5. Second chance

"Okay! I've been thinking about our dates last night. I think we need to arrange new strategies."

I shook my head, silently telling myself not to go up against her when she gets excited. The best I can do is listen to her.

"Give me your phone."

"Don't you have work to do?"

"It's Saturday,"

"Gemma, I'm not sure I want to do the date thing two nights in a row. How about we do the traditional way and go have drinks and just stare at cute guys longingly?"

She laughed at me but finally agreed.

"Okay, but we're doing this my way. Let's do a spa day, shopping, do our hair, waxing..." she kept on listing our schedule while I decided to leave her and go to my room to stalk my honey bun bun on social media.

I sighed when I look at his handsome face, it didn't take me long before my hands reach out for my sketchbook and start sketching him.

Again.

It has become an addiction, I should stop.

That afternoon we had our spa day, we talked and relaxed all through our sauna and bath session, I was already sleepy when it's time to get scrubbed, then was half sleeping while being massaged.

Waxing was inevitable with Gemma, though I told her no one is going to see the clean-shaven us down there but she kept on pushing me to do it.

It made me blush when my therapist gives me the treatment. The feeling was weird, though I was liking the freedom.

Kind of.

We were doing our pedicure when my phone buzzed with a notification from the dating app.

"Who's that?" Gemma was being her nosy self and grabbed my phone from the side table while I was busy reading Brice Durant's book.

She giggled and started typing on my phone.

"Gemma..."

"Look, this guy is asking for a meet after I changed your bio to book nerd. Seriously, we're just going to gaze from afar, you don't have to meet the guy. I think this guy can be dangerous."

"What, when did you change it? and what do you mean by guys interested in bookworms can be dangerous? seriously Gemma?"

"Invaded your phone when you're not looking, honestly any guy listed on a dating app can be a freak." She shrugged and continue typing on my phone while smiling mischievously.

"Will you stop after we do this?"

"What? hell no!"

"Gemma..." I rolled my eyes at her and rest back to the comfy chair as my feet were being pampered.

I decided to let Gemma do her thing and keep on reading until they start doing my nails.

"You should've gone with the bright red one." My too cheerful cousin said when she looked at my nail color.

"Look, let's just get some food, I'm starving."

I was glad that we finally finished with the day spa, and couldn't wait to sleep peacefully in my bed.

We dine then get back to our apartment, she leaves me to get ready and we went to the hottest club in town where Gemma had set my date with the stranger from the app.

"Why aren't you wearing a sexy dress?" Gemma asked as we were sipping our margarita mix.

"I'm a bookworm remember, this is me being me, besides I still show my curves," I smirked knowing I was looking way too casual for the club in my tight designer denim and blouse top, but honestly I was too tired and need the comfort from my jeans.

"Look, the blouse is sheer enough for tonight and I'm wearing my sexy heels. Let's just get this over with, is he here?"

"How would I know? check your phone, I'm busy checking out the cuties here." She said quickly while her eyes scanned our surroundings.

I sighed and gulped down my drink, I almost spill my margarita when my phone buzzed from an incoming message.

"He's here, shit why am I nervous? we don't even know what he looks like, who put their dog face as their profile picture on a dating app? he could be some deranged psycho. And you agreed for a meet, maybe you should meet him instead."

We were sitting by the bar thinking it'll be easier for us to blend in within the crowd and ignore the guy if he's too weird for my taste.

"Stop panicking, he's probably a married man looking for a fling."

"Gemma! seriously!"

She laughed and asked the bartender for another drink. I was looking for a man with his description of clothing when I cursed and Gemma was to my side immediately.

"Who would wear dark shades in a club? it's that him?" my dearest cousin asked as she looked at the man who was supposed to be my date.

Gemma didn't recognize him, but I know him very well, his defined jawline, his lips, his broad shoulders, his thick neck, even his strong arms were visible from his tucked shirt.

I have been stalking the guy, drawing him, and reading his books religiously.

"I think we should go,"

"What, are you kidding me? he looks hot even with the shades."

"Gemma, I can't. I know him." I finished my drink, feeling the sudden thirst in my throat.

"What? and you never introduced me to him?"

"He's Brice Durant! fuck Gemma... you couldn't pick a guy with a face on his profile."

