Chapter 5
2213 Words
Lily
This was like a nightmare crawled out of my freaking dream.
I came to this place hoping I could forget about him with the help of a few drinks.
Not… This.
Not with him standing right in front of me. Right on my face. His arms around my body. Wearing his favorite black leather jacket. White V-neck t-shirt underneath. His soft cologne.
“What are you doing here, Lily? Looking for some guys or…” he paused and moved his face closer to me. With his cheeky smile, “Are you waiting for me?” he cheekily asked.
“What does that mean?”
“Well, as you know, I always come here whenever I want to drink. Did you forget?” Oh, f**k. f**k! f**k! f**k! I honestly forgot. He scoffed. “I’ll take that as a yes.” This guy would never change. Always so full of himself.
“Screw you, Miller. I only want a few drinks and if I could get a hot guy, hotter than you, why not, right?”
“Oh? Do you think there’s someone better than me around?”
“Of course! There’s Ricardo. Or maybe James. They are millions better than you.”
“I see,” he simply said without changing his expression. Looking like he was uninterested or worse…he didn’t believe a single word I said.
“And you? What are you doing here, Zack? Looking for a chick to screw around?”
“Why should I? I don’t need to search for one. They will come to me.” Oh, my God. His level of cockiness… I just couldn’t stand it. “It’s just a coincidence you’re seeing me tonight. Besides, if you do hate me that much, why’d you come here, Lily? You should avoid it so you won’t look at my face.” True. I don’t know, I just liked this place and I thought I wouldn’t see him here tonight. I didn’t see him a week ago so I thought I should be fine. The universe was playing with me. My luck had run out.
Apex was Zack’s favorite club. Since our school days. And here I thought maybe he was busy looking for a job… Wait, he got one already. Which maybe he would celebrate it with his friend. Which could be this place. Damn it, you’re so stupid, Lily.
“You should be careful with what you’re wearing, Lily. What the hell is that anyway?” He looked at my dress with disgust. He scoffed. “You’re lucky this time I’m around. Next time, maybe not so much.”
I faced him. “Why should you? I can do it myself even without you here,” I countered.
“Really? Because based on what I’ve seen, I don’t think so, Miss.”
“Check your eyes first, Miller. Maybe you grow old, old man.”
“Hey! We’re only a year apart, brat. Besides,” he halted again and showed me his usual naughty smile, the smile I hated and loved at the same time. He added, “I care about you.” I immediately cast my eyes away from him. I didn’t want to look into his eyes when he said that.
I didn’t need my psychological skill to read him. I could read him. And Zack allowed me to.
He was serious. He cared about me.
However, I didn’t want to be reminded about that. So, without saying anything, I turned around and went back to where Cathy was. She got her eyes on me and based on where she sat down now, she could see Zack. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“I’m all right. I’m done here. Let’s go home.”
“Finally. Come on then.” She slid her stool and we headed to the door.
Until the i***t magically showed up behind us. He had his blue-green eyes on Cathy. “Hi, Cathy.”
“Hello, Zack. How was it?”
“I’ve signed the contract today so I should be good from now on. I didn’t need to drown myself in the room because I haven’t got a job.” His words like a sword pierced right through me. It hurt as f**k. From the corner of my eyes, Cathy was eyeing me. She knew Zack’s words were so painful to hear for me. I wouldn’t blame him because he didn’t know the truth. Or does he?
“That’s…good. When do you start?”
“Monday. Thanks a lot for your help, Cat. Do you have any plans for tomorrow? I’ve promised you a treat, right?” What the heck? He wanted to take my best friend out for a lunch? And he asked for Cathy’s help with a job? What, so he was working in one of Ricardo’s companies? What a loser.
“I’ll let you know if I’m free tomorrow,” Cathy said.
“Sure. Oh, and if you want to come, you are welcome to join, Lily,” he said while looking at me. Did he really want me to join or this was just an act of pity? Damn him.
“Thanks, I’ll pass.”
“Oh? That’s too bad. Are you two going home now? I just arrived.”
“Did you forget Cathy can’t stand this place? I’m taking her home now,” I said.
“Then, you shouldn’t take her here. What kind of a friend you are?”
I glared at him. “Listen, you—”
“Zack!” I couldn’t finish my sentence when someone called him. Zack slightly turned, giving me access to see the manly voice who called him.
Oh, s**t.
I knew that guy.
Johan White. Zack’s best friend since high school.
He stood beside Zack. “Don’t leave me back there. Those girls are scary without you around,” he whined. He never changed, huh? Always suck with girls.
“Sorry, Joe.” I remembered he was called Joe and he was very close with Zack. Until now.
He glanced at me and his smile slowly fell. He clearly remembered me. “Hi, Lily. How’ve you been?”
“I’m…good. And you, Joe?”
“Good as well. Wow,” He looked at me from top to toe. “You really changed. You look beautiful.”
