Chapter 6
Theo
As Theo walked into the spa, the soothing sounds of soft music and gentle water fountains greeted him immediately. The air was filled with the delicate scent of lavender and eucalyptus, and the lighting was dim, creating an atmosphere of relaxation and tranquility.
Theo approached the front desk, where a receptionist greeted him with a warm smile. "Good afternoon, Mr. Silvano. Miss Daphne Dashwood is expecting you. Please follow me."
As Theo followed the receptionist through the serene hallways, he couldn't help but feel out of place in his business attire. He wondered what Daphne was up to, and why she had decided to have their meeting here, of all places.
The receptionist led him to a private room with a large window overlooking a tranquil garden. Inside, Daphne was lounging comfortably on a chaise longue, a fluffy robe wrapped around her, her hair tied up in a loose bun. She looked completely at ease, a stark contrast to Theo's slightly bewildered expression.
"Seriously?" Theo began.
Daphne looked up from the magazine she was casually flipping through and smiled, "I thought we could discuss our plans in a more relaxed setting. Stress isn't good for decision-making, you know."
Theo, slightly irritated, pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Daphne.....I came all the way across town for this?"
"I booked you a message," Daphne stood up, gesturing to a nearby chair for Theo to sit. "Your shoulders were so tense yesterday."
Theo glanced at the chair, then back at Daphne, his irritation evident. "You noticed?"
"Of course," she replied. "You carry your stress like it's part of your wardrobe. Take a seat, grumpy. Relax a little. We can talk business once you've had a chance to unwind."
Theo hesitated for a moment, then slowly sat down in the chair. As he sank into the plush cushion, he realized how tense he had been. Daphne's approach, unconventional as it was, started to make sense.
"Alright," he conceded, loosening his tie and leaning back. "You've got my attention. What's the plan?"
Daphne's smile widened. "First, you relax. Then we'll dive into the details. Trust me, this will be the most productive meeting you've ever had."
"I don't have time for this," Theo clicked his tongue. "I'm meeting with shareholders in about two hours and then the design team is presenting their plans. I'm on a tight schedule."
Daphne rolled her eyes. "That's why you need this more than anyone. A half-hour massage won't ruin your day, I promise."
Theo grumbled. "Fine. But this better be worth it."
"Oh, it will be," Daphne assured him. "Just wait and see."
As Theo settled into the chair, Daphne's confidence and the serene spa environment started to chip away at his annoyance. Maybe, just maybe, this unconventional meeting would turn out to be exactly what he needed.
Theo hesitated for a moment before unbuttoning his suit jacket, shrugging it off and draping it over the back of the chair. His shirt followed, button by button, revealing a lean, muscular torso that made Daphne's breath catch in her throat. She watched, her eyes widening slightly as Theo moved with practiced ease.
Theo caught her staring and raised an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?"
Daphne quickly looked away, and cleared her throat. "Just making sure you're comfortable," she said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Uh-huh," Theo replied, his lips quirking up in a half-smile as he finished removing his shirt before stepped behind the divider in the room. The faint sound of fabric rustling filled the room as he changed. His movements were deliberate and unhurried, a quiet confidence in the way he unfastened his pants and slid them down his legs. He stepped out of them, folding the garment neatly and setting it aside with practiced ease. A moment later, he reemerged, a towel wrapped securely around his waist, the fabric hugging his lean, muscular frame.
Daphne couldn't tear her eyes away. Her gaze lingered on his chiseled physique, the definition of his muscles catching the light in the room in ways she couldn't explain. Theo's presence filled the room, his every movement commanding her attention. She watched him fold the pants neatly and set them aside, then turn back to Daphne, a teasing light in his eyes.
"Ready?" Theo asked, his tone light but with a playful edge.
Daphne nodded and gestured toward the massage table. "The masseuse should be here any minute."
Theo moved toward the table with smooth, confident steps, each motion showcasing his athletic abilities. As he lay down, Daphne couldn't help but appreciate the sight before her, her eyes tracing the lines of his body for just a moment longer.
