Chapter 33 Chapter 33
ALINA'S POV
"Girl, this place is....
"Amazing?" I provided, smiling.
"Amazing? It's more than that! This is incredible!" She gushed, laughing out loud like a manic. An overly excited manic.
"When I told you to move out, I didn't expect THIS 'kind' of moving out. You have out done yourself, cheers!"
We clicked glasses, I laughed out. Happy too.
"Oh?" She paused, teasing. "Let's click again,"
We did.
"Again,"
We did.
"Do you hear that?" She whispered, her voice dropped low.
"Hear what?" I asked concerned looking at my glass, hers, and then back to her face. "I don't hear-
She clicked our glasses again, sassy. "That's the sound of you getting into money."
What?
"You're going to be swimming in some moneyyy. Some dollars baby girl, oh my God!"
"Oh God," I rolled my eyes then, not minding her silly self as she danced on the couch. Drink in hand.
"You're just full of shit, honestly. And here I thought something genuinely happened to the glasses."
"What can happen to these beauties, c'mon." She laughed out, "This is all you girl. You and your fine ass."
"You make it sound like he's gifting me."
"Isn't he?"
"No, he's not." I disagreed, sipping my wine. The quality extraordinary. We found them already stocked in the mini bar in the kitchen.
"I got this space due to benefits. Employee benefits."
"Oh really? So why don't I have one?" She questioned, heading over to the glass window overlooking the left side of the building. Lights brightening all areas below. The entire yard tall and serene.
It was currently past 8pm. 8pm after we spent the entire day moving out of my old apartment and bundling stuff down to this very place and then moving them in.
I did move in the very next day to the building. Just as he said, cause I mean, why wait when I would move in eventually do it?
If I knew I would move in, no need letting the space waste.
Unless...unless I was feeling some type of way. Some type of way that I got so seriously reminded against yesterday, and confirmed it was indeed ridiculous.
Of course I deserved to live in a building such as this. I work, so I should afford it if I save up. I was getting it for free now due to my work, why act like it's not for me but someone else?
Bastard as he was, Roman's words did stick to me last night. I thought about it all night and eventually made peace with it.
It made sense.
But now Cleo was here. Excited as I was too, but trust Cleo to sniff out stuff where nothing's going on.
"I'm also a staff of Oxygen, working for the project. Even if I'm in Boldlines most of the time. I didn't get apartment attached benefits, how come you did?"
I stared at her, the question settling down. Hard.
"You're saying it's not normal?" I asked, she turned to me from the window. Smiling.
"It is, and it's not at the same time."
Now I frowned. "You're just pulling my legs, aren't you?"
"What, I'm just saying this isn't entirely normal but it's good! It's good for you, love. You should take advantage."
"Take what advantage? I'm just here to live in peace in my fresh apartment, I'm taking advantage of no one."
"Right." She left the window. Smiling still. Teasing. I knew she had more to say, much more. But instead of doing that, she grabbed the bottle of wine. Pouring herself to the very brim.
"Be it normal or not, we owe this apartment a sleepover."
"Oh you thought you were going home tonight?" I responded, teasing. Just as she was. My hand reaching for the bottle and pouring myself some. To the brim like hers.
"Ohhhhh, bad Lina. You go girl!" She sang ecstatically, urging me on. And by the time we were ready, we lifted up our glasses.
"Cheers!" We clicked, spilling a little. Cleo immediately attacking her glass from the bottom, licking it right to the top. Not a drop wasted.
"You're just nasty," I commented as she grinned after, winking at me.
"You love, you know it!"
"Unfortunately," we drank. Pouring another, Cleo rising to bring out more bottles from the kitchen rack we saw.
"We're not sleeping tonight, don't give me that look."
I just chuckled, shaking my head. "Bring it on, mama!"
And she did. Happily coming back with three extra bottles of expensive as shit wines we didn't even buy.
"Cheers to a new apartment, new environment, new commune!"
"New and upgraded paycheck!"
"Yesssss!" She cheered, loud as fuck. "New fucking car! A God damned private office, girl I got a private office!"
"And a 50% increase in our employee benefits!"
"Also let's not forget, the big great view of bitch ass Nicole's shitty face. You should see how red it is these days."
