Chapter 4

*Gabby's POV*

After the narration, I realized that I had been a terrible friend and here she was, sticking her neck out for my happiness.

I couldn't even bring myself to apologize as I felt it would never be good enough. I had been such a jerk and so insensitive. How could I bring up her relationship status during our argument?

She still loves Joseph so much that she couldn't bring herself to date any other guy. Literally, all she did was flirt. 

Joseph had been her Mr. Right. I really hope she understands that Richie is mine too.

The only difference is he has a little flaw. But no one was perfect now, right?

I jolted out of my thoughts to see my strong-willed and high-spirited best friend break down in tears in front of me again.

"Josey!" 

I pulled her into my chest, stroking her hair and her back at the same time. 

I couldn't bear to see tears in her eyes, especially after knowing that I contributed to her agony to an extent.

"You probably think I'm weak now" Josey began, pulling away from my hold and smiling.

"That would be the biggest mistake anyone would make. I still think of you as the crazy and stubborn Ms. Carter whom I first hated when we met.

                          X X X X X

Almost like a planned setting, they both remembered their freshman year in College.

There Josey stood, just at the entrance to Gabby's hotel room, chewing gum without a care in the world.

Gabby had always though that people who chew gum in such manner were notorious and never did well in life.

"Excuse me, please move" Gabby asked, clearly irritated.

" Oh I'm sorry. I didn't know I was standing in front of your room" Josey apologized moving away from the door while still chewing her gum loudly. " Actually, I was waiting for a friend of mine to come. We were supposed to..."

" Speak to the door!" Gabby replied as she walked into her room and slammed the door in her face.

She was already exhausted and talking to someone like that loud girl would be more exhausting. To her, Josey looked like a chatterbox.

Shocked and hurt as to why a girl she barely even knew would act in that manner, Josey sat on the cold marbled floor while waiting for her roommate.

Gabby should have asked questions. Josey was not one to give up especially if she wanted something from you. 

And right now, she wanted Gabby's friendship.

The next day went on as usual, with a slight change.

Ms. Carter, as everyone called Josey, was going to be in all of Gabby's classes.

Josey was always in the mood to talk and always had something to say regardless of how Gabby reacts.

Gabby first referred to her as Chatterbox and later on as Ms. Carter. She has tried time and again to push Josey away but she was like a leech. 

Gabby believed Josey was loud and very unreasonable. All these ideas kept building castles in her head until the first semester so results were out. 

Josey was among top 10!

Now, it was like they had switched positions. Gabby became the leech for selfish reasons. She only wanted to be friends because of what she'd get out of it. 

Josey was clearly aware of just how much Gabby disliked her so when the sudden closeness started, she was stunned.

She figured everything out when Gabby subconsciously yelled at her,

"You claim you're my friend and yet you couldn't even help me out during our exams. What kind of friend are you?"

Josey was shocked after figuring things out but who cared? She was willing to play along.

Slowly, Gabby found herself growing fond of Josey for her craziness, free-spiritedness and equal intelligence and not just for her brains. She mostly wondered how Josey balances her social life with her school and none were on the loosing end. 

Gabby apologized for how selfish she had been and since then they've become much more inseparable that sisters.

                          X X X X X X 

"I am deeply sorry about what I had said Josey. I didn't mean to be so insensitive. I was only pissed about how you kept talking about Richie" I apologized, pulling us both out of our trances.

"It's fine Gabby. I'll let you be. You can marry your dream man. I won't bother you or say anything about him. I promise"

I smiled. Josey never broke her promises.

Just as we were about to hug, someone rapped on the door and opened it almost immediately without waiting for any response.

"Hey babe!" Richie said, excited.

"You didn't have to knock if you knew you were just going to barge in, you know." I replied with not as much enthusiasm.

"But I did. Now you know how it feels to barge in on someone right?"

Rolling my eyes at him, I looked away. For some reason, I feel disgusted by him.

Oh yeah, this fiance of mine is cheating on me and still has the guts to stare at me in the face and smile.

"What's up? I'm hungry" He continued, ignoring me.

I turned to Josey and she rolled her eyes. I could see she was trying not to let it all out on Richie. I mouthed a 'thank you' and got a smile from her in return.

"The Kitchen is downstairs Richard" I replied.

As quickly as his frown appeared, it disappeared and was replaced by a gay smile.

He probably wondered why I called him Richard today.