"Alright," she murmured, more to herself than to Theo. "Let's get started."
Theo waited, staring at the ceiling of the room while wondering once again what perfume Daphne wore.
"I was up all night scrolling far and deep into Ava's Instagram," Daphne spoke. "And yours too, by the way. It's so obvious that she ran your account."
"How can you tell?" Theo asked.
"She only ever posted pictures of herself," Daphne snorted.
"Maybe I did that on my own."
"You're not the type."
"Suddenly, you know me so well?"
Daphne looked up and tilted her head, "Ah yes, because a man who is so busy with his company, family, and his planes would have so much time to dedicate a fanpage to his girlfriend. That was all Ava's doing. She wanted the world to think you were obsessed with her. But guess what, we're going to give her exactly what she wants and make it better."
"Can we rewind for a second?" Theo sat up slowly. "How do you know so much about me?"
Daphne looked up from her phone, "Google."
"That's very unfair," Theo said. "I hardly know anything about you."
"I don't see how any of that would help our case," Daphne shook her head. "Back to the problem at hand. You are going to start posting again on your Instagram. You're going to soft launch me."
"Pardon me?" Theo raised his brow.
"It's how couples show off that they're in a relationship but don't give away too much information," Daphne explained. "We're going to add a bit of bad photography in there to make the pictures look authentic. Like you actually too them."
Theo stared at Daphne, a bemused look in his eyes as if he were talking to himself. The absurdity of the situation was becoming increasingly clear to him, and he found it oddly amusing.
"This is all starting to feel a bit childish," he said, his tone tinged with amusement. "I mean, creating fake posts and staging everything... it just seems so... petty."
Daphne looked up from her phone, her eyes narrowing slightly. "It's not about being petty, Theo. It's about strategy. We need to control the narrative, and this is the best way to do it."
Theo continued to gaze at Daphne, his amusement was evident as he imagined the whole scenario from an outsider's perspective. Daphne leaned forward, her expression earnest and determined.
"She slept with your closest friend," Daphne reminded him. "And all of New York knows it. If she's out there flaunting her new man, why shouldn't you have some fun?"
"What's your gripe with Ava?" Theo asked, genuine curiosity in his voice. "This seems personal."
Theo held Daphne's gaze as it hardened. Something shifted behind her eyes, and her lips pinched together in a tight line.
"New terms and conditions," she announced. "You cannot ask me personal questions."
"Are we switching to business mode now?" Theo asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.
"It's always business with you, Mr. Silvano," Daphne rolled her eyes.
"Fine," Theo nodded, a sly smile forming. "I'm lowering your fee."
"What?" Daphne arched her brow in surprise.
"Yes," Theo said calmly. "If we're going to make Ava and the rest of New York think we're dating, you'll need to be seen with me more frequently."
"I'm also taking on more of a headache researching Ava," Daphne countered. "And coming up with this plan. I'm serving you the complete package on a silver platter, and you want to cut back on my payments? I don't think so. If anything, I should be charging you more."
"I'm estimating about one date per week," Theo calculated. "Let's say we extend the contract for two months. Eight weeks, $2500. You're not taking a loss."
"I'm working more and still making the same," Daphne's eyes narrowed. "No. The five thousand stays. And now we're going to add an additional thousand dollars for every Instagram post I have to design."
"I could just delete Instagram," Theo said, a hint of defiance in his voice.
"If you really wanted to, you would have already," Daphne retorted swiftly.
"Ms. Dashwood," Theo took a deep breath, trying to keep his tone even. "I cannot justify this kind of spending."
"It's a little too late for that," Daphne argued. "We put on a whole show at the dinner last night, and now you want to back out? You need to compromise."
Theo sighed. "I am willing to meet you halfway."
Daphne's face pinched in annoyance, and she peered at him, her frustration evident. Theo fought to hold back the grin tugging at his lips.
