-CHAPTER 12-

"We didn't even have the chance to meet him." Kath complained while using the vacuum cleaner. Ella arrived at their place earlier that they all expected. 

All of them despise a messy environment. That's already an enough cue for them to clean the house. Thankful enough that they have less school works, tidying up their home was a productive option. 

"We were worried despite of being wasted last night." Lynn added while wiping the furniture with the wet damp. Remembering what happened, Ella smiled and did her pony tail to help them, taking charge of the dusted window panes. 

It gets withered easily since it is exposed to more air and pollution, Ella wiped back and forth while grinning. "Maybe you don't have to worry, no more." 

"And why is that?" Kath stopped and looked at her. 

"Maybe you can guys give me some company later, New York Grinds. Gotta return his jacket." Ella tried to sound simple and casual, she was expecting for exxagerating responses anyway. 

Her assumptions were right when she heard the vacuum turned off as Kath immediately went near to her. "Oh my God. His jacket? What the hell happened between you too? I smell the beefy stuff? Gaze sharpened, she speculated like crazy. Also for Lynn, tried to speculated silently since she was too invested on the remaining dusty furniture. 

She halted from cleaning and intertwined her hands like a sweet Monroe. "You don't have to play dumb Kath, you already know context clues." Tilting her head, she eyed her friend suggesting the same idea as hers for a second or two. 

"Oh my god." Kath couldn't do anything but to scratch her nape. Lynn was also flabbergasted as Kath. "Did you? Really? Like.. Oh God." Kath gave up and went back to the waiting vacuum and digest everything that her friend experienced. 

Ella is no longer a virgin, indeed. Crazy news for them. Despite of being ridiculous, her friends clapped their hands as if they were watching basket ball. 

"Okay you can stop here, it is already TMI for what happened. It's just once, and that's all." It was a white lie, Ella rolled her eyes and shared chuckles with them as they cleaned the entire house. These dorks. 

It was Ella's turn to ask. "Okay what happened to you guys last night? You two impressively conquered hangovers this time, good for ya'll." 

"It was a fucking blast last night the party grows older. Lynn didn't expect chug challenges, so she chugged a lot of rum." Kath paused to laugh as she remembered her last night wearing her bra and chugging the rum from the giant straw, it was a inter-department chugging show off. 

Lynn would also like to contribute to the story-telling. "And the pool party was prolly near to orgy, some of them are naked, especially Greg with her girlfriend. She gave a blow-job in front of us, prolly drunk or party drugs. She took that dick like a dragon." 

Well it sounds like casual. Everyone was enjoying their sex life, Ella was late to that party. 

There's a lot to catch up about the "Last Friday Night". Three of them delightfully shared their stories as they tidied up the house from ceiling to floor. Kath volunteered to order some fast food for their lunch, food arrived around two-thirty in the afternoon. 

Their cleaned home screams success despite all of the mess marked and left on their shirt. Girls were satisfied and more than ready to eat a heavy metal meal after a long period of chores. 

Bucket of sweet and spicy glazed chicken and five order of egg rice was served. It was definitely better than Ella's breakfast. Starving, they automatically digged in. The right of amount of glazed chicken skin and a spoonful of egg rice combined and exploded in her mout. Heaven. She describe. 

Their silence says a lot on how they were famished of cleaning up a messy home. Ella was distracted by the beep of her flipped phone. She pick it up and saw her mobile banking notifications. That made her remembered that she already gave him her bank details. 

One thousand and five-hundred dollars was transfered. In a single beep of her phone 

Holy cow. It was a huge amount of money for her, hell she could buy and set up an entire Apple Ecosystem set for her electronics. Theo was one hell of a generous sugar daddy. 

Yum.

The notification was also followed by a text message. 

That was a good three rounds experience honeybee, I did make sure to fill that pocket real good. Let's catch up later. 

"Anyways, since you have to return his jacket. Will you really let us accompany you?" Lynn was fond of talking when her mouth is full. 

"I mean sure, you've been dying to see them. That deserves a credit for at least." Ella answered as she gulped a blasting and freezing cola in her throat. Texting him, she reminded that she'll bring friends later. 

