III

Two weeks later——>

There comes a knock on Cainan’s door and his head lifted from the pillow and a low moan erupted from his throat. Thinking he’s probably still dreaming, he drops his head down on the pillow and his eyes close, but the knock comes again, this time louder than the first and he groans aloud in frustrations he shouldn’t be feeling so early.

“Go away!” He growls and shoves his head into the pillow.

The knock comes the third time and Cainan knows the only solution there is getting up, going to the door and knocking out whoever is at the door, but there’s a familiar voice, “I’m not leaving until I see you, Cainan Inferno.”

The voice caused a stir in him and it wasn’t in a good way; it was most horrifyingly.

“Samantha?” His voice comes out surprised and sceptical as it comes out. His eyes finally pulling apart, causing him to wince at the presence of the already bright day.

“Yes, and I think you’ve avoided me enough, so you’re gonna face me and tell me why you’ve rejected all my calls and avoided me these past weeks.” She sounds violent from across the room and he wonders what she would do to him if she was before him or after she finds out they might need to break up.

He slowly sits down, holding his head. “Can we do this some other time?” Cainan head is heavily pounding and his blood intensely surging through his vein and it’s weird because he knows he’s not a heavy drinker, so the reason for his morning headache he has no explanation for and he knows if he opens the door for her, she’ll only come in and yell at him or worse hit him.

The stubborn lady at the door is t ready to listen to reason, “Yes, so you can avoid me for another two weeks? No thanks.”

“Wai– what time is this?” He mumbled under his breath, but she seems to have heard because her reply comes immediately.

“Time for you to get up and open the damn door!”

There is no other way out so he gets up and walks to the door, “I’ll open the door if you promise not to yell at me.”

“I’ll try Cainan, can’t promise you anything.” She responds, her voice dropping in tempo.

Cainan nod, he can certainly use a ‘try’, with that he opens the door and there stands Samantha. In a red mini gown and what looked to be a six-inch Lita heel because she was never this tall. Samantha is one of the prettiest girls Cainan has ever met, with dark skin, brown eyes, full red lips and an impressive body, but there’s an ugly side to her and Cainan always tries as much as possible to avoid it. Her face has enough makeup to make her look like an angel and Cainan almost burst out laughing at the thought, but he knew that would only end up with him getting punched in his face.

“Hey?” He says, uncertain of what is appropriate to say.

“Hey? We haven’t talked or seen in two weeks and all you have to say is, hey?” She demands loudly.

Cainan’s eyes shut as his head pound harder at her loud voice. “Sam, your voice... Please.”

“Are you cheating on me?” She asks, ignoring his plea as she turns to him.

‘Yes, I am and you want to know why because you nag the hell out of me and I’d rather have my ex who is now a married woman than take that.’ He wanted to blurt out to her, but he takes a deep breath and speaks, “Listen, Sam–”

Her teeth grits angrily, “Just answer the damn question! It’s a simple yes or no.”

“Sam–” His words shortened as she silences him with a hard slap to his face.

“You are, aren’t you?! The rumours were true, you pig! I gave you everything these past three years, and this is what I get?!”

Cainan sighs and rubs his now hot right cheek because of Samantha's hard palm strike. “What do you want me to say? If you want to break up with me, then go right ahead.” He turns away from her and walks back to the bed.

“Who is she?” she demand, her voice telling him to be careful with his reply.

How can someone so small be so terrifying?

Cainan wants to say there’s no one anymore, at least not after Clara painfully dumped him to go live a miserable life with her husband two weeks ago. It’s hurt him so much and again, just like five years ago, he feels betrayed and cheated. He’d hoped to have been able to convince her to give Hugo, her husband, a divorce and come marry him instead, but that will never happen.

First, he thought she left him five years ago because she considered him immature, being seven years younger than she was and in her own words, incapable of taking good care of her. Then she revealed she left because she thought he’d never make the move and put a ring on it, which was the exact opposite of what he was hoping.

Five years ago, the Inferno Company worldwide was only taking its root in the world, and he needed time and, most of all, support from his loved ones. He was going to ask her to marry him immediately after the company hit its financial success, but Clara couldn’t bear to wait for him and broke up with him and six months later, she was married to Hugo.

Marrying Hugo was a mistake. They both knew it and Clara told him she hated every moment she spent with him, but why she’d choose to spend forever with him now, he has no clue.

“No one.” He answers truthfully, “things, to be honest, have not been going my way these couple of weeks and I just needed time.” He pauses and turns to her. “I’m sorry for hurting you the way I have. I was selfish and insensitive and if you love to, I’d like to start afresh.” He walks towards her and softly strokes her cheeks.

