OPPORTUNITY 1

A fuming Moon and a happy Ocean sat on the kitchen stool and stared at each other. Moon intertwined her fingers and kept them on the counter while glaring at her neighbour. She stared right through the dark sunshades making Ocean wonder if she could see his eyes, but he remembered that it was not an ordinary sunshade. He had designed it himself.

"So...you were awake?" Ocean broke the silence but not the stare.

"What do you think, huh?" She asked as she squinted her eyes at him.

"That you were waiting for me?" Ocean joked, but that only made Moon's glare intensify.

"As what? My boyfriend or husband?"

"Anyone can go," Ocean joked again, and Moon's intertwined fingers tightened, but she didn't say anything.

"I see. Check your food. It must have heated." She suggested. Ocean felt her eyes follow his every move like a predator. The hunter has become the hunted, he thought to himself and chuckled, making Moon's brows furrow.

"Mr neighbour, what is making you happy?"

"Nothing,"

"I thought as much," She watched him sit across with his food. Her eyes stayed on his face as he ate slowly, taking his time to chew and swallow the food. He smiled at her every now and then knowing that he was driving her crazy with his slow eating pace.

'If only I could shove that food and the plate included into his throat, that way, he would never be hungry again' Ocean heard her mutter under her breath as she kept looking at him. He flashed her an innocent smile that got him an eye roll from her.

"Please, hand me a bottle of water from the fridge," Ocean requested,

"Why?"

"You are closer to it?"

"I am not giving you anything. Come get it yourself, or better still, choke on the food." She flashed him a forced smile

"Okay," He flashed her another smile and continued eating the food.

After watching him for a few seconds, Moon rolled her eyes and walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. She tossed the water at him and he effortlessly caught it.

"Thanks,"

"You are not welcome. Can you please eat fast and leave, I was working before you came,"

"What were you working on?" Moon breathed out aggressively before looking at him again

"Are you serious right now?"

"It was an innocent question. Any work that must have kept you awake to this time must be difficult. I might be of help?" he lightly shrugged.

"Do not worry yourself. I am very capable of doing it myself. Besides, I still have time to work on them."

"How many days left?"

"I still have two weeks."

"I see. I can still help you get the work done earlier if you want."

"I don't need your help."

"Always stubborn like a goat," He muttered under his breath, but loud enough for her to hear.

"Mr neighbour, did you just call me a goat?"

"What? How is that possible? You know I wouldn't dare such a thing." He defended himself, seeing the fierce look in her eyes.

Moon kept her hands on the counter and leaned in a little, "Better don't try," She warned and then leaned back again while her hand remained on the counter. She flashed him a fake smile and Ocean just shook his head. I am in trouble, he thought to himself and continued staring into her honey-brown eyes that glared at him.

Inside an exquisite apartment, Jasmine sat on the bed while hugging a pillow to her chest with a broad smile. Since she came back from Moon's apartment, the only thing that has been stuck in her head was the face and body of the guy that roasted her. Though angry, she couldn't get rid of the tingles she felt every time his handsome face appeared at the back of her mind. She imagined what it would feel like to run her slender hands all over his body, especially his muscular chest, which was slightly opened as two buttons were left undone.

"No. Jasmine, that same guy you are drooling over brutally ruined your reputation in front of your low-life cousin, and such action should not be condoned, but he is still the most handsome guy I have ever seen. I would kill to wake up next to that face every morning of my entire life. How can a man be so perfect in looks and body but not charisma?" She frowned a little and smiled widely when she thought of how great it would be to have Ocean fall in love with her and do everything she wanted. I can swear with my life that the guy would be good in bed too, she thought to herself with longing in her eyes. Not knowing how else to get rid of the feelings building up in her body, she pressed her face into the pillow and let out a loud squeal, after which she burst into a fit of laughter. When her laughter ended, she laid back on the bed with a broad smile while still holding onto the pillow, squeezing it tightly against her body. What if he is not wealthy? She questioned herself with a deep frown that quickly disappeared as it came.

"Well, that is a good thing because I would give him as many connections as possible to help him grow. He would be forever indebted to me and do anything I want, which includes marrying me." She created her imaginary world where it was just her and Ocean kissing intensely before he knelt on one knee to propose to her. Out of delight, Jasmine picked up her phone by the bedside. She went to her message box and typed, 'I have found my dream guy' and sent it to a particular contact saved with love emoji. She closed her eyes and moaned as the thought of her and the guy making love in white sheets replayed in her head. She was automatically on cloud nine. After a little while, something occurred to her, and she hissed at the thought.

"I won't even let her have him. How is it that she always gets the good things without even trying like others? First, it was Rex and now this guy. He was even cooking for her." She took her phone and typed, 'Did you find anything yet? If no, then know that I am hiring someone else for the job, and if yes, reply to this text before I wake up.'

Her phone beeped a few seconds after she dropped it. She unlocked her phone to read the new message, 'Don't worry, Miss Jasmine, I found something quite interesting this time. Meet me tomorrow at the usual place with my balance.' She smiled triumphantly and typed, 'Okay.' So as not to show she was dying of curiosity.

With a smile, she put off the lights with a remote and then wrapped herself in the comforter.

"The game has just begun...Let the best man win." The image of the guy appeared at the back of her mind as soon as she closed her eyes to sleep.

"I love you too baby, I promise it won't take time to have you all to myself." She closed her eyes in anticipation of tomorrow.