"Yeah I know but you always cook so I was hoping you'd..." He said rubbing his palms and licking his lips hungrily.

Yeah, lick your lips you street dog! You've eaten your white to your fill. She was tasty, wasn't she?

"I'm not born with some cooking gene Richard!" I yelled.

The conversation we heard earlier kept replaying in my head and it irritated me to a fault.

"Whoa! Chill Ms Presley. I'll get my own food" He said putting his arms up in defeat with a frown as he walked out the door.

"What. Was. That?" Josey asked standing up. She said each word like it was a whole sentence. 

I knew exactly what she meant but I felt playing innocent would be more interesting.

"What was what?" 

"That whole drama." She said rotating her index finger around the corner of the room we were sitting in. 

"You actually yelled at Richie, Gabby. And here I was thinking you don't got the guts. Well done Ms Presley." She hailed.

" Hey Josey. My wedding is in, like what, three weeks? But I have a plan. I want to see if Richie will come clean if he gets jealous"

" If it's for the pang of jealousy he'll feel, I'm in. If it's about him coming clean, nuh-uh, baby girl. That nigga will never tell you the truth."

" Let's just do it for the pain then!"

"Yeah!" Josey said excitedly and even forced me into giving her a high-five.

How can someone be so eager to cause a person pain?

Oh shit! I forgot I have a best friend whose name is Josey.

My Dad was my second best friend. He understood me more than my mom did. The first day I saw my period, I told my dad about it first. It shocked my mom to know that I told him first before her.

I told him how we found out Richard was cheating on me and shout the plan Josey and I had come up with. 

My old man looked pretty shocked because he always thought highly of Richard but he supported my plan anyway.

The plan kicked off the following morning, after my mom left for work.

Josey, the perfect porn expert managed to d******d audio porn and she played it when I was alone in the room.

I must say I was pretty turned on by those voices. 

When I saw a lean shadow at the base of the door, I tried not to laugh so loudly. I didn't need Dick or Harry to tell me it was Richard. 

He was getting suspicious and that's exactly what I wanted. 

Phase two of the plan. I wasn't such a great actor but I had to try it this once. I pretended to be on the phone talking and laughing with... Maybe my Network Provider? I always did this when Richard was around.

He did this thing of raising one of his brows when he's trying to give someone a questioning look.

Of course, I ignored him.

We were getting tired of the cat and mouse game so we advanced to the final level of our plan. I started seeing Josey's boss.

Oh no don't get me wrong. It was just another charade. 

The plan was to keep making flimsy excuses everytime I was out with Richard and then I'd go see Josey's boss. We'd talk and laugh and hold hands to the glaring eyes of Richard.

Richard probably felt threatened because Josey's boss was way cuter, hotter and classier than he was.

Most times, I couldn't help but wonder if Josey has hooked up with that guy. Or maybe she has but didn't tell me.

Three days after our plan kicked off, I had given the ridiculous excuse of going to sell my painting just so I could go out. 

Everyone knew Gabriella Presley would draw a bed and it'd end up looking like laundry machine. Who the hell was I kidding?

"Gabby, are you seeing someone else? You're cheating on me, aren't you?"

Richard had confronted me just before I stepped out to go 'sell my painting'.

The guts this man had! You're the one that's actually guilty, you whore!

"No I'm not. Why?" I replied calmly.

"I've ... I mean people have been telling me that they are always seeing around this super hot and cute guy"

" So you listen to people-talk now? Hold on, did you send someone to spy on me? Well, I'm grateful that person also thinks he's super hot" I said folding my arms like I didn't care.

"Gabby listen. I don't know what you have with this guy and guess what? I don't even wanna know. Just end it!" Richard literally yelled.

" I can't end what doesn't have a beginning" I replied.

" You're flaunting my orders, Gabby" He warned.

I really thought this man had a conscience. How could you manage to confront someone about cheating on you when you're doing the exact same thing? 

I should have listened to Josey. Now I'm hurt all over again.

"Fine fine, whatever" 

I met my therapist, my Dad, and he advised me to let it go. His reason was that Richard wasn't caught red-handed. I believed him. 

The whole conversation could've just been a misunderstanding. Maybe he was having phone sex due to the nature of his job?

Eventually, things returned to normal and my wedding arrangements were still in progress but my mum had no idea of what just happened in her only daughter's life while she was away at work.