CHAPTER 25: WANNA COME UP TO MY PLACE LATER?

Brianne barely caught a glimpse of Elaine slapping me and then running away in tears. She had no idea what happened before or why it even happened.

At this point, things are working out in my favor—I can make up anything I want, and Brianne has no way of knowing if I’m lying. Especially since I made her promise to keep everything just between us before I said a single word.

«Elaine... Elaine’s seeing someone else. She just confessed it to me...» I begin, doing my best to look devastated, even letting some tears well up—though honestly, I don’t need to act that much.

I really am crushed by what Elaine said and did. But crying won’t help anything.

The best I can do now is turn this mess to my advantage.

«She said it’s been going on for two weeks... and she even asked if we could stay friends, like nothing happened. As if I could turn off my feelings for her with a switch. And as for the slap... I lost it and said something a girl should never have to hear. I deeply regret it. But even after what she did to me, I still wish her the best. I hope her new guy can make her happier than I ever could...»

Though, to be fair, everything I said—except for that last part (Like hell I wish them happiness. I want Elaine crawling back, begging to be my slut again!)—isn’t too far from the truth.

She really did hide Tyler from me.

She really did ask to just be friends.

Okay, we weren’t officially a couple, but given what we did together, it was practically the same.

So, yeah, I guess it could be called cheating.

Whatever.

That doesn’t matter now.

What matters is Brianne’s reaction.

She genuinely looked sorry.

I think I even got to her a bit, with my tearful voice and puffy eyes.

Now Brianne knows I’m single, and despite that, she’s still walking through Times Square with me.

She probably thinks I’m a sensitive guy capable of love now—something she probably doubted, thanks to all the crap people say about me at Ordrienne High.

Rumors that made her avoid me for weeks.

«I’m really sorry. You two looked like such a great couple...» she murmurs, her eyes downcast as she walks.

Well, she doesn’t really know either of us, so I doubt she means it.

Probably just one of those polite things people say when someone tells them they got dumped.

But one thing’s for sure—even so, she doesn’t seem the least bit awkward or uncomfortable being alone with me.

Like they say, when one door closes, another opens... and Brianne is the perfect door I need to walk through to get over Elaine’s betrayal.

I have to play my cards right.

No, more than right—I need to be flawless.

She probably still has doubts about my morals, and if I push things too far too fast, those doubts will grow, and she’ll freeze up again.

I need to take my time.

There’s no rush.

Still, every time I picture her in that skin-tight blue dress with all those diamonds and that thigh-high slit, I get hard in an instant.

Brianne is simply too beautiful.

The more I look at her, the more stunning she becomes.

So much so that even I start to feel a little insecure, wondering if I’m even good enough for her.

Can you believe that? Me—who managed to sleep with a woman like Isabelle when I was just fourteen—feeling not good enough for a girl my own age?

It’s been nearly fifteen minutes of me going on and on about Elaine—fifteen minutes filled with half-truths and complete bullshit, all carefully crafted to make me look like the poor heartbroken guy girls love to fix.

I’ve lied so much I can’t even remember all the details anymore.

I seriously need to change the subject before I contradict myself.

«By the way, that gorgeous blue dress... did you ever get the chance to wear it?»

Bringing up the dress isn’t just to switch topics. It’s a little reminder that I’m generous, thoughtful—even a guy worth going out with.

Brianne smiles and shakes her head.

«I returned it the next day. They gave me a full refund. I don’t feel safe carrying around that much cash, so... I live nearby, if you don’t mind, we can stop by my place before you head home, and I’ll give you the money back...»

«Why’d you return it? You didn’t like it?» I ask, pretending to care.

Not that I actually give a damn, but I have to play it cool.

What really stuck in my head is: we can stop by my place later.

Obviously, I act like I didn’t even notice she said that.

«It just didn’t feel right, that’s all... You may come from a wealthy family, but $8,000 is still a lot of money. And I didn’t do anything to deserve it. Honestly, you probably only bought it because that sales assistant pushed you into it... That’s why I thought it was best to return it right away.»

It’s not the first time I’ve given a girl a gift to get her into bed—not that I needed tricks like that, but it always helped seal the deal.

Still, this is the first time one of them actually gave it back.

And this wasn’t just any gift—it was worth more than everything else I’ve ever given combined.

«So... I guess that means no more fashion show to promote the new collection, huh?»

