Contractually Married

Chapter 2: Clubbing (part 1)

Rian's POV:

   We arrived in two cars, me and Gavin in his Audi while Jenny and Cari are with Nick. The crowd were starting to occupy the dancefloor when we entered the club.

    "Whoa!" 

Me and Cari stated in awe and in wide eyes. This club is bigger than our usual night club and it has a second floor which is probably the space for those VVIP customers of the club.

    "Okay! time to turn the club upside down?" Gavin shouted as soon as we reached the counter.

    "Yeah!" we all girls answered in unison. 

    As time passed by, the more we got wasted. We, girls, were pacing back and forth on the dance floor while the boys, as usual, were become our escorts. Of course with our friend Sierra and her boyfriend-- Paolo that's already in the VIP section at the first floor.

    We are currently dancing when I bumped into a hard shoulder.

    "Oops, sorry!" we immediately said to each other and me without looking to the face of that person.

    "Rian?" I was forced to look on his face.

    "Ryan?" 

Funny... how our names are in rhymes. He's my husband's bestfriend and one of his best man in our wedding. Also a womanizer like his bestfriend.

    "What are you doing here?" he asked me the (most stupid) question while dancing his body without direction.

    "What do you think am I doing here? Dancing...of course...duh!" I answered with the last word to myself.

    " Yeah. How stupid of me. Anyway, who's with you..friends?"

    "Yes. I'm with Cari and some of my friends."

    "I see." he said with a smirk. Thankfully I am looking into his eyes if not, I wouldn't be able to catch the glimpse on his voice. I don't want to ask who's with him tonight, because I already knew the answer. 

    "Hey!" Cari tapped my shoulder and smiling like there's no tomorrow to the man in front of me.

    "Hi, Ryan right?" I mentally rolled my eyes. They were smiling like teenagers who saw their first crush.

    "Yeah. And you're Cari." Ryan brought up his hand for a handshake which was gladly taken by my bestfriend.

    "Yup. that's me...So, are you alone or are you with someone tonight?"

-'wow...the question that I don't want to ask was already taken care of my bestfriend. I will make a note to slap her on her forehead when we got home'-

    "Oh, no. I'm here with my colleagues." he answered while looking at me.

-'for sure'-

    "What I'm talking about is with your girlfriend. Are you with your girlfriend?"

-"nice...Cari for the segway'-

    "Nope. I don't have a girlfriend. How about you, do you have a boyfriend? Is he with you tonight?"

"I also don't have a boyfriend and I don't plan to have one even in the future."

I bite my inside cheek to subtle my laughter on how Ryan jaws dropped...when Cari throw the bomb.

    "Ohh...but why is that?"

    "Because for me, all men were just good and nice to us girls at first. No offence ahh?" she looked directly to Ryan before she continued. "But when you've got all you want from us and you've already got under our pants, we're no longer important to you. You're just gonna put us aside and dumped us like we're some kind of a garbage." she ended it with a shrug.

    Hah...that was a hard blow. She's really a straightforward person. And Ryan... was shocked for a moment before he composed himself again.

    "W-Wow...i-i don't know what to say about that."

And he stuttered? Haha.

    "Well, you don't really have to. It's just my opinion." another shrug again. 

And right after she finished speaking, the music has died and the echo of the microphone on the stage where the only sound left.

    "Oops...sorry guys..." there is now a band on the stage where the vocalist is now introducing themselves to the crowd.

    "I think we need to go back." I'm talking about our seats.

    "Uhm..can I buy you girls a drink?" we looked again to Ryan who has a hopeful glimpse on his eyes.

    "Ahm..maybe Cari can go with you. I'm gonna sit first, I think I'm a little bit tipsy." 

    "Okay. Cari..?"

    "Sure. But, can I just follow you at the counter? I'm just gonna talk to Rian." she grabbed my elbow.

    "Yeah, sure. I'll wait for you there."

    "Okay."

    "Uhm...Rian!" we stopped walking as soon as we heard Ryan called my name.

    "Yes?"

    "You look different tonight."

"Huh?...bad different or good different?" I asked with a raised eyebrow and with a challenging tone.

    "A good one." he answered with a smirk.

    "Can you describe that good one?" Cari asked the question in my head.

    "You looked stunning. Gorgeous as ever." 

    "Why...thank you. You don't look bad yourself." I just smiled at him and turned around again.

    "Cari... I'll wait for you at the counter."

    "Okay."

    As soon as Ryan was out of our sight, Cari turned me around so I am now facing her.

    "You heard what he said?"

    "Which one? There's a lot of those."

    "Oh come on, Rian! He said he's with his colleagues. That means the husband of yours is also with him. One of them."

    "And so?" I already knew that since I saw Ryan on the dance floor. What I don't know for this moment is what is on Cari's head.

    "Well, I have an idea...a very nice idea." and then she walked away smirking while I was left confused. When I go back to where our group seated, I saw Cari whispering something to Gavin and Nick.

    "Okay, guys. I have to go...someone's waiting for me at the counter." she winked at me before walking away again. And when I turned to the group, Nick and Gavin suddenly disappeared.

    "What the... what's going on?" I asked them with a crunched eyebrows.

    "Just trust Cari, Rian." and Jenny also winked at me. 

    "Huh?...weird.." I'm so confused right now.

    "You look gorgeous tonight, Rian." Paolo commented...the second person who mentioned that word.

    "Yeah, I like your curls." Sierra who's sitting on Paolo's lap stand and sit by my side. "You never mentioned to us that you're a former band vocalist back in college."

    "Ohh..?" 

    "And tonight, you're going to perform for us." said Jenny while clapping her hands.

    "Yeah, I was------what?" I snapped when my head already processed what Jenny had said.

    "Yes. And there's no room for excuses to that, because Gavin is already on the stage."

