin harshly grasped both of my cheeks and shook it. “Too late to back down now...Mrs.Vaughn.” He quickly captures my lip with his. “You’re trapped.” He grasps my left hand, planting a soft kiss on the ring.

“Maybe I’m the one who trapped you,” I said teasingly.

He snickers before flicking my forehead. “I’ll be back home early tonight. Okay?”

I wave him off, hanging my chin on the edge of the couch. “Play as long as you want, you deserve it.”

Kevin sent me another sly smile, before planting a kiss on the top of my head. “Don’t stay up too late.”

“No promise.” I curl the blanket around my body.

The door closes, and I reach out my arm for the remote control. “Why are you so far away?” I groan, before capturing it in my hand. Clicking on the remote, I rest my head against the pillow. After hours of watching mindless television, someone dared to disturb me.

With my mouth filled with chips, I pick up the call. “Hewoo?”

“Short Stack?”

I took a few blinks, before looking at the screen. “Oh, hey. What’s up?”

“Are you watching the tv?”

I chuckle, “Are you stalking me?”

“Yes. Do not look out your window.” I sense massive sarcasm. “But, do turn down the volume. I can hear the screaming lady in the background.” The lady continues running in the forest while stupidly looking back for the killer. “You’re watching a horror movie...with someone?”

I turn over to my stomach, staring at the wall despite the darkness when the murder screen came on. “Alone.” I exhale.

“Oh, I thought you don’t like watching horror movies by yourself.”

My toes played with one another. “I don’t, but I’m bored.”

“Where’s Kevin?”

“Bachelor party.”

There was a sudden silence. “Are you getting married soon?” his voice somehow crooked, and he quickly cleared his throat.

I kick my leg up and down hearing the lady screaming in the background. “No. Next year, but Kevin likes to do things early. It’s part of his personality.”

I grab the remote and turn off the screen before sitting upward. Amid the darkness, I shuddered. Quickly, I rush towards the lights and flicker them all on. “Better,” I whisper to myself, slightly regretting the fact that I thought I could handle a scary movie all by myself.

“You turned on all the lights didn’t you?” He laughed at my misery.

“Stop stalking me,” I hiss slowly, before settling myself back down on the couch. “I hope you didn’t call me merely to piss me off.”

The phone call ends.

“Hello?” I look at the blank screen, and for some reason, I push the phone back towards my ear. “Hello? Matt? Matthew?” I scoff and lower the phone. “He did not ju-”

The phone rang again, and I jolted. Realizing it was my phone, I pat my chest. “There’s no serial killer after you. There’s no serial killer after you,” I repeated to myself before looking at the screen to see a video call from Matt.

Puckering my lip, I slide across the screen. Immediately, I turn it towards the wall seeing a particularly handsome face popping up. I held my breath.

“Short Stack?” Matt called for me.

Inhaling a deep breath, I curse myself for answering the call before I put on my poker face. Placing the screen back on me, I smile. “Can I ask why you’re video chatting me...naked?”

He laughs, a sweet chorus. “I’m not naked.” He lowered the phone towards a white towel, and I saw a particular bump. Holy s**t.

The redness crept up my face. “Why are you video chatting me...with a towel?”

The screen reverts onto his face. “Nice to know you’re ecstatic to see me,” Again, sarcasm. “And here, I thought I could accompany you with the horror movie.”

I laugh, scratching my head causing the bun to motion slightly before I push up the glasses. “Oh, how gentlemanly of you.” I place the phone down on the table, allowing it to face all of me.

“Let me go slip into something comfortable first,” he said, and I nodded. Matt places the phone down, and I could see his whole hotel room. The phone was facing his bed, beautiful flat screen, and...is that a wine cabinet?

I took a few blinks and stood up, deciding to make myself a nice cup of yogurt with fruits and cold soda. Matt walks towards his luggage and shuffles through the suitcase, before grabbing a pair of sweats. Grabbing the board cutter and knife, I cut the fruits into small pieces. Scooping the yogurt - holy crap are those Matt’s peaches?

Immediately, I swing my body around, away from the phone screen on the table. Matt can’t see me, but he is aware, I can see all of him right?

I look down at the yogurt on the floor and grunt before grabbing a towel. Going on my knees, I wipe it off until the sticky substance disappears.

“Nina?”

“I’m here! I just...spilled something! I’m coming back soon.”