"Given our new... situation," Daphne sighed, speaking slowly, "the kiss risk has increased significantly."
Theo waited, curious to hear her proposal.
"I am willing to negotiate the date prices with you," Daphne continued. "But only if you agree to increase the insurance on the kiss."
"What are we talking?" Theo asked.
"Ten thousand," Daphne said firmly.
"You're out of your mind," Theo chuckled, shaking his head.
"I'll settle for four thousand per date."
"Two thousand, and I'll raise the kiss insurance to five," Theo countered.
"No deal," Daphne shook her head. "I'm willing to settle for two thousand per date if you agree to the ten thousand for the kiss insurance."
The muscle in Theo's jaw clenched as he peered at Daphne. Despite the tension in his shoulders, his expression remained amused. Daphne held his gaze steadily, the seconds ticking by as they stared each other down.
Finally, Theo sighed. "Alright, you win. Two thousand per date and ten thousand for the kiss insurance."
Daphne smiled triumphantly. "It's always a pleasure doing business with you."
Theo rolled his eyes. "I'll have my office draw up the new contract."
"Wonderful," Daphne rose to her feet. "Now get over here and give me your phone."
"Why?" Theo asked, curiosity piqued.
"You're soft-launching me," Daphne said as she took her hair down from the bun and shook it out. She walked over to the mirror and adjusted her robe. Once satisfied, she turned toward Theo and waited for his phone.
"Never put a caption when you post," Daphne advised. "Just post and leave it alone. We also need to take down all of Ava's pictures."
Theo stood back with his arms folded over his bare chest, listening to Daphne's instructions. He watched her move around his phone until she found the right amount of light and motioned for him to join her.
"Put your arm around me," Daphne said, turning to face him. "Take a picture of our reflection."
Taking the phone from Daphne, Theo raised it to capture their reflection in the window. He felt her step closer and placed her hand over his heart while his right arm wrapped around her waist.
"This looks staged," Theo complained. "Too stiff."
"What do you meaâ"
Before Daphne could finish, Theo's arm tightened around her waist, and he scooped her up into the air. Daphne yelped as she was tossed around and brought against Theo's hard chest.
"What the hell?" she demanded as he set her back down.
"Authenticity," Theo said, handing her the phone.
Daphne pushed her hair out of her face with a deep scowl. She looked down at the screen and found a perfect picture of a young couple dressed in a towel and robe. The blur added to the liveliness of the picture as Daphne's hair tossed around over Theo's shoulder and her body hung from his arm. The carefree smile on Theo's lips in the reflection sparkled as he leaned back to hold her weight and take the picture at the same time.
"Wow," Daphne laughed. "This is actually really good."
"I have a minor in photography," Theo announced with a smirk. "I guess you can't Google everything."
"I guess not," Daphne nodded, her expression softening as she looked at the photo again. "This is good."
"Wonderful," Theo sighed, placing his hands on his hips. "Did you have lunch yet?"
Daphne looked up from the photo, raising her brow suspiciously. "Why?"
"Since this is my lunch break you're cutting into it with a massage and photoshoot," Theo said, reaching for the telephone in the room. "The least we can do is eat."
"I'm not hungry," Daphne replied quickly, her tone a bit too brisk. She turned her attention back to the photo, but her fingers fidgeted with the edge of her robe. Theo paused, noticing the sudden change in her demeanor.
"Well, I am," he said, picking up the telephone receiver and calling the front desk. "Would you like a drin-"
"I have to go," Daphne announced. "Enjoy your massage and make sure you post the picture."
Theo, slightly confused and baffled by her sudden urgency to leave, stared as Daphne grabbed her purse and headed into the bathroom to change.
__________________________________
Lily
In the quiet hum of the library, Lily sat hunched over her calculus textbook, her brow furrowed in concentration. The fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow over the rows of shelves filled with books. Her fingers tapped nervously on the pages as anxiety built with each passing minute. Just as frustration threatened to overwhelm her, Lily looked up and a familiar figure caught her eye.
