Soul Swap: Ex With Benefits

Kimberly Jonah stepped into the dimly lit club, dressed in a red spaghetti strap bodycon minidress, which accentuated her lovely figure and black-heeled sandals.

Her long, curly, jet-black hair was packed up in a pineapple ponytail, leaving her slender neck exposed for admirers, and her face was mildly made up.

Although she wasn't exactly at the club for pleasure, she had made sure to dress right since the person she was there to meet was someone who cared about appearances.

The moment she got into the club, her gaze involuntarily moved to the far right end of the club, and she relaxed a bit when she saw that it was empty. Instead of going there, she headed for the bar.

The bar wasn't exactly her destination. It was merely a detour. She needed at least a shot of tequila or anything stronger to boost her confidence for what she was about to do.

Even though she had not been to this club in three years, she was still very familiar with the environment.

It was the same club she had frequented for months while stalking Melvin Craig three years ago.

It was funny that three years later, she was here once again to find him, but this time for a completely different reason.

She knew where she would find him at the club. He had his favorite spot in the club, where he met with his three friends every Wednesday. He had been doing that for years.

Melvin was a creature of habit, and if someone wanted to abduct him, all they had to do was watch him consistently for some time, and they would know his routine.

Although the club was packed with people, and the music was really loud, she wasn't affected by it. She wasn't a stranger to clubs and their noises. And if she were here for pleasure and not for serious business, she would have stopped by the dance floor to show off some dance moves. She thought as she sat on a bar stool.

"Give me a shot of something good and strong," she told the barman, and he flashed her a smile.

"A shot of something good and strong coming up," he called back to her.

She knew she was early. Melvin would be here in a moment, she thought as she glanced at her Rolex wristwatch. She had come earlier because she wanted to relax a bit and build her confidence before he arrived.

Her gaze involuntarily moved to Melvin's corner in the club once again, and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the small group seated there.

She took a second look and relaxed when she saw that his friends were there, but he wasn't there yet.

The barman dropped the shot glass in front of her, and she gulped down the content and winced when it burned her throat.

"Good and strong enough?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. Definitely," she said and took out her phone from her clutch purse when she felt it vibrating.

Star. Great! She thought when she saw it was her elder sister, Star, calling. She could guess that Star was calling to find out if she was at the club now and maybe to discourage her once again from doing what she had come to do.

Since she was in the bar area, the music wasn't as loud there as it was on the dancefloor, so she received the call.

"Do you realize that this is the fifth time you've called me today?" Kimberly asked in a loud voice the moment she received the call.

"That is to tell you how worried I am. I still think you are making a mistake…."

"I can't hear you. I will call you back," Kimberly called back, and then she hung up.

Although Kimberly knew that she didn't have to return Star's call immediately, she paid the barman and headed for the restroom so that she could return the call.

It was better to have someone to talk to and keep herself busy until Melvin arrived than to sit there waiting and die of anxiety.

"What were you saying? I couldn't hear you," Kimberly said the moment Star received her call.

"I guess you are at the club now. I was saying I still think you are making a mistake. You haven't met him yet, have you?" Star asked curiously.

"Not yet. I just got here, and he hasn't arrived yet," Kimberly said as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"Good. It's not too late to stop, then. No matter how many times I think about what you are about to do, I can't help but cringe. I think it's a mistake…."

"I appreciate your concern, sis, but I've made up my mind. I have to do this, and you should know by now that if this weren't important to me, I wouldn't be doing it," Kimberly said, cutting her off.

"I know that. And from your history with him, we both know how unreasonable he can be. You are only setting yourself up for embarrassment...."

"I don't need this talk right now, Star," Kimberly cut in, and Star sighed.

"Kim...."

"I know you are trying to look out for me, but this isn't what I need right now. If you won't be supportive, then let's talk later," Kimberly said firmly.

"Alright. Call me when you are done," Star said with a resigned sigh.

"Sure. Bye," Kimberly said before hanging up.

After the phone call, Kimberly touched up her lipstick before returning inside the club. As she headed for the bar, a young man who had been watching her from when she entered the club approached her.

"Hello, pretty! Can I buy you a drink?" He asked with a crooked smile, but he took one look at the scowl on Kimberly's face and hurried away.

Kimberly's gaze moved to the entrance of the club in time to see Melvin Craig walk in, and her heart did a somersault even as her steps faltered.

Now that he was here, all the confidence she had been trying to build went through all the exits of the club, and her anxiety returned in full force.

She had rehearsed what she would say to him a thousand times in her head, but seeing him just some feet away, she forgot all she had rehearsed.

"Calm down, Kim. Be bold. Be confident," she told herself as she took a deep breath to calm herself.

All she had to do was walk up to him and tell him what she had in mind. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and she was feeling quite desperate right now and wouldn't allow the fear of embarrassment to stop her.

It was now or never, she told herself. And instead of going to the bar where she had been seated, she headed for her main destination. Melvin.

Melvin was her destination. The person she was there to meet. She walked in quick strides to intercept him before he could get to his table.

What she was about to do was embarrassing enough, and she didn't need any of his friends there to hear what she had to say.

"Melvin!" She called in a loud voice so that he could hear her since the music was very loud.

On hearing his name, Melvin turned around, and a scowl automatically appeared on his face when he saw her. Without waiting to listen to what she had to say, he turned around and continued walking.

Kimberly grabbed his hand before he could move further, "I need to talk to you. Let's step outside. The music is too loud," she said, and if eyes could kill, she was sure she would have dropped dead.

Melvin snatched his hand away from her grip as he glared at her, "I don't want to talk to you. Haven't I made that clear already? Did you think coming here, dressed this way, would make me change my mind about talking to you?" Melvin asked, and Kimberly sighed inwardly.

Although she had expected him to be this way, but she couldn't help but wonder if she should just give up now as Star had advised and save herself further embarrassment.

No. She couldn't do that. Not now. The best thing to do now would be just to tell him what she had to say without trying to get a private audience. Maybe then he would be willing to listen to her.

"Marry me," Kimberly blurted out.