Chapter 2

2

“Hey there, love!” Eliana exclaimed in pure happiness and pounced on me with her arms caging me tightly, 

“Ah, Hel-lo, Eliana, i-it’s tight,” I couldn’t speak a sentence properly because her strength was suffocating me. When I about to breath my last breathe she left me panting hard,

“You’re here! Thank God I finally get to meet you after so long, bubble!” Her eyes were sparkling in genuine love and my heart wished if she could’ve been a boy, I would’ve asked her to marry me right at this moment. I blinked twice to control my natural emotion back in my eyes.

She helped me with my suitcase and invited me inside her cute condominium. I won’t lie but her little apartment was frankly adorable and I took my time to admire it for minutes. She had a narrow corridor right after the entrance, then came a huge tv lounge of light-grey theme with white curtains joining an American Style kitchen adjoining corridor’s wall, going further straight after the kitchen, we got two elegant bedrooms with attached bathrooms. 

Yes, she was the daughter of a rich businessman who settled in Los Angeles. She had completed her doctorate and now, up for specialization. She has a boyfriend, a good amount of dollars in her credit cards, a lash degree and a good friend like me. I smiled at this thought.

“So, have you decided where you’d sleep? Alone or with me?” She asked while displaying her milkish teeth on her face, 

“You mind if I sleep alone today? I need to feel ‘single’ for a day,” I said, quoting the word single with my four fingers. She chuckled along with shooking her head.

“Oh, I forgot to congratulate you on your new life, hope you can survive with my tantrums which I used to throw at walls but now not anymore, I have you,” she threw her hands up in the air and went to the kitchen while I adjusted myself on sofa

“What’d you take in refreshments? Beer, Juice, Tea, Chris Hemsworth, Ian Somerhalder or Zayn?” 

“Since when did hot guys start serving your service menu?” 

“Since the day I had your three missed calls on my phone while I was fixing a heart. Now, tell me what do you want?” 

“Water with Henry Cavill,” Her face snapped at me with a gotcha look, she knew how crazy I was for him back in my married-less life. 

“Great man, I need to hire Ginnie to fulfil such wishes, my friend’s dreams are out of my standards,” She fetched water, handed it to me. Sighed out as she settled herself on leg resting side of sofa then looked at me, 

“I have never seen someone undervaluing a golden position she has,” I continued as she turned on the huge screen of tv and started fishing N*****x.

“Then what do you want me to do, huh? Should I arrange a night with Henry Cavill for you or would you do the honour of warming Ian Somerhalder’s king-sized bed?” she winked at me with a killer smile. Ah fuck, that seducing wink! I laughed.

“Can’t be available for this till I sign my divorce papers, Eli. I can’t chance their lives in danger because of my psycho husband, You know how much I love both of them!” I ended with a bit of sigh escaping my mouth, it wasn’t natural but a hint of anxiety as I mentioned divorce and husband in the same sentence. My heart couldn’t take it seriously that I actually decided to divorce him, it once loved him with all its capacity, maybe a little piece of the place was still there which shouldn’t be. 

“You don’t need to mention that idiot at least in front of me, he was your past and I’m gonna make your future. So, do not expect less this time, the last one was your choice, this would be mine and I would try my best to find someone like Henry or if you say I can even ask dad to set your blind date with him,” I felt my heart skipping a beat as she said the most-wanted to hear words, only she knew how crazy I was for a man who was way… way out of my league!

I couldn’t help but laugh at her words, she was being too sweet to capture my heart in a single go, for a good 2 minutes I continued to laugh, making her words a reality in my mind, “Thank you so giving me a good reason to feel better,” I thanked. 

She got up from her spot and sat beside me, “Have my idiot all to myself now, No Liam-heads can tear us apart now. Don’t worry my soldier, I’m on your back!” she motivated,

“Yeah, left him far behind in Texas,” I said with continuous nodding in a ridiculing manner.

“So now what are the plans? What will you do with him?” She asked me, her hand was holding her hand as her complete attention was on me.

I huffed first, “Eli, I’m done with him. He is so overly-possessive and you know it hurts when you want a normal life but you can’t have. I tried so hard to change him into a better man who I thought he already was but I was an idiot. He wants to cage me in his lockup forever and I’m or won’t be ever ready for that, he wants me all to himself, if any guy looks at me at any traffic stop, he interrogates me like who is he to me or I’m having affairs with him? Sometimes I feel he needs to consult a psychiatrist though the symptoms, *Huffed aloud* if he is not planning to change himself then I’ve decided and this is it. I won’t waste my life in order to keep waiting for his mental stability,” I gave her a brief view of my life in hell.

“Maybe, he’ll change after you conceive,” she had hope in her voice even after I gave her a hint of that man never going to change.

“No, El, he doesn’t want it, I tried many times but he makes sure at every step that I don’t get impregnated by him” the tone of my answer was speaking smooth frustration, I knew she got my slip over just the way she gave me mischievous smirk. Eliana and her bright smile. 

“Hey chill girl! We will get your sex life on fleek, you’re in LA now,” she said with a smile and I chuckled. “Forget him, you do-” A ring on the doorbell caught our attention, she stopped, leaving me breathing hard, Is it, Liam? Oh, he found me!

I inhaled a deep breath because I forgot to breathe, “Oh no, it’s him, he found me! Oh, what’s he gonna do with me? I tried so hard to dodge him over. Damn me! Eli, he located me, he will kill me now!” She caught my arms as my mouth was unstoppable and I was panicking in fear of Liam. 

