Chapter 42

DUKE'S POINT OF VIEW

It's been an hour since Lys left the condo. We are watching the news. There are still a lot of reporters waiting outside the building.

"Dude, do you think what happened to Lys is okay? We were already done eating, but still, he didn't come back." Ezekiel, confused, spoke to us while looking at the door. The door opens, and Lys enters the condo. He was smiling like crazy without noticing us.

"It seems something happened when he went out," Daniel said with a curious look that we were all curious about him; he was like one trying to shut his mouth with my hand, but he bites me.  cloud nine, looking up to the ceiling. Ezekiel slapped his arm.

"Ouch! Dude, what's wrong with you?"

"Don't ask me what's wrong with me; we should be the ones who ask you that. What's wrong with you? You're smiling like crazy. You just went out, then when you come back, you're crazy, dude, what happened?" Ezekiel looked like he was crying.

"Well, when I went out, I saw the girl who came here and just ran away getting bullied by the cameraman; he seems to be looking for your room. He even acted like the girl broke his camera, but he didn't even fall when they bumped into each other."

"So it was all about Clay; that's why you're smiling," I smirked to tease him. So this guy was with Kiel all the time he went out?

"So her name was Clay. What a gorgeous name."

"So what happened to you guys?" Ezekiel is listening to Lysander's story.

"After confronting the cameraman, I shower him with money, grab her hand, and leave him busy getting the money on the floor. We went to the convenience store to eat. Just to try eating convenience food."

"So the bully fell on the nerd he was bullied in high school. What a nice story concept it was, dude." Lys looked confused by what I just said when he finally realized his jaw had dropped and his eyes were wide open.

"No way, dude, it was not Spark, the girl who had thick eyeglass lenses and messy curly hair like a nest. The one with braces, thick eyebrows, and a lot of acne on his face No way, dude, you're joking; how could it be her? Clay was a goddess, but Spark wasn't." I just nodded at him, and Daniel and Ezekiel laughed at him. He pulled his hair back and looked at me like he wanted assurance from what I said. I just nodded, and he was insane.

"How did it happen? She looks different than the last time I saw her. She was like a dirty floor that hadn't been washed for decades, and now she's turned into a goddess. Dude, if you're just messing around, it isn't funny." I grab my phone and search for Odette's Instagram account, and I show him the Odette and Clay picture before and her photo now. I laugh when I see him rush to the kitchen to wash his face. We just laugh at him. He took a towel and wiped his face.

"Shit! I was dreaming about her while walking back to your condo, and now you are telling me she is that girl. Dude, why didn't you tell me earlier before I helped her? I should help the cameraman instead of her."

"Like you're not showing your money to that cameraman for her," Daniel said and acted as Lys did it to the cameraman; the way he said it, he was embarrassed in front of us. Ezekiel pretends he is Clay, and Lys holds hands.

"Fuck you, dude."

"Seriously, dude, Clay was a nice girl ever since we were in high school; she didn't do anything for you to bully her. You know what? Even when we were in high school, you just liked that about her. You pretend to bully her, but when someone bullies her, you fight against them and even threaten them when no one sees you. I just remember when Sebastian tried to bully her, you were behind her back and stared at him like you had a death glare, saying that anytime soon when he laid his finger on her, you would kill him. Maybe you're just in denial, since we're in high school, about your feelings for her. I never saw you being that protective of any girl, even before." You're avoiding others, and she was the only one I saw you giving time to, even though the only thing you just did was tease her." Ezekiel and Daniel tapped his shoulder before they put their hands on it.

"Can you guys stop teasing me? There is no meaning to those. I just hate seeing her get bullied by the others. What I'm just doing to her is just teasing, not like what they did to her. They even throw all her things in the garbage, even her food. Do you think I will allow it?"

"So you like Clay?"

"No, maybe, fuck, I don't know, okay. So stop bothering me; where's the whisky?" He went to the cellar.

"By the way, dude, how can you go to your condo if the security is tight because of the reporters?" Ezekiel said this while typing on his phone.

"Well, my manager will manage it once he finds a way, and I will leave here maybe later. Do you want to help me with my things?"

"Nah, we're good; you can do that, and look, we're still messy; we need to get home and take a shower," Ezekiel said while showing off his shirt.

"Fine, I'll just message you guys if you can come. We will have a little celebration. Oh, I forgot, Lys, my new condo was near Odette. You can call Clay every time you go to my new condo." He took a peek and looked mad at what I said. I just laughed, seeing him unaware of his feelings for Clay.

