Chapter 05 Seafly

We’re both silent here in his car. I don’t know how long we’re staying like this. Shia keeps on calling me also but I turned off my phone.

“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t expect that they will say those words to you,” he broke the silence with his apology. I didn’t speak for I don’t know what to say.

All I know is that his Dad’s and that Tacia’s words hurt my pride. I didn’t also plan to yell at his Dad, I just couldn’t take those words he was saying to me.

I don’t do revenge but…

“Why me?” I asked out of the blue.

“I… don’t know.” I heard his deep breath.

“Let’s continue pretending,” I says with a serious tone.

I felt his gaze on me but I didn’t waste a second to look at him.

“H-Hey, you don---”

I didn’t let him finish his line.

“You asked me if I want you to be my fake boyfriend, right? Well, my answer is yes. Let’s continue pretending and make sure you won’t get married to Tacia,” I said before I looked at him with a serious eyes.

“Give me the contract,” I added. He gave me the contract, I didn’t read it since it’s quite long and I just put my signature on the end of the contract.

Paul don’t deserve that girl knowing her attitude when she’s in front of their parents. Paul deserve someone who’s nice with or without problem especially when they are in front of their parents.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“My friend is waiting for me,” I said instead of answering his question.

“O-oh yeah, sorry.” He started the engine.

***

“Hey, Bavina Gazelli!” I jumped on my seat when Shia suddenly threw a pillow on me.

We’re currently here in our living room.

“You seems like you’re thinking something deep, are you okay?” she asked, I turned around on her as I get the chips beside me.

“Hey, I’m talking to you. Don’t turn around!” she complained from my back.

“I don’t know what to do!” I complained, not in the right mind before I covered my face.

Now I just realized everything and I’m so ashamed of myself!

“What happened? You told me you were just going to the bookstore but why did you go back late?! Is that the time of a decent girl to go home?!” she asked, scolding me.

“Aaaa, I’m having a hard time already, stop scolding me!” I complained.

As I got off of Paul’s car earlier, I felt like I want to cancel the contract and say I can’t do it. Aaaa, what happened why I suddenly said yes and signed the contract?!

“What happened?! Don’t wait for me to repeat my question!” she shouted, I glared at her. She’s so loud!

Ugh! Everything is stressing me out!

I pulled her closer to me, “Tell me you won’t get loud.”

Her eyebrows met, “What?”

I licked my lower lip, I’m having a second thoughts if I’m going to tell her the truth about Paul.

“I really didn’t go to bookstore earlier. I went to see Paul,” I said with my low voice.

“Who’s Paul?” she asked as she raised her eyebrow on me.

“Paul Hemingway.”

“What?! Paul Hemingway?! The vocalist of JAP Band?!” I slowly nodded.

“Wait, Bavina. You slept well last night while I’m not here, right? It’s really impossible. Paul Hemingway is---” She haven’t finished his lines when my phone rang.

We saw Paul’s name.

“You still don’t believe me?” I asked.

“Answer it! Let’s see what he’s going to say!”

I chuckled, it’s obvious that she’s more excited than me.

I answered the call and I saw his face.

“Hi, babe.” That’s the first thing he said. My face expression changed.

“Stop calling me that, Paul,” I said, he just laughed.

I gasped when Shia pinched me.

“What babe?!” she mouthed while glaring at me. I glared back at her.

“Why did you call?” I asked Paul.

“Nothing, I just want you to know that you were so cool earlier,” he said while smiling on the camera. I rolled my eyes.

Cool?! Isn’t he aware that I was so nervous earlier?!

“I’m going to sleep now,” I said, ignoring what he have said.

“Okay, see you tomorrow, babe,” he answered before he winked at me. I rolled my eyes before I ended the call.

“Ouch!” I glared at Shia when she beaten my arm.

“I thought no secrets? Huh?! What is that? How did you two ended up being in a relationship?!”

“I don’t know! It just happened! I don’t knoooow!”

“Tell me the truth, is he really your boyfriend?” she asked.

“No, it’s just a fake and contract relationship,” I answered.

She raised her eyebrow, “Why?”

“He doesn’t want to get married. You know, rich family things,” I said lazily.

“Then why you?” she asked again. I closed my eyes.

I looked at her with a serious gaze, “I don’t know.”

Among the both of us, she’s really the real gossiper.

***

I’m just thankful that Shia became silent when I explained her everything. I know she’s still shocked why that suddenly happened but at least, she knows what to act when I’m with Paul. She really can’t believe that our paths crossed because I don’t have a connection with him or with any other members of his band,  and our course are too far from each other.

I’ve been rolling around on my bed but I really can’t sleep. Everytime I close my eyes,I can see his face when he was furious earlier. I just didn’t expect that he’s like that when he’s mad.

Well, if I were him, I’m going to get mad if they compromise me with another to get married with the person I don’t love.

I get up and grabbed my phone, I opened my writer’s account. Of course my notifications and messages got exploded again. My followers also increased.

