PERFECT PAIR

((2)) Can I Be Your Ride Or Die!

I burst out a laugh. "You're joking, right?" 

"I'm serious, Ari!" 

"You're seriously joking, you mean!" 

Sam groans. "God! Why are you so hard-headed?" 

"I'm not hard-headed, Sam!" I retort. "That asshole… Whatever his name is… Embarrassed me. He probably thought I'm not good for the job. That's why he asked for another actress in my face. That was humiliating! That annoying asshole-" 

"That annoying asshole is the ladder to your success! To your career! I worked my ass off to get you a role beside Ansel Rock but you f****d that up!" 

"And I'm sorry," I say. "And you're the best manager and agent any actor could ever have. But now, I just want you to be my big sister. I want you to understand me."

She nods. "I'll try to understand you only if, you take that phone and apologize to Ansel." 

"Apologize for what! He's the one that should give me an apology! Not the other way round! He's not the one that got embarrassed and humiliated in front of all those people!" 

She takes in a deep breathe, straightens her collar and gives me that scary, stern look. 

She grabs my phone from my pocket and dials Ansel's number. She hands me the phone. 

" Are you going to call him or not? "

" Not. "

She sighs. 

" Well, I guess your bed is going to miss you tonight. "

She walks away dramatically. 

Did she just tell me not to go back home tonight? 

My sister is really dramatic. I know she's my manager and agent but she's really blowing things out of proportion. 

She's mad at the wrong person. She should be mad at Ansel, not me! I am her client and as her client, she should want what's best for me. Ansel is not. 

It feels like I've been kicked out.

Kicked out for all the wrong reasons. 

Ugh! I hate that Ansel even more! 

I swear when I become successful, he'll pay for this! I swear it! 

I watch as my sister slides in her car and gives me one last glare before she speeds off. 

I don't know why I'm the actress yet she's the melodramatic one. She should be the actress! I bet she'll do a better job! 

I walk back to the restaurant and I bump into Emil, changed into his casual clothes. He has this deep frown on his face. 

"Hey! Where are you going?" 

"I just got fired!" 

"Nathan was serious!" I retort. 

"Yeah… He said I broke the rules!" he says with a cocky smile. "Took him that long to realize it's a talent of mine!" 

He winks. 

I chuckle. "You just got fired and you're joking about it?" 

"Did you just call me funny?" 

I shake my head and grab his hand, pulling him past the customers. 

"What are you doing, Ari?" 

"Getting you your job back!" 

I bust into Nathan's office and I find him smoking a cigarette, talking on his phone. He immediately hangs up when he sees us. 

"I'm not giving him the job back!" he blurts out. 

"Yes you are, Nathan! If there's anyone that should be getting fired here, it's me! Not Emil!" 

"You didn't beat up a customer. He did!" 

"That customer wanted to beat me! He touched my ass! Emil was just defending me!" 

"I didn't hire him to defend you!" he snaps. "I hired him to wipe tables and serve food!" 

Emil grits his teeth and he's about to raise his hand when I hold it firmly. 

"Then, I'm quitting!" 

"What? No! You can't quit!" 

"I'm serious, Nathan! I quit!" 

He groans. "You know I can't let you quit!" 

"Then give Emil the job back or I quit!"

He lowers his voice. 

"Fine! He has the job back!" 

Emil smiles at me and he mouths, 

"I heart you." 

¦¦¦¦

We leave the restaurant late that night. Emil offers to give both Kim and I a ride to Kim's condo. 

He has the coolest car and I honestly don't know where he got that kind of ridiculous money to afford such an expensive machine. 

I remember when we first met at school and he stopped his car in front of me. I was with Kim and he winked at me and said, 

"Can i be your ride or die?" 

And that's how the friendship started. 

"Naggy Nathan likes you!" he says as he drives. 

Kim is seated at the back and I'm seated right next to Emil. 

"Shut up! He has a wife." 

"Doesn't stop him from liking you!" 

"True, Emil," Kim says from the back. "I keep telling Ari that the guy is crazy about her. Even much more than you're crazy about her." 

There's awkward silence. 

Emil and I are friends. Though I've always known and felt that he loves me more than a friend. Which makes things really awkward sometimes. 

But Kim always brings up that topic. 

But I shove it away. Just like I always do every time she brings it up. 

"I can't believe my sister kicked me out of the house!" I huff. 

"You're lucky she didn't strangle you to death!" says Kim. "I mean, you threw away the opportunity of a lifetime out the window!" 

