SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT, BIT I'VE BEEN OUT OF INTERNET FOR A WHILE.
SO HERE YOU GO FEW CHAPTERS FROM ONCE :*
CHAPTER 20:
MUTUAL INTEREST BETWEEN A WORRIED FATHER AND A LOVELY FRIEND
She officially hated him. Alis officially wanted to bury Nikolas six feet under the ground because of the stunt he pulled on her.
As Hailey pointed out the bad hair Alis had, she suddenly realized why were all those people staring at her all the time. She couldn't believe that he'd actually throw her out and send her in the civilization without a warning! Him waking her up so late must've been part of the plan so that she didn't see what he's done.
She cursed.
How could she be so stupid?! It was Nikolas she is talking about, the guy that didn't hesitate to cover her room in condoms, who always strike back as soon as it's his turn to do so. She cursed, it was ONCE that she decided to trust him and to call for a ceasefire. Once, and she was never going to repeat the same mistake.
"Alright, let me get this straight," Hailey started. They were done with classes and were going home, yet Alis has been embarrassed more times past few hours than she was for her entire life.
First of all, when professors would notice her hoodie and ask for her to take it off and that happened quite the few times - and the whole class staring and laughing at her didn't help at all. Then when she went to properly cut her hair and repair the damage done by Nikolas as much as she could, and when the hair stylist started complaining about the blasphemy she'd done to her hair. She seriously thought that he'd kill her with those scissors, yet she was grateful for his abilities. Her long hair was now cut just below her ears and it didn't look bad on her at all.
Needless to say, the hair stylist was so proud of himself for managing to save her that he didn't even want them to pay for his services. Apparently boosting people's egos will let you deal with them easier. And keep your pockets full.
"You're telling me that you managed to lock yourself outside your veranda and out of concern he showed for you, you easily fell for him as he managed to get you to sleep with him?" Back to the point, after all was done and settled, Alis took her time to explain to Hailey what had happened after she sent Nikolas to the hospital - event she wouldn't be able to forget in a long, long time.
"Don't say it like that. It sounds like we were actually doing something together, when we only shared his bed."
Another thing Alis started to understand was that trying to help others only brings misfortune upon oneself. Had she not been a curious charity sister and decided not to feed Charles, she would still have her precious long hair.
"Who cares, you spent the night with your worst enemy from hell, no matter how much I try to sugarcoat it, it's still as terrible as it sounds." She had a point, as much as Alis hated to admit, she had done the worst thing possible. She made the wrong move, move she'll never be able to get over with.
"I know, Hailey. I know..." she sighed as her friend only shook her head. Hailey, as stern as she was, was actually shipping those two behind her friend's back. If there was an incredibly handsome piece of abs in the world you cannot have, then it's better for your best friend to end up with him instead of some stranger. And she also believed that by letting those two pull even more concrete and complicated pranks at each other, they'll bond even more and eventually fall for each other.
Well, what she doesn't say won't hurt anyone.
"And let's get this straight, he openly implied that he wants to shag you?" The turning point in their relationship, as Hailey realized, which was all more why she wanted and believed that those two will end up being together.
"God, Hailey, you're not helping! I know that I'm the dumbest brunette in the world and I regret it, he will never let me forget it!" she screamed as she gripped the sides of her head, wanting to hide in the darkest corner of the world and never come out on the light of the day.
"Good, now that you understand — it's about time to turn the tides in your favor!"
Huh?
"How? Lock him outside his room, naked and then offer a helping head?"she asked in desperation before she realized that it actually was a nice plan. She could use Charles as a bait? Sneak in his room while he's showering, kidnap Charles and leave the doors open and when he's outside his apartment with only towel around his hips, she'll lock from the inside and celebrate. He'll have to get to hee building and use her veranda to get back to his room which is where she'll strike back.
Nice plan, indeed.
But it wasn't really original nor evil enough. He's a man, he won't really give a damn if he had to walk naked from one building to another, not to forget that he could simply break the doors — he did have all those muscles after all he was showing off all the time whenever Alis would see him through the window.
"Nope, even better. Provoke him." Alis couldn't understand what did her friend mean by those words so she only parted her lips in confusion giving her best what-the-bloody-hell-did-you-mean-by-that look already having feeling that she was going to regret it.
"Simply said, go around your room half-naked in some sexy lingerie, hopefully a see-through one and give him a boner. And say something dirty, also do it when he's in incredible hurry to leave. Then you'll be even with the whole humiliation part."