Gabriel, with his easy strides and tousled hair, appeared besides her, pulling up a chair. In his hand, he held a steaming cup of coffee and a motorcycle helmet. The aroma of roasted beans mingling with the scent of old paper, ink, and leather from his biker jacket.
"Coffee?" His voice was gentle, breaking through Lily's focused thoughts. She blinked, momentarily startled by his sudden presence.
"Um, yes, thanks," she stammered, her cheeks flushing slightly as she accepted the cup from him.
Gabriel nodded, pulling up a chair beside her and setting the helmet down on the table. He reached for her textbook, his fingers brushing against hers briefly as he adjusted it in front of him. Lily couldn't ignore the warmth of his touch, sending a flutter of nerves through her.
"Integrals?" His voice remained calm, his eyes scanning the pages with familiarity.
Lily managed a nod, finding it difficult to tear her gaze away from him. His confident demeanor both reassured and unsettled her, her thoughts spinning as she struggled to articulate her words.
"Be careful, the coffee is hot," Gabriel muttered as he began to look over Lily's notebook and all the problems she had completed already. "You missed a step over here."
Lily's heart seemed to skip a beat. She sat transfixed in her seat, inhaling Gabriel's scent mingled with the rich aroma of coffee. As she lifted the cup to her lips, her movements slow and clumsy, she felt Gabriel's eyes on her.
Suddenly, Gabriel's hands shot forward with lightning speed.
"Careful!" he exclaimed, his hand intercepting hers just as she was about to sip. "It's hot."
Lily froze, her eyes widening in surprise. Her gaze met Gabriel's intense stare as his hand pressed against her lips. Her breath caught in her throat, her pulse racing as she felt a rush of warmth spreading through her. She felt her hand shake slightly and a bit of the coffee spill onto her shirt.
"Shit," Lily looked down at her white cardigan.
Gabriel slowly pulled his hands back as Lily sat down the coffee and began to unbutton her cardigan. She tossed her light brown hair over her shoulder and popped open the buttons of her cardigan one by one. The coffee had managed to soak through the cardigan, and Lily busied herself in trying to dab it off.
Gabriel's brow furrowed slightly as he watched Lily dab at the coffee stain on her shirt. He couldn't deny noticing the delicate lace of her blush pink tank top underneath, how it accentuated her slender frame. Her movements were graceful, almost mesmerizing, and he found himself intrigued by the way she tossed her hair over her shoulder, revealing the subtle charm hanging from her necklace.
"There's some napkin on the table," Gabriel muttered, his voice tinged with a hint of frustration, mostly with himself for being so acutely aware of these details. He shifted in his seat, torn between wanting to help and feeling uncomfortably aware of his own reactions.
Lily glanced up, her cheeks flushed from embarrassment. She quickly averted her gaze, focusing intently on blotting the coffee stain.
"It's okay," she replied softly, trying to hide her own nervousness. "I should have been more careful."
Gabriel nodded curtly, his jaw tightening as he redirected his attention to the textbook on the table. He was annoyed with himself for letting his thoughts drift in a direction he hadn't intended when he should have been focused on helping her with calculus.
As Lily continued to clean up the spill, Gabriel took a deep breath, attempting to regain his composure. He glanced at her briefly, then quickly looked away again, his features still etched with a mixture of irritation and self-reproach.
Once cleaned, Lily took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves as she settled back into her seat.
"Where did I mess up?" She asked, looking down at her notebook.
"You integrate this part here," Gabriel said, his tone clipped, pointing to a specific section of Lily's notes. He was leaning in slightly, his voice steady and patient as he dissected the intricate steps of the problem. "Are you following?"
Lily nodded, feeling a knot of unease form in her stomach as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She took a deep breath, determined to focus on the problem.
"So, after we integrate this term," Gabriel began again, his voice more measured this time, "we can substitute in the limits of integration to find the definite integral."
