*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 01????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Zenia’s POV
I had finally graduated from college. The journey was an unforgettable one. It was like holding in an enormous piece of $h!t which had made you consti-pated since the ending of high school.
Now finally, I was free from the as-signments, the projects, examinations, lectures, rules, running to clas-ses, ma-king schedules and everything else that c@m£ with being a college student.
Mom and Jasmine were so thri-lled when I walked down that aisle and received my achievements awards and certificates. I was thri-lled for myself as well. My cheeks ached for the balance of that day, I was smiling so ha-rd .
I was on the verge of officially creating and launching my very first clothing line which would be published in one of t©p magazines in the city. Bliss. Other clothing were also being sold at my boutique which was generously given to me by my sister’s b©yfri£nd. He made that promise to me and he kept it.
~
“ZENIA!” I heard my name being yelled out. It echoed throu-ghout the hvge penthouse. I placed my digital notepad un-derneath my pillow and rolled out of be-d.
“Hey.” I leaned against the wall in the living room as my sister settled down on the couch with her son.
“Hey. So how are you?”
“I’m good.” I walked over and took my nephew into my arms and planted a big k!sson both sides of his cheeks. He was such a handsome little boy with the cutest smile. He had dimples. I always looked forward to seeing his laughs and smiles.
“How is aunty’s baby?” I asked him with a baby voice. He gave me a smile and buried his face in the crook of my n£¢k shyly.
“So I have a project for you,” Jasmine began.
“What project?” I asked her taking a seat next to her.
“A big one.” She threw on a bight smile.
“How big?”
“Very big.”
“Come on Jasmine, st©p beating around the bush here. You know I’m a very busy woman.”
“I nee-d you to make a dress for me.”
I scoffed.
A dress?
That’s what she was going on about?
A dress?
“A dress Jasmine? Like really?” I spoke my mind.
“You were supposed to ask me what kind of dress.”
I rolled my eyes at her but I had her to thank for everything. I never would have even gotten to the stage of entering and finishing college if it wasn’t for Jasmine.
You see, we grew up without a father and before I finished high school, mom got very ill with a lung condition. It had gotten so badly, she was frequently admitted to the hospital. Jasmine was the one who worked her bu-tt off and put meals on the table, clothes on my back paid all the bills and put me throu-gh college so I could accomplish my dreams. I couldn’t of asked for a better big sister. I love her. And she supported my business since the thus beginning. She always purchased clothing, even though I told her I will give it to her for absolutely nothing.
But she would just tell me, ‘some of the best things don’t come freely.’
“What kind of dress?” I asked as I tickled my nephew’s tummy to make him laugh.
“A WEDDING DRESS!!” she squealed out and her squealing caught me by surprise.
“A what now?” My smile reached my eyes.
Is she saying what I think she’s saying?
She flashed a hvge diamond ring on her engagement f!nger and I began squealing with happiness too.
“Y’all are engaged?” I wiped the happy tears away. I was so happy for her. She deserved every bit of happiness on this earth with the man she truly loved. They had been torn ap@rt of over a year but they still found love for each other again as if a separation never happened.
“Congratulations sis.” I pu-ll-ed her in for a hvg.
“Con-sssition.” Jevan repeated in his way of saying ‘congratulations’.
We shared a small laugh. He was alre-ady learning words.
“Thank you baby,” His mother said to him as she pla-yfully pu-ll-ed his puffy cheeks.
Her phone rang and she answered it.
“Zen, do you mind watching Jevan for an hour or so for me plea-se? I’m going down to HT to drop something off for his father,” she explained as she got off the phone.
“Sure. Not a problem.”
It was Saturday and I had decided to take a day off from the boutique and let my as-sistant run the sto-re. I nee-ded to catch up on some designs I had to s£nt for a client of mines.
“Thank you.” She got up and walked to the door. “And plea-se be careful with your language around him!”
We waved her bye-bye.
I took Jevan back to my room, l@yhim down on my be-d and went back to my digital notepad where I created and sto-red all my designs.
As I browsed throu-gh and tried to keep an eye out for Jevan as well, I accidentally deleted a design I had to get started on tomorrow.
“OH fv¢k!!” I cursed aloud.
