𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 | 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐒

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

Clara sat on the floor of her room, scrolling through TikTok videos, the screen lighting up her face. She stayed there for a while, not wanting to go downstairs and face Carlos, even though her stomach was starting to rumble. Eventually, boredom hit her, and she decided to lie down on the uncomfortable carpet, avoiding her bed.

When she woke up from her nap, the sunlight streaming through the window reminded her that it was time to get ready. She glanced at the clock, realizing how long it would take her. Clara quickly got to her feet, moved over to her closet, and started pulling out clothes, determined to find something that felt just right.

Clara pulled out a black tight formal mini dress, a faux leather jacket, and cheetah print slingback ballet flats, laying them on her bed. She smiled a little, picturing how it would all come together. Then, she grabbed her Yves Saint Laurent shoulder bag, feeling the smooth texture, and added some gold jewelry, letting them catch the light as she arranged them.

Feeling restless, Clara headed to the bathroom, the cool tiles sending a shiver up her spine. She turned on the shower, enjoying the sound of the water. She showered for a long time because of how icky she was feeling. As she washed her hair with her L'Oréal shampoo and conditioner, she let her mind wander to the night ahead. After rinsing off, she brushed her teeth, for like the third time that day.

Once out of the shower, Clara wrapped herself in a fluffy towel. She dried her hair with her hairdryer, the warm air swirling around her as she applied gel in her curls to slick them back and put it into a bun. After moisturizing her skin, she slipped into her outfit. Finally, she spritzed on her two favorite perfumes, Miss Dior and Chanel No. 5. She called Coco, placing her phone on speaker as she packed her purse, glancing in the mirror and adjusting her outfit while waiting for Coco to pick up.

"Hey girl," Coco greeted as she answered the phone, multitasking with her own finishing touches on her outfit, applying a final swipe of lipstick.

"Hey, girl. I'm done getting ready. Should I come pick you up?" Clara asked, slipping on her vintage Gucci sunglasses while checking her reflection in the mirror, tilting her head to find the perfect angle.

Coco laughed, then choked a little before answering, "Uh, don't worry about it, Jimmy's gonna pick me up."

Clara's jaw almost dropped to the floor. "What do you mean he's gonna pick you up?" she exclaimed, her heart racing as she leaned closer to the mirror, adjusting her hair.

"The two of us are gonna meet you and Lando there," Coco said casually, brushing a stray hair behind her ear.

Clara was shocked to hear that Coco and Jimmy were going places together. "Is there something going on between the two of you?" she pressed, as she paced around her room.

"Maybe," Coco replied, quickly dropping the phone to dodge extra questions, her laughter echoing as she tried to avoid having to explain.

Clara just laughed at this, grabbing her phone off the bed and shoving it into her purse. Clara took a deep breath, realizing she had to go downstairs and probably face Carlos after their argument. She tried very hard to avoid conflict whenever it was there, but the thought of running into him made her stomach churn.

She just hoped he wouldn't argue with her on her way out and ruin her evening. Clara guessed that Carlos would probably be upset about her going out with Lando after fighting about him, but she didn't care; she wanted to have fun without compromising.

With a determined nod to herself, she grabbed her purse and headed for the stairs, mentally preparing for whatever Carlos might say.

Clara walked downstairs into the foyer, scanning the lounge for any sign of Carlos. Thankfully, he was nowhere to be seen, so she hoped he was either in his room playing video games on his laptop or napping.

As she rummaged through her purse for her car keys, panic set in when she realized they were missing. She quickly dashed back upstairs, searching every nook and cranny, but they were nowhere to be found.

Frustrated, she returned to the lounge, checking between the couches and under cushions, but still no luck. The only places left to search were Carlos's room, the kitchen, and the guest rooms she had never dared to step into during her whole stay in London. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the possibility of having to confront Carlos after all.

Clara started walking into the kitchen to look there first. She checked the counter, rummaging through  a few cupboards, but couldn't find her keys. A rush of frustration hit her, and she felt like screaming, knowing she had to go up to Carlos's room and look there. She even contemplated not going out tonight, her excitement slowly fading.

With a heavy sigh, she turned and marched upstairs, her footsteps echoing in the quiet hallway. As she approached Carlos's door, she hesitated, her hand hovering over the door handle. Taking a deep breath, she knocked softly, her heart racing. "Come in," Carlos shouted from inside, his voice casual and unbothered. Clara slowly opened the door, bracing herself for the encounter as she stepped into the room, scanning for any sign of her missing keys.

Clara gulped at the sight of Carlos's bare and wet chest, the white towel wrapped around his waist adding to the moment's awkwardness. Carlos stood there, confused by her staring. "What do you need, Clara?" he asked, still a bit annoyed from earlier. This was their first serious argument, making the situation feel strange for both of them. Clara snapped out of her admiration, shaking her head slightly as if to clear her thoughts. "I was just looking for my keys," she said under her breath, feeling a bit embarrassed and guilty about their earlier conflict.

Carlos walked to his bedside table, picked up her car keys, and handed them to her as he approached, his footsteps soft on the floor. "There you go," he said before turning to get dressed, the sound of fabric rustling filling the silence. Clara's eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape, but she took a deep breath and stepped closer. "Hey, Carlos," she said, and he looked up at her, pausing mid-motion. "I'm sorry about earlier; you were right. I shouldn't be doing things that compromise our public image like that," she added with a nervous laugh, fidgeting with the hem of her dress as she waited for his response.

Carlos gave her a small smile, his expression softening. "I'm also sorry, Clara, for talking to you like that. You were only trying to have some fun." He ran a hand through his damp hair, causing a few droplets to splash onto the floor. Clara stepped over to him and wrapped her arms around him in a hug, taking a moment to realize he was still a bit wet from the shower. "Oh no, my dress! I can't go out like this," she exclaimed, stepping back to inspect the few drops that had gotten on it, her eyes wide with panic.

"There's no need to be dramatic; you're barely wet," Carlos laughed, and Clara joined in, relief washing over her. "You're going out tonight?" he asked, tilting his head slightly. "Yeah, with Coco," she replied, smoothing down her dress. "Have fun," he said, his smile genuine. "Thanks, Carlitos," she said, giving him a playful nudge before walking out, her heart lighter now that things felt cool with Carlos again.

Clara felt a knot in her stomach as she realized she hadn't told Carlos the full truth about who she was going out with. She assumed it would just lead to another argument, and she wasn't ready for that. Meanwhile, Carlos was a bit upset about her leaving because he had planned to cook dinner for her as an apology for earlier. It was a tough situation, and Clara tried shake off the guilt as she walked away.