My heart seems to quiver as the proximity between us heightens, increasing my desire for flight. I need to hide somewhere. My eyes dart nervously around me, looking for an easy escape but before I can even settle upon anything, I'm enveloped in warmth.

Startled, my eyes widen as his arms wrap around me, "thank you. You didn't have to do that, you know."

"Um, you're welcome," My voice comes out a little strained as a contented feeling lurches within me; this is entirely wrong, he's a stranger and I'm letting him hug me. Not to mention the fact, that he'll be my client in the near future.

Clearing my throat, I quickly step away to place some distance between us and with my eyes cast to the floor, I walk away hurriedly to my bedroom. A bit of heat has crept up to my cheeks, and with a pounding heart, I open the door and shut it soundly behind me. Turning on the lights, I almost shriek at the sight of both my Landlady and Patrick sound asleep. Groaning, I grab my discarded sleeping bag and place it on the floor – wiggling myself into it, I stare at the ceiling as the sounds of mild and chronic snoring fill the air.

This day has simply been unbelievable, a visit from the President and his secretary, running into a Paparazzi reporter, walking into my apartment filled with mayhem...if this is just the beginning then what's to come in the near future? Realisation dawns on me, and with lightening speed I sit upright and blink a few times before taking deep breaths to calm myself down. Is this going to be my new normal?

The sound of the door creaking however, only intensifies my already berserk nerves. Looking up, I see Zander chuckling at the sight of Patrick and Ms. Zhao, and Celia's head poking from around the corner, "Cat, are you asleep?"

Sighing, I rise from the floor, "no, I'm still wide awake," begrudgingly tossing a blanket aside, I worm my way out of the sleeping bag and straighten myself up.

"Watch a movie with us then."

"But it's already one in the morning! I have to work tomorrow," I groan.

"Work?" Zander's perplexed expression only makes me scoff internally. 

"Yes, work. Some people work for a living you know."

"You don't go to college?"

"No," Is my clipped reply. 

"How come?" My level of education has perked his interest, his eyes pierce into mine with curiosity gleaming within them.

"That is clearly none of your concern." 

"Um, so the movie?" Celia squeaks, placing herself between Zander and me. Did he honestly think he could worm information out of me? I was the expert at profiling and digging up information – he has no idea who he's dealing with. 

"Fine by me," Turning on me heel, I peel my eyes away from intensely curious green ones and stride purposefully into the living room and sit at the far corner of the couch.

"What do you guys want to watch?" Zander asks politely, attempting to gage our cinematic preferences from a mere glance.

Both Celia and I shrug our shoulders, not really caring. I wasn't much of a movie type unless it was a good horror movie with plenty of gore and blood – my sadistic side tends to reveal itself when I watch horror films without even flinching. 

"Then don't kill me for picking something you might hate."

Sighing, I bring my knees up and wait patiently for him to place a DVD into the player.

Nudging me, Celia offers me a reassuring smile. She knew the reason I wasn't in college, and probably thought Zander's question upset me, which it did even if it was briefly. I try not to even think about it, high school itself was a hellish nightmare, the memories lodged into the far corners of my mind. 

"Is this movie fine?" Shifting my eyes towards the TV, I'm surprised that he's actually picked one of my favourite movies. Silently nodding our approval, relief floods his face as he gets up to dim the lights then walks towards the couch and places himself between Celia and I. 

"I'll go make us some popcorn," Celia announces quickly and dashes into the kitchen, leaving Zander and I alone with the eerie soundtrack of the film slicing through the darkened room. 

Suddenly feeling his gaze on me, I turn my head in the darkness, "what?"

"You're not scared?"

"Why would I be?"

"It's a horror movie, therefore, you should be feeling scared."

"But I'm not. I love horror films."

"This seriously appeals to you?"

"Yes."

As he's mumbling something under his breath, I shake my head and fixate my attention back to the movie. Walking back in with a bowl of popcorn, Celia hands it to Zander to hold since he's the one sitting in the middle, and the two of them munch on the buttery goodness. 

"Has the female lead been kidnapped yet?" Celia queries, her mouth crammed full of popcorn.

