*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 21????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Zenia’s POV
“I know last night was irksome and I apologize for everything. Especially EJ.”
It was Saturday morning and Anton and I were taking a stroll throu-gh the park.
“You don’t have to apologize for his behavior towards me. I know he doesn’t like me because he believes I’m standing in his way.”
Sharing a small laughter, we walked over to a bench, li-cking our ice-cream cones.
“He does care about you, you know that right?”
“Actually, it’s very complicated between him and I. It’s like two steps forward then ten steps backwards. Today we’re happy, then tomorrow it’s a complete different story. I just want everything to stop or to slow down.” I heaved a loud sigh.
“But that’s life Zenia. Nothing is going to stop or slow down for our liking. I was once in your very situation and I felt like I was going crazy.”
It then crossed my mind that I never asked him if he had a girlfriend.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” I spoke up, li-cking the top of the ice-cream as some ran down my fin-gers.
He scowled before answering. “Not any more.”
“What happened?”
“We were just too different. Nothing in common.”
“Oh. I know how that could be.”
There was an awkward silence before he spoke up. “What’s really the deal with you and EJ? I mean, why is he so insecure?”
I chuckled lightly. “EJ is a different breed. ha-rd to re-ad and un-derstand but I wouldn’t put all the blame on him. I messed up things with him.”
“How so?”
I heaved a sigh as I remembered the miscarriage.
“I was once pregnant with his baby but I wasn’t aware. I drank a shit ton of alcohol and because of such, I lost the baby. He didn’t take the news too well.”
Anton remained silent, taking in what I had just said to him.
“I’m so sorry to hear that Zenia. Really, I am.”
“And because of that, I wouldn’t be able to have any more babies in the future.”
I took one last bite of the ice-cream before throwing it in a near by bin. I felt sick suddenly. I had been at war with myself and with EJ but it was basically all my fault. His anger was un-derstandable and no man would jump for joy and sing kombayah when they’ve learnt that their unborn baby pa-ssed away because the mother consumed too much alcohol.
“Do you believe in Miracles? Do you believe in a God no one has seen?” Anton seriously asked. He shifted his b©dy towards me and looked straight into my eyes.
“Yes I do,” I answered truthfully. I wasn’t a church-goer but I did believed there was a higher power and he was a forgiving God.
“Then put your faith in him and stop feeling sorry for yourself. By the looks in your eyes, I can tell this had and is still continuing to do damage on you. You can’t live your life like this Zenia. Stop worrying and hope for a miracle. Maybe one day, you just might have a baby.”
I smiled and wra-pped my arms around his ne-ck. Tears sli-pped down my eyes. Tears of hope and happiness.
“Hey, stop crying,” he said softly as he pu-lled away from the embr@ce and wiped away my tears with his thumbs. “You’re much more beautiful when you don’t cry.”
“Your words meant so much to me.”
“I know I’m a guy but I have a heart. You’re my first American friend and I like you.”
We shared another laughter and stood up and walked over to the parking lot to his car.
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“Thanks for showing me the park,” he said as we pu-lled up to my boutique.
“You’re very welcome.”
I got out the car. “Oh and since our dinner was interrupted last night, how about a do-over tonight?”
“I’ll be looking forward to it. Text me.”
“Sure. Bye Anton.”
“Bye Zenia.”
I watched as he pu-lled off the curb and drove away. Smiling to myself, I walked into my boutique.
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I stepped out my shower in the penthouse suite. I towel dried my skin and did my usual routine when getting re-ady: Lotion, un-derwear, clothing, makeup and styling my hair. Finally, I placed on my pair of heels and did a 360° turn in front the large b©dy mirror.
I felt amazing and I hoped I looked beautiful enough for him because tonight, was going to be the night I ki-ss Anton Mc. Calister.
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Receiving a text message from him, I left my be-droom and walked into the living room to get to the main entrance. I was stopped by my mother.
“Where are you off to?”
“I have a date.”
“With?”
“A friend of mine.”
“Zenia, if you had remembered, there was something I wanted to discuss with you.”