Why he was making this proposal instead of running for his life now that he had the chance to, he’ll never know.

She smiles brightly at him and nod, “Yes, I’d like that, but promise me there will be no secrets between us.”

He nods, “I promise.”

***

Six weeks later,

“How’s your mom now?” Neriah asks, as Shawn comes into the room.

There’s a cheerful smile on his face and his cheeks warm up as he tries to conceal it. Neriah wouldn’t know though because one of the good things about being dark skin is embarrassment blush doesn’t show on your cheeks.

“She’s good,” he nods and sits down, “what are you doing?” He asks, noticing her on the sewing machine.

“Well, I put in at a fashion house in town and I got called back this morning.”

“Does that mean you’ve got the job?”

She smiles weakly, “I only get the job if I’m able to please them with my masterpiece.”

“Well, I’ve seen your work, they are a delight!” He informed her with certainty.

She rolls her eyes. “Are you saying that as a friend or as a fashionista?”

He takes a seat on the stool beside the sewing machine to see what she’s doing properly. “How about as someone who’s seen your work?”

“Cocky.” Neriah mumble, “how about you? How did the job search go?”

“In the city of excellence and malicious wickedness, it’s really hard to find something good.”

She pauses and places her hand on his. “Well, you shouldn’t give up faith though, better days are coming.”

“I believe you” he gets up and stretches his hand to her silently. Her brow furrow as she stares at his hand, then up at him. “I’m taking you out.” He says, cutting straight to the point.

“Why?” Her brows drop in a frown.

“Because soon we’ll get our dream jobs and we won’t have the time to have fun anymore. This is the only time we have. Let’s seize the opportunity.”

“Okay,” she replies, smiling like an idiot.

“Yes!” He exclaims, and she takes his hand, “I promise we’ll have fun.”

“We better door you’ll have a lot of explaining to do.”

The fun part was overrated, but Neriah didn’t complain because it was a good time out. Shawn, being the good friend that he is taking her to a karaoke shop and told the owner they were buyers who just wanted to test first. The seller agreed and after performing a horrible ‘Don’t stop believing,’ Shawn opted out of buying, claiming the karaoke was too loud and old. They were both chased out by the old seller. Neriah was gaging from much laughter and at Shawn for how bad he was.

“I’m right though, didn’t you hear the sound?” He asks in the middle of intense laughter.

“I heard your voice, and it was horrible!” Neriah laughs.

He sticks his tongue at her, “Says the jealous girl who doesn’t know how to sing.”

“I don’t sing because I’m not good at it, you shouldn’t because you’re not good at it either.”

“I’m not a quitter, Ria and you shouldn’t be.”

“Ooh, you’re so cute!” She squeals before reaching up to ruffle his hair. “But thanks for dragging me out tonight. You’re a lifesaver, Shawnee.”

He slaps her hand off but couldn’t wipe off the smile on his face. “Only mom and future wife get to call me that.”

She makes faces at him, “Still going to call you Shawnee in your wife’s face just to make you mad.”

“You little!” He reaches for her, but she slips out before he can firmly grab her. “I don’t know why I’m still your friend!”

She sticks her tongue at him, “Because you love me and can’t live without me.”

He heaves a deep sigh, “That’s true, I’m just glad you’re having a great time.”

“Yeah I am,” she is smiling as she nods, “and that’s the first time in a while so thank you.” She wraps her arms around him.

“You’re welcome.” He responds cheerfully, and together they make their way towards her door, and she unhooks her arm from his; “you should get some rest.” He tells her.

She bites her lips lightly and nods as she climbs up to the veranda, “I will you should do the same.”

“I will,” he replies then leans in to give her his usual goodnight kiss on her cheek, and as he leans in and she inhales his cologne and she couldn’t help giggling in anticipation, but he did something different, he’s always wanted to do it since the first day he talked to her, what he’s been wanting to do the past two months and so instead of kissing her cheeks, his lip meets hers in a soft but passionately deep kiss.

The kiss takes Neriah by surprise as she’d expected and therefore had prepared for it beforehand. His lips are soft but a little dry, but as she kisses back, they become wets.

They pull apart and their eyes open up and Shawn notices the smile on Neriah’s face and he smiles as well.

“About time,” she says with her smile increasing.

He nods and scratches his head, “Yeah, about time.” He agrees, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his jean trousers.

She opens the door and steps inside. “Good night then.”

He takes a step back, “Good night, Neriah, sweet dreams.”