MEGAN
"I knew you did it all for the fame." Miles said, his face twisted into a disgusted frown. "I knew you never liked me like the way I liked you."
"You liked me?" I asked, still confused about it. We were always fighting and flirting, and it had never crossed my mind. "And you don't now?"
"Think about it, Megan." The two syllable word rolled differently this time. "Have I ever been with another woman after you?"
If I thought about it, there was no one. He even took me to all those interviews and shows that he was doing when I was still in the Christmas break. We had laughed and talked all day, not bothering to know what others thought about us.
"But it was all fake... wasn't it?" I asked, anxiety gripping me harder than ever. "You said it yourself."
"I told you I wanted to get to know you, but not like this." He pointed a finger at me. "But I guess it was all for the best. You were a liar, a deceit and a fame hunter."
"Miles!" I shrieked, tears starting to run down my cheeks. "It's not true!"
"What is not true, Megan? Tell me." He said, walking closer to me. He stood only a few inches away from me, his dark eyes burning my skin like a hot charcoal. "You used our relationship to get more customers to your shop. You had three more branches done, all courtesy to me."
"What was I to do if my business grew?" I whispered. Tears leaked and rolled down my cheeks.
"And now, when everything is over, you call the media and say it's all over?" His hands gripped mine. His face was a mask of anger and I shuddered as his eyes roamed my face, trying to find a weak spot.
"I'll give everything back to you." I cried, closing my eyes. "Everything."
"Could you give back the time I genuinely spent on you?" He asked, his voice growing as vicious as a venomous snake. "What about the smiles I had spared on you? You snatched them all away and better yet, there is nothing left. You scraped it all."
"Miles, no." I whispered, but he was unforgiving. I trembled in his grip, begging and pleading, but he was unmerciful. "I'm really sorry."
"You are not!" He pushed me and I fell on the floor.
As I woke up with a jerk; my pillow was drenched with the tears I had shed.
---
"So, how's it going to work?" I asked, walking towards him.
I had requested him to stay a little distant for at least a week so as to shoo the paparazzi away. And my trick had worked. They cared less about what I did now than they had a few days ago.
My shop was active and with Amber by my side, I felt more confident to face the camera and the occasional questions that were thrown at our shop. Though I didn't understand the idea of him fake dating, I went along with it. It wasn't affecting me in anyway. So, why should I be bothered by it?
Amber was all motherly when she learnt that I had pronounced relationship at that shitty interview. She had become my personal security and often fought with the media when they asked to click my pictures.
"You are not going to be a slaughter goat for those circus crew." Miles had said, taking my hand in his across the table. His dark eyes were soft as they lingered on me. "I'm going to make sure of it."
No matter how many nightmares and dreams I had about it, it was not solving the puzzle of Miles wanting to have me as his girlfriend when we both knew there was no mutual feelings between us. I had nodded my head at him when he said that he wanted to get to know me better.
I only guessed that it was because of a business proposition which wanted him to have a girl by his side at their charity ball, for all I cared.
"However you want it to be." Miles said, walking further way to make noodles with spicy tomato chilli sausage.
He had insisted me to get into his kitchen with him since it was warmer there even without the need for a heater. I had shrugged, hoping that I would get more time to talk things through while I waited for him to cook for us.
He had stayed late at his restaurant waiting for me to turn up since that was what I had requested. Having quit the cooking classes, I didn't want to stretch Miles' free time for me. Now, in his restaurant, though it was off time and most of his customers had gone, he had stayed back like old days. Except for the kitchen light, every other section of the restaurant was locked up.
For someone like me, it was supposed to be scary. But with Miles by my side, there was a sense of relief that I thought I would never find.
As I saw him, I felt this was the safest I had felt in ages. I smiled to myself.
Miles stood in front of me as I had jumped up the kitchen counter to have a seat. He wiped his hands on his apron and tossed it to a tub. His brown shirt and faded jeans looked good on him, clutching him tightly around his muscles.
"You must be hungry." He held the bowl of noodles in front of me, pouring the sausage on top of it. He used the Chinese sticks to mix them well and held it for me. "Eat up, we are sharing. That's alright?"
I nodded my head. The aroma filled up my nostrils as I took the sticks from him and dug at it, not wanting to wait anymore. But with my little to no experience with those sticks, I couldn't get the noodles in my sticks.
I heard a small chuckle from Miles. "Here, let me help you." He took the sticks from my hands and craftily used it to pick the noodles and put it in my mouth. "So, how's it?"
"I make better noodles than this." I said, opening my mouth for another bite. He only chuckled.
He leaned closer holding the noodles in his hand ready to feed me. "Why don't you show it to me then?"
