Chapter 32 I want her and I will have her

Chapter thirty-two
Maybe the only thing I need in my life is money.
It's exactly three o'clock when I finished dressing. A knock sounds on my door. I open the door and it's the guy again, "Can we go now?" He asks and I nod severally. Then realize he's not looking directly at me in the face. I've been noticing him avoiding my stare.
"Yes, let go," I say and look at Michael's door again. I feel a pang of regret and sadness. I mean I should have told him I saw Betty instead of shutting him off. Now, he's giving me the silent treatment and I just can't take it anymore.
We walk outside the hotel and towards the car. The guy opens the door for me and I enter the door. The drive seems so long and boring. I look out of the window and start counting houses. I don't even know why I feel so sick and tired.
At the venue of the party, I get down even before the other guy would get down. I hate the way he's opening the door for me like I'm some sort of a princess. I'm just me, Jones.
I wait for him briefly and he joins me. We both walk inside the party hall. The place is already crowded. So, there's no way I'm going to look for Michael on my own. I whirl around to look at the guy, "Where's Michael? Please take me to him, I need to speak with him".
The guy stares at me for a while," Alright. This way," he says and walks ahead while I tag along. I look around at ladies in dressings similar to mine. It looks like it's the code dressing for the party. And the guys are all in a blue suit.
We stop in front of a door, "Boss is in the room".
I look at the door and move nearer. I knock slowly and silently.
"Yes, who is there," A thick voice says. My heartbeat skip a beat at the sound. There's no way I will mistake the voice for anything. It belongs to Michael.
"It's Jones. Can I come in?"
There was a long silence and then a short sigh," Yes, do. The door is unlocked".
I take a deep breath before opening the door and walking in. Michael looks up at me, he gives me brief scrutiny before walking up to me, "You look gorgeous. I didn't know the gown would look good on you. It feels as though it was specifically made for you"
I laugh at the joke," How can your eyes be so good ?"
He made a wide smile, "I know. I should have grown into learning how to make wedding dresses and suits".
I laugh again," But you will look like a fish out of the place. It won't give you the aura you should have, "I sigh, looking away slightly.
" I need to talk to you about something".
"I need to talk to you about something".
We say at the same time. I look at him and he smiles lightly," You go first".
"I wanted to say I'm sorry for acting that way towards you yesterday. I met and spoke with Betty".
Michael raises confused brows," Betty?"
I nod severally in a positive way," she came to me when you were off to get me a horse. She told me to stay away from you. She told me I'm the third party and that you loved her. That was why I behaved like that"
Michael holds me by my shoulders," Hi Jones, what I need from you is trust. I want you to trust me. Betty is my past and you are my present. There's a huge difference between you too. I love you ok, don't forget that".
Butterflies rise in me at the confession. My heartbeat increases its beat. I can't believe Michael loves me so much.
"I wanted to tell you I'm sorry for avoiding you all this while and I'm sorry for what I did with Dave. I only wanted to protect you. Going out with Dave only means destruction," he sighs briefly," I wanted to give you some time to think about it was why I refuse to see you since the incident. I love you so much," he says and pulls me into a tight hug. I smile now.
Would anyone have prophesied I would hug Michael? Or that Michael would love me? I would have argued to the end.
Michael pulls back after a while and looks me in the eyes. I smile and he pulls at my cheeks playfully. A phone rings, disrupting us. Michael whirl around and pick the phone, "Hi. Ok, give me some minutes," he says and look at me again, "I need to do something quickly. Why don't you go to the party and I will be back before you know it," he says and I nod briefly.
" Alright," I walk out of the room and enter the party. I feel so happy now like I've just found some missing parts of my body. I wonder what this party is all about. And for once, I feel less intimidated.
Looking up, I meet gaze with Dave looking at me. We stop for a while, staring at each other with such intensity. I know I've offended him. I should have called him but I didn't. And that's bad. I take a deep relieving breath before walking closer to him.
"You look breathtaking," he made a wide smile. Maybe Dave doesn't hold grudges after all. Or is he doing all this to make me trust him so he can hurt me later on?
I smile, "Yes, I know. Thanks anyways", I don't even know where to start from.
"I waited for you, for your call but it never came through. I thought we had an agreement to see," he say softly.
I suck in a breath, seriously I feel so guilty too," I'm sorry. I couldn't find my phone to call you".