So you want a boyfriend later just because your gals are coming? Pffft. Theo texted back. 

She typed her response and hit send. I just can't let them know yet about us. Please. 

Whatever, honeybee. Already reserved a table. Was the only thing he replied and she continued her lunch. 

"Thank you for letting us meet him. Now what the should I wear. I literally don't have anything to wear geez." Kath suddenly complained about her look. Ella smiled and sighed. She wondered how far will her little white lies take her.

Despite of being covered by layers of white lies, Ella choose to be silent and enjoyed her moment. I'll just return his jacket for sure, nothing more.  

+++

"So... you mean. Your boyfriend works as a barista? At the New York Grind? Home of the City's hottest baristas?" Kath sharpened her eyes, and gazed at her from the rear view mirror while driving. 

"These events are shocking." Lynn nodded. 

"Well, obviously. It was unexpected to find one on a dating app. Maybe it's a bit of a luck for me." Ella smiled and pressed her lips. 

"He really did me well. Opening about something exclusively and often discussed things makes it feel natural for him, it encourage me in some ways. We share our interest about. . . places, like where to travel, food and. . . stuff." Her mouth was invested with lying, such as her long pauses appeared to be more genuine and authentic. Kath and lynn gestured their agreement, fantastic to see how their friend started dating. 

Ella was rubbing her knees with her thumb, clearly made a sloppy lies for her friend to process of what the hell she had been through. She silently hoped that they won't get suspicious of her getting the 'barista offering' she considered weeks ago.

Turn out, she wasn't ready for them to know about her sex life with Theo. Ella did make sense with her carnal desires and she loved it. She couldn't stand the fact thinking about her friends knowing the truth. Besides, it'll only take a few months before their Commencement Excercises. This will end for sure. 

Just a single and harmless white lie. She thought. 

Ears had enough of hearing their demands to describe the boyfriend, she did the right thing in calming their asses down as they stepped out from the car. 

Oddly, her hair decided to pop off their volume. Making her face shape radiant and 'level one' glam. She fixed a bit of her strands and smiled when Lynn pushed the glass door. 

Kath was waiting for this moment. "Okay where is he?" She gets to ask her first when Lynn was about to ask the same thing. The girls froze witnessing the famous busy cafe in New York. The bunch was enjoying their afternoon coffee after a long day of work, or some of them just lounging and enjoying the lo-fi music.  

"Crimson hair." Ella simply described from what is obvious. 

She lead the way to their table, well it was obviously reserved for them since it has a signage. Ella's friends are dumbfounded, especially Kath who saw the exact same face from the last couple of weeks. 

Stunned, they manage to seat in the caramel colored oak furniture, huge enough for the three of them. For some reason they closed their mouths after seeing her guy. Ella took Kath through the counter, falling in line where the crimson haired guy was giving his service. 

After giving a moment of a short laugh, Kath reached for her purse and decided what to order. "Today's drink might super simple, I'll have some Chi Latte with extra chocolate frappe and cocoa syurp. I'll take Lynn's order as the same as mine." She convered with a small hint of excitement in her voice. 

"Great I'll try hazelnut blend latte." Ella answered with the obvious eagerness, it would be a lie if she refrain from smiling. 

While facing the line like costumers, Kath gave up and give her a look. "I can't believe this. The same guy we saw for weeks, and you guys already fucked-

"Kath Adler, shut up." Putting her finger in the midst of her lips, Ella responded frantically. "We can talk further over the table. Now, calm the shit." Ella replied while nodding. 

Theo was done for the costumer and he proceeds to the next one by calling them out. He met his gaze to hazelnut eyes of Elle which he greeted. Pretending to be her boyfriend again. "Oh lovely, what can I get for you honeybee?" 

His smile extends sexily which Kath find it sexy and breathtaking, Ella was indeed a nice picker. She never thought of her friend choosing a dashing british fancy-ass guy. Guess dating apps are more surprising than mystery boxes. 