"Mm...fake name, interesting. So? what are you waiting for?! this is your chance!"

She grabbed my shoulder, shaking me, trying to make me see the real Brice Durant meters away from me.

"I can't!"

I called the bartender seconds later asking for another drink while my phone kept on buzzing with his incoming call.

"Does he know you? you've met him right?"

"I've met him, for sure...in his long line of fans waiting for his signature, me...the person who freezes and said nothing when I'm in front of him. I can't do this Gemma."

She actually laughed hearing me, telling me I should go ahead and that it's the only chance that I was going to get to talk to my honey bun bun.

"Come on, if you don't do this now, years ahead, when you're single and old you're going to have murderous intent towards your loyal beautiful cousin, just because I didn't push you hard enough."

She was exaggerating, but she has a point. A good one.

"Gemma... I'm freaking doing this aren't I?"

"You got nothing to lose cuz, but will surely regret this in the future if you don't."

"Fuck this, I'm doing this, I'm meeting my honey bun bun. Now, hug me and be sure to save me when I start embarrassing myself."

Gemma hugged and patted my back then sends me away to hopefully my ever after, though most likely my doom.

I was nervously walking towards him when he greeted me and I almost fall from all the excitement.

"Sorry, my first time, I mean second time doing this. I mean first time meeting you..." I laughed in a very embarrassing way and was ready to run faster than lightning, going straight back to my apartment.

He laughed softly as if he was liking my nervousness. He's making my heart beats a thousand miles per hour.

"Why are you nervous?" his deep sexy voice sends chills throughout my body.

"Well, first of all, you have your dog as your profile picture."

Woah, you managed to speak out one whole sentence. Good job Ella.

"Right, sorry about that. I'm Brice by the way, I also put a fake name on my profile." He shook my hand and I was sure that my heart was about to explode.

"Oh..."

Damn, I touched his hand. My honey bun bun. His freaking hand. I'm not going to wash my hand, ever!

"I'm Ella,"

"Ella, mm...very familiar name."

I cursed on the inside remembering that I put my real name as my user name on his fans' site. He had directly replied to me, hopefully, he won't notice. I still don't know why he joins a dating app, my genius mind seemed to think that he was doing it for one of his future books. I know for sure that he never lacks women. I'd see him with different models, bloggers and the last one was his fellow author.

"Uh, thanks?" I sipped my drink and almost gasped when he took off his sunglasses and put on his usual bronze frame glasses. I could clearly see his mesmerizing blue eyes. Usually, I zoomed in and out from my screen to do that but at that time I freeze making him smile and asked if there was something on his face.

"No, it's perfect, I mean clean...uh, nothing there, not dirty. I mean you have the clearest blue eyes, eh...I'm not good at this stuff."

He laughed and asked the bartender for another glass of what looks like whiskey.

"Come on, let's sit and order some snacks?" he asked one of the waiters for a VIP booth and she smiled flirtatiously and get a set of the menu before ushering us to the nearby seating area. I could see Gemma was grinning like a maniac, then typing furiously on her phone.

The buzzed was heard seconds later, and I was about to take a seat to his front when he told me to sit next to him. I could almost feel my heart fall to the floor, I need to be careful I might just have an orgasm by sitting next to him.

Make sure you nail him tonight. It's now or never. (Gemma)

I'm so nervous I might die, don't leave, not yet. (Ella)

I'll give you half an hour before I look for my prey. Love you cuz, you can do this. (Gemma)

"I'm sorry, my cousin. She's my backup, just in case. You know..." I cursed on the inside the second I blurted out my words. I can't believe I was being naively honest with him, but his eyes were making me do it.

Yeah, right...

Damn it! Ella, focus!

He chuckled and call the waiter to order, he asked what I want but I was too busy looking at his appearance.

"It's my first time here, I don't know their specialties."

"Alright then, just as the lady says, your best food and oh, we'll have your best wine along with the food. And some bottled water, then another one of what she's having." He talked to the waiter, while she nodded and was gone moments later.

"So..." he smiled, showing his perfect pearly whites.

"So..." I repeated, as I feel so nervous and on the brink of a heart attack when he put his hand over mine and looked at me with his beautiful blue eyes.

Kill me, kill me now.

I will die and be a happy ghost.