?The Deal?
Written by Idara Kingsley
? Chapter 1 ?
? Charlotte ?
Charlotte
“Just in, the proud, businessman daughter, Charlotte Hudson, got dumped on her wedding day by her supposed fiance, Mr Noah Benjamin. According to one of the guest at the wedding, Mr Noah supposedly picked another girl over his fiancée almost when they were about to be pronounced husband and wife. It’s a big shame and disgrace to Miss Charlotte Hudson. Here’s a cli-p from the wedding.”
I watched Noah walked up to the girl. I watched him ki-ssed her, held her tightly, and his bright smile couldn’t be mistaken. He looked so happy in love.
Tears dropped on my iPad screen as I watched the cli-p. How on Earth could a thing like that ever happen to me. One moment I was happy to get married, the next moment I saw my husband(almost husband), walk up to another woman.
My iPad got snatched out of my hands immediately. I looked up to see Zoey, looking down at me. “Don’t stare at me that way.” I barked at her for absolutely no reason. Although it had been two days ever since the incident, I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Noah dumped me for a random girl. It was so ha-rd to take in.
“I’ve always known him to be a prick.” Zoey said, stomping her foot on the floor and stro-king her cheeks. “You don’t have to watch the cli-ps over and over again.”
“I can’t help it.” I murmured und-er my breath. I clutched my duvet tightly.
Nothing hurts more than being dumped on your wedding day. I thought Noah, and I had it rolling perfectly. He shouldn’t have proposed if he knew he’d have me embarra-ssed in public.
Everyday I get to see different news headlines about my marriage disaster. Most of them were lies, while most of them said the exact thing that happened that day.
Despite the air conditioner in my room, I was still sweating profusely.
“You hungry?” Zoey asked, she laid beside me and stared up at my ceiling.
I shook my head, rejecting the food. Who would eat in a situation like that? I had lost every appetite I had in me.
“What does she have that I don’t?” I began, tears rolling down my eyes. The situation was ha-rd to handle. I was breaking apart. “I gave him everything, Zoey. I sacrificed a lot for, Noah.” Every of our past memories rushed into my head. Everything felt wrong.
“You have to move on with your life. Noah, have his life planned out already.”
I turned to look at, Zoey. She was playing with her fingers. She does that whenever she was nervous about something. I blinked, does Zoey, know anything? “Are you okay?”
She gulped loudly. Her nervousness made me curious. “I don’t think it’s the right time to tell you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, I just don’t think it’s the right time to tell you my goodnews, especially now you’re hurting.”
I sat up and went to sit beside her. I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and pulled her close to me. I might be hurting, but wouldn’t fail to celebrate with my bestfriend. She had gone out of her way a lot of times to make sure I was okay. I’d be a bad friend if I had allowed my business stop, Zoey from sharing her good news with me.
“Tell me, I don’t care.”
She gave me a pity look before she began. “I got engaged.” She stretched out her fingers and showed me a diamond ring on her middle finger.
I hated how my heart broke just at the sight of the ring on her finger. I was supposed to excited. Maybe it was had idea for her to tell me now.
“I’m so sorry.”
I wiped the tears that had managed to escape my eyes and replaced the frown I had with a for-ced smile. I was supposed to be happy. “I’m happy for you.” I said with a shrill voice. I knew she had noticed the way I sounded off. I didn’t want her to feel like she was the cause of my misery.
“Thank you.” She said in a whisper. I could hear the hurt in her voice. She was hurt. I didn’t give her the energy she gave me when I showed her my engagement ring. I could remember how she screamed happily like she was the one getting married. I’m always the ungrateful friend. I always returned every good thing she does with a bad energy.
“Look, Zoey, I’m sorry if I sounded off. I shouldn’t have. I’m happy for you, but it brou-ght memories that keeps hurting me.”
“I und-erstand you. I never wanted to let you know until you are okay. You insisted.”
I nodded in agreement. She was right. I insisted she told me.
I was about to say something to her, when my ringing tone interrupted me. I groa-ned and reached for it. It was mum, probably trying to get me to tell her where I ran off to.
“Hey mum, I’m okay.” I said sharply before she could say a word.
“I’m worried about you. Where are you?” From her voice, I knew she had been crying. I felt bad but I couldn’t do a thing about it. Going back home was like opening the injury that have been trying to heal. I missed my mum truly, and I knew I would’ve been feeling better if I was with her, but staying away was the best decision I have ever made.
“I’m fine, mum. I just need sometime away from everyone.”
