JANE IS MY FIANCEÉ

She promised to talk to his fans to clear whatever tension that's rising up but she was very nervous standing in front of the huge building before her. This is an early morning and she did want to get it done with, she couldn't have enough sleep because it kept bothering her mind about what his fans thought of her. They made her look like a harlot…like a woman with no dignity, no shame.

She's fed up with it and it has to stop, she has to stop the way people look down on her, she has to stop it all, loving Chris has brought her nothing but pain. Fate is so cruel to her, fate shattered her dreams. It never gave her the man she loves and when it seems like she's getting him. It took him from her again. She has never loved any other man the way she loves Chris, Ethan...she won't say exactly what she has for him. All she knew is that no one else will ever take Chris place in her heart, he's more like a celebrity crush to her but it's time to accept reality, time to accept her cursed fate. Time to start a new beginning.

She exhaled, calming her racing heart down. She stared at the big metal door, contemplating whether to go in or not.... she took a step but withdrew it. She shut her eyes closed and shook her head, she opened them again and a thought came across her, what if Chris is there? She wasn't in her right mind to face him and facing him will only remind her of that hideous thing that occurred at the music festival.

She closed her again, memories flooding in and out. But she has to face him…..that way she will be free from this pain. "Hello Jane, you're here?" Someone's voice rings.

She opened her eyes again and looks over her shoulder and saw Fiona, she was wearing a white turtle neck gown coupled with a blue blazer over her shoulders and on her feet were a pair of heel sandals. She was holding a portfolio in her left hand. Jane stared at her in awe, she looks so pretty although she did a mild make up but still she looks beautiful. And she ( Fiona ) carried with her some aura, some confidence by the way she walks or talks. Jane wondered if she will ever major up to her.

"Hi Fiona, nice to see you again." She smiled and gave her a lightly friendly hug. Fiona returned her hug too.

"Me too." Fiona answered with a smile on her face as they broke free from each other. "What are you doing here? Chris isn't here."

When Jane heard he wasn't in the studio, she leaped with joy. Ever since that incident happened, she never wanted to meet him, she was so nervous to see him. It will only remind her of what his fans did to her but....she came all the way to the studio to help him because some of his fans have started hating him too after he did that speech. She wants to clear her name including his even it means calling off the engagement.

"Really, he isn't?" She asked with a smile on her face. "But anyways I'm not here to speak to Chris but his manager."

"His manager?" Fiona asked with curiosity. "Why? What happened?"

"No, nothing happened." She kept smiling at her. "I just want to speak to him."

"Concerning the music gala?" Fiona asked, knowing fully well that's the reason she's here. "You left all of a sudden but I'm sorry for that, I could understand the pain you went through."

"No, don't apologise." Jane cooed. "I'm over it and yes I want to meet his manager concerning that so I hope he's around?"

"Yes, I think so." Fiona replied. "Let's go in and find out but you are okay right? You're not depressed by what you saw online…...fans are trying to protect the celebrities they love and besides we all thought he and Cass were a thing and the woman he wanted to marry but no…..he took us all by surprise."

Jane smiled at her, really she's a nice person. The first time she met her, she thought she will be all bossy or too bitchy. She thought she will give her a cold shoulder but here she was all concern about her. Well she guess the world still have some good and easy going people in it. Some fairness in it. Sincerely speaking, Chris manager and all of them seem to like her. She thought they will try to speak to Chris concerning but it was the opposite, they seem to favour her. "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

"Okay." Fiona walked inside and she followed suit, talking to Fiona lifted the weight on her shoulders a little. She walked to the same room Chris took her the day she came with him. They walked in and met Chris's manager on the lounge seat sipping tea. Miko was on his DJ seat, in front of his DJ sets mixing different songs all the together with headphones over his head. Immediately he saw Jane walk in with Fiona, he left his work and faced her. Excitement was written over his face.

"Jane, what a pleasant surprise." He smiled to her. "We weren't expecting you."

"Yes, I know." She smiled back. "I just came here unannounced. Hello Sir." She greeted Chris's manager.

"Hello Jane." Chris's manager replied back. "Really we never expected you to be here and how are you doing? How have you been?"

"Been good." She answered with the smile still on her face. "I came to speak to you."

"Me?" He wondered why she wants to speak to him. "Is something wrong?"

"She wants to talk to you concerning the music gala." Fiona chipped in.

"You're still mad about that?" He asked. "We're terribly sorry about that but don't worry, we are doing our best to clear the dark clouds hovering over us."

"No worries. I want to ask you if you could make me talk to his fans, I mean meet them in person concerning that which happened at the event?" She states her goal but she looks expectantly at him, trying to read the expression on his face.

"Are you nuts?" Fiona shrieked out loud, almost giving the three of them a heart attack. "Why would you suggest that? We are trying to calm his fans down and coming on stage to talk to them will only bring more hate towards you. Is that what you want?"