We laughed out crazy.
"Joey's not giving her enough sugar anymore!"
"Cheers?"
"Cheers!" We clicked our glasses, drowning it all in one go. A big breath, and another glass.
"We ain't sleeping tonight!"
Don't know for how long we went on, screaming and laughing crazily to jokes. Turning up the music at some point and dancing around like the two drunk fools we were.
Been a while we did that though. A long while.
"ahh, i think I feel 20 again," Cleo moaned out, the elevator opening to the main foyer. Her steps out of it slow. Dramatic. "I feel so young, so fresh, so sweet, naive once more...so pure."
"Oh God!" I pushed her out of the way, rolling my eyes as she chuckled. "A person listening to you right now will think you're 60 or something."
"What! I've felt old and gray up until last night. I should pass on my wisdom."
"Girl, you're 26. Just 26."
"I'm still older than you though,"
"By a year, right."
"Still older,"
I just shook my head. There was no winning with her. Absolutely no winning at all.
She linked our arms, bubbly as we officially exited the building. Finally stepping outside after since yesterday, moving in stuff and all.
The air was on my face, gentle. My skin appreciating it, eyes loving the view of the surroundings. How clean, polish and assembled it all looked.
"Oh," she sighed dramatically again, eyes closed. Breathing in air. "Oh, I already feel rich standing here. So fucking rich! This is no employee resident, I'm telling you."
"You're back on that?" I rolled my eyes, "It is an employee residence, I'm telling you. I even have a neighbour."
"A neighbour?" She stared at me. Giving me a look. THE look. One that screamed 'are you serious right now?' but not in the surprised excited way.
"Whatever Cleo. You won't believe me." I left her, walking down the few steps leading to the stone pathway of the wide yard.
She followed behind me.
"It's not you I don't believe, I just feel-
"That this isn't entirely normal?" I suggested for her, facing her. Her words from yesterday.
She paused, noting my look now. I didn't like this.
"Okay, I'm sorry. This is normal. This place is normal." She apologised, "It's beautiful, truly. I mean it, and I love it for you. Like really love it!"
I smiled slowly, appreciating the change of sentiment. Even if I knew she had reservations.
"Will you come stay with me then?" I proposed. Finally. Wanted to do so yesterday but didn't get the opportunity.
"We can live here together. It's a two bedroom apartment, you saw it."
She smiled, cupping my cheeks. "Awww, sweet baby. I'd love to come live here with you, but-
"But?" I stared at her, surprised. "You're saying but?"
She nodded slow.
"I already checked out a few apartments online after I got my paycheck a day ago." She said,
Oh.
Right.
She did receive the news of our released benefits, paycheck and stuff before I did.
Reason why she called that day while Roman drove off. I called to surprise her, she called to surprise me too.
"I'm sorry,"
"It's okay," I sighed, disappointed. "I know how much you wanted to check out spots in your 'real resident area'."
"It is real resident."
"Yeah, yeah." I laughed, a little. "It's okay. Really."
We hugged after that. Her stuff already packed and ready to go. We only needed to call a ride and head over to the gates.
But as we pulled apart, the sound of tyres driving in soon filled the air. The car itself polished and damn attractive. A car.
"Aston Martin DB11," Cleo immediately muttered beside me, naming the car at first glance. Her eyes wide with glee.
She was a car person. Intended a getting a new car even.
Although I was sure it wouldn't be of this category, but...
"You know I didn't ask, Lina, but what are you going to do when you find out this isn't an employee resident?"
Huh?
I turned to look at her, confused. But she was already grinning. A glance at me and then back at the car behind me as it pulled to a stop.
"Look,"
I turned. Just in time to watch the driver of the car step out. Dressed in all casuals. But expensive looking nevertheless.
Worse?
I recognised the driver.
Roman.
"Hey ladies,"
"Oh?" Cleo nudged me, "Good morning, sir. You come f
or visiting? She's only seeing me out don't worry."
"I'm not here for visiting." He said,
"What are here for then?"
"To stay."
Stay??
"This is my house. I'm moving in."
Huh???
"Oh wow," Cleo commented, teasing. Her eyes finding mine. "I see you do really have a neighbour."
Fuck you, Cleo.