CHAPTER 3 - "You're going insane, Alain."

KENDALL

Leaving my work space late is something I'll probably never stop doing. Most times I get too lost in work, trying to create perfection that I no longer realize how fast the day runs.

My phone in my hand and I keep contemplating on what the right thing is. Do I text him like he said it or not. What am I supposed to text?

"It's not even a big deal, Ken." I say to myself before clicking the buttons on my phone screen. The sound of my phone slammed upside down can definitely be heard around the room.

My phone chimes and the screen light comes on. "That's fast." I say letting out a laugh.

"I'll pick you up in five." read the text.

His car parks right in front of my fashion house. I step out to meet him.

"Hi, again." I say with a small smile.

I never thought I would be seated in the same car as Romain Arsenault. My esteem has never been low but there were things I never imagined would happen and 'this' is one of them.

Sadly, I no longer feel those butterflies when he's close.

I'm not trying to move on from Drey. Not right away.

The restaurant is almost empty as it's quite late. Dinner this late is not a thing for me but I haven't eaten all day.

He ordered a bottle of red wine to start the night.

"I didn't think I'd bump into the famous Paris designer today. More shockingly, I didn't think the Paris famous designer is the ever charming Kendall." He says breaking the ice and gains my biggest smile of the day.

"You flatter me. I don't like it." I say.

"Looks like the opposite to me." He replies staring intently while I try to hide the grin on my face.

The wine arrives and he makes a toast.

"To many more happy meetings." He says as our glass clicks.

Meetings? Does he intend to meet me? Again?

I take a sip of the wine, and does it taste so good.

I'm about to take another sip but I can feel his eyes on me. It's almost like an invasive stare.

So I push all hurt and feelings aside and do what Jayla loves to do most. Try to flirt.

"If you keep staring at me like that, I might disappear." I say while mentally scolding myself. That sounds so lame.

"Then I guess the perfect view doesn't last for so long."

"You think I'm perfect?"

"You are." Now I think I'm getting cold feet. "But you know what would be more perfect?" He asks.

I stare at him keenly. Waiting for whatever comes next.

"Arsenault as a last name." He says and I feel lost for a few seconds. Or maybe I'm actually dumb, Jayla says that a lot.

"What?" I say trying to brush it off with a laugh but in front of me sits a serious looking man.

"I don't get the joke, princess." He says. Years ago that would have given me butterflies. Today, it's cringe.

"You don't really expect me to take Arsenault as a last name. Except if you have a brother you're willing to swing my way." I wink. For a moment, his expression darkens. Like he's upset about something I said. The aura emerging from him changes into something darker.

"Brother." He scoffs. "What's wrong with me?" He asks, looking rather too curious.

"Don't play with me, Mister Arsenault." I lean back on my seat hoping for a change in conversation.

"Come with me for a family dinner this weekend." He says.

"As?"

"A friend."

"You said family dinner. What's a friend supposed to do at a family dinner?"

"Probably pretend there's more to us than friendship?"

"Look, Romain." I finally found the guts to call him by his first name. "I just got out of a relationship I probably took too seriously. I don't intend to start another one. A fake one at that." I add.

The smirk on his face is clearly visible. One that can never be missed.

"I'm not telling you to jump into one," he says. "Can I make a proposal? He adds.

"If you find it fitting."

"More like a plea." He pauses and watches me intensely. "I know you had a little thing for me back in college."

"And?" I say flatly. I had heard a lot of his narcissistic personality, never took it to mind.

"I kinda hope it's still there. Even a little bit."

"What was there was little. There's nothing left of little things, Mister Arsenault." I say putting on the smirk this time.

My phone chimes and Amiras' picture comes into view. I pick up the phone.

"Where are you?" Her voice sounds from the other side.

"On my way, honey. I'll be there before you know it." I say. Amira never goes to bed if I'm not home. I don't intend to keep her up.

I turn to Romain and give him an apologetic look.

"Can't stay for the food but it was nice to talk to you, again." I say picking up my things.

"Play a pretend game with me. Please." He says and I pause.

"What?"

"My dad. It's the only way to get him to believe I'm ready to settle."

"But are you?"

"That's not important right now."

"I'm sorry. I can't help you." I say.

I walk out of the restaurant and a cool breeze hits my face as I sigh in relief. What the hell?

ALAIN

The company's gross profit took a dip this morning, and everyone in the finance department has been in panic.

Two weeks away from work and this happens. I hoped Romain could do better. Pathetic.

I walk out of the company and into the parking lot where my driver is waiting.

"To the pent." I trail off as my eyes catch a glimpse of the one thing I've been searching for the whole week. That green jacket.

"Wait." I step out and follow the retracting figure. I hurry after her. I don't intend to lose her this time.

I got close to the lady and reach out to hold her.

"Hey" I say. She turns to reveal piercing blue eyes. Blue. No.

It was hazel. I notice her flawless skin and realize it's not her.

"I'm sorry, miss." I say giving her an apologetic smile which she reciprocates.

"You're going insane, Alain." I scold myself as I make way to the parking lot and into the car.

"Let's go."

Surprises are never my thing but I'd be lying if I say I'm not surprised to see Romain in my house.

Our eyes meet as I step out of the car. I can feel the tension already building up.

A lot of times I wonder how we turned out to be like this. We loved each other. But time changes a lot of things. And greed changes people.

"You look really healthy for someone who had a near death experience." He smirks while I hold his gaze.

"Your guts grow each passing day, Romain. Makes me wonder if I became too nice."

"Or maybe I became fearless. I'm not the Romain who feels inferior to you anymore."

"You've always been the only one who thought that way about yourself."

"Beat me. Father will never see anyone fitting if it's not you."

"And?"

"I'll change that. I'll start by taking away the little things you intend to find the most. Then the position you've been yearning for the most."

"Go home, Romain." I say as I stride past him into the penthouse.

My mind goes back to the incident from earlier on. The green jacket. The crescent moon. The hazel eyes.

I keep trying but there's only a blurry image of the face.

"I'll find you." I say softly while pouring myself a glass of champagne.

KENDALL

After the last conversation with Romain, I archived and ignored all his text messages.

I keep staring at my phone with a gloomy face before I notice Jayla coming to sit next to me.

"Still thinking about him?" She asks.

"No."

"Your face says something different, darling."

"It's not him. See. I think work is helping to get over Drey. It's something else." I say with a loud sigh.

"What's wrong?" Jayla has been that one person I bounce back to whenever I can't find myself.

I turn to stare at her, and for a moment I realized I forgot how much of a beautiful gift I have.

"You're the best thing life gave to me aside from my parents and Amira." I say suddenly.

There's a puzzled look on her face but somehow she wipes it off real quick while I stare at her with a soft smile.

"I know we were going to talk about emotional things, just not one that will get me this emotional." She says and we both laugh.

"I met someone from college. Romain. Remember?"

"Ouuu. That Romain." She asks with so much curiosity.

"Yeah. But skip the phase. Whatever it was back then, it's totally gone." I say.

"What does he want and why did you have that face on just now?"

"A fake relationship?" I say more of a question than a statement.

"A fake one? What for?"

"His dad or something. I don't know. It's weird. See, let's forget about it."

I should go to bed.