"I will." I whispered, blinking nonchalantly at him. I opened my mouth to let him feed me, as soon as he had placed the noodles in my mouth, he took the other end of the noodles.
My heartbeat rose and suddenly, the heat was too much to bear. There was only one string of noodle left as we held the ends. Miles slowly minimized the distance between us. Not knowing what else to do, I cut the noodle and sucked my portion of it.
Miles' eyes never let go of my mouth. His hands slowly moved to it and I remained motionless. His cool hands grazed my neck and gently moved upwards. It became so tough for me that I had to control my emotions from letting a moan out.
Miles looked at me, as if to ask permission while I only blinked. My brain was not working. Goosebumps were left all along the skin where his hands had made contact. Not able to bear the pleasurable torture, I closed my eyes, tilting my head for easy access.
His hands moved towards my mouth, running his finger at my bottom lip. Suddenly, his hands moved away and I resisted the urge to groan. When I opened my eyes to look at him, he was licking his fingers, wiping the stain off my lips.
I had come here to discuss what we should be doing about the relationship, yet here I was making a move at him?
The nightmare I had just today, warned me against it. I jumped down the isle and walked a little away. "I'm kind of full." I said, hesitantly. "Should we discuss about how we are taking the relationship thing?"
For a second, Miles seemed to be confused, but he nodded his head earnestly. He finished his noodles and started the dishwasher. Unlike last time, we stood as far away as possible.
"What do you have in mind?" He asked, rubbing the back of his neck. "You mean like rules?"
"Yeah." I said. "We can, you know print it down and get it laminated, or better yet, get them by hearted to keep those rules intact."
"Darling, aren't those rules meant to be broken?" His smirk was back in place and itched for me to wipe it off his face.
"Shut up." I glared at him. "How else do you want it to be? You have any better plans?"
"Yeah, no rules." He said, walking towards me. "I have told you that I want to know you better, right?" I slowly nodded my head, not knowing where this was headed. "Let's just see how it goes, yeah? I don't want to have rules and impositions. It'll only make our friendship strain."
"You think this fake thing is not going to strain it for us?" I asked.
"We have been in this fake thing, as you call it for a week now. Has it been a strain for you?" He asked, tilting his head to the right. His devilish hair fell on his forehead, standing in all directions as he smiled at me.
"Well, when you put it that way..." I let the sentence hang. "I don't like the fame that brings with you."
He looked at me amused. "Darling, I come with a package. You should probably learn to gel with it."
"Why should I?" I retorted.
"Because you are stuck with me." He smirked.
My mouth hung open at his answers and I picked up my bag and walked out, not listening to any of his reasons. What was he thinking? I wasn't one of his fan girls who awe-ed and oh-ed at his idiotic flirts. I was a business woman and I had things to deal on my own.
"Darling!" He called, but I was out the kitchen and into the sidewalk of the restaurant.
It was not difficult to head to the roads when Miles had introduced me to the backdoor. I huffed and cursed when I remembered that my car was still not working properly. I had been going around with Uber most of the time, but when Amber had come back, I had used her as my chauffeur to run me around.
Now, as I stood at the sidewalk, I knew it was late to call an Uber service for me. It was better if I walked and made it to the corner before Miles could catch up with me. I started walking briskly towards my new goal.
But as I reached the corner, I saw a few men sitting on their bikes with a cigarette in their hand. As they saw me approach, one of them lifted himself from his seat, walking towards me with a smirk. My heart beat quickened as I stood motionless, keeping my feet back.
"I was looking all over for you, darling." I heard Miles jog to me.
For a second, I was relieved that Miles had come as a knight in shining armor to protect me. When I turned to see the guy who had come, he only backed away - much to my relief. Miles put his hand around my waist, pressing me to him. He kissed my hair as he walked along with me, pushing me to move further.
"Sorry, I was late." He said, as he walked me further, far away from the guys. "We can walk home today then. A good exercise."
"You can take you hands off of me now." I wriggled as we walked away. "No one is looking."
"But I want to." He whined like a school kid. "You are after all my girlfriend."
"God, I hate the fact that I brought it all on me." I stomped my foot.
"But I'm liking it." Miles said. When I walked further away, he slowly caught up with me. As he opened his mouth again, his voice had turned serious. "Okay, tell me what rules you have in mind. I promise to follow it."
It wasn't that I hated having him around. I really didn't. It was just that the actuality of the situation we were in was stuck with me. The dreams showed me the reality I had to face everyday no matter what we actually were.
I heaved a sigh before I spoke. "Since we are walking together, let's get this done on the way, shall we?"
I didn't wait for his response. When I looked at him, just to make sure that he was listening to me, he was only smiling down at me.
