05- Hotshot and Hot Takes

"What's up, babe?" Hailey said, gesturing at the Nutella wrapper in my hand. I rested my back on the car seat and tucked in my seatbelt. "The usual," I answered her in a somber voice. I needed to cut off unnecessary expenses if I was going to make enough to pay for Mom's outstanding medical bills. I was still contemplating working for Trevor Reynolds.

"Yeah, I know, but you should still eat something," she said, concerned about my health. In all honesty, I wasn't even a tad bit bothered by my health. She clicked her tongue. "So where are we headed?"

"It's a company; it's located on Wall Street."

"Oooh, fancy!" She cooed.

"Anyways, I met this idiotic, narcissistic, and egotistical asshole two days ago. I accidentally scratched the hood of his car, and guess what?" I continued when she didn't reply. "This is the part where you guess, Ms. Girl!"

"I'm so sorry. What? I couldn't catch everything you shot out. I guess it's a man," she corrected herself.

"He told me that I have to pay him five thousand dollars or work for him, how ridiculous. Can you believe it?" Hailey nodded and hmmed. "Well, can you? You didn't answer again!" I yelled.

"Ally, I get that you're frustrated, but that was a rhetorical question; you didn't need an answer," she said, grabbing my hand with her free one.

"Of course, I know what a rhetorical question is. I guess I just need someone to vent to," I replied.

"If you must know, it's a ridiculous amount. So what do you plan to do? You do know you have two jobs already."

"That's the problem. I don't even have the money."

"It's fine, Ally, I can just pay it off," she said nonchalantly.

"But I don't want you to. The man needs to be taught a lesson. Only a fraudulent asshole demands such a huge amount. Do you know the surprising part?" I rolled my eyes at her. "Hailey!"

"Yes, yes. I'm sorry, love, what's the surprising part?"

"I'm not saying shits again," I grumbled, folding my hands under my breasts.

"C'mon! It's just amusing seeing you rant about a stranger. So did he tell you his name?" She asked. "How can I forget his name?" I smiled, daydreaming about his manly voice and tingling touch that left a little spot from two nights ago.

"Did you just smile? Are you thinking about him right now?" She chuckled.

"Wh-a-a-t?" I said in a sing-song voice. "Hell no!" I declared.

"So tell me,"

"Tell you what?" I asked, confused.

"His name, dummy!" She retorted.

"Oh! Trevor Reynolds."

"Trevor what?!" She blurted out, suddenly turning off the ignition and forcing us to lunge forward.

"Are you crazy, Hailey?! You could have gotten us killed!" I frantically yelled.

"I love you, and I'm sorry. You mean the man you've been ranting about all along is the Trevor Reynolds, like New York's hotshot billionaire bachelor?" She questioned, her eyes widened in astonishment.

"Yeah, he said something along that line. What's the fuss all about?" I asked, incurious about the whole thing. I didn't just get it; what was special about him?

"You don't know him, do you? Of course, you don't. If you did, you wouldn't be trashing his name now. Ally, he's like the second richest man in the world, or possibly the first."

I couldn't believe what Hailey said. I knew he was rich, but I didn't know he was that rich. He could buy my whole generation, starting from my useless uncles and deadbeat cousins scattered all across the globe.

It would be nice to know what money felt like, to bathe and breathe money. Imagine having eighty-nine percent of the world dancing to your tunes, screaming and yelling your praises; what a life that would be! You could get a lot of things done with just a phone call; all your staff would be at your beck and call.

This was the luxury Trevor Reynolds had—money. And money equaled power.

"I get that now. Do you know he bought Campbell's building? He's our landlord now."

"Girl! Money makes the world go round!" Hailey exclaimed.

"But still, just because he's rich doesn't mean he could do anything and get away with it," I mumbled.

Hailey looked at me like I had two heads—disbelief shone in her eyes at my utterance.

"Ally, are you nuts or something? Of course, he can get away with things. He's rich, stupidly rich, Ally!" She cried out.

"Why did you ask though?" She questioned curiously.

"He did something on Monday night at Sippin' Strippin'." I said. "He assaulted a man who deserved it." Was it even an assault?

"He followed you there?" She asked in an unbelieving tone.

"That was what I thought too, but no, he didn't. I guess he was there for a few drinks. I perceived it under his breath."

