Three Means 1

Chapter 3: Plans

    Dulce distanced herself from the door. Her heart pounded as she ran back towards the dining room to tell Pierre that Arthur was right outside. To her shock, Angelo was already standing there next to Pierre. His hair was damp, and he wore nothing but a pair of black silk pajama shorts that fell just above his knees. A smirk curled his lips, and Dulce felt a rush of irritation, wishing she could slap it off his face.

    Pierre, on the other hand, stood with both of hishands modestly covering his crotch.

"You can't be serious! Do not tell me you called him, you lunatic." Dulce whispered angrily, waving her arms around.

"I did indeed. I had to deliver something to him. Fortunately, he lives nearby." Angelo replied with crazy nonchalance, as he walked towards the front door.

    A few moments later, Angelo reappeared in the dining room, now accompanied by Arthur. Arthur looked as if he had not left at all, still stuck in the same clothes.

"Wait here, I need to get it." Angelo said to Arthur before disappearing into the kitchen.

An awkward silence fell over the room, which Arthur broke.

"What were you all up to?" He asked, with a wide smile spread across his face, a smile that would surely disappear if the truth were revealed.

    There was a pause before Pierre finally responded. "Just chatting."

Dulce froze, her mind briefly mixing the words "chatting" and "cheating", before she managed to nod in agreement, though guilt ate her insides. She wasn't Arthur's girlfriend, but it was clear he was interested in her, and truth be told, she was too.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" Arthur asked, stepping closer to Dulce. She instinctively took three steps back and accidentally bumped into something. Strong hands gripped her arms, pulling her aside, and she quickly realized they belonged to Angelo.

"Actually, Dulce has plans with us tomorrow." Angelo answered for her.

Before Dulce could protest, Arthur spoke up. "Judging by her expression, I highly doubt that. What plans?"

There was another pause. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?" Arthur's asked, already annoyed.

"The party." Angelo replied, a smile playing at his lips.

Arthur pressed his lips together, closing his eyes as the word left Angelo's mouth. "Party?" Dulce thought, confused. No one had mentioned any party to her.

"Fuck." Arthur muttered under his breath. Both of his hands made their way to his head, and his fingers threaded through his light brown hair in frustration.

"What is wrong?" Dulce asked, her concern increasing as she watched Arthur's sudden change in demeanor.

"Oh, don't tell me you forgot." Angelo added, faking concern.

Arthur began to pace, covering his mouth with one hand while pulling at his hair with the other. His distress was clear.

"Damn it! Why did you wait until now to tell me?" He shouted, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Oh, so now it's my responsibility? You are their son, not me." Angelo snapped back, still with a smile, as though he struggled to hide his amusement at Arthur's reaction.

    Arthur, instead of replying, wrapped his hand around Dulce's wrist and pulled her towards him. Angelo took a step forward but made no move to stop him.

Dulce looked up at Arthur, while her heart raced.

"Will you be my date tomorrow?" He asked sincerely.

Dulce remained silent, her eyes making their way to Pierre, who had his fixed on the floor. He rubbed circles on the palm of his hand with his thumb, it was nervous gesture that made obvious his anticipation of her response.

Arthur noticed her hesitation and released her wrist. "Unless, of course, you already have a date." He said, disappointment in his voice.

Dulce looked back at Arthur and shook her head. "No, no, I mean, I don't even know what party you're talking about."

    Arthur shot a glare at Angelo. "Oh, then I guess you didn't really have plans?" He smiled, his expression softening as he turned back to Dulce. "I have to go now, but I'll pick you up tomorrow at five." With that, he leaned down and pressed a small kiss on her cheek before walking to the table, grabbing a box Angelo had placed there, and exiting the room.

Once the front door closed, Dulce spun around to face the twins. "What was that all about?" She demanded, her eyes fixed on Angelo.

    "I don't know, you should've asked your boyfriend." Angelo replied.

    "He's not my boyfriend." She replied, before rolling her eyes and crossing her arms defensively.

    "Oh, he's not? I'm pretty sure he begs to differ." Pierre threw in, surprising Dulce with his boldness.

    "Just tell me who is throwing the party!" Dulce demanded, her voice rising in frustration. Though her words were directed at Angelo, her eyes lingered on Pierre, hopeful for an answer.

    Pierre obeyed. "It's a benefit party the Bonheur family throws every year. They do it for aspiring bakers."

   "Wait, so the party you're talking about is basically a display for baking skills?"

    "Not just that. Bakers from all over France attend, hoping to win the Bonheur family's favor. The winner receives 150 thousand euros for their business." Pierre explained.

    Angelo, evidently tired of the conversation, walked out of the room. After a few moments, Dulce broke the quiet.

    "About the game..."

    "Do you want to continue?" Pierre asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked down at her.

    Standing close, Dulce wrapped her hand around his, intertwining their fingers. "I need to sleep. I have plans for the morning." She said, her thumb gently tracing circles on the back of his hand.

    Disappointment flickered across his face, but he still managed a smile. "Oh, yeah? What plans?"

    "I didn't buy any fancy clothes when I was out shopping, so I need to get something for tomorrow evening." She explained, pointing toward the bags on the floor.

    "May I go with you?"

    Dulce hesitated, considering her response. Pierre had been a source of comfort since her arrival in France, but she had already agreed to go out with Arthur.

    "I don't know... I'm going with Arthur tomorrow." She said, letting go of his hand.

    "But that's in the evening." Pierre insisted. Dulce looked down at their feet, noticing their bare toes. It was a simple, intimate detail that made her feel unexpectedly warm and safe.

    "Tomorrow morning." She agreed.

    Pierre's face lit up. He nodded, saying nothing more.

    As she turned to leave, a doubt stopped her. Without facing him, she asked, "What does the party have to do with Arthur?"

    Pierre replied without hesitation, "He's the Bonheur family's only son."

(A/N: It's been a while since the last update but at least this chapter isn't short. Hope you all liked it and, if you did, leave a vote to encourage me to continue.)