"Wait, you like horror movies too?" Zander asks, nauseated.

"Oh yeah, I love them!"

"The two of you have unique tastes."

"Why? Because we're not watching something else that's sappy and romantically depressing?"

"Uh..."

Snorting, I purse my lips, "You shouldn't have made that comment, it's a touchy subject for her," I whispered.

"Chick-flicks are a forbidden topic? Okay, got it."

Glaring at us, Celia crosses her arms defiantly, "It is not a touchy topic!"

"Hey, Cupcake was the one who suggested as much," Zander raises is hands in a surrendering gesture to placid her nerves, the movie being lost on us now.

"I was only voicing the obvious," I declare, with an air of nonchalance before adding, "Why are you even getting worked up over such a thing?"

"Oh, that's just great. My best friend is conspiring with her neighbour." 

"We're not conspiring anything!" Zander barks back defensively.

Snorting, I give her a dark look, "I'd rather conspire with the devil."

Whirling around, Zander gives me a wonderfully disparaging look, "Hey!"

"What? I'm only voicing the obvious once again."

"That was a blow to my ego."

"So you finally admit to having one."

"Everyone does! That sass of yours will ruin you, I swear, Ms. Lewis."

"That sounded like a threat, Mr. Nolan. If you haven't forgotten, you're indebted to me now."

"And that sounds like blackmail."

"A minor offence compared to the ones you've committed." 

"For someone who looks so shy and timid you really have a way with words."

"I don't look shy and timid!"

"Of course you do."

"Wha-wha - I'm just perpetually cranky," I add quietly, knowing perfectly well that he was right on the money. 

"Will the two of you shut up already? Jeez, do the rest of the world a favour and never go to the movies together." Giving Celia a scathing look, I edge closer to the end of the couch and place a throw pillow between Zander and me to create at least a bit of distance between us and my own aggrieved feelings. To my dismay, he just chucks it away and hits Celia in the face if her, "what the heck?" Is anything to go by. 

"I don't like pillows."

"But I do," I croaked defiantly, lodging another throw pillow between us. 

He throws that pillow as well and I grunt in frustration and place a third pillow between us, making sure to set my arm down on it so he doesn't get the chance to throw it.

Chuckling, he starts tugging at the corner of the pillow and I tug back with my weak and scrawny arms in comparison to his. 

"For the love of God, will the two of you knock it off?" Celia roars, her eyes glued to the screen.

"But he's the one bothering me!" Oh dear Lord, I must sound like a whiney child. 

Groaning, I sense her standing and the next instant, the lights turn back on. 

Blinking to adjust to the stream of colour around me, my arm suddenly slips and Zander not only grabs the pillow but also hauls me along with it. 

Screaming, I soon feel my feet leave the ground – not this again!

"Put me down you pillow hater."

"Pillow hater?"

"Yeah...it's the best thing I can think of, so what?" I huff irritably. 

"Awful insult, we know you can do much better considering you're more than capable of conspiring with the devil. And no, I won't."

"Celia! Help me!"

Her eyes gleam mischievously as she gives me a scathing smile, "No. The two of you have wrecked the entire first ten minutes of the movie."

"But-but-bu-"

"Let's go, Cupcake," Zander chimed, easily whisking me along with him.

"Go? Go where?"

Without answering me, he strides purposefully towards the front door and I stretch out an arm towards Celia who simply sticks out her tongue.

"You...you..you...awful person!" I pathetically cried out, my voice strained.

"Have fun," Waving, she shuts the door behind us with a malicious smile, showing off her pearly white teeth. 

"Put me down!"

"No."

"Okay, I get it. You don't like pillows, now put me down!"

"Glad to see you finally understand."

"Killjoy, what in the world do you do during a pillow fight?" I grumbled, all the blood rushing to my head.

"Men don't partake in pillow fights."

"Warning. That is super sexist! And oh, so they partake in chubby bunny is that right? And anything else deemed stupid, I might add."

"We have certain exceptions, yes. I won't deny that stupid is not a standard." 

"Will you put me down before someone sees us!" I hissed, mortified at the thought of Randy lurking around a corner with a camera in hand, ready to capture this moment.

"No."