Lily nodded, "Right, and then we evaluate from zero to pi."
"Exactly," Gabriel confirmed, his tone still guarded but less icy than before. "Now, let's go step by step through the substitution process."
As Gabriel guided Lily through the next set of calculations, Lily found herself gradually becoming engrossed in the problem. She scribbled down notes, occasionally glancing up to meet Gabriel's gaze when she needed clarification. For the next few minutes, they worked through the remaining parts of the problem in relative silence, the tension easing slightly as Lily focused on the mathematical intricacies.
But with each second that passed, Gabriel grew more and more restless. He tried to keep his attention solely on the calculus problem, explaining each step with precision, but his mind kept drifting back to Lily. He couldn't shake the image of the small beauty mark on her right shoulder, barely visible beneath the fabric of her shirt. Nor could he ignore the delicate charm hanging from her necklaceâa ruby rose and a diamond lilyâthat seemed to glimmer with every movement she made.
Gabriel shifted in his seat, feeling an inexplicable urge to reach out and touch the pendant, to trace the contours of the charm with his fingertips. He clenched his hands into fists, silently chiding himself for being so distracted.
Lily looked up from her notes, catching Gabriel's gaze once again. "So, we substitute this back into the original equation, right?"
Gabriel nodded, grateful for the opportunity to redirect his thoughts.
"Exactly," he replied, his voice steady but tinged with a hint of distraction. "Now, let's walk through the substitution and see how it fits into the overall solution."
As they resumed their work, Gabriel made a conscious effort to bury his restlessness beneath a facade of concentration. Despite his efforts to maintain focus on the problem at hand, his curiosity got the better of him.
"Lily," Gabriel began tentatively, his voice breaking the concentrated silence between them.
Lily looked up from her notes, her expression curious. "Yes?"
Gabriel's gaze flickered down to her necklace. "What's the story behind your necklace?"
Lily's cheeks flushed faintly, but she smiled softly, evidently pleased by his interest.
"It was a gift from my dad," She said. "My cousin's name is Amalia Rose but we all call her Rose. Lily and Rose, get it?"
Gabriel nodded, his gaze fixed on the pendant as Lily spoke.
"They represented beauty and purity," Lily reached up and touched the flowers.
A small smile appeared on the corner of Gabriel's lips, a hint of warmth softening his features.
"It suits you," he said.
"Thanks..." Lily's belly filled with butterflies as Gabriel held her gaze.
"How's your ankle?" He asked.
"Much better," Lily nodded.
"Are you able to stand now?"
Lily nodded, her pounding pulse making it hard to speak. Her lungs began to burn for air as she gripped the pencil in her hand and held Gabriel's stare. After a few seconds, she burned through the last of the oxygen in her lungs as Gabriel leaned forward, never breaking eye contact.
"Breathe, florcita," he spoke gently but the command in his voice was evident.
Lily felt heat flood her cheeks as all the blood rushed to her face. She realized she had been holding her breath and took in a deep, shaky inhale as Gabriel slowly pulled back.
The tension between them lingered, palpable yet unspoken. Lily's heart raced as she fumbled with the pencil in her hand.
"Next problem," Gabriel cleared his throat.
Lily turned to her books and pushed her heart back inside her chest. She was about to flipped to the next page when suddenly someone dropped their backpack on top of the table at which they sat.
"Well, ain't this a surprise."
Lily looked up to notice a short girl with pretty brown eyes and caramel highlights in her hair pulling out the chair before them.
"Dude, you said you weren't going to be on campus today," the girl spoke to Gabriel, pushing her bag to the side and almost knocking over Lily's coffee.
"I'm not going to class," Gabriel corrected her, racing out and grabbing Lily's coffee before it spilled.
"Shit, did I do that?" The girl laughed. "My bad."
"It's fine," Lily took the coffee and secured it to the other side.
"Who are you?" The girl settled her eyes on Lily for the first time.
"I'm Lily," Lily smiled.