While I’m reading their comments, I can’t avoid myself but to smile and feel sad because of what they are commenting. Everytime my pieces are related to them, they are going to say it on the comment section, which is there are times that I come up with an idea from their story.

I suddenly remember what Paul said earlier, no wonder his wallpaper qoute is familiar to me, because I was the one who wrote that qoute. Seafly and I are one. I’m the one who’s writing behind the penname Seafly.

If he’s really my reader, I wonder what’s his username. I’m also curious if he’s also commenting on my pieces or if he have tried to message me already. I just didn’t expect it. I know that he loves reading because every writer do read, he’s a composer, but I didn’t expect that he’s my reader. The famous vocalist is one of my readers.

***

I woke up earlier than usual, so I decided to cook since Shia is still sleeping in her room.

I don’t know if I really slept or I just closed my eyes because it feels like my eyes are so heavy.

“Is Paul going to fetch you?” Shia asked as we went outside our house to go to university.

“No, we’re just going to pretend when we’re with his Dad and Tacia only,” I answered that made her nod.

She already knew about Tacia but she still don’t know her face.

We walked instead of riding in the tricycle since the bus stop is just near in our house. We’re classmates because we’re taking the same course. We’re both taking education.

***

We simultaneously looked at the door when it opened in the middle of our class, we saw a tall and beautiful girl. She moved her eyes to look at around, she stopped her eyes when she saw me, she smirked. I secretly rolled my eyes.

What is she doing here?

“Hi, everyone, I’m Tacia Lexus, your new classmate. I’m a freshman here, so I hope we can be friends,” she introduced herself while her eyes are focused on me, I bended my head a little. The boys started to whisper while they are looking at her. I took a deep breath secretly.

Even here, she’s going to ruin Paul’s life? Is that how desperate she is just to get married with Paul?!

“You can now sit, Miss Lexus,” our Prof. said.

She walked on my direction and sat beside me. Shia and Tacia are now sitting beside me, so I’m in the middle. I tried to take a deep breath slowly to keep my nervousness.

“This semester will be enjoyable, right?” she whispered.

Paul’s POV

“Is that serious?!” I jumped on my seat when Aeron overreacted.

“Do I look like I’m joking?” I asked sarcastically.

“Your Dad is really something, it looks like he has no plan to stop from what he’s doing,” Josh commented while shooking his head before he grabbed the juice in front of him. We’re currently here in music room since it’s our vacant time.

Instead of practicing for our small concert, here we are, talking about how awful my Dad is. I’ve already told them that Bavina is my fake girlfriend.

“But I’m curious, how did you make Bavina say ‘yes’?” Aeron asked.

I didn’t answer him. Even me, I don’t know why she said yes to me. I know that she didn’t say yes because of the contract, she’s not the type of girl who can say yes immediately when it comes to money.

I looked at my phone when I saw someone is calling. I leaned on the chair when I saw Tacia’s name.

“When do you think your ex will stop? She’s too simp when it comes to you,” Josh said while laughing and shooking his head, I threw him my bottle.

“Simp your face.”

I looked at Aeron when he nudged me, he pointed my phone using his mouth, as I looked at my phone, I grabbed it immediately when I read Bavina’s name, she’s calling.

“Where are you?” she asked as I answered her call.

“Music room, why?”

“Tacia is here in my room.” I stood up when I heard what she have said from her line.

“Wait, what? Did I hear you right?!”

“Tacia is here.”

“Text me your room number and building, I’ll go now,” I said. I didn’t wait for her response and I ended the call.

“Tacia is in Bavina’s room, I’ll go to her room now,” I spoke to Aeron and Josh.

She’s getting into my nerves, even here, she’s going to ruin my life?!

“Whoah, I’ll go with you!” both of them happily said.

I didn’t answer them and I run to go out from the music room. I really don’t know what Tacia wants. I know her, she’s my ex, so I know her very well. And she’s freaking crazy!

When I arrived at their room, I looked around to find Bavina, I saw her talking to Tacia. She looked at me but she avoided my eyes immediately. I got everyone’s attention when I went inside without permission.

I stopped in front of them.

“Oh, hi, Paul! Did you miss me? I told you don’t come here as your room is far from here.” I moved my jaw when she held my hand. I looked at Bavina who’s looking at the floor.

I heard everyone started to whisper, I immediately grabbed Tacia’s hand and pulled her outside the room.

“What do you think are you doing?!” I asked out of losing my patience.

“What? I just want to befriend with your girlfriend.”

I noticed her uniform she’s wearing. I looked up as I closed my fist to force myself not to hurt and shout at her.

“I’m giving you a warning to place yourself,” I said with my serious tone before I left her.

I don’t know what’s going on inside her head and she even followed me here!

***

“So what’s the plan?” I looked at Bavina’s friend when she broke the silence.

Mine and Bavina’s eyes met but both of us looked away. We’re currently here in the coffee shop since I texted Bavina to meet me here and talked about Tacia.

“Since we’re faking it already, we can’t back out anymore.”