“Um, thanks.” I tucked some of my hair to the back of my ear. He was so blunt. Like old times. Even though he was Zack’s friend, I couldn’t help it to feel happy about his compliment. Well, Joe was one of the people who knew how did I look before. And to listen to him saying I looked beautiful now, did a lot to me. It gave this tingly warm sensational on my body.
When I glanced at Zack, I immediately held Cathy’s hand and dragged her out without a word. As we reached outside, I let her go. “Sorry, Cat.”
“That’s okay.”
I looked at the door and there was no sign of him. He didn’t follow us. What was I expecting? Zack came out, grabbed me, and…what? Stopping from me going home? Zack didn’t do that. And he would never do that. I looked at Cathy again, seeing her wanting to ask me something. But she didn’t open her mouth. She knew I didn’t want to talk about it.
And I wouldn’t now.
I went to the car and deposited myself in. Cathy soon followed where she said, “Lily? I know you’re hiding something from me. Something is going on between you and Zack, isn’t it?”
“Why do you think so?”
“Because you always look jumpy whenever Zack is around. Just like now. I’ve always wanted to ask one of you about what happened but I can see none of you want to talk about it. Even Zack. He looks playful and never thinks of anything seriously, but sometimes he will gaze out like he’s looking for something or someone. So seriously, and it seems,” She turned her blue eyes to me. “I know what. I won’t meddle with your problem with him. All I can say is if he wants to talk, just listen before you judge him with anything,” she suggested. I was quite shocked by her words. Cathy already had a clue about how terrible my relationship with Zack was. Maybe I underestimated her a bit. She didn’t ask because she thought it was not her problem. She was observing us.
I smiled and held her hand. “Thank you, Cathy.”
“You’re welcome. Let’s go home now to clear your mind. I hope you don’t mind if I sleep at your house.”
“Of course! You are always welcome there. Have you told Ricardo?”
“I have. I told him I want to spend a night at your house.”
“Did he ask anything?”
“Well… He did but that’s okay.” Ah, she lied. I knew she was. I could tell Ricardo asked her a lot and it seemed…
“He just called, didn’t he?” She didn’t answer. Yep, he called her at the wrong time. And not like Cathy could lie to him when there was loud music banging in the background. Even though if she said we turned on the music loudly, Ricardo was no i***t. He would soon know his little fiancée was in a club.
Oh, well. Good luck, Cathy
***
Zack
“I’m surprised,” Joe commented, catching my attention. “She’s so…beautiful now. I mean, she’s so different from high school. You told me before Lily changed her looks but I never thought she will be that different.”
“She’s already beautiful since high school.”
“According to you because you’ve seen what she’s hiding behind those glasses.” Right. Besides, even though I hadn’t seen her, I already thought of her as so hot. With Lily wearing those thick glasses only turned me on. I wished she would just wear it again. I would love to f**k her while she was wearing glasses so I could spurt my c*m on those and watch it drop to her cheeks. f**k, I’m the worst.
But yes, Lily was so different from high school. When everyone thought of her as a boring and plain student, a lump of fresh meat to be bullied, and daddy’s girl because her father was rich as f**k, I found her interesting and…well, beautiful. It didn’t matter though because I saw her real beauty. It was mine and mine only.
“Why didn’t you chase her?” he asked.
I looked back at him. “I told you, it’s not the time.”
“You’re really impossible, Miller. And that lovely friend of hers?”
“Catherine Ross. She’s my junior. Don’t you dare, Joe.”
“What do you think I am? I have a girlfriend, moron.” I laughed and chucked my beer.
“Come on, let’s go back,” I said and Joe drank his beer.
We walked out as I recalled Lily’s reaction when she saw me here. She clearly forgot I could be here. And some part of her mind was hoping I’d be here. See? Her mind and heart were not in sync. It would be soon. And I could safely say Cathy didn’t tell her a damn thing. She was already aware Lily wouldn’t come here had she known I’d be here to crash their ladies’ night.
Come to think of it, it seemed Lily didn’t tell Cathy about us. About our past. Why? Was she scared Cathy would judge her? Oh, come on, Lily. Cathy would never do that. I knew her. That gentle girl would never judge anyone badly. She didn’t even get rid of me despite I looked like the typical bad boy she wanted to avoid. She even allowed me to be closer with her and Lily.
“You know what? You should capture her for real now,” Joe suddenly said, stopping my steps.
“Why do you say so?”
“The longer you’re playing with her, her feelings might change. Just look at her? It will be easier for her to get a man now. Better do it now or you will have no choice but to cry on my shoulders.” I chuckled at his suggestion.
But yeah, maybe Joe was right. I knew and was positive Lily wouldn’t be looking for someone else. Maybe she would but she would never forget about me. But the longer I let her waggle her tail, I would lose her for sure. And there was no f*****g way I would let that happen.
“I guess so.” It was time for me to make my move. To tame her for real now. It was time to capture her and make her listen to whatever I wanted to say to her. It took me almost five years to do this and she must listen to me.
I was the only one for her anyway.
The hunt has begun, my lovely sugar baby. No more hiding because no matter what happens… I will always find you.
- Writer