"And what are you doing here?" The girl's tone carried a hint of skepticism, her brows furrowing as she sized Lily up.
"I'm tutoring her," Gabriel spoke up. "Lily, this is Kat."
The girl, Kat, let her eyes survey Lily before she turned back to Gabriel and began to laugh.
"The freshmen are still after you, huh?" She joked. "Gabe, you realize she's like a baby."
"Just tutoring here," Gabriel said, his expression blank. Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"On what?" Kat asked, looking down at the textbook. "Oh, damn. Is that calculus two?"
Lily nodded quietly, feeling increasingly self-conscious under Kat's scrutiny. "Yes," she replied softly.
"You're getting tutoring for calculus?" Kat chuckled. "Bro, I aced that shit without even trying. The dumbest class I ever too."
"Then you tutor her," Gabriel suggested evenly, attempting to redirect the conversation.
"Hell no," Kat retorted sharply. "I don't want groupies following me around."
"Groupies?" Lily raised an eyebrow.
"If you know, you know," Kat replied with a smirk, her gaze flickering back to Gabriel. "You still going to Delta Psi's party tonight?"
"I might stop by," Gabriel shrugged casually. "Alexa wants to go."
"You gonna let her?" Kat's tone turned to tease, her eyebrows raising suggestively.
"I can't stop her," Gabriel replied tersely, his patience visibly wearing thin.
"What's with these freshmen girls wanting to act so grown?" Kat remarked with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Like, bitch, sit your ass down. Go drink your box juice or whatever. I swear these girls just came to PCU for the frat parties."
Lily felt a knot tighten in her stomach, her discomfort growing with each cutting remark from Kat. she stared at her notes and fiddled with her pencils while the girl continued to chatter with Gabriel.
"What problem is that?" Kat asked, her attention shifting to Lily once more as Gabriel redirected her steps. "Are you taking Professor White?"
"Yes," Lily answered.
"And you're struggling?" Kat questioned. "He's like the easiest professor. I didn't show up to my final because I was so hungover and he still passed me. He said I was like one of the smartest girls he ever had in his classes or whatever."
The library's quiet hum seemed to amplify Kat's condescending tone, making Lily acutely aware of how out of place she felt in that moment. She felt a mixture of discomfort and frustration at Kat's continued questioning and dismissive tone. She had been trying to focus on the calculus problems with Gabriel's guidance, but Kat's interruptions were wearing thin on her patience. Lily knew she couldn't focus effectively under the current circumstances.
"Yeah, I'm struggling a bit," Lily replied evenly, trying to keep her voice steady despite the rising irritation. She began to gather her books and turn toward Gabriel, "I think I'm going to head out. I appreciate your help."
"Sure," Gabriel replied. "Text Alexa if you need help again."
Lily nodded gratefully, gathering her belongings with a sense of resolve. She felt a mixture of disappointment and relief as she prepared to leave the library table behind. With one last look at Gabriel, Lily pushed in her hair and turned away.
As Lily walked back to her dorm room, the bustling campus around her seemed to fade into the background. Her mind buzzed with thoughts of Gabrielâhis kind gesture with the coffee, his interest in her necklace, and the quiet moments they shared studying calculus together. Despite the earlier discomfort with Kat, Lily found herself smiling at the memory of their interactions.
Arriving at her dorm room, Lily swung the door open and sighed dramatically. Wendy looked up from her laptop with a curious expression as Lily pressed her back against the door frame and slide down to the floor.
"You won't believe what happened in the library today," Lily said from the floor.
"Oh, here we go," Wendy muttered.
Without missing a beat, Lily jumped up and launched into the story, recounting Gabriel's unexpected appearance, his thoughtful gesture of bringing her coffee, and their conversation about her necklace. She described how Gabriel's interest in the necklace had led to a brief but warm exchange, and how she had felt a connection with him despite the interruptions from Kat.
"He's just so...so........ugh, my heart!," Lily mused, a dreamy look in her eyes. "And he's really good at explaining calculus too."
