31

Krystal’s phone beeped. It was from Andrew.

Andrew: excited for tonight. Hope you’re on your way home already.

Krystal smiled. She was equally as excited and she could sense his excitement from his texts. He had texted her all through the day, making sure she didn’t forget.

Krystal: I will be on my way soon.

Andrew had waited patiently for Friday and it was here now and he couldn’t believe he was nervous.

He stood in front of the mirror again, practicing what he was going to say to Krystal. He knew he was probably not going to say what he was practicing but it was a start.

He wasn’t nervous about what he was going to say. He was nervous about how she was going to reply.

He didn’t know what her answers would be. He was good at reading cues and knowing if someone liked him but with Krystal, he had not been able to do anything.

He straightened his jacket and sprayed his perfume. He was ready.

Krystal stood from her desk. She didn’t want to be late. She was about stepping out from the office when she was stopped by Collins.

“What about we have that drink tonight?” He asked.

Krystal was caught unprepared. She didn’t expect him to ask about the drink so soon and especially not tonight when she had something.

She didn’t know what she was going to do. It felt like the hardest thing ever. She knew how sad Andrew would be if she cancelled the dinner. He seemed to had look forward to it all day. She also knew this could be her only chance to get Collins out of the house so Lucy could get the documents.

She could probably reschedule the drinks to another day but what if he had something else to do.

“Tonight?” She asked.

“Yes, tonight.”

“Can’t we do tomorrow?” She inquired.

“Figured I would only be free today and you promised I could ask anytime,” he said.

“Alright, let’s go,” she said. She couldn’t believe the decision she had just made.

She brought out her phone to text Andrew.

Krystal: I am sorry, I have to be somewhere. It’s important. Can we maybe reschedule to tomorrow? Sorry.

Andrew received the text and he couldn’t explain how it had made him feel. It felt like the answer he needed. She didn’t really care about him.

He was so excited for the dinner but he felt to her, it was probably not that important. He stared at the message for some minutes and didn’t reply to it.

Andrew took off his clothes, wore something casual and poured himself some wine to drink it away. He didn’t want to think about Krystal all together.

But he couldn’t still help it. His head wouldn’t stop thinking about what was so important that she would bail on him. He hated the feelings he had for her. He hated that he couldn’t make it all go away. He hated himself for falling and agreeing to be in this contract with her.

Krystal checked her phone severally hoping he had replied but he didn’t.

“Glad we are finally doing this,” Collins said as he drove both of them to the bar.

They got to the bar after several minutes and they found an empty table which they sat at.

“Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom” Krystal said, standing from where she was sitting.

She needed to dial Lucy.

Lucy didn’t pick on the first ring but then she did on the second.

“Tonight’s the night,” Krystal said, immediately Lucy picked up.

“What do you mean by that?” She asked.

“I and Collins are out tonight and this night is the perfect opportunity for us.”

“This is short notice. I don’t know if I can make it.”

“Please, you have to!! I already bailed on my husband just to be here!!”please I need you.”

“Alright. I would need a few minutes to get someone to stay with Uriel. Then I will head there,” she said.

“Thank you, thank you!!” She said.

“Just text me to know how it’s going.”

She checked her face and then went out of the bathroom.

When Krystal got back. Collins already ordered drinks for them.

“Got you your favourite, I still remember,” he said, handing it over to her.

They drank one after another and Collins had pulled her out to dance also. They danced and Krystal was using all that to save time for Lucy.

Lucy had texted that she had just gotten to the house.

After some round of drinks and dancing. Collins had made another suggestion.

“Let’s continue this in my apartment,” he said.

“Why? We are having so much fun here already. We don’t need to leave.

“I don’t want to either,” Collins said, pulling Krystal closer to him. His hands around her waist. She was so close, she could inhale his breath.

“I have missed you,” he whispered in her ears.

For the first time, she felt nothing for him. The increase heart rate when he was close, the butterflies in her stomach. Nothing was there.

She knew she needed him to stay here and she was going to do anything it took to make it work.

She caressed his shoulders. “I miss you too,” she said. Her hands on his cheeks like they were about to kiss.

He leaned forward about to kiss but she evaded it and he kissed her cheeks instead of her lips.

“Let’s dance,” she said. He was drunker than she was.

They danced for a few more minutes and when she brought out her phone to text Lucy. She said she was still on it and needed a few more minutes.

Krystal had no choice but to continue her acting and that involved getting even more drunk.

Several minutes passed and Lucy texted that she had the documents.

Krystal managed to order a cab for she and Collins.

She decided to take him home first as she was a little sober than he was.

When they got into his house and he fell on the couch as she helped him in. He pulled her with him down.

“Stay,” he said.

She stood and was about to leave but he wouldn’t stop saying stay.

She decided to stay till he fell asleep.

The alarm from her Apple Watch beeped and when she checked it, she realized it was 6:00am. She had fallen asleep in his sitting room on the floor while waiting for him to sleep.

The first thought that came to her mind was Andrew!!! “Andrew!!” She said as she immediately stood from where she had been sleeping.

Collins was still sleeping. She was devastated and wondered what she was going to tell Andrew as she packed all her stuffs and dashed out from Collins’s house.