"Why did you change your mind about coming. We had fun together and we had an agreement," he pause slightly as if remembering something," Or did Michael tell you something bad about me?" Unexpectedly, my eyes went wider. How did he know? He chuckle lightly," I thought as much. And the fool has a girlfriend. Why is he so protective around you? Has he confess his love for you?"
I couldn't say anything, I just stare. How can Dave guess so right? And what does he mean by he has a girlfriend?
I open my mouth to say something but Michael beats me to it by pulling me close to him suddenly. When did he get here?
"What is it?" Michael's voice was back being curt and brutal. You would think they have been having these grudges for so long. And somehow, I think they have been holding it in for so long. It doesn't seem as though they just met. Something must have happened between these two and a part of me want to probe in.
"I wasn't talking to you. You are not by chance Jones. I don't even know why you keep poking your nose in my business, are you mad?" Dave wasn't even ready to give it up yet. These two are crazy!
Michael suddenly let go of me and move to stand before me, "What did you just say?"
The two stare hard at themselves, "I said you are mad!"
Fuck! What's this?
I walk in-between them, "Hey guys, stop this please", I beseech softly before they start creating a scene.
Dave looks at me," I will see you some other time".
"You are seeing her never!" Michael says immediately. Dave looks at him, then walks away.
I sigh and look at Michael, "What's that for Michael?"
He sighs and pulls me closer, "I'm trying to protect you from him, "we walk together to a table," You are not even supposed to speak with him".
I laugh briefly," I'm not a kid Michael. I can handle myself. And speaking with him doesn't glue me to him", I try to explain, perhaps he will see some sense in what I'm trying to say. He should stop being overprotective.
"I'm just trying to protect you," he says softly, his voice dropping to near a whisper.
I sigh, accepting defeat already, "Thanks for that". I say.
Dave
I walk inside the room, angrily. Betty is already in. I called her earlier that I wanted to speak with her. We used to be friends before she started dating Michael and eventually had to choose between her boyfriend and her friend. She tried to settle the rift between me and Michael then. I told her it wouldn't work. I don't ever think I and Michael can go back to being friends. Is that even possible?
I don't know why Michael swallowed. He just seems like a soft guy on the Outlook but he's as deadly as a scorpion. I know what I'm talking about. I'm not as tough as Michael and he knows it too. That's why he keeps acting so strong around him.
I should start gyming seriously. I can't accept defeat, not again.
"Hi Dave," Betty calls while standing up. I move closer and hug her slightly before sitting. She sits too and I notice she doesn't look happy at all.
She has been very unhappy since she came back from Paris. I can't even say these two broke up. Betty just got so busy and couldn't call or contact Michael. And the idiot guy nearly killed himself when Betty had an accident last year. I don't know what he's doing with Jones now.
I won't lie to myself. If anything, I know I feel for Jones and I won't let anything stop me from having her. Michael has been doing this shit since high school. And it's high time it stops.
God, I can't even believe I fell for Jones. It took me so long to realize I like Jones. I've been smiling and enjoying myself, thanks to her. I don't want the last incident to repeat itself.
I will do anything to make sure I snatch Jones from Michael's clutch. And well, I will be helping a friend too. Yeah, I will be using a stone to kill two birds.
"When did you plan on going back to the country?"
Betty sigh, "This weekend at the max. Mom is also coming over by next month."
" Why are you so sad Betty? You wouldn't have come to see me if I hadn't call you right?" I feign ignorance of what is happening.
"Dave, I'm just scared Michael wouldn't forgive me if he knows I'm still meeting with you. But I'm fed up with everything. See Dave, Michael is no more picking my calls. I don't know what more to do".
I sigh and cross my legs," Why did you get so busy that you couldn't call your boyfriend?"
She suck in a breath," I know I did wrong but I love him so much to break up with him. I thought he knew this".
Michael is lucky. He always gets to love someone that loves him. I don't know where I got mine from.
"I can help you out. I have a plan in my head already. If only you are prepared to follow my rules"
" I will do anything as long as Michael would forgive me," she pause slightly as if thinking of something," I don't know what he saw in that rubbish girl". Wait! Who is she calling a rubbish girl?
She looks up at me, perplexed," Do you know her?"
Gosh!
" Wait, let me get this thing straight Bet. You abandoned me. You chose Michael all over me and now I'm choosing her over you", she open her mouth to say something but I beat her to it," Yes, I want to help you because of Jones. And I'm not like Michael. And im not helping you because of Michael."