“fv¢k! fv¢k!” My nephew began to repeat what I just said.
“NO NO NO NO NO Jevan. plea-se don’t repeat that. Your mother would kill me if she hears you saying that.”
“Kill me. Kill me.” He repeated another phrase he shouldn’t.
I searched my br@in to come up with something that would erased those words from his vocabulary.
“Let’s count.” I drew myself closer to him.
“One.”
“on.”
“Two.”
“Toe.”
“Three.”
“Free.”
We counted from one to three over and over and I sang him nursery rhymes. That ought to take his tiny mind off the words he shouldn’t have heard.
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Jasmine’s POV
I had gathered my small family around the dinner table. Jevan was placed in his baby seat between our chairs. I had cooked dinner for Evan and myself and prepared sweet potato tots and diced fruits for Jevan.
I fed Jevan while I ate from my plate as well. A conversation started between Evan and I and we were so caught up in it, Jevan’s hand accidentally knocked over his container of fruits when he attem-pted to feed himself.
“Oh fv¢k. Kill me,” he blurted out.
Mine and Evan’s eyes popped open and we looked at the small figure sitting between us.
“Did he just said what I think he said?” his father asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
I nodded yes.
Evan threw back his head and started laughing but it wasn’t funny to me. Jevan was learning words and I always tell people to watch what they’re saying around him. It was very odd that he liked repeating only the foul languages from a complete statement.
On one occasion, I was on the phone with Zenia. She was telling me something very funny and I abs£ntmindedly called her an ‘as-s-hole’.
Jevan began repeating the word ′as-s-hole′ but I quic-kly scolded him and he st©pped saying it.
When Evan got home that evening, Jevan was sitting in the living room putting together a lego block castle. He had been doing that the entire evening while I was looking at television.
Evan c@m£ over to greet and k!ssme as he usually does. His foot accidentally knocked over Jevan’s castle.
“Sorry son,” he apologized.
“as-s-hole,” Jevan responded
THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 02????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Zenia’s POV
Mommy and I were heading over to Jasmine’s and Evan’s house. Jasmine was putting together a small engagement celebr@tion and of course, mom and I were invited. I was excited ap@rt from the celebr@tion because I knew I would see him there as well.
I wore a fitted white dress that flowed down to my ankles like a waterfall, a respectable split st©pped just above my knees. I had flat ironed my hair and did loose wave curls to the sides. I completed the look with a simple gold n£¢klace and br@celets. I looked beautiful but I couldn’t outshine my sister. This was her glowing moment and she looked stunning.
She also wore a white dress which hvgged her in all the right places. The pregnancy worked extra magic for her b©dy. Her bo-ob s got bigger and her h!ps were wi-der which meant her bu-tt pop out too. Evan must really be loving himself. Jasmine was everything. Her hair was styled in a high bun and her makeup was flawless.
“You made it.” She embr@ced me with a hvg. “And I have a bone to pick with you.”
I broke the hvg.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“We’ll speak later. My guests are arriving. Come have a drink.” She pu-ll-ed me towards the kitchen area. A large table was covered with all different types and colors of wines, champagnes and other sparking beverages.
“Help yourself.” She filled a glas-s for herself and walked back out to the living room where everyone was beginning to mingle with each other.
I scanned the drinks. So much to choose from. I decided to pour myself a glas-s of chilled rose wine. I only had it once at a club with some of my college friends when we celebr@ted our completion of college and I loved it.
“That’s not a drink.” A voice startled me and arms wra-pped around my w@!st and pu-ll-ed me backwards gently onto his che-st. I knew it was him. His scent fanned my nostrils immediately afterwards as I got comfortable against his ha-rd impressive che-st.
“How are you?”
“I’m fine.” I turned around and looked into his beautiful grey pair of eyes. He gave a cute smile and k!$$£d my forehead.
“You look stunning. Like you’re the one getting married.”
I laughed heartily.
Me and marriage?
“Shouldn’t we be joining everyone else out there in the living room?” I pu-ll-ed away from his hvg and sipped on my glas-s of rose wine.