"I know but I don't care." Jane said. "I'm the reason his fans went bizarre, if he hadn't made that announcement…..none of these would have ever happened. I need to come live and talk to them and I'm actually talking in favor of them, that's what they want to hear right, then I will say what they want to hear."

"Wait a sec, what do you mean by that?" Miko asked suspiciously.

"I called off the engagement." She answered with a cold tone, no emotion on her face.

Chris's manager sighed, slumping down on the lounge seat once again. "You're calling off your engagement with Chris because of his fans?" He asked, calmly.

"Yes, that's the only way his fans will calm down and stopping speaking ill of him besides they want him to be with Cass."

"But he wants to be with you." Miko pointed out, looking directly at her. "Why are you calling it off? Is Chris aware of this?"

"Umm...not yet but I will tell him." She replied, not letting their words penetrate through her. "But I have to speak to his fans. I can't sit back and do nothing concerning it, please can you arrange some press I can speak to?"

"You shouldn't be doing this Jane." Chris's manager said. "We already working on it and his fans are already calming down, you shouldn't call off your engagement for them."

"Don't worry, I will be fine." She forced a smile on her face.

"Well, it's for the better." Fiona prompted. "At least no more hate, no more decrease in the sale or charts, no more questions."

Chris's manager and Miko gave her a weird look. "But that doesn't mean I don't understand your pain Jane." She added quickly. "You're doing a good job, you did good."

"And Chris and Cass are already on their way to the interviews." She went on to say.

"So are you gonna do it for me?" Jane asked.

"Alright if that what you want." Chris's manager nodded his head.

She smiled.

______________

Chris and Cass seated on the seats, facing the cameras. The long brown polished table demarcated them and the interviewers. The cameras were labelled the CT TV, one of the most popular influential music channels. The interviewers are a man and woman, they seated opposite them. Communicating with eyes, the camera men positioned their cameras taking a better view of them.

Chris felt so suffocated, he had to address those mob in front of his house the other day and here he is seated in this seat with all these cameras boring him. He looked at Cass and she seems very calm, she wasn't moving at all, just returning the stare of the interviewers. He returned his gaze back to the camera waiting patiently for them to be true with the positioning.

His mind trailed back to the event that happened a week ago and Jane haven't contacted him yet, he couldn't speak to her because of his busy schedules. He hoped she's doing fine and keeping safe, after he did some talking…..he managed to calm few of his fans although some are still throwing ruckus about it. He talked to some newspaper companies and some TV channels about it but he was happy they didn't try to ask him deep questions. He prays these two figures seated in front of him won't do that either.

He doesn't have the energy to start explaining himself. Sometimes being a celebrity sucks for him, you can't be free to do what ever you want to do, paparazzi are everywhere you go. Taking pictures of everything you do in public talk more of the press who are out there to make out stories from every little thing you do.

Some times, he does envy the non celebrated people, their lives are going great without no worries. Being a celebrity is a bondage to him.

"So everything set?" One of the interviewers asked the camera men.

"Yes." They nodded, they are about 3 cameras men with their cameras in the room.

"Alright." The male interviewer said.

He introduced himself as one of the news broadcaster of CT news. After some beginning words from him, he shifted to the reason of the interview.

"So Chris, what do you have to say concerning the ruckus all over the net concerning the speech you made on the music festival day?" The male interviewer asked.

"I have nothing to say." Chris answered coldly.

"Tell us, what prompted you to make that announcement?" The female interviewer asked.

"Like I said earlier, I have nothing to say. Can you guys be over with this? You don't have the rights to question me for my actions." He said icily.

"We do." The male interviewer said, composing himself. "We promote your songs, we're in collaborations with the entertainment you are working with and we have the rights to know why you did so."

"Well if you must know." Chris inserted, reluctantly. "Jane is my fianceé and I have the right to make her known to my fans, we are getting married soon."

Cass stiffed on her seat, despite the fact that his fans are throwing dramas about him making that announcement, he still haven't learnt his lesson, he was so adamant….she wondered what spell Jane casted on him that he forgot so quickly he came to her practically begging her to act like his fianceé so he won't end up marrying Jane.

"And do you know what you said is making your fans go bizarre and you are getting a lot of hate for doing that?" The male interviewer asked, slightly annoyed at his attitude. "We all here thought you and Cass had a thing, did you two fight?"

"First, I and Cass were never a thing, we are just close friends looking out for each other and since we grew up together, we seemed so attached to each other but never have I thought of making Cass my wife." Chris answered with an annoyed look on his face. "Why are you guys shipping me with Cass all the time when there's nothing going on between us?"

"What do you have to say about this?" The female interviewer shifted his attention to Cass. "Did you know he will make such announcement?"

