Gemma had just got back from work. It was dinner time and I had just finish plating mom's dish for our meal.
"So, my mom said hi," I pointed to mom's cooking on our small dining table."Oh my god, I miss you! and your mom is the best!"We laughed and start to eat our dinner while we talk about everything that we've been missing out from each other."Well, I can't believe you skipped the most awaited Brice Durant's book signing event.""Right?! I hope he's not upset that I decided not to go..."Gemma throws a napkin at me to stop me from continuing my words."Shut up before I throw a kitchen knife at you." She muttered while spooning mom's casserole in between her words."Jeez, cuz...didn't know you've become this bloodthirsty since I'm gone."She shrugged and continue eating mom's cooking."...anyway, you looked like you've actually been working your ass off, can I see the paintings?""It's still packed in my room. Why don't I show you in the morning, I want to sleep early tonight. It was a long drive.""Sure." She drinks the clear water and starts piling the empty dishes in the sink while I tidy up the leftovers.And by sleeping early I mean cozying and wrapped myself in a blanket while continuing to read my honey bun bun's book."Oh, I missed you so much." I smiled giddily while stroking his face printed on the back cover of the book."I shall sleep horny and peacefully tonight." I bite my lip while talking to myself as I couldn't contain the little sparks of happiness.Though reality hits when morning arrived. Gemma came to my room and told me that my paintings were good. But she has always been honest with her expression, and her face was telling me that it was mediocre at best. Mom and dad were probably biased when they said my paintings were great.And that was when I decided to rip the bandage and call Brenton. He came three hours later and I was devastated when I saw his face."These are not your best, I know you can do better but it's a start. Look, I'll keep these for you but why the change of style to Impressionism? your Expressionism was very good.""Oh God Brenton, I don't know if I can do this. I made a freaking landscape of my parent's backyard. I'm so fucking pathetic.""It's not bad, it'll sell. But it's not you. Ella, you know what I'm saying right? You're so much more than this, I'm not seeing your passion, see here your strokes...it seems that you're too careful. You need to let yourself go."Brenton was circling my painting, he was scrutinizing my painting with his expert eyes and I was feeling defeated already."Ella, as I said before, I'll put these aside for you. You still have time for Trisha, re-set your mind, indulge yourself, have fun, go out with Gemma, do something out of the ordinary, anything to keep your mind from your painting. Then start again let say next week?""Right.""Ella, you can do this. I believe in you. You just need a little push."I smiled at him and let him cover my painting and take them away with him."Remember what I said. I'm here for you kiddo." He grinned and ruffled my hair, before exiting my apartment. I know he was cheering me up, telling me I got what it takes, but still...Fuck.Trying to take in the criticism was hard, I thought I was good with the last two paintings, though deep down I know they weren't my best."Oh, come here..." Gemma pulled me in for a hug after I told her about what Brenton said about my paintings. She was just back from her office and put everything down when she saw me in my oversized PJs and fluffy socks."And I know you have the look when you saw my paintings, it's okay Gemma.""Right okay, Brenton said to have fun, go out with Gemma? look, Ells, I know just the thing to help you relax." She looked mischievous, and I was alert immediately."I don't think I like how you're looking at me now."She giggled and grabbed me to sit next to her."Okay, some of my co-workers were raving about this new dating app, I thought we can try and have some hot random guys pay for our dinner.""We're going to get ourselves humiliated, we're two virgins who are clueless about men.""That's what's going to make it fun! we're doing this together!" she laughed so hard making me finally laugh with her."Come on, Ells! we got nothing to lose.""Eh, our virginity?""You really think it matters? and I know we're not saving ourselves, we just haven't met the right man.""Hey! you're talking to yourself, well maybe...argh, I don't know. Shit, okay! let's just do this." I give up and handed her my phone, she giggled then downloaded the app for me."Okay, first thing first, no obvious picture of us, give them glimpses. I want them to click our profiles to find out more..."Feeling exhausted from all the sleeping since Brenton left me, I was putting my life in my cousin's hands."When this fails, or maybe not...we'll get other matching tattoos!" Gemma was all too excited for the app thing, while I was just mimicking her and follow what she's doing."Now, we wait?""Give me your phone, why don't you relax go shower let see if I can set up a date for us tonight." She grinned and