"Breath? How close were you two that night?"

"Close enough to make me, uhm, come," I reluctantly replied.

"Oh, no! You didn't," she laughed humorlessly, shaking her head.

"Yes, I did."

"Wait. Are you serious? I thought it was a joke." She exclaimed, her mouth dropping open in disbelief.

"Far from it."

"So, you guys had a one-night stand? You have to give me all the details!"

"Eww, no!" I replied fiercely.

"So," Hailey gave me a puzzled look.

"He didn't know about it, and I couldn't bring myself to tell him. That would be foolish, don't you think?"

"I'm guessing he used his fingers."

"Get your mind out of the gutter. Nothing like that happened. No sex, no nothing."

"Then enlighten me, Ally. Make me understand how he made you come without his fingers and dick. Tongue?" She asked.

"Stop it! Nothing sexual happened."

"Now, you lost me. Seriously, I don't understand how the pieces are supposed to fit in," she grumbled, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

"See, he protected me when one idiot attempted to hit me. Then, he asked me for a dance. I couldn't refuse because he did me a favor. Just like magic, when his fingers met my skin, you know the stupid uniform is a crop top and short skirt, right? Well, his fingers danced around my exposed skin, like a rush of feelings, and I came. God! This is so embarrassing to say. I didn't know what happened; my body has never reacted strongly to a person like that, not to talk of a stranger."

"Wow, you've got it bad for him."

"I've got nothing for him. It's been a long time since I had sex; I'm just sexually frustrated," I deadpanned, ignoring her hawk-like eyes staring into my soul, trying to get me to talk.

I would, anyway.

"Um, how long?" She asked suspiciously.

"Long enough to be frustrated," I muttered. "Long enough, yeah. So tell me, when exactly?" Hailey pressed on.

I let out a long, exasperated sigh. "Fine, you got me. I'm a virgin."

"I'm aware, dummy. I just wanted to let you see the bright truth with your eyes, blindly. I'm your best friend. Remember that party at Jake's place? You were told to go down on him."

"Yeah, I do. Why are you bringing that up?" I had a hunch about where the conversation was leading, but I wasn't entirely sure.

"Sis, you knew you couldn't do it, so you lied to the whole group that he's got an STD."

"Seriously, what's that got to do with Trevor Reynolds and me?" I asked, confused and curious at the same time.

"Because under the whole—I'm a baddie Aphrodite façade you wear daily, you're a Virgin Mary underneath, love."

"Yen-yen-yen. Here comes Hailey with the story again!" I giggled at the thought that she confirmed my suspicion.

"But for real, you did him bad. All the girls stayed away from him throughout that year."

"Those were the good times; he stopped talking to me after what I did."

"It's kinda like the same with Trevor Reynolds. You're attracted to him, but you don't wanna lose your strong girl title. You gotta admit and unwind, girl! You're jeopardizing that poor coochie's life. Let her breathe, Ally, let her feel."

"Really? We're gonna sit our asses, parked in a private spot, and talk about my private part all day." I rolled my eyes. "By the way, you could get fined for this, you know."

"Yeah, and I don't care. If it's going to make you reconsider, I'll take the risk."

"There's nothing to reconsider. That night, I didn't remember his dumb demands, and I was being polite. But now, I do. Also, he doesn't even like me that way because we barely know each other, Hailey. We're practically strangers, dude."

"The man is hot and single, Ally. The universe is giving you a sign… take a leap of faith, sis; you never know until you try."

"You're crazy! I have nothing to say to you. Can we just leave this place? I don't wanna be late."

"This conversation isn't over, young woman!" I laughed at her poor acting. "Okay, mother." She joined my laughter until one of us wheezed.

"Sure, we'll leave; but give it a thought; you'll see I'm right." She retorted.

"Since when have you ever been wrong?" I chuckled at her.

There was no point in arguing with her. I knew my best friend like the back of my hand, and it wasn't over as she had said.

"Did I tell you?"

"Tell me what?" She replied, cocking her head curiously. Her braids fell over her shoulders as she leaned closer, clearly intrigued. "He fondled my breast and pinched my nipples," I said, laughing out loud at her reaction.

"Alessia, you daring girl!" She screamed with excitement, her brown eyes lighting up at the juicy revelation. "You really, really got it bad for him."