I heaved a frustrated sigh. Ever since my father resurfaced again, mom had been trying to get my attention. She claimed there was something very important she nee-ded to discuss with me but whatever that was, it will have to wait.
“Mom, I can’t right now. Can we do this another time? Or better yet, can we do this never?”
“Zenia!” she called out but I was alre-ady out the door and speed walking towards the elevator.
~
Anton drove towards a different restaurant. A restaurant that wasn’t so elegant and fancy.
I fli-pped throu-gh the menu, grazing ever so often at him. He looked so chill in a plain red long sleeve T-shirt, black jeans and black boots. His hair was neatly styled on his head and the only accessory he wore, was a gold chain.
I ordered a hu-ge Angus beef burger, a potion of fries, hot wings to share among ourselves and a Cesar salad with dressings.
Anton ordered the same. We talked about almost everything un-der the sun. Anton was so funny and cute. He opened up to me like we had been friends since preschool. I felt like I could be myself around him and not pretend to be someone I wasn’t just because I wanted to fit in. With Anton, everything felt real and actual.
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After our night was coming to an end, I excused myself and went into the ladies’ washroom. I did my business and freshened up myself before going back to our table.
We joined our hands together as we walked out the restaurant.
“Now that was really fun and I must compliment you again, you look so s-xy.”
blu-shing like a teenager, I thank him and got into the car.
~
At 11:30pm, we were parked outside the hotel.
“Thanks for an amazing day today and an amazing night Zenia. You really are the best.”
That’s my cue.
I slowly leaned over to him and he slowly leaned towards me. Ourl-ips met. I wra-pped my arms around his ne-ck, drawing him closer and de-epening the ki-ss between us.
“Good night Zenia,” he said sweetly as we broke ap@rt.
“Good night Anton.” Opening the car door, I stepped out and walked up the steps to the entrance of the lobby while he looked at me before driving away.
~
I threw myself down on my be-d and the confusion in my mind started.
I liked Anton but there weren’t any sparks, any bu-tterflies, there wasn’t anything at all when we ki-ssed.
Why is that?
Why is that?
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 03*
????????????EPISODE 22????????????
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*?? MORE THAN FRIENDS ??*
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Zenia’s POV
“YOU ki-ssED ANTON?!” Ashley asked a bit too loud for my liking.
It was Sunday and she had came over to the penthouse for some girl chat. Of course, just as myself, she was always interested in gossip and ju-icy stuff.
“Yes I ki-ssed him,” I answered as I watched her trying on my favorite pair of sneakers in my be-droom.
“What was it like?”
“Just normal.” I hated the feeling that there wasn’t any sparks, flames or electricity between our ki-ss.
“Sounds boring.”
I scoffed silently to myself.
With EJ, our flame was out of this world. The boy knew how to get un-derneath my skin and have me craving for hisl-ips on mine. Every tou-chfrom him automatically made my skin grew goosebu-mps. EJ was everything.
“Just don’t let EJ find out about that ki-ss or else he’ll kill that boy,” she added.
“EJ isn’t the boss of me Ashley and quiet frankly, I’m really tired with the way he had been acting towards Anton. EJ broke up with me and now he wants to pla-y br@nd new, like nothing had happened, like he never hurt my feelings and made me cry.”
“Zenia, show me one perfect relationship.” She took my sneakers off and was now sitting at my makeup table, popping blackheads in the mirror.
“There’s no such thing,” I responded to her statement.
“Exactly. EJ isn’t perfect. His emotions got the better of him but he’s sorry for what he did. That boy is head over heels for you. That pv$$ycat hooked him like a fish.”
“Ashley!” I scolded her.
“Well it’s true. He could practically get any girl his heart de-sires, but he’s after your a-ss, begging for your love and forgiveness. Just give him a chance Zenia.”
“Not so easily. He can’t embarra-ssed me like that and expect me just forgive him. He’ll take me for granted.”
“That’s un-derstandable. I shouldn’t have take back Aladdin’s a-ss so quic-kly too.”
“Aladdin?” I was puzzled.
“Alex.”
“Oh. But why the hell did you said Aladdin.”
