Chapter. 26- He Caspered You?

Twenty Six- He Caspered You?

"Where exactly is the party? I'm surprised you're not having it at the Marlebone Townhouse on Montague Square."

I heard Luke chuckle on the other end of the phone line. He was constantly buying new houses, which made it difficult to keep track of.

"It would be overly conventional. For obvious reasons, I decided to host it at the Belgravia townhouse."

I could picture him rolling his eyes on the other end of the phone.

"Right! I'll see you in a bit." Not waiting for Luke to answer, I cut the conversation short as soon as I saw Rachel approach me.

"Did you give your hair a wash?" Shocked, I asked.

Rachel strutted in a stunning black jewel-embellished tweed jacket and silver leather mini skirt, her hair perfectly styled and shimmying in the wind.

"Well, of course! Did you expect me to arrive at a party looking like a McDonald's deep fryer?" She gave a scoff.

I replied right away, "Yes. But what about your superstition? You're not supposed to wash your hair."

She simply shrugged. "It's a risk I'm willing to make for the man I like. My next paper isn't due until this Saturday. So, technically, I'm not breaking any rules. That's an exception I can make."

She was prepared to jeopardise her academic success for Lucas. Despite the fact that she'd found a loophole, the gesture moved me.

Rachel seemed ecstatic about the party. She'd gone to great lengths to find the perfect gift for Luke, and as a result, she'd tortured me so much that I'd wished she'd ignore me too.

"You look wonderful with your hair done like that," she added as we approached the car.

My hair was left unbound, with a few strands tucked back with a white bow clip. And I'd finally put on some makeup.

"Thanks! You too. I love that skirt!" I opened the door to the car.

"Hold on a second! This is your car?" She gave my Ford KA a disbelieving glance.

"I'm aware that my automobile does not reflect my sense of style."

"It's the missing windscreen wiper for me."

"My parents don't trust me yet, so I have to wait until my birthday to receive my Porsche. But I say save your pennies, and the Porsche will buy itself."

"It resembles a go-kart."

I shrugged. "To be honest, I adore it. I'd suggest it as a first car because it's compact, convenient, and easy to drive."

"Your clothes are more expensive than this car."

"Literally!" I tossed my hands in the air. "But I'll stick with my Ford KA till I receive the Porsche."

"When I was sixteen, I was already driving a Porche." She muttered as I drove onto the motorway.

When we got to Luke's birthday party, I realised how much I hated that his birthday fell during exam period, even though this year it fell on the weekend and he was unable to celebrate due to a match. So Luke hosted a party today.

Being a footie meant spending a lot of time—especially on the weekends—away from family.

"Whoa! This house exemplifies business in the front, party in the back!" Gaping at the shiny black front door, Rachel let out a whistle.

"That's exactly what Luke said when he invited us over for the house-warming." We exited the car and walked in.

This home featured two wrought iron grills on either side and a flower bed on one side, but no gate.

"Fair warning, the bar is downstairs adjacent to the cinema. I despise this house." Upon entering the home, I informed her.

Spread across seven storeys, this home had five bedrooms and five baths. A stairway, an informal dining area to the left, and a table with a vase of fresh flowers in the centre welcomed us as soon as we entered the home through a long, narrow corridor. There was the study area to the right.

"I can now see why you detest this place." Rachel tutted.

"Come on, and I'll show you around."

We simply exited the dining area and made our way into the study, where we had to descend a short set of steps to have direct access to the garden.

"Check out the pond," I motioned to Rachel. "The Japanese garden would not be as spectacular as this."

She gazed at me as if I'd informed her about the renowned Five Coloured Pond. "Wow! You're joking. That pond has to be the most depressing thing I've ever seen."

"This abomination must remain concealed from the Japanese and UNECSO."

Though it was just a puddle, the pond in question had an elaborate glass enclosure. Not a single fish would survive if we had any.

We had to ascend a flight of steps to reach the main lobby, which featured floor-to-ceiling windows that opened out to the terrace, a marble fireplace, and a library that led to the music room and closed up to the last south-facing balcony.

"It's amazing how they managed to fit the furnishings in this small space, given the abundance of staircases."