I heard her sniffle, my heart broke into a million pieces. “Your dad is doing everything to get hold of Noah.”
I rolled my eyes at the mention of my father. Everything happened because of him. He showed his ugly as-sat my wedding, ruining it with his bad luck. I believed if mum had walked me down the aisle,Noah and I would have been married now. “The f.ucking bastard. I hate him.”
“He’s your father, Char.”
I scoffed loudly. “My father? What kind of a father abandons his family for some cheap w.hore?”
“Charlotte…..”
“No mum, answer me. He abandoned us, and You’re still feeling pity for the same man who left you to take care of your child, all alone?”
“He’s changed now. We should learn to forgive.”
I rolled my eyes. Mum is definitely blinded by love. I hate men. “Bye, mum.” Without hesitation, I ended the call. I looked up to see Zoey, staring down at my iPad with wide eyes. I moved to get side, to take a peek at what she was staring at. It was the stupid news, but this time, it wasn’t about my wedding disaster. It was about a famous, Brain Nicholas. Since I was a teenager till date, I’ve always been obsessed with him. He was a basketballer, and he plays for the NBA. He’s a star, and every girls dream. He could take your breath away, with just a glance.
“God,he’s so dreamy.” Zoey, bait her lashes dramatically at his picture showing on the screen.
I scoffed and went to lay back on the bed. Men are scu-m.
?The Deal ?
Written by Idara Kingsley
? Chapter 2 ?
? Charlotte ?
“Ready?” Zoey asked, flinging her bag over her shoulder. I nodded, with my mouth filled with some leftover tacos from last night.
Zoey, had literally for-ced me to leave the hotel room. I had kicked off the idea at first, but a part of me missed the outside world. I was one that loved being outside, shopping, partying and making new friends, rather than staying indoors, stuffing my face with popcorn, watching Netflix all day or snoring on the couch with cans of coke and boxes of pizza littered everywhere.
“Let’s go.”
I adjusted the scarf around my head and wore my sungla-sses properly. I do not want to stand the chance of being all over the news again. My marriage disaster news was starting to die down ever since, Brain Nicholas got into town. I was grateful, but their attention was still focused on me. What can I say, my dad was a proud businessman in the city, everyone knows him for his ego and nonchalant attitude. He was the reason I was getting so much attention about my marriage disaster.
“We’ll go get coffee at Starbucks first, you cool?”
“Definitely.” I took one more look at myself before I descended the stairs.
The drive to Starbucks was quiet, with Celine Dion’s song blaring from the speaker. Zoey, was nodding her head to the rhythm of the song as she drove. Occasionally, she would take a peek at the diamond ring on her finger. I remembered how I reacted after Noah put a ring on my finger. I was overjoyed, and wouldn’t stop flaunting my ring in people’s faces. Especially my disgusting cousins and aunties who never saw it coming. I guess they’ll all be full of laughter after the drama, Noah pulled up.
The engine shut down, waking me up from my trance. “You go ahead and buy the coffee, I’ll be here.”
Zoey squinted her eyes, and the smile that was dancing on her face, automatically turned into a frown. “No, Char. You have to stop isolating yourself.”
“I’m not. I hate the attention I’m getting.”
She rolled her eyes at me and let out a frustrated sigh. “Attention is nothing new to you. You’re used to it. I can’t watch you isolate yourself because of what Noah, did.”
True, but it was so ha-rd to move on. We were literally in the same city. I do not want to ever bump into him and his lover. That would be another heartbreak that I do not want to experience, ever.
“Fine, I’ll get the coffee, but promise you’ll go into the mall with me?”
I nodded with a smile, and gave her a small, playful punch on her left arm. She scurried out of the car and walked into Starbucks.
I sat in the car, nodding my head slowly to the song playing.
Life had to teach me the ha-rd way. I did not deserve any heartbreak. I did not deserve to be dumped at the alter on my wedding day. It suc-ks that it happened to me.
I opened my eyes to see, Zoey talking to a random guy with bushy hair. I could see the gleam of happiness in her eyes as she spoke to the guy. The stranger doesn’t look bad either, but his hair and beards were way too bushy.
Before I could blink, I saw them walking towards the car, holding each other’s hands. Out of curiosity, I sat up and adjusted my scarf and sungla-sses.
“Bestie.” Zoey grinned, and crashed her face against mine. I for-ced a smile on my li-ps, trying to think why she was acting overly weird. “Meet Jack.”
I looked up at the guy, seeing his face clearly now. Damn, he’s way too handsome. His bushy hair and beards gave him that s-exy as-slook any girl would kill for. “Hi, Jack.”