«No, I’m still doing that. I gave her my word and I intend to keep it. Actually, when I returned the dress, she seemed more worried about me backing out of the event two weeks before the show than the money she was refunding me. For some reason, she really wants me to be the one modeling it, even though I honestly don’t get why...» Brianne says with an awkward smile.

But I totally get it, and once we’re at her place, I’ll be sure to explain it to her properly.

Damn, I don’t think I’ve ever been this anxious in my life.

Judging from her tone—so innocent and with no hidden intent—I wouldn’t be surprised if she invited me in just to hand over the cash and then slammed the door in my face.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s this: the ones who look the most innocent on the outside are always the freakiest behind closed doors.

And Brianne is the queen of innocent-looking freaks.

The afternoon with Brianne went by in a flash.

First, I took her out for a drink at the best spot in Times Square—my treat.

She actually got mad about that.

She didn’t want me to pay for hers too.

But in the end, she gave in when I said, «This one’s on me. If you really want to chip in, then you can pay next time.»

Yeah—next time.

And she didn’t argue with that.

Things are going better than I hoped.

Afterward, we took a stroll through Central Park—a shortcut to her place.

And finally...

«Here we are,» Brianne says softly.

A pretty modest house, though better than I expected.

It’s not one of Manhattan’s trendiest buildings, but it’s no dump either. Considering the prices around here, she’s probably not doing too badly.

I guess appearances really do deceive—she’s like me: not into flashy clothes, just into wearing what’s comfortable.

As soon as we stop at the front door, I notice her calm and composed vibe starts to fade.

Her face reddens slightly, her breathing slows, and there’s a subtle tremble in her hands—even if she’s trying hard to hide it.

Ugh... I have to put aside all those fantasies and mental plans I came up with during the afternoon—how, when, and what I’d do once I got inside her place.

But with her like this, acting nervous and unsure, it’s better to back off than risk blowing everything.

«Alright then, I’ll wait out here.»

But the moment I say that... something weird happens.

She hesitates for just a second—visibly thrown off—like even she had mentally prepared herself for a certain scenario, and now my words threw her off balance.

It lasts only a moment, but it’s obvious enough that I can’t miss it.

«Oh, don’t be silly. There are tons of people out here. I can’t hand you that kind of money out in public. Come in, it’s no problem at all,» she says with a bright smile.

I don’t know if what I just said reassured her enough to lower her guard, or if she’s just doing a better job of hiding her anxiety.

Either way, twelve floors later, I’m in her apartment—something I wouldn’t have dared to dream this morning.

And to think, all this happened because of that fight with Elaine...

It’s kind of awful to admit, but I’m almost glad we fought—though of course, I still hope we make up soon.

The living room looks completely normal.

A regular couch, a regular cabinet, a regular table with regular chairs.

Nothing flashy or luxurious.

But her bedroom... that’s a whole different story.

Yeah, her bedroom—because that’s exactly where I am right now.

«I hid the money between my clothes so my parents wouldn’t accidentally find it.»

Her room is like a damn national library! She told me she loved old books, but I expected a few dusty volumes on a shelf—not entire wardrobes overflowing with them! There must be at least two hundred!

Now I understand why I’ve never seen her wearing anything that costs more than twenty bucks...

She spends everything on books!

She rummages through a drawer, pulls out a white envelope, and hands it to me.

«Here you go. I counted it three times—it’s all there.»

I thank her and slip it into my pocket.

«Thanks a lot, Brianne. Well... I guess I’ll be going.»

I have no more reason to stay—or rather, she no longer has any excuse to keep me here, since she already gave me the money.

Not that I’m in any hurry to leave her place, but this is a test: if she tries to find a reason to make me stay, then I’ve got this. Otherwise...

«Thanks to you for the drink, Ren. But I’m warning you—if you don’t let me pay next time, I’ll be mad! See you tomorrow at school. Have a good evening,» she replies, her voice as sweet as honey, melting my heart.

Damn... this girl isn’t just insanely sexy—she’s also pure sweetness in human form! How is she even real?

Well... things didn’t go as far as I was hoping, but definitely better than I feared.

Thanks to that drink, we’ve basically already scheduled a third date.

Now it’s just a matter of deciding where and when.

I’ll take that as a half-win.

At this point, it’s just a matter of time before I sleep with her—I’m sure of it!