CHAPTER THREE:APOLOGIES AND BRIBES.

It was the wee hours of the morning when Kalina was suddenly awoken by a loud knocking on the door of her flower shop downstairs. She groggily got out of bed and put on a robe, wondering who could possibly be at her door at such a late hour. Then she heard a familiar voice calling out, "Kalina, I need to talk to you!" It was Aiden, her best friend.

Kalina's heart sank. She knew that Aiden must be there to apologize for the way he had treated her the previous day at the club. But she didn't know if she was ready to forgive him.

Kalina was even more groggy and disoriented than she had been before, as she made her way down the stairs to the flower shop. She opened the door to find Aiden standing there, looking nervous and contrite. He took a deep breath before speaking "Kalina," he said, "I'm so sorry about what happened yesterday. I was out of line, and I shouldn't have treated you that way. I hope you'll forgive me." Kalina sighed her shoulders slumping as she look up to meet his gaze , unsure of what to say.

A flicker of remorse crossed Aiden's face as he reached out a hand, but hesitated before letting it fall back to his side."Please, Kalina," Aiden pleaded, "I know I messed up. I was in a bad mood and I took it out on you, and that was totally wrong. I should have been more considerate of your feelings. I hope you'll give me a chance to make it up to you. I promise I'll never treat you like that again." Kalina was still feeling a bit angry, but she could see that Aiden was genuinely remorseful.

Tears welled up in Kalina's eyes as she struggled to hold back her emotions, she controlled her breathing trying to collect her thoughts before speaking,"Aiden, I appreciate your apology," Kalina said, "but it's going to take some time for me to get over what you said. Your words really hurt me. I've always been there for you, and I thought you were my friend. I never expected you to speak to me like that." She paused, and then continued, "But I'm willing to give you a chance to prove that you've learned from this and won't do it again."

Aiden's 's expression softened, his eyes reflecting a mix of regret and sorrow. "I understand, Kalina. I messed up, and I should have been more supportive. Give me a sec."

Aiden disappeared for a few seconds and appeared back with something in his hands.

"I brought you these," Aiden said, holding up the box of chocolates and the pint of ice cream in the paper bag he was holding . "I know it's not much, but I wanted to show you that I'm serious about making things right between us. I know I can't just buy your forgiveness, but I hope it's a start." He looked at Kalina, a pleading look in his eyes.

Kalina stared at the delicious goodness in his hands, mentally cursing him for knowing her weakness and almost drooling.

Kalina wiped away a tear, her gaze meeting his with a hint of vulnerability. "It's going to take some time, Aiden. But I appreciate your apology, and I'm willing to work through this."

A sense of relief washed over Aiden as he nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Thank you, Kalina I'll do whatever it takes to make things right between us."

Kalina managed a faint smile in return, a glimmer of hope shining through her eyes."Fine, you can come in... but only if you promise to give me an unlimited supply of chocolates and ice cream for a week" Kalina said with a smirk. "And I'll consider forgiving you if you also agree to help me clean up the flower shop in the morning for a week too. Starting today." She raised an eyebrow, waiting for Aiden's response.

"You've got yourself a deal!" Aiden said, a grin spreading across his face. He would do anything at this point to earn her forgiveness.

He followed Kalina into the flower shop, carrying the chocolates and ice cream. "Now, where are the mops and buckets?" he asked, ready to get to work.

Kalina laughed and shook her head. "You're incorrigible, you know that?" she said, but there was a hint of affection in her voice. "But I suppose I can forgive you... this time." She added teasingly "Come on, let's go upstairs and talk," Kalina said, leading the way up to her apartment above the flower shop.

Once they were settled on the couch, Kalina took a deep breath as she recounted the events of the previous night to Aiden, her voice tinged with frustration and disbelief.

"So it happened after I left you," Kalina said, tearing a bar of chocolate and taking a bite, "It's kind of a crazy story. Are you ready for it?" She asked dramatically.

"Sure, hit me with it," Aiden said, curious to hear what Kalina had to say.

"So, after I left the club, I accidentally bumped into this guy and spilled my drink all over him," she began, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke.

Aiden leaned in, his eyes widening with interest as he listened intently.

"And instead of accepting my apology or even letting me offer to pay for his laundry, he just started hurling insults at me," Kalina continued, her tone incredulous. "I mean, he was so arrogant and rude, Aiden. It was unbelievable."

Aiden's brows furrowed with concern as he reached out a comforting hand, his expression filled with empathy. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, Kalina. Some people can be real jerks."

Kalina nodded, a bitter smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Yeah, tell me about it. But you know what? I stood up for myself. I didn't let him get away with his rude behavior. I gave him a piece of my mind and walked away."

Aiden's eyes sparkled with admiration as he squeezed her hand gently. "I'm proud of you, Kalina. You handled that situation like a boss."

Kalina's cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and gratitude as she looked into Aiden's sincere gaze. In that moment, she realized just how lucky she was to have a friend like him by her side.

And as they sat there, sharing stories and laughter long into the Afternoon, Kalina couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude wash over her. Despite the challenges she had faced, she knew that with Aiden by her side, she could overcome anything that life threw her way.

Little did she know, their bond would soon be put to the test in ways she never could have imagined, setting into motion a series of events that would forever change the course of their friendship.

But for now, in this moment of warmth and companionship, Kalina found solace in the simple act of being understood and accepted for who she truly was.

And as the afternoon wore on, she couldn't help but wonder what other adventures awaited them on the horizon, eager to face whatever challenges came their way, together.