"It's like a labyrinth this house. And the kitchen is downstairs."

We finally made our way to the kitchen. Unlike the other places, it showed traces of life. People were congregating around the food. The kitchen was somewhat better. Small details and streamlined appliances, a coffee maker, stone countertops, and a breakfast nook characterised the entire design.

To meet Lucas, we had to go down to the show stopper, which was this house's entertaining hall with double height ceiling mirror walls.

"Is this ever going to end?" Rachel let out a grunt.

My laughter went up. "Yes, this is the final one, I swear. You may find him at the entertainment area or the bar." I put her at ease.

"You go ahead; I need to use the loo to freshen up."

"Sure. It's straight past the door on the right." I instructed her.

Deciding to head downstairs, I swiftly gave myself a quick once over at the mirrored walls.

Since I was the newcomer, a lot of eyes were on me, but they soon shot off. Luke recognised me and approached me with a beaming expression.

"Happy birthday, Lucas!" I wished my cousin joyfully.

"Many thanks, Harp! I'm thrilled you could make it." He drew me in for a hug, lifting me off the ground and placing me down. "I'm delighted that my favourite cousin's here."

"Make sure Rhys doesn't hear you say that. He's going to be hysterical."

"I heard that." Rhys griped and walked away. My brother had arrived early, wanting to assist with a few tasks.

Luke brushed it aside with a grin and turned to face me. "Fair warning Caleb's here, just thought I'd give you a heads up so that you don't fight with him."

"What gives you the impression that I'd fight with him? I'm beyond that; I'm furious with him, but not enough to ruin someone else birthday celebration," I responded defensively, offended by his comment.

"I know, but whenever you're both in the same room, you tend to stand in opposition. He's feeling a bit poorly and was benched during the past two games and wasn't permitted to play. So please don't give him a hard time." With beseeching eyes, he asked.

"Do you want me to leave?" I enquired.

"No, Harp. That was not what I intended. I simply want you to enjoy the celebration without any disagreements. I'll make an effort to keep Caleb away from you if that helps. Please do not leave."

"I guarantee you, evil Rebecca will not be running amok so that pure and blameless Caleb may be kept away from her." My lips thinned with displeasure.

I felt like the most vile person on earth.

Did Lucas think so little of me that he had to keep Caleb away from me so that I wouldn't ruin his party? That is something I'd never do! He should know me better!

I wasn't sure what was worse: Luke's concern that I'd fight with Caleb and spoil his celebration or the reality that I was the reason Caleb became sick.

Rachel's words caused Lucas to turn around just as he was going to refute what I'd just said.

"Hey, birthday boy!"

"Whoa!" When Luke spotted Rachel, I heard his breath catch.

I ignored their chat and walked away.

Luke hadn't invited a lot of people. About fifteen to twenty persons, give or take, made up the little gathering. This party was exclusively for his closest friends because he'd previously celebrated with his family.

To keep the drinks flowing, there was a full bar, primarily stocked with Grey Goose, and beyond the same door was a soundproof home cinema replete with mood lighting, where several guys were already playing video games.

And as you made way, one could get a peek at the laundry room, and at the end of the house, there was a gym.

The exercise equipment in question was a treadmill.

"Bruv, picture playing Call of Duty and the Missus walks by with a mound of clothes. Bloody hell!" I snickered after hearing one of the exchanges.

This was by far the best-behaved bunch. While some of the boys were speaking with the females they had brought here, the majority of the boys were enjoying beer and playing video games. The remaining boys were crowded together on the terrace, smoking cigarettes.

The lads on the team were all so good-looking, and most of them were intimidating when I held their gaze. I was floored and tried my best not to fan girl at the sight of some of the players.

Several people I knew waved and grinned at me, keeping me company as I was alone. Having a chance to catch up was refreshing.

I was also aware of my brother's repeated attempts to divert Caleb away from me. We'd made inadvertent eye contact once, and I noticed Caleb and Rhys's terrified expressions as he yanked Caleb away.

I felt terrible; I wanted to ask Caleb if he was okay and encourage him to keep strong. I also wanted to express that it was something he deserved.

Oh, how I battled to choose between being understanding and nice and being cruel.