started swiping left and right."I'm going to regret this at some stage," I muttered lowly as I got up and decided to go shower instead, I was not in the mood for dinner thinking it probably best just to order some take-out when she's done with my phone.An hour later I was dressed in my other oversize PJs and Gemma looked at me with her disapproving look."Go back and get changed, we're dining out with two potential guys! I'm going to shower now, go change to something casual and sexy." Her smile was wide and she looked overly excited for the double date.She was out of her room looking date night ready with her tight jeans and sheer sparkly top."That was fast, are we safe doing this? where are we meeting? who are they?""In a restaurant, I forgot, but your name is Serena, and I'm Naomi.""But first, you need to change." She shook her head at me, and started roaming through my drawers and pulled out my black lacy top and a darker shade of jeans.""...oh...and wear that red pumps."I nodded thinking it'll be faster without the argument."What?""What?""Why the fake name?""Ells, seriously, we don't want them searching our name on F******k right?""Uh... I guess not.""Look, we'll get there first and request a table near each other.""Okay...""Ella, eh...Serena, we're meeting someone tonight, who knows these guys can be the ones!"I rolled my eyes at her, but she still hugs me and cupped my cheek telling me to smile."...you need this, forget everything else, be someone else!" she clapped her hands excitedly and I smile like she wanted me to, hoping that I will pass the night unscathed.One hour later we reached the trendy restaurant and I was strangely hungry.Must be from all the excitement."Come, Serena, I got us a perfect table. We're two tables away, so we can text each other without being noticed."I nodded and followed her and our waiters."I'm hungry, can we order first Naomi? and where did you get these names, it sounded familiar."She winked and told me to ask for the menu from the waiter.We were being a total stranger and I was checking out my date's profile on my phone until it buzzed and startled me."You are as beautiful as your side cheek profile picture."I looked at the man to my front, he was moderate looking at best but his crisps expensive-looking shirt and Breitling watch upped his game by several points. I smile at the man and thanked him."My first,""No explanation needed, Serena.""Thank you, Glenn.""So, dinner?"He chuckled and waited until I finish with my order then told the flirty waiter that he wanted the same menu as mine."I just want her away from our table so I can talk to you."Again, I smiled at my date thinking that the guy must've been on many dates to make himself at ease with the situation."You're nervous, don't be. So tell me what do you do?""Eh...I'm... unemployed.""Okay, didn't ask where you work, tell me what do you do at home?" he gave me his warm smile, with a sexy wink.Oh, this guy is good."I read."Glenn kept on trying to draw me out to talk about myself more, but I was not feeling comfortable. Until I decided to end the date after more than an hour of a very awkward meal."I'm sorry, I don't...""Hey, it's okay. You're very beautiful. Eating dinner with you is a treat already."Again, so smooth. Too damn smooth for my taste, he was making me a bit wary. I texted Gemma when he left me at the entrance of the restaurant."Not to your liking?" Gemma asked once she joined me at the coffee shop in front of the restaurant.She sighed when she rest back in her seat."Yeah, mine too. I think we're doomed." She muttered and drinks my coffee."Okay! I've been thinking about our dates last night. I think we need to arrange new strategies."I shook my head, silently telling myself not to go up against her when she gets excited. The best I can do is listen to her."Give me your phone." "Don't you have work to do?" "It's Saturday," "Gemma, I'm not sure I want to do the date thing two nights in a row. How about we do the traditional way and go have drinks and just stare at cute guys longingly?" She laughed at me but finally agreed. "Okay, but we're doing this my way. Let's do a spa day, shopping, do our hair, waxing..." she kept on listing our schedule while I decided to leave her and go to my room to stalk my honey bun bun on social media.I sighed when I look at his handsome face, it didn't take me long before my hands reach out for my sketchbook and start sketching him. Again. It has become an addiction, I should stop. That afternoon we had our spa day, we talked and relaxed all through our sauna and bath session, I