After wiping off the yogurt, I walk back towards the couch. Settling myself down, I almost went into cardiac arrest seeing Matt laying on the bed with a pair of sweats - that’s all.

“Ready to watch?”

I clear my throat, “Yeah.” I set down the bowl and begin scrolling through the tv.

He picks up his own remote, pushing a muscular arm back to level his head. “What are we watching?”

“Banished to Beyond.” I began my evil laugh, before pressing the play button.

Banished to Beyond is my favorite thriller movie. It started as a book series, but it got so popular that they made it into a movie.

It’s about a group of passengers who disappeared in the Pacific Ocean south of Tokyo, Japan. Everyone believed it was another movie where people backstab one another for survival and it was just that, but with a twist. Of course, there’s a reason why they called it, The Devil’s Sea. The movie is not only exciting, but it plays with humanity’s morals.

We sat in our respective rooms, while our eyes settled on the screen. I cuddle the blanket closer to me, scooping the yogurt into my mouth and licking the edge of my lip, my eyes moving towards the small screen in front of me.

Everything about him was wrong. His head perched at an angle, lifted by an arm and pillows. His left leg, dangle on top of the high right. His refined chest rose, constricting his lower abdomen before it rests once more.

His face was even worse. It looked as though it had been piece together by someone who held a vast knowledge about human desires.

His icy blue skew towards me caught me in the act of exploring him. His chiseled jaw lifted with a proud, pleasant yet snarky smile. His eyes a bright blues; soft, dampen black hair brushed away from his brow. He was charming and smart. His voice was that of any classy man, sweet and proud. Every word he uttered sounded beautiful but untrustworthy.

“What is it?” He would ask me. “Scare of the movie already?” The teasing of his vocals was apparent.

I pout, “Who’s scared? Not this girl!” I shamelessly lied, before scooping another mouthful.

Halfway into the movie, I was hiding behind a pillow, with the blanket wrapped around my body. I can tell Matt was thoroughly amused as he kept pointing out the horror part, but at the same time, his voice reminded me that if anyone burst through the front door; he can call someone to help me.

I bit my trembling lip, wide eyes staring at the screen. “Hey Nina, are you al- are you crying?”

I took a sniff. “I’m okay,” I squeak out, despite my body in an uncomfortable tremble.

The noise from his end stopped. “We can stop.”

“Don’t stop. Let’s continue.”

“You look like you’re in pain...and about to throw up.”

I pause the screen. “I’m fine. Now, let’s continue.” I cannot believe I am not used to this movie. I watched it so many times.

He lifts both hands in the air, before resuming the movie to meet the same part as me. Near the end of the film, I scrunched into a ball.

“I’m concerned about you.”

“I’m concerned about me too,” I cried into the pillow. “Why did you let me finish that?”

He exhales, running his fingers through his now dried hair before he threw his legs off the edge off the bed. Elbows on knees, his hands clenched together. “Want me to stay on the phone until you fall asleep?”

I scoff, “I don-” a branch broke outside my window. “Just stay on screen and make sure something doesn’t come and kill me.” He laughs. “If you see me floating in the air, call the church. Tell them to bring holy water. Loads of it.”

He gave me a thumb up, accepting my ridiculous proposal before he lay back down on the bed. I tilt to the side, still in a turtle-like position. His tongue twirls around his lip before he turns towards me. “Want to go to a party tomorrow?”

“Where is this party thing coming from?”

“Earlier, a friend messaged me about it.”

“Oh, was that the reason why you left me with the monsters earlier?”

He nods, “Had to make an important call.”

I shrug, knowing Kevin will be knocked out when he comes home. Speaking of which, why hasn’t he returned. “Tell me the truth. Do you need a ride there?”

He smiles, “Guilty as charged.”

I chuckle, snuggling more profoundly into the couch. “I don’t know.” I yawn, feeling my eyelids getting heavy.

“I’ll buy food.” He pokes at my weak spot.

I smile, “You know I can’t deny food.”

“So, be my date?”

I take my eyes off the black and white screen, feeling the small strand of hair straying towards my nose and mouth. Matt grabbed the phone and brought it closer to him, allowing me to take more of his image. It felt like he was cuddling inward without actually being present. I can feel the rhythmic noise inside of me slowing my breath as his eyes dripping with saturation inhale into mine. “Sure.”