Chapter 7

CLEONA

I woke up, feeling well rested and ready to start the day. I tried moving my ankle and surprisingly, it didn't hurt that bad. I smiled and tried moving out of bed when I suddenly realized that I couldn't.

My first instinct was to panic and scream as flashes of me being tied up popped in my head but I managed to calm myself as I became more aware of my surroundings.

I wasn't tied up. Someone's arms were wrapped around me and of course, that person had to be the one and only Andre Simmons. It took every bit of my resolve not to scream into his ear or do something equally as dastard but I didn't.

Instead I managed to get out of his arms, a task which proved to be incredibly hard but surprisingly not impossible. Once I was out, I crawled out of bed and stood observing him, wondering what to do... until I got an idea.

I didn't know if it would work but it was worth a try. It worked all the time in the movies.

First I went to the bathroom and rubbed my face with orange powder before walking back to the room and climbing back in bed with Andre. I crept close to him and whispered into his ear "Truth Or Dare?"

He didn't wake up and first but after whispering it the third time, his eyes shot open to the sight of me wearing the creepy smile the characters had whenever it was their time to ask the question.

I watched as Andre's eyes widened before he let out a ear splitting scream that almost made me deaf.

"Get away! Get away from here! Please go. I'm not playing the game!" Andre screamed as he rolled off the bed and bolted out of the room.

I couldn't control myself anymore. I started laughing uncontrollably.

"Wait a second! Cleo?! That was you?!" I heard a while later.

I looked towards the door and saw Andree standing there with a stern look on his face.

"You know, you're a real piece of work Cleo. Why would you do something like that? I almost had a heart attack because of you."

"Why are you so angry? It's not my fault you're so scared of the movie... Also maybe next time, you won't sleep in bed with me. Scaredy cat!" I replied with a roll of my eyes.

"You know I find that surprising."

"What's that?"

"That you're angry I slept with you. Many ladies would be more than happy to have me in bed with them."

"Well I'm not most ladies. Try what you did today again and I promise you, I will do more than scare you next time," I replied, glaring.

He smirked and I watched as he made his way towards me.

"Wh–what are you doing?" I asked as he sat atop me, placing both his knees on both side of the bed, his eyes focused intently on me. "You do know I'm not going to let you kiss me."

"Geez Cleo! Who said anything about kissing you?... Except you want me to."

"Yeah right. I'm not interested, Andre. Now get the heck off of me before I make you regret it," I said with gritted teeth.

He smirked before cupping my cheeks and saying, "You know, you're really beautiful."

"Flattery will get you nowhere Andre," I scoffed, willing him to get off me. His hand on my cheek wasn't making me feel too good.

"It's not flattery if it's the truth. You're a beautiful lady Cleo. A little crazy but beautiful all the same."

Then I watched as he got off me and walked out of the room as though nothing happened.

“What was that all about?” I asked myself, my hand on the cheek he'd cupped.

***

Andre and I checked out a few more sites together before we finally found one that would be perfect for the construction of the hotel. We contacted the owners and offered a down payment on the site so Andre's workers could start work on the site as soon as possible.

Once that was settled, Andre decided on lunch, an idea which I fully backed. So we ended up at a restaurant a few blocks away from the site we'd chosen.

A few reporters came to interview me about the news article and about my engagement to Andre. I'd totally forgotten that to the rest of the world, Andre and I were engaged to be married. A lot of personal questions were asked but Andre and I were able to avoid most of them. I'd never imagined that someone like Andre would ever do something like that for me. He wasn't at all like the rest... most of the time, at least.

We'd just fended off the last reporter when Damian appeared all of a sudden.

"Hello Cleo. Andre... Congratulations on your engagement," he said, smiling.

"Thanks Damian. Can you leave now?" I asked as politely as I could.

His presence made me uncomfortable.

"Of course. Of course... I just wanted to congratulate you guys... And remind Andre that I'm not giving up on you yet."

I sighed. "Damian..."

"No need. No need, Cleo. I'll be going now. Just remember that Andre."

"Will do," Andre replied with a smirk as Damian walked away.

I sighed, my eyes on him until he walked out of the restaurant. I normally didn't feel this way for guys I've played but part of me regretted playing Damian. He stopped his playboy lifestyle because of me. Too bad I have no feelings for him. It's a good thing but it's also kinda sad.

"Cleo! Cleo! Cleo!!!" Andre yelled, drawing my attention.

"Uh sorry. What were you saying?"

"I was saying... this Damian guy seems really into you. How do you know him?"

"Uhm, he's a guy I played a while back. Played as in I made him fall for me only to break up with him... same thing you do."

"Oh! He seems to really love you... Do you love him?"

"No. No, I don't. Damian's my past and I don't like mixing my past with my present okay?"

"Yeah sure. I understand."

"That's better," I replied as an image of Damian popped into my head.

Do I really have no feelings whatsoever for him? I mean I had to pretend to love him all those times we were together? Were all those moments really fake?

I remember how we broke up. He was about to propose to me when I popped the bubble and broke up with him. Still, wouldn't it be nice to just get married and have kids?

Wait a second, what's wrong with me? Am I really thinking about going back to Damian? Heck no!

"Cleo!" Andre yelled, interrupting my thoughts again.

"What? What?!"

"I've been calling you for the past two minutes. What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Nothing... You know what, excuse me for a minute."

"Okay sure?"

I hurriedly walked to the bathroom where I splashed water on my face to get rid of Damian and all thoughts about him.

Andre is the one I should be focusing on now and that's what I'm going to do from now on.

All of a second, I heard my phone begin to ring in my purse. I reached in and checked the caller ID. It was an unknown number.

I hesitated but decided on picking it.

"Hello. Cleo Rey..."

"If you know, what's good for you, you'll break off your engagement with Andre and leave him alone."

"Wait what!? What are you..."

"You've been warned Miss Reynolds. Stay. Away. From. Andre."

And just like that, the call was cut leaving me wondering what the heck just happened.