19 Tenth Vow: No Holds Barred

The day finally came when Catherine could get to spend quality time with Victor. Her struggles in meeting deadlines is now over. All she has to do now is study for exams. Examinations occur in two months' time.

She dressed in a square neck beige dress. It reached her mid-thigh and she paired it with white shoes. She styled her hair but accenting her wavy hair. She decided to put two white hair pins to the sides of her hair. She looked at the mirror satisfied.

She got out of her room and Grace is checking her out. "Yo, girl, you look so cute give me a 'lil twirl." Catherine obliged and turned. "You have a date with Grey today?"

Catherine moved her head sideways. "No, I'm with Victor today. It's been a while since I last saw him, we should catch up."

Grace looked at her in a suspiciously. "Does Grey know?"

"Yeah, I told him a few days ago and today as well."

"Have fun with Victor then. Oh! Oh! Wait, ask him if he has rich single relatives our age or probably three years ahead of us."

Catherine laughed heartily. Grace will never change. "Yeah, I will. What about Mark?"

"Oh him, nah, he isn't exactly my type."

"As a person or in bed?"

Grace laughed loudly. "Oh my god Cathy, I'd never thought I'd hear that from you. To answer that, it's the second option."

"That bad?" Catherine asked curiously.

"That bad." Grace nodded.

"Alright, I'll be heading out now!"

"Don't be out too late Cathy!" Before Catherine closed the door, she replied to Grace. "Yes, don't worry, I won't"

Catherine headed to their destination. They decided to go to the movies first then dine somewhere. She waited 10 minutes before Victor arrived. "Were you waiting long Rosie? You look very pretty as usual by the way." He smiled at her then checked his watched, he was five minutes early. "No, I didn't."

She spread her arms out for a hug. Victor gladly embraced her. He sniffed her hair. "Still the same shampoo?" Victor knew Catherine uses cherry blossom scented shampoo. In the past, they would hug one another often. Even when they don't, since Victor stuck at Catherine like they were basically attached, he'd notice the little things.

Catherine looked up and pressed her cheek on his chest. "Yeah, the same as always. You look pretty neat too." She hugged him tighter. He smelt like a hint mint mixed with men's perfume spice. She loved it. "I missed you so much Vic!"

"Me too, Rosie, me too." He felt nostalgia kicking in his system. "Alright, let's go and enjoy our little date."

They walked to the movies. Her arm latched at his. She'd do this to the people she's very comfortable with like being with Grace.

They picked the movie that picked their interest. They had the same tastes in movies – generally, in a lot of stuff. "The movie doesn't start in another 30 minutes. Let's go to the arcade to kill time."

As they stepped to the arcade with Victor paying for the coins. They played the game that had guns as weapons to kill zombies then basketball and lastly the crane machine – the game that is impossible to win but that didn't stop them.

Catherine tried 10 times in a row. "I can't win this game."

"Step aside Rosie and let the master win a stuff toy for you." He lost at the first attempt. "I was just warming up." Then followed by another loss to another. He tried so many times, Catherine lost count. "Hey Victor, it's fine. You don't have to win. This game is probably rigged."

He signaled Catherine. "Yeah, you're right. Hey man!" He called for the employee's attention.

"Yes?" The man dressed in blue and black answered.

"How much is this machine?"

The employee and Catherine stared at him wide-eyed. "S-sir, the game isn't for sale."

"Well then, how much for the toy inside?"

"It's also not for sale."

"Give me the huge one at the center and I'll give you a hundred dollars." The man contemplated. Then headed back to the stall to take the machine's key. "Why did you have to do that?! I mean a hundred dollars just for a toy! You don't have to Victor!"

Catherine looked at her best friend with disbelief. He still had the same habit. He'd pay people to get what he wanted. When they were 15 years old and Catherine wanted the Labrador stuff toy that wasn't for sale, he bought it without telling her and handed it to her when they got out the shop.

Another when she wanted a book that was only there because it was for display, he also purchased the item. Victor wouldn't care less about the price if it made Catherine happy. She gratefully took them all but begged him to stop buying all the stuff that wasn't for sale, moreover, spending his money carelessly.

The man approached the machine and took the toy Victor wanted. The employee handed it to him and Victor gave it to Catherine. She pouted at him. "Are you unhappy with the toy? I thought you liked it?" Victor is confused why she is upset.

"You just spent a huge amount of money for a toy that cost less than quarter to that and you also, with no second thoughts, bribed him." She pointed at the man.

"Hey man, is a hundred not good for you?" The man shook his hands sideways. "I'm good sir, I'm good."

"He's fine with it, Rosie." Catherine held her temples and sighed. "You just don't get it, do you? You can't just bribe people to your favor. Promise me, you won't do that again."