"I like it when you boss around." He said and I had to suppress my giggles. "Lead the way, darling. I'm all ears."
I looked away trying to hide my burning cheeks. I was probably warming up to the way he always called me.
"So, you can't make me do things that I don't want to." I said, looking at him, meaning everything I was telling him. "And please make sure I have less pap as possible. I can't do business with them hovering around."
"I thought it brought you to lime light." He wondered out loud. "But since you said please, I'll do something about it."
"Really?" I asked smiling brightly, not able to believe him. I was thinking of many ways to tell him just that. "Though I would want that lime light, I want to earn it. Guess the joke's on me, huh?"
He chuckled, as he put his arms around me again. "And you will be required to attend a few functions and charities with me as my girlfriend."
"Fine," I muttered. "But I still don't understand why you need a girl to hang on your elbows. Can't we just say we are only friends to the world with another interview?"
"No way I can give up tormenting you like this." He joked as I glared at him. "I'm enjoying way too much of this." He leaned closer, his warm breath tickling my ears. "Besides, I get to kiss you."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, pushing him aside. "That is my next rule. You are not going to kiss me in public."
"But I can in private?" He asked, wriggling his eyebrows at me. "Okay, I'll take the deal."
My cheeks heated up and I was sure it could melt the snow beneath me. "Miles!" I cried, and stomped my feet like a child. "I don't want to kiss when we are only friends. I don't do friends with benefits bullshit."
"But we will have to kiss at the least." He said in all seriousness. "I mean for the press or for show."
"I don't care what it is." I said, crossing my hands. "I'm not kissing you when there is nothing between us."
He put his hands up in mock surrender. "Fine, I'll think of a way soon."
"I'll think of ways to turn you down." I smiled innocently, hoping it was sarcastic enough . "Don't worry I'm good at it."
He laughed. He put his hands back on my shoulders as we proceeded to walk further. "Alright then, what else rules you got for me? Should I be spending more time with you and all?"
"No need." I rolled my eyes. "We are usually busy at this time of the month anyway."
"You mean we can't meet?" He feigned hurt and surprise. "Megan, I can't do that. How can I live without you?"
I snorted at that. "I thought I was the one with drama, but you are definitely something."
"God, I thought you were not going to laugh all night." He smiled. "Honestly, I was running out of my jokes."
I swat his arms playfully smiling at his words. How long had it been when someone tried to make me smile?
"We are meeting everyday, darling." Miles said. When I opened my mouth to retort, he put his finger in front of my face. "I'm not done talking. I have agreed to every damn rule you got and you need to agree to mine."
"Fine." I caved. It was only fair to agree to meet him everyday after all that he was doing for me.
"Besides, that is the time I'm getting you to actually fall in love with me." He said. I looked at him with my mouth half open wondering if he meant it, but laughed as his face turned goofy. "I mean, that's the only way I get to kiss you, right?"
"You are so good at flirting." I shook my head, chuckling to myself. "I don't know why you are single."
"I was only waiting for you, sweetheart." He said and I was again in a fit of laughter.
We reached my street as we laughed together, wiping our eyes. The last time I had cried of happiness was when I had got a certificate to put my own shop of flowers. But this was even better.
As I turned around to look at my apartment, I saw two figures standing closely staring at me. The laughter got stuck in my throat and my face wore confusion watching the two women approach me. Fear was the first feeling I had. I clutched on Miles coat tighter.
"What happened, darling?" He asked, looking at me for my sudden change in behaviour.
My mother and sister had walked up to me - all smiles and fake concern. Mother was the first one to talk, as usual.
"Megan, sweetheart. How are you?" She said, pulling me into a hug. "I wanted to call but I thought I would surprise you."
My mother who had shunned me at Christmas was pulling me to a hug? How had the worlds changed so quickly?
"Megan! My dear sister!" Rose pulled me into her embrace. I didn't remember the last time she had even called me a sister. Even before both of us knew I was adopted. "So good to see you!"
"Wow, that... that is a surprise." I said, unsure of the events that were turning out. My mother pulled me from Miles' hold, looping her hands around mine. "When did you get here?"
"You must be Miles, I'm Eleanor." My mother extended her hands towards Miles. "And this is my beautiful daughter, Rose. Say hello Rose."
Suddenly, everything was spinning and I had difficulty in understanding what was happening. Miles was being pushed and pulled out of embraces and he finally settled in Rose's arms, while mother pulled me away from them, making me walk towards my apartment.
As I turned around to see Miles, I saw him look at me, desperately wanting to get out of Rose's hold. Rose stood there clutching on to him like a vulture and I didn't know what was worse.
"Miles." It was just a whisper, but he had heard it all too well. He turned towards me before my mom shoved me away.