Ella took the responsibility of stating their order and paying for it in advance. Theo's talented and hasty fingers jot all of their requests to the screen, he wondered why her honeybee didn't include snacks. Was it too expensive? I already gave her bucks. Ella should at least buy something for herself.  

Theo didn't think of it further. Nevermind, I'll take it from here. 

She was petrified, seeing him working right before her eyes is amazing. Theo looks keen in his chosen field. And that hands. She stared at it for a moment, it was the same hands who brought her to oblivion, reaching the gates of heaven through orgasm. 

Unforgettable morning. 

"Stop looking at me like that honeybee, I'm doing work here." Theo release her change, locking their gazes. "Order taken, it'll be done in few minutes. Flirt you later." It was his wink that made her brows furrowed, as if she was cringing for cheesiness. 

"You are a darn cheesy shit." Ella commented with disgust. 

"Watch your mouth honeybee. Does it get a little bit disrespectful when once stretched." Theo looked at her with a suggestive idea. Who the fuck throws horny jokes on their work hours. She thought while acting nice, pursing her lips as if she was fluttering. 

In the end, Ella gave a short laugh and lock their gazes when the decided to wait for their order.

A team effort for a pretending couple. Kath was fallen for the act. She smiled and they returned to their seat with much more thoughts. It was a quick moment for them yet there are so much things to talk about. 

The girls returned to their seat. Kath fixed her but and went comically serious for her word. "Explain." 

Ella scoffed as she scoot her wallet in her bag. "I already told you, it was the dating app who paired us. We started talking and now here we are." 

"Alright Kath, that's enough. Besides, our girl is growing up." Lynn gave a thumbs up after getting her Ipad Pro and Pencil and start sketching. 

"He's insane about his hair. He look hot up close." Kath decided to put another side comment admiring his looks. "You guys even did the deed and borrowed his jacket. So much blessing for you Ella Parker. What was the Lord thinking?" 

"Well, he created a good path for me after I decided to be hoe for moment." Ella spat her thickest sarcasm. "Oh c'mon, it's just luck."

Kath rolled her eyes comically as she tried to process everything. It was a good five minutes for them talking about how party went wild last night. It was a laughing stock for them when Ella learned that Lynn's date peed in his own pants. She wondered how vodka would make her ridiculous someday. 

She might be looking forward in their most awaited acquaintance party, soon. Ella is getting fond about alcohol drinks lately, it was a great ecstasy last night. 

Theo, in the other hand, is grinning as he lift up his tray with Ella's orders. Luckily, he found a way t serve them. His rubber shoes steps forward to their seat, crossing a lot of costumers enjoying their afternoon coffee. 

"Ladies, your refreshments coming through." Theo greeted them as the plastic maroon tray landed on their table, he stated the complete order afterwards. 

"And three orders of Tiramissu Brownies in cake slices and Mocha Crossiants. It's all on me." Three of them were blinked out of being surprised. It wasn't included on what they ordered. 

Their platter screams for a dessert bonanza. 

The stares were pointed to him like a gun, Theo smiled. "Consider the bonus as my token, I should've introduced my self properly for my girlfriends colleagues." He darted his eyes on Ella when he mention her. "My name is Theo, a European Chap from London obviously. I'll tell you more about me someday since I'll be seeing you one of  these days." 

His wise choice of words swayed them, he gained a respective nod as their reaction. Theo was more than certain that he sound convincing as he exchanged smiles with them.

Lynn was more than amazed with his fluency while arranging their orders, straws, utensils and tissues. But something wans't adding up in her thoughts. She soaked her lips with her tongue. Wait a minute, isn't he the. . . could it be?  

"Ella, are you sure isn't he barista guy that Megan recommended? The one who grants the favors." Lynn asked regardless of how bold of a move it was. 

It did strike a nerve simultaneously. Theo froze and grasped Ella's eyes. His fate is at stake and it will only depend on Ella's answers since he has to pretend that he has no idea about what was being asked. His cold sweats says the opposite of what he's trying to act. 

He knows that it would create certain issues in Ella's life. He's been looking at them back and forth. For the first time in his sex life, he had never been this fucked up before. 

Theo ended cursing under his breath. Fuck it.