And there it was, Alis already began regretting having asked that.
"Hailey... I don't even want to start counting the reasons why it would never work, starting with me being unable to wear sexy lingerie at all to even being capable of seducing someone at that matter!" she let out a deep breath wondering how great would those pranks be if she could actually find bravery to realize them.
"True that. Well, we'll just leave that for later, think of what you'll do now. Moreover, why do you mean that you can't parade around him half-naked when you slept with him half-naked?" she wanted to kill her best friend.
"I told you not to say it that way, you—" as if the timing couldn't get any worse, Alis stopped in her track as she saw a last person she wanted to hear those words.
And she's pretty sure that the last thing Vincent wanted to hear was about his son sharing a bed with some girl.
Yeah, she was most definitely going to kill Alis.
"H—h—... It's not what you think it is."
Because she really couldn't find any other words to tell him who only stared at her with lips parted and raised eyebrow.
"Aha, sure."
Because there really wasn't anything else Vincent could say after hearing those words.
"It's really not that, I just managed to lock myself outside half-naked and Nikolas was there so he offered me to sleep over in his bed and now I'm going to shut up because I'm only digging myself an even deeper grave," biting her fingers as Hailey tried her hardest not to clutch her belly and roll on the cold pavement from laughter.
"What's the difference, both are the same? You're one foot in grave anyway, no matter how you look at it." Vincent couldn't believe his ears. He could never have imagined that he'll be hearing something among those lines in his entire life, yet as much as he wanted to joke on that matter, he couldn't help but feel like everything was going in the right way. Just like Hailey, Vincent was rather fond of the idea of his son ending up together with Alis — although he could never tell him that face to face.
"Anyway, what a rare coincidence to see you here, Mr Tyller."
"Mister what?"
"Tyller, your surname."
"Oh, right. Sorry dear child, I tend to forget a lot these past few years." Luckily for Nikolas, Vincent was one of those people who could read situations well and if his son is using a fake surname, he'll go along and even get him a fake ID if he needed one.
And thanks to him faking being senile for good ten years, he's doing just great with his act with no one to prove he's lying.
"And by the way, I'm here because Nikolas lives here," he pointed to the building next to him and Alis almost face-palmed herself when she realized that they've arrived.
"Oh... I should probably just shut up for real now and go inside, right?"
"That seems like a wise idea. By the way, who is this lovely lady by your side?" he asked pointing to Hailey who strengthened her composure and held out her hand for him to shake.
"I would be Hailey, this lad's best friend and the one helping from behind the shadows, if you know what I mean," she gave him a slight smile and Vincent immediately understood that she was a friend with the same goal he had.
"Vincent, father of her neighbor. I apologize if he gave you problems, I heard some things here and there." The moment Hailey heard those words, she immediately realized that the man standing in front of her is going to be a great asset in realizing her goal.
"Well, I'm please to meet you. And I love your new hairstyle, Alis dear." he spoke, not knowing anything about the prank Nikolas pulled.
"Ah, why thank you. It was your son's idea and I am really grateful that he chose to... Help me, with the whole deal," notice the sarcasm.
Nothing else needn't be said for Vincent to understand that it was another of those pranks they pulled at each other he turned a blind eye to, and he didn't forget about the whole "half-naked" and "sleeping over" deal.
"So, as you can see, I've decided to pay a visit to my dear son that's bigger pain in the ass than dealing with my mother especially with his habits of breaking out of hospitals without being discharged and leaving me to deal with the consequences," his face didn't show an ounce of irritation he felt as he wore an ear-to-ear smile on his face, yet Alis could see behind it.
That explained why was Nikolas in his room the last night, she had her doubts about him being out of the hospital so fast, yet she couldn't even imagine him breaking out.
Then again, it was Nikolas she was talking about.
"So, I've been thinking of ordering some pizza and spend few hours and you girls came at the right time. What do you say to joining us?" he asked with a smile that hid a rather dangerous thoughts concerning cooperation with Hailey towards a greater good. He could talk to her a bit and if he sees any sign of mutual agreement, he could get over to it easier.
He was going to have those grandchildren in less than a year, and that was a promise.
Alis was about to decline, yet her friend was faster and replied instead of her.
"Sounds like a plan. What do you say, Alis? We didn't have dinner yet and I'm really into some pizza for tonight." Coincidentally, Hailey had the same thoughts like Vincent. She didn't go for Criminology for no reason
And if those two were too stupid to make a move on their own, they were going to give them a slight push. What was the worst that could happen anyway?