We've talked about the weather, the app, then venture to favorite food and drinks, up until it was getting too personal for a first date. Though he seemed to act casually about everything. "Tell me about yourself?""Uh..." He chuckled as I was crumbling on the inside while listening to his deep sexy laugh. I don't know what I did in my previous life to deserve to meet the handsome smart man in front of me. "Well, I'm a painter...eh, well I try to be.""Yeah? I've always wanted someone to do a portrait of me." "You're really fond of yourself?" He laughed and my heart almost skipped a beat when he gets a clean napkin and gives me his pen."Please?" he plea adorably, making me want to do things to him. Breathe Ella..."Not my first choice of media, it'll look a bit cartoonish but let's try it out." I took his pen and started sketching on the napkin, I don't really have to look at him to draw his facial features, but I was not going to pass the chance of watching him actually pose
"Ella...don't, I know you're happy but you don't have to drag me into it. I'm taking the day off.""What? this is Sunday. It is your day off." "Yeah, I mean tomorrow, just have fun. I don't feel so good. I want my blankie.""Is it because of Larry?" I tried to wake Gemma and have her join me for coffee but she was still cocooned under her blanket and not wanting to be disturbed. So, I gave up and have a cup of coffee while stalking Brice's Instagram feeds. I was trying to see if he mentioned anything about his mystery date with me last night. I was wishfully thinking that he actually liked me, so much so that he would let the world know. Get real, Ella...I sipped my coffee and decided to set up my easel and canvas on our small balcony. It was a perfect day for painting, and I suddenly felt the need to start doing so.It was a weird feeling, haven't had it for years. The strokes were easy, the lines, the shapes were effortlessly drawn. I was smiling like a kid in a candy store when
"Damn, someone looks like they had quite an orgasm." Jacqueline greeted me as I entered our apartment with a huge grin on my face. Benjamin was busy plating cupcakes from the oven while wearing Gemma's very pink apron with a huge 'Spank the Chef' writing on it. "I'm still wet, still horny, and still a freaking virgin!" "You should let me pop your cherry." Benji was to my back and kissed my shoulder while he offered me the chocolate chip cupcake. "I'm saving myself for my honey bun bun." I grinned and thank him for the cupcake, then let out a delicious moan as my teeth sink into the moist chocolaty heaven."Gemma has been telling us about that, I think you should write a memoir for all of your stalker friends out there. I can already see the outline, how to bed your object of desire." Jacqueline was quick to comment while scrolling on her phone.Ben laughed, taking off the apron and placed the fresh batch of cupcakes. Then he was back to busying himself by making the white Russian
It was almost noon when I finish sketching yet another Brice's perfect face. And remembering what Ann said yesterday, I decided to be the stalker that I am and snapped the sketch and post it on my Insta page.And being a true stalker and fangirl I tagged Brice's account and his fan page. Ann was the first to comment with lots of emojis and praising my impeccable sketching skill.My creative juice seems to flow easily when my Insta notification buzzed, I put down my brush and peek at my phone. I almost knocked down my easel when I saw that Brice commented on my sketches. He never commented, not ever, he would like my posts but never comments on any of them."Ella, are you okay? you look like you've seen a ghost.""A miracle to be precise!" I shouted like a deranged woman waving her my phone."Huh?""My honey bun bun, he commented on my Insta post!" I showed it to Gemma and she slowly shook her head."You're going on a date with him tonight, you should stop calling him bun bun."I put m
Brice's POV"Brice, you know you're going to trigger your stalker by giving her the heart emoji."Clara Sherman, my agent was warning me not to poke the bear."But it is good work, I'm actually impressed. And she's not a bear, you should consider her as your little helper. She helped you with the fan group, right?"She sighed and reminded me about what happened last month when the woman sends me too many emails."I know I might overreact sometimes, but I was in a bad mood that day and her emails were bugging me,""Yeah, and who's fault is that? we have people for that, you don't
He looked like he's aroused right?Jacqueline said to always look calm, smile a little, and maintain eye contact.Oh my, I'm half-naked in front of my honey bun bun.Is he staring at my love handle?Wait...is it still a love handle when there's no love between us?Really? Ella, just call it a muffin top already, and focus on the hot author!My mind was calculating my moves, I was trying to keep eye contact, miserably failed when he pulled me to his lap and put his glasses onto the side table.Oh, mygawddddd...
I looked at him, took his hand, and laid back beside him."I'm sorry, I think I'm a bit nervous.""I know, that's why I'm taking it slow. I thought you need it. But,"Maybe it was the virgin thing, maybe he's one of those guys who's turned off by it.Or maybe he actually likes you, Ella?"...you like me?""I do, and honestly, I have issues too, nervous also about us," Brice put his hand on my face and looked at me intensely, he lowered himself down and put his other hand on my waist.Issues? nervous about us?Did he