Chapter 4

Two weeks to the wedding, Laura called Clifton, and she asked If Clifton do attend party?“,

“I'm sorry, I don't have resources to attend a party” Clifton retorted,

“okay, we will discuss on the party resources later, Laura said, and she ended up with the phone conversations,

Laura had been eagerly waiting for this wedding party for months, but she was faced with a dilemma. She didn't have a partner to accompany her to the event and, being a big and rich lady, she was nervous about approaching a man who might turn her down. However, she had heard about a new service that rented out boyfriends and girlfriends for events like these. Laura considered this option but was hesitant to choose Clifton to accompany her.

"There's got to be someone I know who would be willing to go," she thought to herself, scrolling through her phone contact list. Suddenly, a name caught her eye: Clifton.

Clifton was someone she had known for a while, but they were never particularly close. She had always found him to be a bit arrogant, but he was also charming and good-looking, which was important for a wedding party. Laura decided to give him a call.

"Hi Clifton, it's Laura. How are you doing?" Laura began, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Hi Laura, I'm doing great. How about you?" Clifton replied.

"I'm good, thanks. Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to go to a wedding party with me this weekend?"

Clifton hesitated for a moment before responding. "I'd love to go, but I already have plans for this weekend."

Laura was disappointed but not surprised. "Oh, that's too bad. Well, thanks anyway" Laura said,

But before Laura could hang up, Clifton spoke up. "Wait, Laura. I might be able to rearrange my plans. What's the occasion?" he asked,

"It's my sister's wedding party. It's going to be a big affair, with lots of important people and fancy dresses, almost all my family and friends with will be there" Laura explained,

Clifton's ego was stroked at the thought of being seen with someone like Laura at an important event. "Well, I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity like that. Sure, I'll go with you," Clifton said,

Laura was thrilled and relieved. "That's great news, Clifton. Thank you so much. And don't worry, I'll make sure you're well-compensated for your time." Laura said,

Clifton raised an eyebrow at this. "What do you mean by that?" he asked,

"I mean, I'll pay you for your time and effort. And if we have time before the party, I'll take you shopping or something. Whatever you'd like," Laura explained,

Clifton was taken aback by this. He had never been offered money for something like this before. "Laura, I don't know if that's necessary. I'll go with you because I want to, not because of any financial gain."

Laura understood, but also knew that Clifton needs the money, "I appreciate your sentiment, Clifton, but it's the least I can do. Besides, a lady of my stature can't be seen without a proper companion" Laura said,

Clifton chuckled at this. "Well, when you put it like that, how could I refuse?" Clifton said,

The day of the wedding party arrived, and Laura picked Clifton up in her Mercedes-Benz. He had dressed in a designer suit and looked every bit the part of her companion. For the first hour or so of the party, Clifton remained by Laura's side, doing his best to impress those around them with his charm and wit.

But as the night wore on, he got increasingly bored. Laura was off socializing with her friends, leaving Clifton alone in a sea of unfamiliar faces. He tried to make small talk with some of the other guests, but they were all busy with their own conversations. He felt like an outsider, a simple rented boyfriend who didn't belong.

By the time the party ended, Clifton was eager to leave. Laura thanked him for coming and handed him a check for his services. Clifton tried to protest, but Laura insisted.

"Come on, Clifton, you did a great job tonight. You deserve to be compensated for your time."

Clifton reluctantly accepted the check and the shopping trip that Laura had promised him,

Clifton couldn't shake off the feeling of inadequacy. He had been out of a job for over a year and he couldn't imagine how he would approach Laura with his present status.

"I really like Laura, but she's so successful and comes from a wealthy background," Clifton said, and he confided in his friend, Gorge

"You can't let that hold you back, man. You have a degree and you're talented. You just have to put yourself out there and keep pushing," Gorge encouraged

It was easier said than done. Clifton had sent out countless resumes, attended numerous interviews, but nothing was forthcoming,

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Laura was always on his mind, but fear held him back from making any move.

Finally, Laura sent him a message. "Hey Clifton, I really enjoyed seeing you at the wedding. Would you like to grab a coffee sometime this week?"

Clifton was both excited and nervous. "I don't even have money to take her to a nice coffee shop," he thought to himself,

Laura noticed Clifton's hesitation. "Is everything okay?" she asked,

Clifton gathered the courage to open up to her. "I've been out of a job for quite some time now and I don't know if I'm in the right position to take you out to a nice place," he confessed.

Laura smiled, "You don't have to worry about that. I'm more interested in getting to know you, not the places you take me." Laura explained,

Clifton felt a wave of relief wash over him. "Thank you, Laura. That really means a lot to me," he said gratefully,

Their coffee date was a success and they both enjoyed each other's company, Clifton realized that he had allowed his fear and insecurities to hold him back from experiencing a wonderful relationship.

From then on, he made a resolution to always believe in himself and his abilities, knowing that it was more important to be true to himself than to try and fit into someone else's expectations,