"Like everyone I was caught off guard." Cassandra answered calmly. "I never saw it coming but sincerely saying I was disappointed at what he did."

"So you both never had a thing?"

"We did." Cass smiled. Chris stared at her with bewilderment. "I mean we did share a thing, why would I keep appearing in his music videos. I lost him the day he met that Jane of a girl….he lost his focus, all he thinks about is Jane and his words are of Jane too. I was surprised he invited her to music gala."

"How does that make you feel? "

"Sad." She answered. "But there's nothing I can do about it, I just pray one day I get my man back.…"

"Cass we don't have a thing." Chris interjected. "We are just friends and I allowed you in my videos because I wanted it, Jane is out there at the mercy of my fans and this is all you say?"

"Look, I have one final announcement to make." He continued, turning his attention to the cameras. "Jane is my fianceé and I'm getting married to her. What's wrong with you people? So what if she doesn't have any significance in the society? So what if she isn't a celebrity like me, shouldn't I be the one in charge of that?"

"Hmmm." The interviewers sighed. "I think we have come to the conclusion of this interview." The male interviewer said.

"Good." Chris mumbled inaudibly.

____________

There was no more lectures for the day, Fortune and Ada are seen making their way to the library although school wasn't over yet. Fortune clutched her books to her chest, lost in thought of what transpired between her and Vincent, the incident still lingered on her mind. She can't still believe she almost kissed him. And that was actually her first kiss….so if Vincent had kissed her. He will be the first guy to kiss her, to steal her first kiss.

She was actually walking side by side with Ada, she saw her mouth moving but she wasn't really paying attention to whatever she was saying. Her mind was in turmoil and the thing is she and Vincent are classmate and she sees his face everyday but not all the time.

She hoped he won't use it against her or taunt her for the rest of her life. She hopes he ignores her like he normally does, like she never existed. They are just enemies and nothing can make them turn into good friends.

"Are you even listening to me?" Ada asked, stopping to have a better look at her.

"Uh….?" Fortune was brought back to reality by her question. "What were you saying?"

"You weren't listening to me, were you?" Ada asked, a little disappointed. "What were you thinking that you couldn't hear me talking?"

"Sorry, my mind wasn't here. I'm sorry." She apologized. "But what were you saying?"

They neared the library, went inside and sat on a vacant seats near the window. Fortune placed her books on the desk while Ada sat opposite her, facing her. "I noticed you seem a little distance after you returned from Vincent's lodge." Ada inputs. "What really happened there?"

"Nothing happened." She lied. "I was just worried about my sister, that's all. "I mean I can't watch her get traumatized by the news all of over the net."

"Look, I'm your friend and I know when you are lying to me." Ada inserted, staring deeply in her eyes. I know you're not really worried about your sister….I mean yes you might be worried but not lost. You completely zone out after you returned from Vincent's lodge. It seems like you are here but not here. I noticed it when you were talking to my brother."

"Really I'm serious, I'm not lying." She lied again. "Nothing happened at Vincent's lodge, like I told you earlier I went to return the clothes he bought for me." She picked her book and pretended to be reading it.

"𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚?" Ada arched an eyebrow inquisitively. "𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒉𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒖𝒑𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒏?" She motioned to her book.

It dawned on Fortune that her book was upside down, really the thoughts of Vincent was really driving her insane that she couldn't place her book well. She tightened her eyes shut for a brief moment and reopened them, she looked at Ada and forced a wry smile.

"Are you gonna tell me what's going on or not?" Ada asked, folding her arms against her chest.

"Fine." Fortune gave in reluctantly. "But promise you won't scream if I disclose this to you."

"Cross my heart. I won't." Ada gestured.

"Okay the thing is that….I don't know…" She exhaled. "I don't know how to put it but Vincent almost kissed me or we likely almost kissed each other…."

"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕, 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒊𝒕." Ada shrieked almost loudly but Fortune was in time to cover her mouth with her palm to avoid rasing unnecessary alarm.

"You promised not to shout." Fortune reminded her. "I know it might sound crazy to you but it really happened if not for Jeff and Jeremy, we would have kissed each other."

"I knew something was up but Okay." Ada began, trying to take in what she just heard. "What warranted the kiss, who started the kiss?"

"No one, he asked me to massage him but when I refused. He said if I don't do it, he will make me do it the hard way…thereby pinning me on the sofa but seriously how we ended up almost kissing each other is something I can't explain."

"Why would you massage him?" Ada kept interrogating her.

"It all happened when I went to return the clothes he bought for me." Fortune began. "I met the two girls Amanda and Cara and they took me somewhere not far from school, looks like a detached unknown place, kinda building. There I met this girl called Ifeoma, one of the girls who invited Vincent to her birthday party but he didn't show."

"Why would they do that? Why would they abduct you?"