I didn't want to leave him a sweet message, but I also wanted to apologise sincerely.

I'd had enough of this cat-and-mouse game and was ready to end our agony once and for all, but only after I'd grabbed something to drink and eat.

Non-alcoholic, of course! I wasn't prepared to nurse a hangover during my exams.

I navigated to the kitchen where the grub was, coincidentally, that was where Caleb and my brother were hiding.

"That was fucking dreadful," Rhys let out a breath.

"What was?" When I asked, they both appeared startled. I smirked internally.

"Oh, nothing! We were just discussing paranormal occurrences. Have you experienced any paranormal experiences?" Rhys enquired swiftly as soon as I'd entered the kitchen.

His question caught me off guard, and my attention shifted to Caleb. We locked eyes for a few seconds until I flinched and broke eye contact.

"Yes, I was ghosted by men. That ought to count for something, right?" I asked.

An uneasy quiet fell. I decided to pour myself a drink, my throat had suddenly parched. I grabbed a fruity drink and had a taste; it was cool and pleasant.

"He Caspered you?" In a whisper, Caleb spoke.

"What's that?" I turned around and asked him.

His ears flushed pink, and his eyes opened in astonishment at something he hadn't thought he'd say aloud.

"Did I say it aloud?" He dropped his eyes, sheepishly.

"No, I have the ability to read minds." I sneered. "Yes, you did! What does that imply, then?"

His eyes sidestepped mine. "It's when somebody friendly ghosts you. He strikes up a discussion and goes on a date, but after that, he kind of disappears, but you can still talk to him and see him around."

His answer made sense, and I laughed. "Like Casper the friendly fuck boy."

My phone rang just at that moment. My lips hiked up to a grin.

"Hello, Annette. Likewise, you? Fab! Yes, please! I'll provide you with the address. I want an anonymous 'get better soon' card with no flowers. Wonderful, thank you very much! Speak soon!" I clicked off.

"Is that Annette? Who's feeling poorly? You two are the only ones that are unwell." Carter pointed between Caleb and me, looking like a gormless idiot.

Annette was a beautiful woman in her forties who worked as my dad's executive assistant and secretary. She'd occasionally aid us with several requests while keeping it a secret from Dad.

"Yes. It's intended for Kayden." I divulged.

"Why are you sending him a 'Get better soon' card?' Is he unwell? Did you pass along your cold to him? You're like an infectious virus, Becks." He burst out laughing and moved away from me.

I gave him a wooden spatula smack on the arm. "No, I haven't! He's in excellent health. I just suppose he could be better. There's always some room for improvement, no?"

Rhys bellowed as a faint whistle issued from Caleb's lips.

"Bloody brilliant, that! I never could've reckoned that you'd do something like that, I always was convinced you were those mushy types." Rhys babbled.

"Well, you supposedly are mistaken." I shrugged and helped myself to some delectable raspberry lemon cream entremet cake.

My glance shifted to Caleb, who sniffed as he brushed the sleeve of his shirt over his nose; he was still feeling a little under the weather.

I put out my plate and offered him some as he gazed on. "Uwansum?" I enquired between a mouthful of cake.

"I want some." He stated as he took a dessert fork and dived in.

We got some more sweets and moved over to the adjacent deck. Huge potted plants, two tables and chairs, and a breath-taking view of the city adorned its vast interior.

It was also at last devoid of the noxious smell of cigarettes. A few lads continued to congregate in the furthest corner, engaging in conversation with one another.

Caleb put the cake plates down, and we took a seat in one of the seats. He cleared his throat, which caused him to start coughing.

I dug into my backpack, took out a vacuum flask, and gave it to him. "Here, drink this."

"What's this?" He enquired but accepted it nevertheless.

"Herbal concoction," I answered, picking up the fork. "It works well for colds. I didn't make it; Rachel did, and now that I'm almost recovered, it'd be a waste."

"Indeed, I have no doubts about it. Nonetheless, I appreciate it."

He took a sip and recoiled, his face contorted adorably. "Goodness me, that's a lot of ginger!" He smacked his lips after enduring a few occasional sips, and I saw wisps of white coming out of the flask. It was still warm.

