chapter 12: Making Him Struggle

It was already morning��no, wait��a Sunday morning.
As Diva had an important article to submit in the morning by mail, she got up early to do her work. After she was done, she decided to eat some breakfast. Thus, she got out of her room. While walking towards the dining area, she was surprised to see Blaze reading a book by sitting there. His breakfast was untouched.
"Good morning!" chirped Diva and plopped on a seat.
Staying quiet, Blaze glanced at Diva and gave a curt nod after closing the book. He took his spoon and was about to eat, but Diva narrowed her eyes and said, "Is that how you greet a friend?"
"Morning," he let out and started eating.
Diva took a fresh sandwich and deadpanned, "I know it is morning."
"Good morning."
"To whom exactly are you wishing a good morning?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. Even during the holiday, Diva was testing Blaze's patience.
If they didn't become friends last night, Blaze would've definitely lashed out at her early in the morning. As he never made friends, it was all new for him. He had to learn to adjust, just like Diva was trying to be comfortable with him.
Blaze closed his eyes and breathed out, "Good morning, Diva, a friend of mine." This time, he made sure not to leave a single word which would make him repeat everything again.
After taking a sip of her orange juice, Diva said, "Well, you have only one friend who is me, but never-mind. That's a nice progress. Remember to wish back every day."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Blaze focused on eating his breakfast like Diva, who was exceptionally quiet the rest of the time.
Even after their breakfast, Diva was quietly doing something on her laptop, sitting in the living room. Blaze peeked a bit and found her editing a paper.
He took the book in his hand which he was reading and decided to join Diva.
Why is she quiet? Usually, she would ramble even before asking something, wondered Blaze, should I ask her? I think I should. A friend can ask what's wrong.
Clearing his throat, he asked, "Diva, why are you so quiet?"
Instantly, Diva closed her laptop and smiled brightly at Blaze. "Yes, finally you asked! I thought I had to finish editing that entire page before you asked me."
Dumbfounded at her answer, he questioned, "Are you okay?"
Without a second thought, Diva stood on the sofa and let out, "I was waiting for you to ask me if something was wrong with me or not. Look, Blaze, I wanted to see if you had the basic knowledge of friendship and you have that. Thank God! If you didn't have that simple knowledge, I would've given you a free lesson."
"Well, friend. How about you get down?" he spoke and held her hand, even though he was still not comfortable with touches. But he had to stop Diva from dirtying the couches every day. Out of nowhere, she would stand up on wherever she was sitting.
As soon as Diva got down, a maid came and said, "There is a delivery for you, Ma'am."
Blaze got confused and glanced at Diva, who squealed in excitement. "Yes! Finally!" She glanced at the maid and said, "Tell him to come inside."
"What did you order?" inquired Blaze.
Diva's grey orbs shined brightly with happiness. "I ordered some room decor stuff from online and they are here!"
Room decor? She is planning to decorate her room, isn't she? he thought to himself. That's good. She is trying hard to settle.
"Blaze," her voice broke him from his trance. "What are you thinking? Pay him."
"Huh?" Blaze looked forward, only to find the delivery man looking at him hopefully.
"Pay him," repeated Diva.
"But why?" he whispered.
She whispered back, "A friend in need is a friend indeed."
He glared at her. She bought all the stuff and she is making me pay for it. She is really crazy, he thought. Taking his credit card, he paid for all the stuff. When he looked for Diva, she was not in his sight anymore.
"Thank God," he murmured, "I can really do some work now."
Blaze was walking faster to his room so that he could avoid Diva. Who knew what she would make him do 'as a friend' once again?
As soon as he opened the door of his room, Diva called out, "Blaze, wait up!"
He stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to find Diva running towards him from the farthest corner of the floor.
Twitching his lips, he simply put his hands in his pocket. Diva stood in front of him, panting��gasping for air.
"Why don't you help me to decorate my room?" she offered, looking at him with hopeful eyes.
Not wasting a single second, Blaze said, "No, thanks." He was about to scurry in his room, but Diva grabbed his hand.
"Come on, Blaze. There's a lot to do! Besides, a friend in need is a friend indeed."
There is it. That proverb, he wondered, now, I have to agree because I am her 'friend'.
Sighing, he didn't say anything further and walked to Diva's room. She trailed behind him.
����
The room was fully messy��that was the first thing Blaze noticed when he stepped inside her room. The boxes were unwrapped, but the wrappers were scattered on the floor, including the stuff she bought.
"Holy shit!" he mumbled under his breath.
"Come and help me out," Diva spoke, motioning him to walk towards her. "I will arrange the clothes from that box while you put these stars on that plain wall."
She handed him a box filled with different artificial sized stars, which made him cringe.
"What's the point of putting these on the wall?" he questioned.
Diva gave a smile and said, "These stars will glow when I turn off the light. It will work as a lamp. Besides, won't it be cute to fall asleep while watching glowing stars?"
"Certainly not."
She shrugged her shoulder at Blaze's answer. "Whatever. Just put these on that wall."
Shaking his head, Blaze started putting the stars on the wall one by one.
"I love the clothes the maid bought and arranged in the closet. However, I wanted my clothes too. So, I told Lina's mom to pack and send my clothes here, which she did. She also congratulated me for my wedding, but I ended up requesting her to not tell my grandma, yet. She was understanding and agreed��" Diva kept rambling and continued doing her work, like Blaze.
She also made Blaze hang up a photo of her and her grandma, and a photo of her and Blaze.
"I don't understand why did you make me hang a photo of us?" he inquired. The photo was taken before the interview when Blaze and Diva walked together after getting out of the car.
"Because I want to make this marriage work," she simply answered, making Blaze instantly face her.
Diva didn't even think twice to answer. She was sure of what she wanted. But she didn't know that Blaze felt unusual every time she said that she wanted their marriage to work.
The marriage would never work because we are completely opposite of each other, he wondered, while looking at Diva who was busy talking about something else while arranging her shoes.
"Blaze, as you are done with the photos, pick up the wrappers and place it at one corner."
"We have maids, Diva," he retorted.
"I know," she muttered and handed him a wrapper. "But a friend doesn't take other's help to help his other friend. And you know, a friend in need is��"
"��a friend indeed," he completed her sentence. Frowning, he started picking up the wrappers.
He didn't understand how Diva's mind worked. However, he was confused about what he signed up for. Did he make her his friend or did she make him her servant?