There were many things I found off-putting about my current situation. For one, Chanelle had been smiling for what felt like decades. And she was seated on my bed, holding my hands and giggling.

Carol and Cherry munched on the chocolates Chanelle had brought along about an hour ago. As much as I loved chocolates, this time, I wasn't interested. I just wanted her out.

It's not that I was scared that Daniel would walk in on us, I knew he was at practice. We were supposed to meet there so we could grab dinner together. It was totally not a date though.

But yes, we'd gotten to that level. Just the thought of it sent my heart skipping but one glance at Chanelle and it steadied itself again.

Is been considering telling Daniel about everything. If I came clean, there would be a chance of him forgiving me. However, that would mean defying Chanelle. The VC's daughter who would wreck me.

The issue was, I didn't think I really cared at this point. I mean, you can't wreck what's already a wreck, right?

"I can't wait to have Daniel back!" squealed Chanelle, gripping my hand harder and grinning now. She suddenly let go of me and went to search for something in her black bag. "Have you thought about how you're going to do it yet, Noah?" She asked without looking at me.

As I thought of a reply, her hand emerged with lipgloss. I hadn't actually thought of how Daniel and I would separate. At first, I simply thought I'd rip off the band aid somehow. But now, considering how things had become between us, I didn't know how if do it, but I knew that if I did, I'd break us both.

I didn't want to do it.

Good, now all I had to do was tell that to Chanelle.

She finished off applying the lipgloss to her rose colored lips and lifted a brow at me. "I haven't really thought about it," I began to say but once her stare turned to a glare, I found myself deflecting. "There's just so many ways I could do it. At his apartment, maybe after his game or—"

"No," Chanelle smiled, whatever she'd been suspecting dissipated. "I think the game idea is cool. I've seen how he looks at you at his games. He'll definitely come to you and that's the perfect time to do it." Her eyes grew wider than they already were. "Great idea, Noah."

Yeah. Great idea, Noah.

I couldn't do this right now. I licked my lips and stood up, tossing my brand new braids over my shoulder. They still hurt a little considering I had them made this morning.

"I have to go," I announced to no one in particular. On Cherry's bed, she and Carol lifted their heads from the box of chocolate.

Cherry's auburn hair bounced as she nodded once, studying me like she wanted to see through my demeanor. I pulled my lips into a line.

Carol perked up. "Where are you going?" After a pause, she rephrased her words. "It's not that you have to tell though."

"Of course she does!" said Chanelle incredulously, hot gaze landing on me. Behind her, Carol and Cherry cast her weird looks and the latter had a frown on her lips. "Are you going to see Daniel?"

I simply nodded and it seemed to please Chanelle.

"All the better to secure your spot in his heart before friday, right?" It wasn't much of a question. More a statement.

A statement that had me freezing up. Friday?

"Friday?" Carol asked out loud on my behalf, eyebrows meeting the roof. "That's awfully soon."

"Y—Yeah," I chipped in and Chanelle turned to stare at me. "Plus, the month doesn't end until Monday."

Chanelle sighed like she was already tired of explaining. Funny how she hadn't even began. Friday was two days away for the love of all things good. That was way too soon.

"Your contract runs for four weeks, Noah," she began. "You started this on the first Monday of school. And if my calculations are correct, four weeks end on Sunday, not Monday. Did you even read the contract?"

Of course I did. I just didn't read too much into the details section. Probably too engrossed in the image of Daniel Chanelle had attached.

I bit down on my lip and swore under my breath. "But Friday. That's absurd! You can't bridge the contract. It's says Sunday, right? Then Sunday it will be."

"I'm the owner of the damned contract!" Chanelle snapped. "And according to my contract, you have to break his heart in the most cruel way possible. This is the most cruel way possible. It might even shake up his career a little."

If I wasn't mistaken, I swear I could hear some anticipation in her voice. She was ready that brazen. To the point that she'd risk his career for her cause.

"That's taking it a little too far, don't you think?" I suggest.

Behind me, Cherry spoke. "Yeah, Chanelle. Noah obviously has this in control so let her do what she wants."

"Think about it, Chanelle," added Carol, her expression fixed.

A bland chuckle left Chanelle's lips. "I know what's going on here." I almost melted when her scrutinizing gaze descended on me. "You're beginning to grow feelings for him."

I watched as she laughed in hysterics. Carol and Cherry just flickered their unbelieving stares between us. Eventually, Chanelle crossed her legs and smirked at me.

"I suggest you don't. My Daniel would chew you up and spit you out." She laughed again.

I shook my head. "You don't know him."