"The girl Ifeoma told them to bring me to her." Fortune went on to elaborate. "She said I'm the reason Vincent doesn't show her attention, the reason he always ditch her and the worst part is that they tied me to a chair, behind it was a shelf filled with old heavy books and other school stuffs."

"And she threatened to push the shelf on me if I don't stay away from Vincent, I mean she technically sounded like I and Vincent have a thing."

"So what did she do afterwards?" Ada asked with keen interest.

"When I challenged her, she wanted to slap me but Vincent stopped her midway." She smiled, remembering that part.

"Vincent?" Ada asked, not noticing the smile. "But why would he be there, how did he know you guys were there?"

"I don't know." Fortune shrugged. "According to him, he was passing by when he saw the two girls dragging someone with them, unknown to him it was me. So he followed them only to find out the person they abducted was me."

"Mmm....this is interesting." Ada rubbed her chin with her thumb. "So why would massage him if that's what happened?"

"No, actually Ifeoma threatened to push the shelf filled with books if I don't stay from Vincent." Fortune continued. "She believed he doesn't give her any room because of me so when she pushed the shelf out of anger, Vincent shielded me with his body."

"He did?" Ada asked, eyes bulging out of its sockets with surprise. "V saved you?"

"Yes." Fortune nodded. "That's the reason he asked me to massage him, he blamed me for getting his beautiful body hurt."

"His beautiful body?" Ada eyed her suspiciously.

"That's what he said not me." Fortune quickly added.

"So when you refused to massage him, he pinned you with his body so you could do it?"

Fortune nodded.

"Now the puzzle is now clear to me." Ada said, nodding her head and wearing a smug smile on her face.

"What's up with the smile?" Fortune asked, skeptically.

"It all rounds to one fact which is that Vincent might be harbouring a thing for you." Ada suggested.

"No way, are you crazy?" Fortune looked at her like she lost her mind. "Are you even thinking straight? Why would you say that, you know I and Vincent are mortal enemies, we are like cat and rat. We don't share the same opinion. We are like fire and tornado…"

"Will you stop with this we are like this and that?" Ada almost yelled at her. "We are talking about Vincent, the prince of the campus. The number one fuckboy of the school, who does know him. He plays with girls emotions..."

"Stop defining him like I don't know." Fortune interrupted her. "I know he's all that."

"I'm saying in case you have forgotten the kind of guy he is." Ada prompted. "But really this is serious, why would you let yourself fall prey to his charms, that guy isn't good for you but I'm still surprise, why Vincent of all guy want to kiss you?"

"I know but I don't know what to do." Fortune said, feeling anxious. "I mean I have never tried kissing any guy and Vincent would have been my first if we had kissed. I'm really nervous, how do I face him knowing fully what happened between us."

"Relax." Ada inserted. "It's simple, just act like your normal self in front of him, act like what happened between never really happened. Be yourself in front him and one last thing, don't try to act weird when you see him or when he's around. It will only tell him you haven't forgotten what happened between you two or he might think you are affected by it."

"Wow, you should be a life coach." Fortune smiled. "I mean I never expected this speech from you, you are surprising me day by day with your hidden talents."

"Hahaha." Ada laughed. "You are my friend and I will always help you whenever you're in trouble. Friends should be there for each other."

"Awwww, I feel so flattered." Fortune cooed, stretching her hands on the table to entwined with that of Ada's. "I'm happy to have you as a friend, what would I have done without you in this school?"

"So you gonna show that guy of a Vincent it's not every girl he messes with. Some are too hot for him to handle." Ada inserted, still holding Fortune's hand in hers.

"Yeah you're right." They giggled.

"Hey ladies, what did I miss?" They look up and saw Jeremy smiling at them. They let go off each other's hands.

Fortune ignored him and picked up her book and pretended to be reading again, this time the book wasn't upside down. Ada threw her face away from him, totally ignoring his presence.

"What are you guys celebrating with all the giggling?" He asked, sitting down beside Ada, looking from her to Fortune.

"What are you doing here?" Ada asked, annoyed by his presence.

"What kind of question is that?" He asked rhetorically. "What possibly will I be doing in a library if not to read. I came to read like you guys."

"And is this the only seat here?" Ada asked icily. "Didn't you see all these vacant seats here, why must it be here?"

"Cause I want to be here so you could help me memorize." He replied, smiling sheepishly.

"Well sorry to disappoint you, I'm not doing it." She continued with cold voice. "You have Vincent and Jeff to do it for you."

Every now and then, Fortune will take a little peek at them through her book, she wondered what's going on between these two. They are becoming close day by day, she tried not to read meaning into their closeness but each day she sees them getting attached to each other. But on the other hand, Ada will get upset unnecessarily when she sees Jeremy or when he's close by but Jeremy on his part will try everything in his power to come close to her. Find a reason to be close to Ada.

She hoped it isn't what she's thinking it is. She ignored them and returned her attention to her books.