    Sierra grabbed me to stand and then we heard the band vocalist together with Gavin on the stage calling my name.

    And the next moment, I just found myself on the same stage with Gavin, giving me a microphone and suddenly kissed my forehead. Not that I mind because I already used to his gesture and it's our one way of keeping his precious secret.

    "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, I am Gavin and here beside me is a gorgeous lady whose name is Rian."

And because I am still in dazed, I didn't notice that he also mentioned the word gorgeous and I just found myself again smiling at the crowd and to Gavin whispering in my ear.

    "Come on, honey...it's your time to shine." he said and then winked at me.

What's with this guys always winking at me? Why...am I wasn't informed?

    "Let's give your dear husband a wonderful show tonight."

Ohh...so this is what Cari's plan?

    "So, this is all about for him?" I glared at him when I found my voice again.

    "Honey, let's just play the role tonight. I'll promise you're gonna enjoy this. I know you girl...you loved singing so much."

I tried to breathe in and breathe out because I suddenly felt nervous.

    "Can you hug me?" I don't know why I voiced out that idea. I didn't have to repeat myself.

    "Oh girl...i love you." he's grinning after hugging me and kissed again my forehead. And the shouts and cheers of the crowd's almost echoed to the whole club..

    And then the show has begun. We're going to sing 'Who am I to stand in your way' by Chester See. Which was requested by one of the customer in the club who's just in front of the stage.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryan's POV:

    I didn't have to wait long for Cari, because after a few minutes, here comes she is. I'm just intriguebyth this girl. I have to admit, no one's has left me dumbfounded like what she did. I had never experienced stuttering with any girl but with her. Luckily for me because I caught my jaws before it goes dropped on the floor. She's really that kind of straightforward. We've only met once and this is actually our second meeting.

    "Hi." she said with a smile while sitting in one of the bar's stall.

    "Hi. So... what drinks do you want?" I can't help myself starring at her.

    "Margarita's fine with me."

    "Okay," I ordered her drinks while I just got a refill of mine.

    "So, what do you think of Rian?"

    "Huh...?" I was taken aback by her question. "What do you mean?"

    "Well, you know... as a man, how would you describe her as a person...or as a woman?"

    "Wait...why are you asking me this?"

Is she seriously want to talk about her friend?

    "Because I want to know some man's opinions about her...regarding her attitude.. her personality. And it seems to me that you're also close with her."

    "And why do you want to gather someone's opinion about her?"

    "Well, because she's my bestfriend?"

    Although I'm still confused on how this question of her is going to...i answered her with all honesty.

    "I met her when I was still in college. She's the younger sister of one of my bestfriend Daniel. She's the shy type of girl before but she's smart. As I heard from Daniel, she skipped 2 years in elementary that's why she graduated early in college at the age of 20. She's a strong girl even before."

    "If you're going to compare the Rian before and the Rian today, what can you say?"

    "Ahm...well...as I can see, she still the same girl I've met before. Except now that she's more matured and beautiful today compared before. She doesn't hold grudges on people."

    "Yeah. That she is. And she always thinks first of others before herself." she added.

    "And I didn't know she has a talent in singing."

wait---what? "Is that Rian on the stage?" I asked her not sure of what I'm seeing.

    "Yeah...that's her. I'm wondering why her husband never see that things in her."

-'and I'm wondering if he's watching her right now..wait----did she mention the word husband?'-

    "You know that she's married?" I glanced at her while she's looking ahead at the stage where Rian and maybe one of their friends are whispering something sweet to each other.

    "Yup. I told you she's my bestfriend. But I've never met her husband. She doesn't even want to talk about him or about this matter".

-'so, she knows that Rian is married, but she doesn't know who the guy is. Hmm...interesting. I want to watch Alex's face when he sees his wife singing with a guy on the stage'-

We watched the silent conversation on the stage and when it's about to start...

    "I think I have to go. You know... I have friends there waiting for me." she stood up and smiled at me.

    "W-Wait...that soon?" I don't know why I don't want her to go. I haven't ask something about her or anything about her.

    "Yeah. Thank you for the drinks and for your time, Ryan."

Damn! I like how my name rolled on her tongue.

    "You're welcome, Cari."

    "See you the next time."

-'yeah...I'll make sure we're going to see each other, baby...' See you the next time... Cari."

I wanted her to stay for a little bit longer, but I don't know how to ask it to her. For now...I'll just go back to the boys. I really wanted to watch Alex's reaction when he sees his wife at the same bar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    "Where have you been?" the first question that Alex's has thrown on my face when I went back to my seat. 

    He has two girls on both sides that caressing his arms and his chest.

    "I thought the dance floor was already swallowed you." it's Jack with an amused expression and also has a girl on his side.

I think it's time for me to drop the bomb. 

    "Well, guess who I bumped with... on the dance floor?" I'm just looking straight on Alex's face.

    "Whoever was that... for all I care!" he said with an uninterested tone. And Jack only laughed about it.

-'really? let's see..'-

    "Yeah, I know. For sure, you wouldn't care about her."

He furrowed his eyebrows on me.

    "She looked hot tonight in a tight dress. And I didn't know she can sing. She has this voice of an angel. You surely wouldn't care about it, though." I shrugged my shoulders on his unreadable expression.

    "Who are you talking about?"

    "Nothing. Nothing that you would care and none of your concern." I shrugged my shoulders again.

    "Ryan!" he snapped with a warning tone.

I studied his face...now I finally caught his attention.

    "Oh...just look at the stage. You will see the girl I've been talking about... she's none other than your wife." I smirked at him while I also caught his shocked reaction before he masked it with a neutral one again.

    We are on the second floor with an amazing view that is directly to the stage.

    "Look... maybe she's in the middle of her song." and he also looked where I am looking at.