"Dude, can I invite Aria here? She was kind of bored." Then Daniel came closer and whispered in my ears.

"Morisette and Clay will come too, can they?"

"Sure, no worries. Let's make a move for him." Daniel thumbed up and chatted with Aria. Look who's getting shot later! Daniel whispered the plan to Ezekiel, and he smiled like an evil person who just got a new soul.

"What's with that laugh?" Lys said this while holding a glass and a bottle of whisky.

"He wants to audition for a role that I told him about, and you may suit one of the roles in that drama."

"What role?"

"A guy who's in denial about his feelings, you suit very well."

"At least I'm not still into my ex-girlfriend, who's the fiance of my rival in the industry."

I heard Ezekiel say "Boom!"

Time passed, and Lysander was kind of tipsy while we were watching him. Someone rang the doorbell. Daniel gets up and opens the door. It was Morisette, Clay, and Aria. Clay seems a little awkward when she gets in. He saw Lys sleeping on the couch.

"Seems you guys are having a little fun?" Aria says Daniel should get her bag and help her girlfriend sit. I never saw him as this kind of gentleman with the other girlfriend he had before. Well, look, someone changed. Ezekiel, help me get Lys up and put him down on my bed.

"It's hard to get in here; lucky dad was known by the security, so they let us in," Aria said while wiping her sweat.

"Maybe there are a lot of reporters trying to get in because of this guy." Daniel looked at me while I was drinking cold water.

"Yeah, they will get shocked when they learn that you will leave the same building with her soon. So when will we go to your new condo?" Aria said while Morisette looked around my condo.

"Seems you don't have enough furniture here? Don't tell us you're moving this week." Morisette said I just nodded at her, and they were all shocked.

"More issues are coming soon." We all laughed when Morisette said it suddenly.

"Can you all shut up?" It was Ly's half-naked. I looked into Clay's eyes; she was jaw-dropping in Lysander's body.

"What are you looking at, nerd? Do you want my body?" He still looks tipsy, and he's dancing like a call boy in a club. He was walking towards Clay, and we immediately stood up and tried to stop him.

"Look, nerd, I never knew why you didn't notice even before I tried hard to get your attention." Ezekiel, Daniel, and I look into Lysander; is he going to confess in this kind of way? Aish! 

I try to shut his mouth with my hand, but he bites me.

"Dude, what's your problem?" I said this while wiping my hand.

"Can you see I have something to say to that nerd?" He pointed at Clay and laughed.

"I never noticed I was so stunned by your ugliness the first time I saw you. You have a messy hair that looks like a nest, but when I saw you having someone at that time as your boyfriend, fuck when I always remember how he cheated on you, my blood boils. You were too blind to see that he was using you. I even tried to warn you a thousand times. I even got a new number just to message you, but you didn't; instead, you went with him to the prom. Did you know he was cheating on you? I saw him kissing Cheska at the back of the auditorium. Did you see the black eye he got? I did that to him." He seems not tipsy anymore, we look like watching a drama and the male lead confessing to the female lead.

"I know that he was cheating on me."

Lysander just laughed at Clay's answer.

"You were a fool to not notice who was truly like you ever since. Fuck you! I've liked you ever since we were in high school; I want to court you." Lys finally fell asleep after the atmosphere became awkward. Morisette is trying not to smile.

"Girl, you slay!" She can't resist getting giggly and shaking Clay's body.

"He likes me?"

"Yes, damn girl, can't you process everything he said? He just confessed everything. Well, the bad thing was that he was drunk when he told you that. But shit! Girl, the bully fell for you, oops! Like having your second boyfriend."

"I didn't know Lysander would do that; I should record that I missed that moment; it's one of a kind."

Someone rang the doorbell. I stood up and went to the door. I saw Odette's father.

"Hi, uncle."

"Let's talk, Duke." I went out and closed the door. We went into the fire exit.

"You know I see you as my son since you and Odette grew up together."

"Yes, uncle, I know that." He held my shoulder.

"To be honest, I didn't see you as the future husband of my son until I saw my best friend from high school and just remembered our deal. I know it was hard for you to let go, my daughter. We both knew how you guys would end up. But to get straight to the point, I want you to forget her. She will get married soon, and I don't want to mess up your career. I know it will be hard for you, but no matter what happens, you'll be my son. Thank you for taking care of my daughter during those years you spent together." Mr. Lim said I just bowed and watched as he left me at the exit. My tears are threatening to fall.

I don't know what to feel; talking to her dad makes me confused. No matter how hard I try, in the end, I will lose the game to him. Should I forget her this time?