Chapter 66 WE MEET AGAIN
\[BLAKE'S HOUSE\]
The door creaked open, and Skye walked in.
Audrey, who was busy with her phone, saw him.
"Pathetic," she muttered, shaking her head. "How was your date?"
Skye sat beside her, ruffling her hair. She frowned, hitting his hand away.
He sat upright, facing the ceiling.
"It was the best. She was very sweet." He smiled to himself, dreamily. "I just realized she's not as arrogant as she is in the agency. There was no dull moment."
He looked at Audrey when he didn't hear anything from her. "What?"
Audrey flickered his cheek.
"Why would you do that?" he frowned, rubbing his cheek.
"Weakling," she hissed. "You have no idea how dumb you looked while describing her." She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Take my advice, start looking for another girl, the one that'd be by your side when she finally breaks your heart. It'd be for your own good."
Skye slapped her hand off his shoulder. "Thank you, sister, for your kind advice, but I know Bonnie loves me. Her reaction at the date was all I needed to know."
"Two weeks," she started.
"Huh?"
"That's all I need to prove that you are only a puppet," she completed.
"If you can't prove it within two weeks, you'd have to go on your knees and apologize to her in front of the whole agency," Skye said, running his tongue along his upper lip.
"And if I do, you'd do anything I ask of you." She stretched out her hand. "Deal?"
Skye looked at her. "Deal." He accepted the handshake, both staring at each other, eyeball to eyeball. A daring look.
"Good luck winning then," he said sarcastically, spreading both his arms on the couch and crossing his legs.
Audrey rolled her eyes and smacked his head.
"What?" he glared at her.
"Dummy, it doesn't hurt." She smiled, fixing her gaze on his face.
"Well, it did hurt," he frowned, looking around. "Where's Blake? Haven't seen him around."
"At the studio, preparing for his upcoming concert in two days," Audrey replied, standing.
"Troubling him won't be bad," Skye said, heading for Blake's studio.
Audrey stared at his retreating figure before following him.
\--
\[STUDIO ROOM\]
Blake sat in front of his song notes, playing with the string of his guitar. His concert was in two days, and he plans to play both the piano and guitar. The piano will be for the fans, and the guitar will be a special performance.
Audrey had insisted that he should perform the concert in the rain, and according to the weather forecast, it was expected to rain heavily on that day.
He strapped the strings, closing his eyes.
The door burst open, causing his eyes to snap open.
He exhales tiredly, seeing the look in Skye's eyes.
"A guitar," Skye muttered, going close to him.
Blake shot a glance at Audrey, who simply shrugged.
"What are you doing with a guitar?"
"It was meant to be a surprise," Blake mumbled, setting the guitar aside.
Skye exchanged glances between Audrey and Blake. "A surprise? Does that mean Audrey knows, and I'm the only one left in the dark? You are performing with a guitar?"
Blake rolled his eyes. "Quit being dramatic, you'd have found out at the concert anyway."
"Dramatic? Me." Skye pointed at himself. "Just wait until I get you. Why did you change your mind about the piano?"
"Tsk, so many questions. The guitar is for a special performance. Yunno the love sick shit you are both into." She did the air pose, rolling her eyes dramatically.
Skye rested his hand on his waist, smiling. "That explains why you are having the concert in New York. Cute."
Blake and Audrey's faces fell at the same time, both arching their brows. "Don't do that, you look worse than you already are," they said in unison, bursting into laughter as they realized it.
Skye's eyes widened. "Did you just call my face... Come here, you two," he said, dashing towards them.
They took off on their heels, running around the studio. Their laughter was a testament to the joy and peace the three of them held. A peaceful friendship.
Audrey stopped running, panting slowly as she stared at the two of them. She wished they'd always be happy like this, but for some reason, she felt this happiness would be short-lived.
A happy moment before the main sadness pops out from wherever. Her happiness lies in theirs, and she'd do anything to make sure they don't get hurt, and that includes meeting up with Ixora.