"I apologise for being so harsh on you. I was a little on edge the past week." I owned up and apologised.

"I apologise as well; I shouldn't have picked on you like that." He smiled genuinely, his dimples popping.

I puffed out, grinned, and averted my gaze from him. We devoured our dessert, and because he loved coffee, I gave him the coffee bean entremet. That was the only dessert he'd finished.

"You know what?" I rose up from my chair, "I'm craving something spicy after all of the sweets I ate. Come on, I'll treat you to some amazing food that'll energise you."

"What're you treating me to?" His eyes lit up.

"Shut up and follow me."

Lucas noticed us going out of his house, and his worried look indicated that he expected Caleb and I to resume our argument outdoors. He tried to stop us, but Caleb held out his hand and stopped him, as if to say everything was well.

I rolled my eyes. Everyone was incredibly protective of Caleb.

We arrived at the modest restaurant Rachel had introduced me to a few days before. This establishment provided one of the greatest chicken soups that could cure the most dreadful colds.

The proprietor remembered me and beamingly welcomed me as soon as I walked in. He knew what I wanted before I could even make an order and urged me to take a seat.

Rachel had always longed home-cooked meals while living away from home, so she discovered this eatery and brought me to it when I became ill.

The restaurant had a homely atmosphere, was not very fancy, and featured ancient mermaid paintings, but the cuisine was outstanding. It delivered soulful and comforting meals.

When our order eventually arrived, I couldn't stop salivating over the sight of the hot soup and some other dishes that the owner gave us stating it was on the house, I thanked him immensely for his generosity.

"This is chicken soup?" Confusion and a hint of disappointment characterised Caleb's statement.

"Not any mundane chicken soup. It contains some porridge and ginseng. It helps you recuperate from the illness." I clarified.

He grabbed his spoon and slurped the soup first. His countenance altered as he glanced at me, eyes wide, and I smiled knowingly. He got right into it with gusto.

"How was the alleged birthday celebration?" In an attempt to start a discussion, I enquired.

"Took the biscuit." He wiped his mouth, sniffling.

"Bitch the pot, mate," I rolled my eyes.

"He went to tremendous efforts to make it appear completely genuine. They'd purchased this elegant three-tiered cake. As soon as it was rolled in, they started to cheer and shout Happy Birthday. The majority of them were completely leathered by the time I arrived. When the booze kicked in, he admitted to the manager that it wasn't my birthday and that they'd lied and booked a reservation. He was growing obnoxious, so the management summoned security to escort him away."

"Criminal!" I sang as I handed him some peach tea in the end.

We chatted a ton, and surprisingly, Caleb had some scandalous and funny stories that he told me.

He once told me about the most embarrassing thing that'd ever happened to him: one of his seatmates had downloaded audio illegally into his iPod from a porn website.

After he received it back, he played it. Sadly, he didn't have his earbuds in correctly. Thus, the audio started playing loudly in the midst of the class while the teacher was still in there.

He received a caning for that, and his parents were called to the school. I couldn't stop laughing.

"Do you know what he said?"

"What'd he say?" I leaned forward.

"He's from Morocco. So he explained that his eccentric, mute gipsy uncle from Morocco had composed a song for the yearly charity talent show."

I laughed. "Gosh! Were they convinced by him?"

"His older brother endorsed him since his parents are strict and they run one of Morocco's most upscale hotel chains, so his narrative seemed somewhat credible."

After paying for our dinner, I took him to an overlook with a breathtaking view on our way home.

"Wow! This is absolutely stunning!" Caleb exclaimed in disbelief. His eyes were dazzled by the reflection of city lights.

"How'd I never know about this place?" He pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of the landscape. "I'm going to make this my backdrop."

Before heading home on foot, we lingered there for a few more minutes. I was grumbling about how I still had three papers to study for.

Abruptly, I sensed a little pull on my bag's strap from behind. I spun around in frustration to see that Caleb had taken hold of it.

"Come along with me."

"Uh, whatever for?" I appeared uncertain.

"Just follow me." Caleb led me to his vehicle.

We paused in front of his Aston Martin One-77, which was the iconic racing green colour. He strolled up to me after opening the door and taking out a lovely bag.

"Here." He thrust the bag in my arms.

