Mischief

25*

consequences*

"Are you alright, girl?" A woman accidentally bumped into me, and I nodded with a meek smile. I retreated to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face.

It had been four hours.

Not a single text from Roman. It annoyed me that I had drowned my sorrows in alcohol, trying desperately to move on from him, but my thoughts were still filled with him.

As the night wore on, the empty notifications on my phone seemed to taunt me, reminding me of his silence. I had hoped that perhaps some distance and distraction would help me forget him, but it was proving to be an arduous task. My heart still ached for him, and my thoughts continued to wander back to the moments we had shared.

The more I tried to push him out of my mind, the stronger his presence seemed to become. Memories of his attractive smirks, his touch, and the way he looked at me flooded my thoughts, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

Roman's face remained vivid in my mind. It was as if he had taken up permanent residence in my thoughts, refusing to be forgotten. I knew I had to find a way to move on, to break free from this relentless hold he had on me. But with each passing moment, I realized that my heart wasn't ready to let him go.

"Manelle!" Tina's voice echoed behind me. I turned to face her and held onto her arm.

"I can't get him out of my mind! This damn emperor is consuming my thoughts!" I vented, shouting my frustration at her. She blinked slowly and reached out to hug me. I embraced her tightly, seeking comfort in her presence.

"I'm in the same boat with Jay; I can't forget about him either," she confessed, forcing a smile as she gently caressed my hair. I sighed deeply and rubbed my eyes, smudging the eye makeup I had carefully applied earlier.

"I'm hugging your boobs, they're hot," she whispered with a playful grin, and I pushed her away, rolling my eyes. She always teased me about that.

"Stop it," I laughed, grateful for the brief moment of levity. Tina stood next to me as I tried to fix my wrecked appearance.

"I'm sorry. I told Roman not to pursue you, but he ignored my warning and couldn't resist being drawn to you. That boy is clearly head over heels for you," she revealed, and I couldn't deny that I had noticed his unwavering gaze on me whenever I entered a room with him present. But I was scared; he seemed out of my league.

I was certain the engagement contract between us was fake, a ploy he created to be with me. And without much thought, I accepted his offer and fell into his mischievous trap. The reality that kept me away from him was the stark contrast between our worlds – it felt too fragile to sustain.

How could we possibly belong to each other?

"Ignore what others say, follow your heart, Manelle. It's that voice that will guide you, even if it leads you to take risks to achieve your goals. I might be a hypocrite, but I won't run away anymore. I'm going to confront my feelings for Jay," Tina encouraged, her smile filled with determination. I looked up to her and felt an overwhelming urge to hug her with love and compassion. Tina had her struggles too, caught between morals and love.

I won't run away any longer either.

Suddenly, the bathroom door was violently torn from its hinges. My eyes widened as I saw men dressed in familiar attire barging into the women's bathroom.

"Madame?" one of the men stepped forward and approached us. Tina immediately positioned herself in front of me, assuming a protective stance.

"What the hell do you want?" she growled, ready to defend us.