The next day...
I made my way to Estelle’s house, my heart racing with anticipation. As soon as she opened the door and greeted me with a warm hug, I felt a wave of comfort wash over me.
“I’m going to be studying, so you might get bored,” she said with a playful smile.
“Of course not!” I replied, grinning. “I’d much rather be here with you than anywhere else.”
We entered her bedroom, and I settled into a cozy spot while she pulled out her books and notes.
As she focused on her studies, I couldn’t help but watch her. The way her brow furrowed in concentration, the way she bit her lip when she was deep in thought—it was all so captivating.
She was beautiful, truly the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I admired the way the light caught her hair and how her eyes sparkled when she glanced up at me. I wanted to memorize every moment, every detail.
“Are you really okay just watching me study?” she asked, glancing over with a teasing smile.
I chuckled softly. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find this incredibly interesting. Plus, I get to be with you.”
“Sweet talker,” she said, shaking her head but clearly pleased.
As she returned to her notes, I couldn’t help but feel peace wash over me. Despite everything happening in my life, being here with Estelle made it all feel a little more manageable.
I cherished this time together, knowing that no matter how chaotic the world outside was, I could find peace in her presence.
“Just let me know if you need a study break,” I said, leaning back against the wall, feeling content just being near her.
As the hours ticked by, I began to feel the boredom creeping in.
Watching Estelle study was enjoyable, but I couldn’t help but want her full attention. I decided to try a little flirting to break the monotony.
I leaned back, casually pulling my shirt off. “How about now? Am I more interesting?” I teased, flashing her a grin.
She looked up, her expression a mix of amusement and disgust. “Ew! Have you even taken a shower?”
I chuckled, trying to play it cool. “Nope, no water in our place. But it doesn’t matter; you love me anyway!”
She rolled her eyes, unable to suppress a smile. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
I begged for her attention, leaning closer and making exaggerated puppy-dog eyes. “C’mon, Estelle! Just a little bit of love for your poor, neglected boyfriend?”
“Neglected? You’re the one distracting me!” she shot back, trying to focus on her notes but clearly fighting back a laugh.
“Okay, okay,” I said, raising my hands in mock surrender. “But just know that I’m here, ready to be your study distraction whenever you need one.”
Finally, she couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. “Fine! You win. Just give me a few more minutes, and then I promise I’ll take a break.”
“Deal,” I said, settling back in my spot, feeling a surge of happiness.
More than a few minutes passed, and Estelle was still buried in her studies. I could feel my patience going thin, so I decided to ramp up the charm.
“See? I’m getting bored over here! Just look at me, all alone and neglected!” I exaggerated, leaning back dramatically. “You said I could come here when I’m free, not when you’re free!”
She rolled her eyes, clearly torn between her studies and my antics. “Fine! You win, okay?”
A smile broke across my face as she finally set her books aside. “Yes! Victory is mine!”
As Estelle and I cuddled, the atmosphere turned warm and intimate. I felt a sense of comfort that made the outside world disappear.
Just as I leaned in closer, savoring the moment, the door creaked open, and one of her maids stepped inside, broom in hand.
In a split second, I dropped to the ground, trying to hide. Estelle rolled over on the bed, her eyes wide with surprise, but then she chuckled softly as the maid began sweeping.
“Don’t worry, I’ll sweep instead!” Estelle called out, trying to play it cool.
The maid glanced over, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t sweep properly"
“Don’t worry! I can manage,” Estelle insisted, her tone light as she waved her hand dismissively.
The maid shook her head but didn’t argue. She continued sweeping for a moment longer before walking out, leaving us behind.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Estelle jumped up and rushed to close it tightly, a mischievous grin on her face.
I couldn’t help but laugh as I got back up, brushing myself off. “That was close! I thought we were caught for sure.”
Estelle joined in my laughter, her eyes sparkling. “I can’t believe you dropped like that! You looked like you were trying to hide from a monster.”
I shrugged, still smiling. “Hey, I had to protect my reputation! Can’t let the maid see me being all… cozy.”
“Cozy?” she teased, stepping closer. “I think we were a bit more than cozy.”
As she closed the distance between us, I felt my heart race again. “Well, now that we have the room to ourselves again…” I said, my voice dropping to a softer tone.
“Yes, now we can get back to what we were doing,” she replied, her smile turning playful once more.
With the door securely shut and the maid gone, we returned to our intimate bubble, feeling safe and free to be ourselves. This was the kind of moment I wanted to hold onto forever.
Just as I was settling back into our cozy moment, my phone buzzed loudly in my pocket, breaking the spell.
I pulled it out and saw Harris’s name flashing on the screen. My stomach dropped; I could tell by the tone of his voice that something was wrong.
“Gabriel, we need to talk. It’s urgent,” he said, his voice tense.
“What’s going on?” I asked, my heart racing.
“We need to connect with the agency. They’ve scammed us. They ran off with our money, and it looks like they’re trying to disappear,” Harris explained, frustration evident in his tone.
I felt a wave of stress wash over me. “What? How could they do this? We’ve worked so hard!”
“I know, man. It gets worse. I’ve already contacted the authorities about it, and we’re going to file a lawsuit against the company,” he continued.
“Is there anything we can do in the meantime?” I asked, anxiety creeping in.
“Just stay calm and keep your head on straight. We’ll figure this out, but we need to act fast,” he said. “I’ll keep you updated.”
As I hung up, the weight of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. I looked at Estelle, who had been watching me with concern. “What’s wrong?” she asked, sensing my distress.
“Our agency… they scammed us. They took our money and are trying to disappear. Harris is contacting the authorities and filing a lawsuit,” I said, my voice shaky.
Estelle’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh no, Gabriel. I’m so sorry. That’s so unfair!”
“I’m just so stressed,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair. “We’ve worked so hard, and now it feels like everything is falling apart. I should have listened to you, you were right"
She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around me. “You’re not alone in this. We’ll get through it together. Just focus on what you can control right now.”
As I held her close, I tried to push the stress aside, knowing that I had to stay strong not just for myself but for my band and everything we had built.