"Where are we going then? You're not going to kill me simply over pillows are you?" My eyes widen at the thought and Zander only shakes his head, amused.

"First off, if you're worried about me liking fights, I'll have you know it's for self defence in order to get around with less bodyguards on me. And secondly, you'll find out soon enough."

Cataloguing what he's just divulge for his profile, I can't help but release a shaky breath in relief before considering the purpose of me being carried, quite literally, to an unknown destination. I absolutely loathe surprises, I still remember the first time Celia decided to throw me a surprise birthday party when we were sixteen – I ended up in a state of trauma from the heart attack I received, not to mention the fact that I ran the other way down the neighbourhood street, scared stiff. 

Entering the elevator, I gasp for air as my head pounds. I'm not sure how much imbalance I can take. Inhaling and exhaling rapidly, I don't even notice Zander pressing the curved gold 'M' on the button panel, leading us to the Mezzanine area. At the sound of the melodic sound announcing our arrival to the floor, the doors part and he steps onto darken granite tiles.

Setting me down, I grab onto his arm for support and rack the dizziness out of me by shaking my head. 

Glancing around, I stare dumbfounded at the empty swimming pool, "What are we doing here?"

"Going swimming."

Without answering, I look down at myself then look at him, "fully clothed and at this hour? You're insane! And if you think I'm getting in there without a pool noodle or float then you're still insane!"

"No, we're going to -"

"Zander!"

At the sound of another voice, we both turn to see a tall woman approaching us. Within a few steps she's near enough for me to notice her eyes are solely set on Zander and turning to him, I can easily read the shock written all over his face.

"Mom?"

"Mom?" I echo in disbelief.

"Zander Nolan, what are you doing here with a girl at almost two in the morning?" Demanding an explanation, she taps her left foot incased in a sequinned heel while her breaths come out heavy as she exhales from her brisk walk towards us.

I'm still internally reeling from her breathtaking appearance and connection to Zander because who could ever believe that such a beautiful person as her gave birth to such a blockhead as Zander before her status sinks in. Oh my goodness. The First Lady! Do I bow, shake hands, curtesy?....Does a guidebook on these type of encounters not exist?

"Um, excuse me ma'am but I didn't willingly come here," I squeak out, both son and mother glance at me, the latter relaxing a little while Zander's look could burn a hole right through me. 

"Is my son wreaking havoc for you, dear?"

Opening my mouth to answer, 'yes,' Zander steps in front of me, blocking my view and I'm left burning holes of annoyance to his back.

"What are you doing here, Mom?"

"Trying to keep you out of trouble. Did your father come?" She asks, dropping her tone as if to avoid me from overhearing but little did she know that I not only met her husband but took care of havoc wrecking Zander. 

"Yeah, you're too late. How's Gwen?"

"How is Gwen? Why don't you come home already, and ask your sister yourself?"

"I'm not coming home Mom, if I do the first thing Dad is going to do is marry me off to that snake."

"She isn't such a terrible girl, just giver her a chance."

"No, I'm going to find a way to end this stupid situation."

The First Lady sighs and gives her a son a glance full of exhaustion and exasperation, "But why a matchmaker?"

"For several reasons," Now it's Zander's turn to sigh, he looks at the pool with a distant and unattached look before giving me a brief look. Taking his mother's hand, he squeezes it affectionately, "You've wasted your time coming here, you should get back before Dad worries."

"He always worries! I've dealt with it for years, what really worries him is our son not being home."

"Ma, just trust me for once. If I don't find this matchmaker then I'll do whatever it is you want but until I've given up, you shouldn't come here."

As the two go back and forth, my head begins to totter with thoughts. Does this mean that the 'friend' Zander went to a club with isn't a girl? Did he make up that story in order to break his engagement? Or was he going with a girl out of spite for his fiancée?

"You haven't even introduced your friend!" Startled by suddenly being the main subject, he steps aside to let his mother analyse me from head to toe.

"This is Catherine, Ma, Catherine Lewis."

"So nice to meet you, dear."

"It's nice to meet you as well," I say hastily, but what makes my heart beat erratically with nervousness is not meeting the First Lady, but rather, how Zander even knows my name.