EJ and I were friends with each other ever since we met at a diner. I was walking by when Evan saw me and called me over to their table. I met EJ that day but it was cut shortly when Evan’s friend appeared to be rude. EJ then found me on Facebook and we took off from there but I wasn’t rushing into a committed relationsh!pwith him. We were just friends. I hadn’t even told my sister about us.
I took his hand and walked towards the living room. I re-leased his hand once we sp©tted everyone. I sat down next to my mother and EJ sat down with his on the opposite side of us.
Evan and Jasmine stood up in the middle of the room and announced their engagement to us. I alre-ady knew about it but I got happy all over again. Jasmine deserved being happy and they deserved each other.
Everyone cl@pped and cheered for them and hvgged them with congratulations once the announcement was over. Evan raised his son and handed him over to one of his maids for the balance of the night. Everyone filed outside in the hvge yard where the real celebr@ting p@rty was being held.
Music flowed throu-gh the surroundings and my b©dy. I re-moved my heels and began dancing to the beats of the song.
’V. I. C. wo-bble wo-bble’
I looked around as I danced. Jasmine was dancing with her husband-to-be.
The first Mrs. Hollen was dancing with the first Mr. Hollen.
Mom was talking to one of Evan’s chef.
And everyone else was paired off with someone.
EJ was texting in his phone and I approached him.
“Hey!” The music was louder than my voice but he heard me. He put his phone away and turned towards me.
“Where are your shoes?” He looked down at my feet, arching his eyebrows and throwing on a smile. “Are you str!pping for me alre-ady?”
“Don’t get c0cky EJ. I was dancing and I can’t dance with my heels on.”
“Okay. Lets dance then.” He pu-ll-ed me closer to the music system and pu-ll-ed me against his che-st again. I tried stepping back a bit but that only made his hold on me ti-ght£ñed more.
After the song was finished, I was re-leased from his super hold and he turned his attention back to his cellphone.
‘bu-mmer’
“I’m taking this drink over to my sister.” I excused myself and cursed myself mentally as I walked over to Jasmine and Evan.
Why was I suddenly jealous when EJ wasn’t paying me any attention but I pushed him away the moment time I got it?
What is wrong with me?
“Hey.” Jasmine noticed me first.
“Hey Zen.”
“Hey guys. Congratulations again, I can’t wait for the wedding.”
“And guess what?” my sister asked.
“What? You know guessing things correctly isn’t my strong suit.”
We laughed.
“I’m ma-king you my maid of honor,” Jasmine said into my ear.
I threw on a smile and hvgged her again and handed her a glas-s of wine. She drank it in one gulp and went back to dancing with Evan.
__________
I went indoors to use the washroom and to freshen up. I closed the door behind me, urinated, washed my hands and ret©uçhed my makeup.
On my way out, I was pushed back inside the same washroom.
“Why are you avoiding me?”
“I’m not avoiding you.”
“I think I know when someone is trying to avoid me Zenia.”
“Well EJ, it’s a p@rty. I was just enjoying myself.”
“Why you can’t enjoy yourself in my pres£nce?”
“I’m not having this conversation in here.”
“Good. Because I didn’t come in here to talk.”
He moved closer to me and pu-ll-ed me onto him. My heart raced ra-pidly as hisl-ips got closer and closer to mine. I turned my head slightly to the left so hisl-ips connected to my cheek instead.
“You don’t want to k!ssme?”
We had never had S-x nor even k!$$£d. We only hvgged every time we linked up. He was a friend.
“We’re in a washroom.” I made an excuse.
He looked around.
“Evan got lots of rooms in this house. Lets go to one.”
“No EJ! No.”
I knew where that might led to and I wasn’t about to let myself go down that road with the son of a billionaire. I saw what Jasmine went throu-gh with his brother and I didn’t want something like that happening to me as well.
Although she and Evan are together again, things might not work out like that for me.
“Zenia, I don’t want to have S-x with you. I just want us to talk and have some time together. I haven’t seen you since three weeks ago.”
We hadn’t seen each other in a few weeks but we video chat almost everyday.
Doesn’t that count?
A knock on the bathroom door startled us.
“Who’s in there? I nee-d to use the washroom!”
It was EJ’s mother and she was about to see us in the washroom together if she gets in here.
TO BE CONTINUED……