Today I caught myself smiling for no reason... then I realized I was thinking about you.
Chapter Twenty- His Match Making Plan
I was about to drift off to my dreamland when my phone rang.
"Hey Rach." It's obviously Trent.
"Yeah?"
"Up for a morning jog tomorrow?" I miss working out and my body is yearning for it.
"That would be great."
"Kay. Anyway, we can also have lunch at the newly opened resto near the town." Oh lunch. Shit.
"Uhh, i'm sure to go for the morning jog. But i'm not sure if I can go for lunch." I hope he won't ask why.
"Is that so? May I know why?" Geez! Does he know what I am thinking?
"I'm going with Jake for lunch..." That came out like a whisper but enough for him to hear.
"That guy at the bowling alley? He invited you for lunch? Why? And where?" Now, he's bombarding me with questions.
"Geez Trent. Can't you ask one question at a time?!" I sighed. "He just wants me to have a lunch with him since just like me, he doesn't have that much friends here. Got that?" Sometimes Trent is so irritating. But I still love him though.
"So i'm not enough to be your friend?" Ladies and gentlemen, that is the childish side of Mr. Trent Sparks.
"Trent, you don't get it. We know we can't be together twenty four seven. Well, yeah, maybe we can but you have your friends as well. And... Your girls, right? Besides, Jake seems nice. I don't see anything wrong with him." I explained.
"Fine. Where are you going to have your lunch then?" Why does he have to know?
"I don't know yet. I'll just tell it to you tomorrow when Jake and I figured out where. Is that okay sir?" He's too bossy!
"Hmm kay... So, why are you still up?" Maybe if he's beside me, I already punched him for being so stupid. I rolled my eyes.
"My dearest best friend, mister player, I was about to have a very sweet dream and you suddenly called. That's my answer." He chuckled.
"Oh, sorry. You may now go back to sleep. Good night princess. Dream of meeee! Love you."
"Goodnight prince jerk. You wish. Love you too." I was about to hang up but he stopped me.
"Wait!"
"What?"
"Nothing... Love you!" He hang up. My lips automatically curled up and my cheeks burned. Never thought that a simple 'love you' from Trent would have an effect on me like that. I wish that love was meant for more. But no, it's only love for a best friend. But again, hey! It's free to dream right?
I fell asleep grinning like an idiot thinking of him...
***
I didn't expect another very early morning call. I wonder who it is. I answered when I reached my phone.
"Hellowhh" I murmured groggily.
"Rachelle. It's me Jake. Oh sorry. Did I wake you up?" Why is he calling me this early?!
"Uhm. No, i'm going to have a morning jog with Trent today. Why did you call?"
"I see. Well, I just wanna ask if I can pick you up at your place later? You know, for lunch." He called just for that?!
"You know the hotel near Nandos? That's where I live in. But, you don't have to pick me up Jake. Just tell me where are we going to eat and i'll go there with my driver."
"You sure? Okay. I just thought of being a gentleman. Haha. If that's what you want, it's fine. Well, my choice is the Italian restaurant beside Starbucks. Since I don't really know much about this place, I decided to pick somewhere near the town." Oh, that says it.
"Yeah. I know that. Thanks Jake. I'll see you later." I hang up.
I checked my clock and it's already six o'clock so I got up and took a very quick shower. The warm water from the shower is awakening. It's soothes my skin I wish I could stay longer. After showering, I wore my jogging pants, tank top and sweats paired with my work out shoes. I grabbed my phone and iPod before locking the suite.
I called the driver if he can take me to the Sparks. And wow, he's already dressed in his usual working uniform. I wonder if this guy ever sleeps? It's just six twenty in the morning. We arrived at the Sparks at exactly six thirty. Mom is already awake watering the plants outside. That's a daily routine of hers. She opened the gate right when she saw me.
"What took you so early baby?" She greeted me with a morning hug.
"Trent and I will be having a morning run. I'll go wake him up." Mom nodded and I gave her a quick peck on cheeks before proceeding inside.
Since the house is quite huge, I have to run a bit to get faster to Trent's room. I was surprised that he didn't lock his door. Or maybe, he forgot to lock it again.
As expected, Mr. Jerk is still sleeping. He looks like a young little boy comfortably hugging his pillow with his blankie covering his body. It's a great view so I took a snap of it on my iPhone secretly and I started waking him up.
"Treeeennnnttt wake upppp!" I shouted near his ears and he quickly woke up. That's the easiest way to wake him up. Trent's a deep sleeper so a normal alarm won't do.
"Rach! Owww. You don't need to shout on my ears. You know I can wake up easily..." Feeler much?
"Whatever Trent. Now, let's start the running thing!" I cheered.