Her brow lifted. "And you do?" In one swift motion, she swung her leg off the other and rose to her feet, fixing me with her glare. "Let me snap you out of it, Noah," she spat. "Daniel. Is. Mine. And you won't be a problem. You would do exactly as I say or face the consequences."

For a few seconds, I just stood there, hands balled into fists and my glare seething. I hated that she had this power over me. She ruled with fear and damn was she good at what she did.

Finally, I turned away and stormed out of there, heart pounding in my chest.

~

The basketball team was already done with practice by the time I got to the court. Tae had one of Jase's sneakers held up in the air while the latter chased him around the rectangular court, swearing death on contact.

Hyun was speaking with some of the subs and Asher faced my direction as he spoke to a girl. From their stances, I could tell they were arguing. Every five seconds, the girl would run her fingers through her hair and he would look away.

"What's going on?" I asked, making myself known to everyone on court. Almost instantly, all attention snapped to me. I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jeans and stood off to one end of the court, a few feet from Asher and the girl he was talking to.

When she turned, I caught her familiar features: Brown straight hair, a pointed nose, brown eyes, a tall lean hourglass figure. It took all my willpower not to gape at her. Natalie was gorgeous.

She smiled.

Rephrase that definition. She was breathtaking.

Her eyes danced between Asher and me before she began in my direction. She tugged at the skirt of her mid-thigh flared dress that had polka dots on it.

"You must be Noah!" she gushed, completely taking me by surprise when she engulfed me in a hug. I felt like a fly in her presence.

I fished out a smile when she pulled away, her butterscotch scented perfume lingering in the air. "And you're Natalie?"

I hated how I sounded. Not as confident as her. Gosh, she made me feel like such an imposter.

When she grinned, the entire room seemed to light up. "The one and only." She flicked her hair over her shoulder and let out a hearty laugh.

And I, not wanting to feel like a complete twat, found myself chuckling awkwardly.

"Hi, Noah!" Tae sang as he rushed past, Jase hot on his heel with only one sneaker.

"I swear by all things holy, Tae, I will end you," threatened Jase.

Natalie and I watched as Tae laughed, and in that moment of vulnerability, crashed into Hyun. The both of them went crashing to the floor just as Jase caught up with Tae. He snatched his sneaker back and whacked Tae in the head with it before pulling it on.

"Moron," he scoffed and began jogging in my direction. "So, I hear you're taking our captain out to dinner tonight," he commented, waggling his eyebrows, lips twitching.

I rolled my eyes. "It's not a date."

"That's what they all say," Natalie quipped, smiling like she was running an advert for a skincare product. "I can't believe you actually did it, Noah. You tamed our little tiger."

Pushing back the fluttering in my chest, I formed a response. "I didn't do anything. And it's not a date. We're just going to grab some food and head our separate ways."

Natalie's eyebrows pulled together. "So the both of you haven't kissed yet?"

I bit down on my lip and she took my momentary silence and confirmation. "I'm just glad he's moving on from Chanelle. That woman is the definition of bitch."

"Yeah," Jase said, making a face. "She was a pain in the ass."

I wanted to ask about Daniel and Chanelle, what their relationship was like. I wanted to know if he'd been in love with her. I wanted to know the extent to which what Chanelle was making me do would affect him.

Instead, I licked my lips and asked where Daniel was. It was almost eight PM.

"He's having a quick shower," Asher announced from where she stood, a smug smile playing on his lips. "Putting in all the effort he can."

Natalie lifted an eyebrow at him. "Dude, it's just a shower."

Asher folded his arms, shrugging. "He could have gone without it. Plus, he never used to shower for dinner with Chanelle after practice."

This new information makes Natalie grin at me, almost blinding me with straight white teeth. "I guess you're more important than queen bee."

A surge of butterflies in my stomach almost knocks me off my feet but I play it off with a cough. "Are you a final year student too?"

"I wish," Natalie replies with a groan. "I still have a whole year after this one."

Asher came up to her side and bumped his elbow with her waist, making her glare at him. "It's not so bad. You have another year before you start battling the projects."

Natalie scoffs but doesn't reply that. I notice how Asher's gaze lingers on Natalie even when she's not looking. They're apparently close to each other but there's some tension there as well.

"What's going on?"

We all turn to look at Daniel who just emerged from the locker rooms and was now a few feet from us. He had his slightly wet hair up in a ponytail. Putting on a pair of black joggers and a grey tee, he looked good.

Good enough for me to hold my breath.

When his stare landed on me, I felt myself freeze up and swallow. The nagging voice told me I didn't deserve this but I pushed it aside when he smiled.

As he closed the distance between us, I was going to hug him, but instead, he wrapped his arm around my waist and planted a kiss on my lips.