I recognised the bag and looked at him with surprise. "Is this what I think this is?"

Crossing his arms, he leaned against his automobile. "Go ahead, open it. Obtaining identical ones proved to be challenging. I did, however, try."

I almost sobbed when I opened them. "Goodness me! Caleb!"

"I realised that a girl's cosmetics is expensive and should never be messed with." He watched me intently, taking in the way I tried on my favourite shade of lipstick.

I smacked my lips to even out the product. "Thank you! You didn't have to." I held the bag close to my chest.

"Oh, it was necessary!" As though not believing me, he squinted his eyes. "Be honest!"

He was not entirely incorrect. "Alright. I was going to jack up your car, take off the wheels, and make a few quids to purchase the cosmetics. Good days!" I shrugged.

"I was terrified you might do something like that. So, I needed to act swiftly."

"Very intelligent!"

The party had dulled by now, not that it was lively to begin with, people started to spill out of the house, some spotted Caleb and chatted to him whilst I leaned against the iron railings near the front door.

Rachel walked towards me, looking forlorn and clutching a stack of papers.

"Hey, alright?" I asked her.

"No, my life resembles a film. They can call it that instead of looking for Nemo: 'Right now: finding the drive to finish the term.'"

"I'm sure you'll do fine, Rachel," I assured her. "Didn't you tell me that you don't have to worry about the papers until Saturday?"

"Yes, but now my elective is the day after. My professor just sent us this roller coaster of an email a while ago." She passed me her phone.

I felt terrible for the professor. He had been mugged and shot, suffered from moderate pneumonia, and his wife was cheating on him. He stated he had to pre-schedule the examinations since he couldn't wait until Saturday.

"Goodness me! He's going through a lot."

"Where were you?" Rhys asked me, then looked at Caleb. "You seem a lot better now."

He cleared his throat. "Oh, absolutely! I feel like I won't fall sick for another year. The effectiveness of herbal remedies and that soup is now clear to me."

"It makes you feel better, doesn't it?"

"Yes, I can feel my energy surging up. Now that we've had that, let's work harder." He encouraged.

"You too. You need physical energy to fight the nerves."

"Okay. That's enough. Let's get going." Rachel remarked, growing irritated. "Aren't you worried about your paper?" She held her study materials.

"I've already studied this and listened in class."

"You snob." She pulled a face. "Khalyava, come!" she waved her study material, and instantly, something wet fell over it.

"Ewww what the fuck?!" She gasped and swore. "No, no, no!" She yelled out and glanced up to find a drunk guy dumping beer from the balcony.

"Oi! Watch it!" Shouting, she rushed inside.

"She's superstitious isn't is she?" Caleb asked with a chuckle.

"Indeed! You're feeling a lot better now, aren't you?" I noticed that he looked a bit healthier after our meal. The medicine I'd given him sort of fixed his cold.

"Yes. What about you?" He turned to me giving me his undivided attention.

I glanced aside with a groan. "Physically I'm alright. Mentally, I'm not sure; I'm overwhelmed. I just despise that we get ranked to get a degree. As athletes, you're ranked as well. It's quite stressful."

"Indeed, we must embrace that as our fate. However, don't despair! I'm confident that you'll perform better. You have that intriguing spark and perseverance in your eyes." He tapped me on the shoulder.

"I've forever understood my eyes are intriguing." I hunched forward. "Aren't they fascinating?"

He grinned. "Oh yes, of course!" But he appeared worried as his gaze lowered. "Blood."

"W-what?" I croaked in horror.

Did I have blood oozing from my eyes?

"Your nose—you have a nosebleed."

"Ah, shit!" I lifted my head up, embarrassed.

I attempted to retrieve some tissues from my purse, but Caleb was too quick and positioned himself in front of me. He drew out a serviette and placed it near my nose, his palm resting on the back of my head.

I was dazed when I met his eyes. It was quite awkward, and I was somewhat startled.

"Get some ice, Rhys," Caleb instructed. My brother dashed inside quickly.

"It's alright, I can do it." I managed to get out.

"Rebecca."

Fiddlesticks! I froze on the spot.

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Whew! This chapter has been rather eventful!

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