I glare at her. "What was I supposed to do! Beg him to kiss me after he blatantly asked for another actress to be brought!" 

"You shouldn't have walked out! That's all I'm trying to say!"

"So you think it's my fault!" 

"That's not what I'm saying…" 

"That's what you're clearly saying! Telling me I shouldn't have walked away?" 

She rolls her eyes. "You're being dramatic!" 

"And you're being dumb!" 

Kim is not even get the point. That's what pisses me off even more! 

"Ladies, stop it now!" 

"No seriously. You also want to be an actress too, Kim! How would you feel when somebody refuses to retake a scene and asks for another actress in front of that many people!" 

"He's Ansel Rock!" she chews mannerlessly. "He's a f*****g star. He can do what he wants!" 

I don't know what's annoying me more. Her voice. Or the way she's chewing. 

"What that prick did to Ari was not right, Kim!" 

"Yeah… Yeah… You're saying that because you like her!" 

I glare at her. "I can't stand looking at her right now, Emil! Can you please stop the car and ask her to leave?" 

"I thought you're going to sleep at her-" 

"Please!" 

"Are you being serious right now, Ari!" Kim blurts out. "Is this some joke?" 

Emil reluctantly stops the car and looks at her through the rear view mirror. 

"Sorry…" 

She storms out of the car and bangs the door. 

There's awkward silence as he starts driving again. 

"That was a little impulsive, don't you think?" 

"I know it was impulsive but Kim keeps brushing it in my face. Making me feel bad for the right thing I did for myself! Making me feel like I threw away an opportunity of a lifetime! Making me feel like I'm ungrateful or something and -" 

"You're not ungrateful! You did what's right for you and that's all that matters. You shouldn't care what anybody else thinks…" 

His words soothe me instantly. 

That's what I needed to hear. 

I smile at him. "You're actually cute when you're not cocky and a bragging brat!" 

"Cute is an understatement for this hot face." 

I roll my eyes, chuckling. 

"Anyways, can I sleep at your place tonight?" 

"Ofcourse! But only under one condition." 

"What?" 

"You're doing the cooking tonight." 

¦¦¦¦

I am in the kitchen making breakfast in Emily's huge grey t-shirt. 

I am taken away by the scenic view of the town through the kitchen window. It's a beautiful warm morning. 

I am done making eggs and toasted bread matched with some black coffee. 

" Emil! "

I yell out. 

He comes in the kitchen, shambling and yawning with his whole chest out and just a pair of grey sweatpants. 

I can't help but see the enormous d**k print on his pants. 

"Enjoying the view?" 

He leans on the door like those sexy models and looks at me seductively. 

"That t-shirt was just meant for you, Lovey! You look as hot as my body!" 

I roll my eyes and glance away. 

"Oh please! You should really get over yourself!" 

He enters the kitchen and falls on the island. He serves himself breakfast, sitting right next to me. 

He takes a bite, satisfaction on his face. 

"I thought pretty ladies are bad cooks until I met you!" 

I giggle, taking a sip of coffee. 

"Let's have breakfast quick or we'll be late for the morning class." 

"It's college. We can go an hour later." 

"Well, it's not just college for me. My whole career depends on it."

My phone rings. 

My mom is calling. 

"Hey mama!" I quickly pick up. 

"Hey there, baby. Are you okay." 

"I'm fine. Sorry I didn't come home last night…" 

"Samantha told me everything." 

I frown. "Sorry I let you guys down." 

"No. Don't be sorry. If that guy was rude to you, a middle finger to him!" 

I chuckle. "Sam is really mad at me!" 

"Your sister will get over it. Don't stress about it. I'm proud that you stood up for yourself. A lot of people wouldn't have dared." 

What a way to start my morning. 

"I love you, mom." 

"I love you back." 

"Say hi to dad and the kids! Take care." 

I hang up. 

¦¦¦¦

Sometimes I underestimate just how hot Emil is until he drives me to school and every girl stops to swoon as we step out. 

This morning is not any different. 

Girls glance at him as we make our way towards our class. 

I can see Kim at the back of the class, glaring at me. 

Okay. 

Maybe what I did was not right. But what she did was not right either. 

"She's still mad," says Emil as he sits beside me. 

"Well, I'm still mad too." 

The professor enters the class. 

I'm surprised to see it's a new professor and whispers burst out immediately he steps in and stands at the front. 

"I am Dr. Phillip Ark. I'll be your new professor." 

My heart slams against my chest. 

Emil is as shocked when he turns to hiss, 

"Isn't this the guy I beat up last night!" 

¦¦¦¦