“Because that guy gave me the best oral of my life. His ton-gue is like a magic carpet. Zenia, he had me screaming his name over and over. I cli-maxed over five….”
“Okay Ashley, plea-se stop it! I don’t want to picture Alex’s face in your pri-vates.”
She laughed loudly as she popped another blackhead. Sometimes, Ashley could be so raw and unfiltered. I almost brou-ght holy water one time to wash her mouth.
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Ethan Junior’s POV
I was doing my own laundry when the doors pushed opened and Madison walked in.
“Hi EJ.”
Ever since she had lied to me about Zenia’s miscarriage, I had been avoiding her wherever I could but being as she was a dear friend of the family, she still managed to show up at the most inconvenient times.
“What is it Madison?” I was instantly annoyed.
“You’re still mad at me?” she asked, lowering her head as if she was about to cry.
“EJ, I’m really sorry about everything. I really thought I heard her said the word ‘ab-ortion’.
“We’re not talking about this again!” I semi shouted at her. The thought of my baby. Dead. It had alre-ady done enough to me and caused a gap between Zenia and I.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. EJ, I miss you and I want my friend back. I promise I wouldn’t try to come between you and Zenia again. plea-se, just forgive me EJ. plea-se.”
The tears were filling up her eyes and after a few more seconds, they fell out. My heart softened for her. She did looked very sorry.
“I forgive you Mads.”
She flung herself arms around my ne-ck and a-ssisted me in carrying my laundry upstairs to my be-droom.
~
“I can’t believe you still have this picture,” she beamed as she looked at the picture of her, Alex, Jack and I at my tenth birthday p@rty in the back yard. We were in a bouncing castle my dad got for me when I was a child.
“Yeah. It’s one of the favorite pictures.” I looked at the picture too as the memories came flashing back.
That day, mom surprised me with a very big cake which was designed as superman. As a kid, he was my favorite hero. Madison had her arms wra-pped around me as I cut my cake and gave the first two slices to her and my mom.
I liked Madison. Throu-gh every stage of my childhood life, she was there for me and next to me.
“Do you have any more pictures?” she asked.
“Yeah.” I pu-lled out my picture albu-m from my cabinet.
She began fli-pping throu-gh the pages and laughed at my baby photos, mom took pictures in all my na-ked glory.
“Wow, I remember this day,” she said and pointed to the picture of her and I at our prom.
Madison didn’t have a date, while I could of asked any girl I wanted as my company, but instead, I took Madison.
“That day meant so much to me EJ. You wouldn’t even imagine.” She began to cry. Madison was always so emotional.
“It’s okay.” I handed her one of my handkerchief.
She dried her tears away and put the albu-m back into the cabinet. She then sat down on my be-d and fidgeted with her fin-gers.
“Are you okay?” I asked her. She looked like she was de-ep in thoughts.
“I really missed you when I went away. It was never the same for me and I tried reaching out to you countless times but I never got you when I tried. That’s why I hate it when you’re mad at me. I just want my best friend back.”
“Shh, I’m here. We’re friends again.” I wra-pped an arm around her shoulder as I sat down next to her. She began crying again.
“Madison, plea-se stop crying.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Everything is okay now. We’re okay now,” I a-ssured her and she threw herself onto me, hu-gging me with incredible strength.
“Mads.” I tried to break her embr@ce but that only made her hu-gged me ti-ghter.
“I love you EJ. I love you.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that. Madison was extra.
She eventually let go of me but planted herl-ips to mine and tried to p@rt my mouth with her ton-gue.
“What are you doing?” I asked her angrily as I flung myself off the be-d.
She stared at me, wi-de-eyed and innocently. Using the back of my hand, I wiped away the saliva she tried to exchange.
“EJ, I’m sorry. I was caught in the moment. I didn’t mean to ki-ss you.”
“Madison, I think you should go,” I said calmly.
“EJ….”
“Get out of my room Madison!” I semi shouted.
She slowly picked herself up and walked out the be-droom. I slammed the door in after her.
What the hell !
TO BE CONTINUED…