Finding Lika

The Hangover

Come morning, Lika had her head resting heavily on one hand, her elbow kept slipping off several times on the shiny surface of the marble countertop in Henry's luxurious kitchen area. By the time he came back from his early jog, Lika kind of ignored him as she woe upon the bad decisions she had made last night.

"Hey sleepyhead."

A man about twice her size came into view, not quite meeting her eyes yet as he opened his fridge to take out a supplement water bottle. He faced her, giving her a look as he took off his bluetooth earpieces and dawned his drink. Lika stared blankly at his adam's apple as it bobbed while he quenched his thirst. The fair skin on his bare, sculpted arms had a glow that came with perspiration from his morning run.

Lika wasn't blind. She knew what a fine specimen Henry was. Tall, fair and handsome, especially with him wearing that work out tank top on his perfectly sculpted body. Honestly, Henry Kingsley could wear a plastic trash bag and still look good in it. The gossip tabloids weren't wrong to label him as the sexiest men of the year. Lika knew just how many people would pay to be on her seat right now where they can ogle Henry Kingsley's magnificence freely like she did at the time.

But while his fans often put ideas about Henry in their heads and often sexually objectified him, to Lika, Henry was just Henry. Though he was beautiful, she had seen him every day for the last seven years, while in turn he had seen her, even more than he was with his own family. They've been friends and partners even before he got his break and was this famous with an extra US$85M net worth in his pocket.

"Hi, boss," she greeted him back half heartedly, "Do you have a gun, or could you possibly strangle me to death?" dragged the short woman with the now sunken eyes as she looked at him pathetically. Her head weighed like a ton, "Please end my misery."

With that, Lika dropped her head to the table, hoping to die just so this killer hangover would pass. She heard his deep chuckle and the sound of him shuffling as he pulled one of the stools and sat across from her at the kitchen island.

"How did I even end up here at your house?" she questioned with a whine at the pounding on her head.

"What was the last thing that you remember?" asked Henry back, keeping his tone neutral as he concealed the nerve that had wracked his brain ever since he woke up this morning. He needed to know whether he had messed things up or not after what went down between them last night.

"I remember bribing the bouncer to let me in. After that," Lika shook her head, regretting the movement as it worsen the pounding in her head. A whimper escaped her.

There was relief and a surprising pang of disappointment in Henry's chest when he finally got the answer to his internal question. Lika didn't remember what happened between them last night; it was probably for the best.

"Why were you there alone, Lika? You're a lightweight. Could've asked me to accompany you."

"Why? So I can have pictures of me snapped while being silly drunk?" She quipped.

"I came there last night and no one noticed me," shrugged Henry as he scrolled through his Instagram page, confirming that there was no sighting of him at the club last night.

"You picked me up? I thought I got here by myself."

Henry snorted, "You're as drunk as Gimli in The Two Towers. You won't get anywhere by yourself. Hell, you might end up being in some strange man's bed this morning."

"I kinda did," Lika laughed in amusement, remembering herself waking up in Henry's guest room. "Though honestly I wouldn't have gone with just anyone no matter how drunk I get," she added with conviction.