He stood up. My jaw dropped open realizing that he's only wearing his boxers.
"I know i'm hot." He winks and he pushed my jaw up to close.
"Put on some clothes will you!"
"Duh. As if you haven't seen me like this before." He winked and went inside his bathroom to change.
I slammed my body on his bed feeling the soft pillows that smells like him. I grinned like a little girl with dolls as I roll my self. I heard a paper-like sound when I placed my head on his white pillow. I lifted it up. I saw a piece of envelope.
"Hey!" Trent got the envelop from my hands quickly. I didn't even heard his bathroom door opened!
"What's that? A love letter from someone? Yiieee." I teased.
"Secret." He stucked his tongue out and hid the envelope inside his drawers.
"How can you move so fast?"
"I'm a ninja." He made that ninja,pose. I giggled.
"No, seriously?"
"I remembered that I put my envelope under my pillow and knowing you, I know you might open and read that so I sneaked out and tiptoed fast." I wonder what's that letter?
"What's that letter anyway?" I asked out of curiosity.
"I told you it's secret. Now, come on!" He shrugged and grabbed his shoes from the shoe rack and pulled his t-shirt from his closet.
I stood up and followed him downstairs. Dad greeted us.
"Hey Rachelle, Trent." He's holding a news paper.
"Morning dad." Trent and I uttered in unison.
Trent sat down on the sofa to wear his shoes.
"We're up for a morning jog." I told dad.
"That's good. I miss doing a morning run too. I hope to do some soon when I finished those paper works left for me at the office." Just like Ray, he is also a hard working father.
"Rach. Shall we?" Trent asked as he walk up to me and dad. I nodded and we waved goodbye to dad.
We raced until we met the gate. We started doing some stretching outside the house before running. We jogged till the park and did ten laps around it.
"Whoo. That was cool!" Trent shouted after the last lap.
"I know." I smiled.
"So where is this Jake, your new friend is taking you for lunch?" Oh here we go again..
"To the Italian restaurant beside Starbucks."
"I see. Is he going to pick you up?"
"He wanted to. But I told him I can go there with my driver. Besides, he's not that familiar with the streets of Carlisle yet." Trent smirked. "Hey, why did you smirked?"
"Nothing. Let's go jog home! I'll make you some tea."
"Same old Eleanor Tea?"
"Yeps. Now, come on!"
After jogging and drinking tea, eating some light breakfast and non stop chatting and joking with Trent, I asked the driver to take me back to the hotel so I could prepare for my lunch with Jake.
I haven't heard much from Ray so I tried to come at his suite just to ask how is he doing before I enter my room.
He opened the door. He's already in his office wear.
"Good morning. Need anything Rachelle?"
"Nope. Just wanna ask how are you, uncle." I spoke politely tucking my loose hair behind my ears.
"How sweet. Just like your auntie. I'm fine. How about you? Have you already settled things with your used to be brother?" I almost forgot that he knows my story with Trent.
"Thanks for asking, Ray. Well we're a lot better now as best friends. It's kind of hard for him to accept that i'm his used to be sister at first but it's all fine now." I summarized. He doesn't need to know it detail by detail, right?
"Glad to hear that. Anyway, keep in mind that we only have three weeks left for summer." I wish summer was longer.
"Yes. I know." I mumbled sadly.
"Don't be sad Rachy. You can go here any time you want." He called me Rachy and he reminded me of Ethan. That made me smile. "Okay, I have to go now. I have an important meeting before lunch." I stepped back so we could exit the room.
"Okay, take care!" He locked his room and his assistant came from behind to carry his briefcase.
"Have a great day." They walked to the elevator while I entered my suite.
It's already ten thirty and i'm still wearing my morning exercise attire. What the? I quickly moved to prepare my self for the lunch thing.
I took a bath and wore a simple boyfriend polo paired with denim shorts and flats. I braided my hair and put on some powder, a light pink eyeshadow, mascara, blush and lip gloss. I finished at exactly eleven thirty-eight.
I called my driver so he can take me to the Italian restaurant.
"Can I ask you something?" I asked him when he started driving.
"Anything Ms. Richardson." He's so polite.
"What name do you want me to call you?"
"You can call me Jose, ma'am." Oh. So that's his first name.
"Okay Jose, have you eaten?"
"Yes miss, when we arrived at the hotel." I want to ask him if he ever sleeps so bad but I guess that would be such a stupid question if I do.
I fished out my extra phone to check some message. There's one from Jake and one from Dan.
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From: Jake
I'm here. Where are you?
J :)
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I didn't gave him a response since i'm on my way. I'll be there in less than eight minutes. I opened the other message from Dan.