"I'm going out, will be back before dinner!" She announced, loud enough for them to hear her.
Blake flashed her smile amidst panting, which meant he heard her.
She left the house.
\[IXORA'S HOUSE\]
The state of the house right now could make one think the ex-first lady actually let mentally unstable people into her house.
The sitting room was littered with snacks, popcorn on both the couch and the floor. Empty soda cans lie around... the house was a disaster.
Ixora and Nelly have been at home all day doing nothing but catching up as if they had been apart from each other for so long.
Right now, loud music was blaring from the speaker, filling up the whole house. Ixora was wearing a bum short and a crop top with her hair falling over her face. Nelly was wearing the same thing, but her hair was packed in a tight ponytail. Ixora had forced her to put on the same clothes. They were both jumping on the couch, a remote in their hands as they were singing along.
According to them, they were having their concert at home, and their shouts could tear down the building right now.
"Fake love!!!" They shouted, jumping up and down since they were listening to Fake Love by BTS.
"Fake love!!!" They both immediately stopped singing when they felt another voice joining them.
They lowered their gazes to see Audrey. They climbed down the chair, itching the back of their neck as they let out an awkward laughter.
"Audrey," Ixora called, feeling her cheeks heating up in embarrassment.
Audrey laughed. "Why did you stop? Just when I joined the fun."
Nelly stood beside Ixora, slightly pinching her arm while giving the it's all your fault look.
Ixora shuddered, releasing her hand from Nelly's.
"Uhm, we'll hurry up and clean the house," Ixora said, holding Nelly's hand.
"No, it's fine. Besides, I want us to go out and talk over an ice cream."
"But..." Nelly trailed.
"No ifs and buts." Audrey hung her arms on their shoulders. "Bills on me."
"At least let's change our clothes," Nelly protested.
"Come on, you both look amazing. Never knew you'd be this hot. Look at those hips and belly button."
"No... I can't go out like this," Nelly shook her head.
"We get you are Mary's sister, but you don't always have to dress like that."
Nelly's eyes widened as she shot Audrey a glare.
Audrey, on noticing what she said, dashed off with Nelly going after her.
Ixora laughed, walking out of the house. She took a glance at her phone, hoping to see even a text, but saw nothing.
\[ICECREAM SHOP\]
They had just arrived at the shop. They took their respective flavors, and Audrey paid for it.
"Why are you being nice to us? The last time we met at the police station wasn't really nice," Nelly asked, looking at Ixora.
Audrey chuckled. "I know you'd ask, and I'm sorry. I care so much about my brother and... I'm sorry. Next time, I'd try to be more understanding."
"Let's not talk about it, okay. It's all in the past. We..."
"What the!" Nelly staggered when a stranger bumped into her, causing her ice cream to fall on her clothes.
"Have you gone blind?" Audrey snapped.
"I'm sorry. I was in a hurry," he quickly apologized, his face unseen because of his hoodie.
"It's fine. I'll go and clean it," Nelly said and walked away, heading to the bathroom.
The hooded guy took a look at Nelly's retreating figure before walking away.
"Let's go and sit to wait for her." They both went and sat on a long bench, staring at the kids playing across a park.
"Do you love Blake?" Audrey asked, breaking the silence.
"Huh?" Ixora turned to her.
"Guess, I was too blunt." She chuckled. "Aside from the friends you two share, do you see Blake as more than a friend?"
Ixora faced in front, taking a bite of the ice cream.
\--
Nelly sighed, staring at her top. She managed to get rid of the ice cream, but how was she going to go out with wet clothes?
She touched her shorts, looking for her phone. She sighed when she realized she had left it at Ixora's house.
"I..."
A gasp escaped her lips when someone forcefully turned her around and pinned her to the wall.
She immediately raised her knee, trying to kick him, but he was faster. He grabbed her leg, curling it around his waist.
"Let me..." she struggled, finally seeing the person.
A smirk was plastered on his lips as he stared at her.
"We meet again."