“Jen, Jen! Relax buddy, nothing will happen to you, I’m here why fear? Let me look at it, you go hide in the bedroom,” She lifted me and gestured the way toward the bedroom, I ran fast and half-shut the bedroom’s door

My ears were stuck to the door and I heard her opening the door. Her tone was normal and sounded like running with a neutral expression but I couldn’t interpret the situation. A minute later, I heard the door closing and by then Eliana shouted me to come out, I sighed as pressure flew away, 

I sneaked out and saw her holding a huge box in her hand, My heart resided watching her smiling and signalling me to come out, “Ah El, thank god!” I stepped out and my heart calmed.

“It’s for you baby!” she handed the box with a grin and a touch of excitement. I frowned at her.

“For me?” I asked as I wasn’t taking the joke seriously, I blinked twice at her but she nodded with a surety look on the face, moving her shoulders to indicate me moving on. I nearly got tensed, what can this be? And from who?

I checked it before touching it further and saw a note on it, 

‘Know your worth, never settle less than you deserve,’

This time my heart also smiled as I read a much-needed quote, “It’s not a bomb, Jen, brace up!” Eliana got me out of my trance, I lightly shook and glanced at her, “Yeah, yeah!”

I walked ahead and unwrapped the box, it was a box of a brand Versace.

I turned to Eliana who was smiling at me, “C’mon, open it!”

As my hands unwrapped the box and My eyes found a pure crimson long dress of premium quality, it had another note on it,

“Wear this tonight,” My heart speeded up the pace instantly. I couldn’t stand who sent it or what was the purpose behind it?

“Where is this from?” I asked Eliana with a stretched, tensed face. My hands were shivering as I touched that gorgeous dress which I could guess would be long enough to touch the floor if I wear it in case. I was just imagining.

She narrowed her eyes in unknown annoyance, “Who else it could be than me? Of course I got you this for an upcoming premiere, I ordered yesterday,” she had a touch of sarcasm in her tone but I can’t buy her jokes right now so I asked again...

“Is this really for me?” I looked at her in shock. It wasn’t like I was shocked at holding a dress this expensive, it was the priceless feeling I had when she added it was for me, but why? I had nowhere to wear this gorgeous dress nor for anyone.

She looked at me with eyes like I asked for her kidney because I took her banter way too seriously perhaps. “No, why would it be,” her annoyance was visible,

As I was about to utter another word, she put a finger on my lips and continued, “It’s obviously from me, dumbass. Who else will send a coward this sexy dress, huh? Since it’s a gift from me, you will listen to me and wear this on the coming weekend in return because we are going somewhere special to celebrate your newly independence,” she winked at me and raised her hands to wrap her arms around my neck. 

My mouth left an unintentional chuckle over her behaviour, “Wait… wait! Where are we exactly going?” I asked her, frowning lightly.

She audibly sighed and sat down in her seat, “Have you heard about the new movie release? Fallen For You?” she asked, scanning my face if she could face-read my answer,

I took a good time then replied, “Yeah, I heard about it but haven’t seen the trailer,” I told her

“Oh dude, It’s starring Tyler Kidman, Stella Swanson, Brandon Grande! You know Brandon and Stella are actually dating in real life, there was a sneak peek of a smooch in the trailer, so I’m excited to see their reactions while those scenes air up,” Eliana couldn’t keep her mouth slow-paced, it was like an army of dogs were after her,

“Ahan,” was my answer with raised eyebrows and astonishing expression as I couldn’t stop admiring her, 

“Yeah... we are going to the movie premiere plus guess what? We will get a chance to meet the entire cast! I will make sure you meet each of the five available handsome hunks so one of them could actually fall for you!” Eliana chuckled as she teased my cheeks while I was busy staring at her with a ‘are you serious look’ and just like I have heard a joke, “We’re gonna have a very happening night soon, babes!” she added with giggling, showing her cute dimples.

My mouth was half-opened, “Come on El! Stop it! I’m married,” I blushed red like a monkey’s ass after blurting out my relationship status,

“Consider yourself single from now on,” She scolded as all of that happiness flew away from her glowing face,

“El, ah… what made you think it’ll be fun for me to watch a movie with lots of explicit scenes in a jam-packed crowd, thousands of people would be suffering that shame which I’m genuinely not interested into an encounter,” I mocked her happening night, 

She stopped for a second and replied, “You don’t have to worry about it, I’ll cover your eyes when that comes, and for your information, we are not just going to a movie. We will be clubbing after it and you’ll be the one buying us drinks,” 

“Us?” Did she mean me and herself?

“Yes, Ryan, me and of course you!” FUCK WHAT? she mentioned her boyfriend between us 

“Oh, come one girl! Your standard of drinking would get me penniless, you gotta be kidding me. I suggest you go with him, I don’t wanna feel like a third wheeler spoiling lovebirds' perfect date night. However also, I’m not feeling like going there,” I insisted to her.

“There’s no way in this world to reject me, you idiot! The deal is done and you’re going! End of the discussion. Plus, we both have salon appointments that day.” she said while checking out my hair, her expression clearly told me something offensive was going on her mouth, 

“God, you need a fine haircut. Look at your hair like someone set them on fire,” she commented and I huffed inwardly, my expectations of her remarks were worse. What she said was actually right, my hair was half broken and thanks to Liam for pulling it savagely every time he fucked me. 

“You seriously don’t have to waste money on these things, El,” I advised her, my conscience was guilty over her over expenditure action on me, where she gave me a look if I was being severely formal with her, 

“You’re going with me and that’s it. I’ll make you see someone special,”