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From: Dan Edwards
Message:
Hey, I haven't heard anything about you for weeks. How are you now? There's a party to be thrown at our place tomorrow. I promise that Karl isn't going to be there. Can you go? Please?
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Oh great. Another party, eh? Dan doesn't know that i'm Rachelle yet so I guess it's my time to tell him. So, I replied and said yes.
The car stopped and Jose opened the door for me. I thanked him and entered the resto. He's sitting on the right part of the restaurant. It's a table for two.
"Hey Rachelle." He looks decent in his gray button up shirt.
"Hello Jake." He pulled the chair for me to sit. "Thanks."
"So, what do you want?" He pointed the menu.
"Let's see..." I scanned the menu. "I want a light fettuccine." I said after few seconds. He stated our orders to the waiter and brought back his eyes on me.
"How are you?" One of the usual ways to start a conversation.
"Fine. How about you?" I'm answering like an elementary student.
"I'm great. How's this summer going so far?" I didn't heard him well because my attention shifted on the entrance of the restaurant seeing a familiar figure from a far.
What the? What is Trent doing here?! And he's with a girl!
"Hey?" Jake waved his hands in front of my face.
"Oh, sorry. You asked about my summer? It's good so far." A voice from the table next to us barged in.
"Oh hi Rachelle! What a coincidence!" I so want to roll my eyes at him.
"Hi, Trent." I answered coldly.
"So, he's your umm, best friend?" Jake questioned.
"Yeah..." I sighed. "Unfortunately." I whispered. Trent stood up and strolled near Jake's seat.
"Yes! I'm his best-est friend. I know her since the day I can remember and we're very, very close. As in super close... You're Jake? Nice to meet you!" He offered his hands and shook it with Jake's. I can tell that Trent's hand on the shake hand thing was exaggeratedly shook.
"May we know who's that girl beside you?" She looked familiar but I don't remember her name.
"This is Claire. She likes boys from Ireland." His lips curled up into a boyish grin and his eyes raw and glowing as he look back at Jake. "Jake, i'd like you to meet her." Jake stood up and shook hands with Claire. Looks like he likes her. "You may switch places with me buddy, so you could get to know her more." The Irish kiddo played a goofy grin on his face and sat on Trent's chair and started talking to the girl he just met.
I'm invited by Jake to have a lunch with him. Right? Trent stared at me with a bright smile on his lips.
The order arrived and the waiter looked flabbergasted because of the switching that happened.
"Give the other meal to guy wearing blue on the next table." He meant Jake's order. " I'll have meatball spaghetti. Ask the girl with him what she wants to have. I'll be the one to pay for everything." Trent commanded the waiter like a boss and he did what Trent said.
"What exactly are you doing Trent?! This is supposed to be my lunch with a new friend!" I whisper-shouted.
"Playing a match-making game." He murmured innocently taking a sip of my iced tea.
"I hate you!" I hissed.
"Yeah, love you too." That made my insides giggle and jump. But I still looked at him angrily.
"Whatever." The whole lunch between me and Trent went silently. He kept on giving me a puppy dog look but I always look away.
"Have you heard about the party tomorrow night at Dan's place? I don't think i'm going." He began speaking. I hate it when he knows how to make me talk back.
"Great! I just told him i'm coming." The look on his face changed.
"Then i'm coming too." His tone was serious.
"I thought you just said you're not coming?"
"I changed my mind. I'm coming with you." Oh just great. I'll be having my body guard again.
The lunch ended and Trent was the one who paid for everything. Jake seemed so happy talking to Claire that he even drove her home and almost forgot about me.
"Thanks for ruining my lunch, Trent." I grumbled.
"Sorry."
"Yeah whatever... Now, will you excuse me, I have to meet another friend." Okay I lied.
"Another friend?! Where? Who?" He ran his fingers through his hair.
"I'm just kidding." He sighed in relief. "Why are you so protective?"
"I just want you safe because I care for you and I love you." That took my breath away.
"W-what?" I stuttered.
"You are my best friend. I have to take care of you." Yeah, how dare me to over think about that love that he's saying.
"Thanks. By the way, I found a cool place to dance and unwind later night. You know the club near the hotel?"
"Yep. You wanna go there later night? Why?"
"Yeah. I just want to. Any problem? You may come with me if you want." I know he's going to go if I said i'll go.
"Of course. I'll see you later. Take care." With that, he entered his car and I entered the car that Ray provided for me.
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A/N: How's that match making plan of Trent? Jake was supposed to play a longer role but I changed my mind and come out with this. But don't worry, we'll hear more of Jake in the next chapters but hey, I just wanted to say that the next chapter is the chapter that you've been waiting for. xx Get ready about the clubbing and don't forget Dan's partyyy! :D Just simply give me votes and comments and i'll give the next chap ^_^
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