“Hi, you must be Charlotte.” Jack said, stretching out his hands.
I took his hands into mine, shaking it slowly. I averted my eyes to, Zoey. We had agreed to not disclose my identity to anyone. I guess she sensed my mood and decided to come forward.
“Jack, is my fiance.” She grinned at me, showing me her perfectly white teeth.
How the hell did I not know about her said fiance?
Jack was purely the opposite of Zoey’s, dream man. He looked way too weird, and would often smile at Zoey’s, dry jokes.
“It’s so nice to finally meet you, Jack.” I smiled at him. He returned the smile.
“You too, Charlotte.”
“He’ll be joining us to the mall.” Zoey grinned at me. I only nodded, with my signature smile. I moved over to the backseat, so they could have their moment. I leaned into the seat, and let out a sigh.
°°°°°
The mall was unusually crowded, people had their phones out, screaming, dragging each other out of the way to get a glimpse at the mall. Hell, why couldn’t they get inside? I rolled my eyes and got out of the car after, Zoey had parked the it.
“I think a celebrity is in there.” Zoey said, adjusting her skirt.
“Whatever. Let’s go in.”
We walked to the entrance, after pushing throu-ghthe crowd and their sweaty bodies. Eww.
“No one is allowed in.” The bouncer at the entrance stopped me. I could feel his eyes piercing throu-ghmy skin. I ignored how I got intimidated by his look and big body. It wouldn’t take anything in him to squee-zethe life out of me.
“I want to get myself new clothes, I can’t remember here closing down.” I said in a nonchalant tone. I didn’t care how intimidating he looked, I still had to go in.
“You don’t watch the news, young woman? My boss, Brain Nicholas is in there. No one goes in until he’s out, except you’re a public figure like he is.”
My blood was boiling at that moment. I can feel my veins popping out of my forehead already. “You wanna know who I am?”
He rolled his eyes, and nudged for his colleague to come laugh at me. It got me pissed off. I really wanted to slap his big as-sface and spit on his goddamn, ugly face. “No. Move backward, ma’am.”
Without thinking, I pulled off my scarf and sungla-sses. I could hear the gasp from the crowd. The bouncers had this shocked look on their faces as I took off my sungla-sses and scarf.
Murmuring began to erupt from the crowd. That was when I knew I’ve fu-cked up. I should have avoided everything if I had just walked away. There were hundreds of mall in the city, but I decided to loose my cool.
“We’re sorry ma’am, please step forward.”
I clinged unto my scarf as I walked into the mall. I could still hear murmurings, laughter, mockery, good talks, and evil hearted people laugh at my pains. I tried to stop the tears that we’re almost falling down my cheeks.
A hand wrapped around my shoulder, and squ-eezed it softly. I looked up to see, Zoey smiling down at me. Yes, down. Zoey, is way taller than me. She’s about 6ft, while I was 5ft.
“I got you bestie.” She winked at me.
I shot her a smile. I reached for my bag and pulled out my credit card. “Here, use this to get whatever you want.” I stepped forward and attempted to chuck it into her hands, but she shock her head and moved backwards.
“No, you’ll need it more than I would. Have fun, Char.” She sli-pped her hands into, Jack’s hand and they both walked away. I sighed, and began making my way to the clothes section. I would need some dress and some shoes to fill up my wardrobe.
I walked slowly, my eyes searching the whole placa as I walked. The place wasn’t so deserted as I thought it would be. Some people where shuffling throu-ghsome things, while I saw some group of people, taking pictures with, Brain Nicholas.
It had been years since I last saw him. We met at a gala dinner party. Dad got invited, so he took mum and I along.
Brain and I had one thing in common, our dad’s were well known businessmen in the city. Although, I was only known for being the spoilt child of a businessman, who spends her day, shopping, clubbing, and eating at expensive restaurants, people saw, Brain Nicholas as the complete opposite. He used his father’s popularity to gain his own. He worked ha-rd for it. He had joined the NBA and gained more attention than he had before. Truly, I was obsessed with him.
I was about taking my eyes away, when my eyes met with, Brain’s. He was supposedly taking a picture with a fan, when our eyes met. He looked at me with those s-exy eyes that would want you to go over to him and make love to him right there.
His stares brou-ght unknown feeling to the pit of my stomach. His stares burned my skin. I tried to look away, but my eyes seemed glue to him. He wasn’t looking away either.
Before I could blink, I saw him walking towards me, his eyes still piercing throu-ghmy skin.
My heart jumped a bit.