Chapter 3
After a delightful evening of dancing, we found ourselves utterly exhausted and decided it was time to head home. Clara kindly dropped us off at our house before making her way to her parents' place; her mother had been calling, saying she missed her.
As my younger sister and I settled down for the night, I couldn't help but recall Kiara playful behavior at the restaurant. I turned to my sister and asked, "Why was she smiling and cooing as if Clara and I were a couple?"
To my surprise, my sister chimed in, "Oh, come on, sis! I'm your little sister, and I can see how you feel about her. The way Clara looked at you—that's definitely the look of love! You two are clearly smitten, even if you're trying to hide it. And just wait, I'm going to do everything I can to bring you two together. You're both so cute together, aw!"
I chuckled and replied, "Oh, go on and read your book, Kiara. What do you know about love?"
With a cheeky grin, she shot back, "Well, why were you blushing when I said those things? Anyway, goodnight, sis. Sleep tight!"
As Kiara drifted off to sleep, her words echoed in my mind, and I found myself contemplating them. Just thinking about it made my heart race with excitementThe following day, I returned to work, making a concerted effort to avoid Clara, especially given the mixed feelings I had been grappling with recently. But then, she addressed all her employees, including me, with a heartfelt speech. "Thank you so much, everyone! I truly appreciate the dedication you've shown in making this contract a success for both us and the company. To celebrate your hard work, we're hosting an after-party!"
Cheers erupted around the room, and everyone began chanting Clara's name as if she were some sort of angel. Deep down, I knew she was aware that I had no intention of attending, as parties and clubbing were simply not my scene. As the workday came to a close, the office buzzed with excitement, and my colleagues eagerly departed for the celebration, while I planned to head home, relishing the thought of a quiet evening without Clara.
Just then, to my surprise, Clara approached me with a bright smile. "Come on, let's go!" she exclaimed. I was momentarily taken aback and stammered, "Where to?" She replied, "To the party, of course!" I hesitated, firmly shaking my head. "No, I really don't want to go," I protested. But there was something in her gaze—an earnestness that made it impossible for me to look away.
She spoke to me as my boss, urging me with a gentle insistence, and I felt my resolve weaken. In that moment, I realised I had little choice but to agree. "Alright, I suppose I'll go," I finally conceded, caught in the pull of her enthusiasm..Later that evening, Clara and I arrived at the club, hands entwined. Despite my insistence that holding hands wasn't necessary, Clara insisted it was essential for her first time with me. I relented, and we stepped inside. The moment we entered, all eyes were on us, and whispers spread like wildfire. "Is that Clara's girlfriend? Is she dating a girl? Wow, that girl is so lucky!" Cameras clicked as people captured the moment for their social media pages. I felt a wave of shyness wash over me, but Clara held me tightly, encouraging me to sit while she greeted others and danced with her friends. Yet, her gaze never strayed far from me.
She even asked a waiter to bring me a drink, unaware that Dennis and Charlotte had mischievously swapped my juice for alcohol. Caught up in my shyness, I didn't realise what I was drinking. Almost immediately, I began to feel different—happier, more carefree—and soon I was dancing and laughing loudly. Clara watched in astonishment, clearly taken aback by my sudden change in behaviour.
Just as she approached me, a guy appeared out of nowhere and grabbed my waist. I had never seen Clara so furious; she pushed the guy away, took my hand firmly, and said, "That's enough of the party. We're leaving." With that, she bid farewell to our friends, wishing them goodnight, and we made our way out together.