"Don't tell me you're in love," Wendy mocked.
Lily blushed, but she couldn't deny the truth in Wendy's words. "Maybe," she admitted with a shy smile. "But it's more than that. He's just... different."
"You can't fall in love with somebody you just met," Wendy reminded her. "And let me remind you, Gabriel doesn't even like you."
"He does!" Lily sat up on her bed. "He brought me coffee."
"Lily, babe," Wendy shook her head. "Pull yourself together. This is pathetic."
Ignoring Wendy's teasing, Lily continued to stare at the ceiling, a soft hum escaping her lips as she replayed moments with Gabriel in her mind. Despite Wendy's practical advice, Lily couldn't shake the fluttering feeling in her chest whenever she thought about him.
Lily lifted her head after a while, breaking the quiet with a tentative question. "Wendy?"
"What?" Wendy replied, her attention momentarily diverted from her laptop.
"Didn't you say something about a party at Delta Psi tonight?" Lily asked, trying to sound casual despite the nerves fluttering in her stomach.
Wendy nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah, there's something like that happening."
Lily hesitated for a moment, weighing her words carefully. "Gabriel mentioned he might stop by," she ventured, her voice tinged with hope.
Wendy glanced up, raising an eyebrow. "Fun," she remarked nonchalantly, her tone giving nothing away.
"Are you going?" Lily pressed, her curiosity and anticipation growing.
"No," Wendy replied simply, returning her focus to her laptop screen.
"What?" Lily sat up abruptly, surprise and disappointment evident in her voice. "Why not?"
Wendy shrugged, her expression indifferent. "Not really my scene."
"But... it could be fun," Lily insisted, trying to hide her disappointment.
Wendy chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Fun for you, maybe."
Lily bit her lip, considering her next move. She knew Wendy wasn't one to easily change her mind about social outings, especially when it involved parties. But she couldn't shake the feeling that tonight could be important, especially if Gabriel was planning to be there.
"Come on, Wendy," Lily pleaded gently, leaning closer to her roommate. "Think of it as a chance to unwind a bit. It won't be so bad. We could just go for a little while, see what it's like. Plus, it's been ages since we've had a night out together."
"You just want me to go so that you can get into the party and see Gabriel," Wedny chuckled.
"Hell yeah, if you're going to say it like that," Lily laughed. "Why would I actually want to hang out with you?"
"Fuck you, Silvano," Wendy laughed as she showed Lily the finger.
"Wendy, please," Lily hopped off her bed and hurried to the girl's side. She grabbed her chair and spun her around. "Please. Please. Please. I'll make you Gabriel and my kid's godmother."
"No," Wendy protested.
"PLEASE!" Lily grabbed her friend's shoulders and shook her. "I'll do anything."
"You psycho," Wendy pushed her. "I said no."
"Please," Lily dropped to her knees. "Please. Please. Please."
Wendy hesitated, meeting Lily's hopeful gaze, "You're such a pain."
"Please," Lily pouted.
"Does that face work with your dad?"
"I'll FaceTime my dad tonight and you can say hi," Lily bargained.
"You're pimping out your dad for Gabriel Reyes," Wendy shook her head.
"I'm pretty sure I have shirtless pictures of my dad from the summer when we go to Del Mare."
"Good tan?" Wendy paused.
Lily nodded.
"Swimming trunks?"
"Yeah!"
"Fine," Wendy rolled her eyes.
Lily's face lit up with excitement. "Really? You'll come?"
Wendy nodded, her smile widening. "Yeah, why not?"
Lily squealed in delight, throwing her arms around Wendy in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best!"
Wendy laughed, returning the hug warmly. "Alright, alright. Let's not get too excited. We'll go, we'll see how it goes, and if it's not our scene, we'll bail. Deal?"
"Deal!" Lily agreed enthusiastically, already planning their outfits and the details of their evening in her mind.
What are your thoughts?