Natalie was pacing around her room, constantly checking her time and phone. Her eyes snapped towards the door at every slight movement, and her shoulders dropped in disappointment whenever it wasn’t who she had expected.
She had been calling Elvis non-stop, but his number remained unreachable, and neither was Javier’s line going through.
She tossed her phone aside and walked towards the mini table beside her bed. There was a jug filled with water and a glass cup beside it.
She bent over and poured herself a cup, gulping the water down her dry throat. It had become a habit she couldn’t control since childhood, which made her mother buy an extra jug and cup just for her late-night drinking habit.
Knock! Knock! A wave of relief washed over her as she hastily dropped her cup and rushed to the door. She turned down the doorknob, and instantly rolled her eyes when she saw Kate rubbing her sleepy eyes with the back of her hand.
“What?… Disappointed to see me again?” Kate asked, glaring. She already knew Natalie would be frustrated, as she kept coming to check up on her every minute. Like why wouldn’t she? When Natalie was adamant about not resting, insisting on waiting for Javier and Elvis to return.
Natalie scoffed and left the door open. She ignored Kate and entered her room, leaving Kate behind.
“Don’t tell me you’re still awake, waiting,” Kate exclaimed, walking behind her.
Natalie sighed, her shoulders dropping. “I just woke up to drink water. I was feeling thirsty.” She lied, avoiding Kate’s intense gaze.
“You terrible liar!” Kate snapped, poking her chest with her finger. “I know you like these.” She raised her palm and showed it to Natalie.
“Fine! You caught me!” Natalie admitted and quickly dragged Kate to sit beside her.
Natalie couldn’t believe that she had started regretting why she asked Kate to spend the night at Javier’s house. She could have asked her to go home that way, she could have saved herself from Kate’s trouble. But she had no choice when she was still stunned by what happened in the club.
She turned and faced Kate. “What could’ve held them back from coming?” Natalie whined in frustration. “Remember, we left them at the club at 9:30, after he…” She trailed off, lowering her gaze. She knew Kate would stop at nothing to tease her if she had completed her words.
“Wait a minute,” Kate was quick to grasp Natalie’s unspoken. She turned to Natalie, waggling her eyebrows teasingly as her lips tugged into a wide grin.
“Not how, Kate,” Natalie stood up from the bed and strode towards her window, crossing her arms above her breast.
“Uhmm, so that kiss still lingers in your heart?” Kate exclaimed in shock. “Woah… finally, two enemies are in love.” She gave out a small dance, swaying her waist.
“The kiss meant nothing! That’s not how love works,” Natalie defended. However, she knew defending was pointless because Kate always believed whatever she thought was true. But still, Natalie chose to press on.
Kate ran and stood in front of Natalie, grinning from ear to ear. “I don’t believe you, Natalie. You even shut your eyes when he kissed you, girl!!!” She teased more.
Natalie scoffed, displeased that Kate refused to see things from her perspective. Kate had always been a fan of action over words, which was why she was swayed by Javier’s kiss and instantly believed it was love.
How quickly Kate forgot what this was all about. It was all a contract, and it would end in a year. Everyone would go their separate ways and live their lives.
Why was Kate forgetting this so soon? The kiss might have been one of his public stunts, to show everyone how he loved his wife, in and out, which always irritated Natalie even more whenever she thought about the reason he pulled it off.
She couldn’t wait to lash out at him the moment she set her eyes on him. That was the main reason she was still awake, to settle the score with him, one on one. However, it seemed that wasn’t going to happen, because Javier had refused to come home.
Kate’s expression changed when she saw how serious Natalie looked. Suddenly, she placed her hand on Natalie’s shoulder.
“I don’t care if this marriage thing is all about the contract, but one thing is for sure: you two deserve each other,” Kate muttered.
Just then, Natalie snapped her gaze to the door, and it opened. Helen walked inside and rushed to Natalie, holding her hand.
“Mother… what-” Natalie tried to say.
“I’m sorry that Javier isn’t back yet,” Helen apologized, smoothing Natalie’s hands.
Natalie shook her head, “Mother, it’s…”
“How could he have forgotten so fast that you’re pregnant and you need all his attention?” Helen lamented, scolding.
Natalie and Kate exchanged a quick glance, and Natalie looked away, blinking rapidly. “Mother… about that… I can take care of myself,” Natalie replied nervously, trying to remove her hand from Helen’s grip.
She shook her head in refusal and pulled Natalie closer to her. “Don’t say that, my child. Javier is your husband, and he should take responsibility.” She pressed, looking at Natalie tenderly.
A wave of guilt rushed through Natalie, and she felt sad from within. What if Helen found out one day that everything was a lie? How would she feel and react?
“Javier and Elvis never stay out late like this. Except for the day Javier wants to spend a night at Elvis’s house,” Helen tried to explain.
“It’s fine, Mother,” Natalie flashed her a smile. “Don’t worry. When he comes back to this house, I will scold him on your behalf.”
Helen raised her hand and patted Natalie’s hair. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. “Yes… come in,” Natalie and Helen answered at the same time.
Uncle Marcus ran into the room. “A young man brought back Javier and Elvis. They are in the sitting room,” he informed and ran outside.
Helen’s face lit up in excitement, and she ran out of the room in a hurry.
‘Finally… they’re back,’ Natalie thought, scoffing. She lay on her bed and dragged the duvet to cover her body.
Kate stared at her with a dropped jaw, wondering why Natalie was busy trying to sleep when they had just been informed that Javier and Elvis, whom she had stayed awake for, were back.
“Natalie, what are you doing?” Kate couldn’t help but ask.
“I want to sleep, as you can see,” Natalie replied plainly and lay her head on her pillow, shutting her eyes.
Kate shook her head and, without uttering another word, stepped out to see for herself what condition Javier and Elvis were in.