BLUNT

Chapter 5

LILIAN'S POV

         Jane doesn't reply me after that last message so I let her be. Truthfully, I don't know what it feels like to be in her shoes but I could guess and honestly, I'd take looking for a husband as a problem to having to deal with my family. Jane's life might not be the best life on the planet but then again no one's life is perfect. She's just lucky that her only problem in life is picking a guy to marry. But of course she doesn't know that she's lucky. She doesn't know that there are other, very more serious issues in other people's lives. I love Jane. I just really hope this thing doesn't get to her too much. I don't want her to get affected.
        I pick up my phone to text Riele. Her last seen is earlier today, around the same time Teddy told me she wasn't coming. I call her because I realize texting wouldn't have as much effect. Just as the phone begins to ring, I end the call rather abruptly. I should ask Teddy if she wants us to know about this. I mean clearly she would've told me or Jane at least but Jane didn't bring it up that means she didn't know. Something in me compels me to ignore Teddy's previous messages and go straight to the point. I don't know why but I ignore them without even as much as a glance.
      "Umm Teddy, I'm allowed to ask Riele about her decision on the dinner right?"
       "Yeah of course Lil. I'm surprised you're asking actually. She said she was going to tell you. Did Jane mention it? Maybe she told her?"
        "Yeah cause she'll tell Jane and not me" I reply sarcastically.
         Teddy sends a shrugging emoji as his next reply so I just end the conversation there and proceed to call Riele. Her phone rings and rings until I'm sent to voicemail. It happens for 2 more times before she picks up the call.
           "Lily? Hey" Riele says into the phone like she's confused.
           "Hey Riele. How come you didn't answer your phone earlier?"
           "Sorry Lil, I was sleeping. I've had a horrible day with my family." She sighs.
            "Don't worry it's okay. I'm sure I can relate to what happened. Want to talk about it?"
             "No leave it be Lil. I'll tell you when it blows over. If it does." She adds the last part under her breath so that I can't hear her but I do.
              "Alright then. Are you really not coming to the dinner party anymore!? You're the brain behind it! That's not fair!" I try to sound adorable but I doubt she's buying it.
               "Lilian you know why I don't want to go. I'm sure Teddy already told you. I'm also sure you know that I would love to come if I could but I can't." She says rather seriously.
           In defeat, I simply say; "it's alright Riele. Yes Teddy told me. I totally understand why you can't come. We'll just have to cope without you."
            "Hey don't worry, you guys got game. I'm sure Jane will find somebody worth it."
             "I hope so." I tell myself more than I tell Riele.
              "Don't worry Lil, I guarantee. That aside, what's going on? How's work and stuff?".
              I tell her about work and what happened at Dave's. I carefully and purposefully skip the part where Teddy confesses his love for her. Riele apparently likes the attendant at the store. My disturbance I mean. No she does not like him in the way that I do. She just believes she'll like his personality since what he did there showed it plenty. I don't know when but Riele and I say our good nights and end the call. When I check the time, it's 3:00am!! I have work tomorrow shit! Well technically today but grammar is not important right now. I lay down quietly and pray then wait for sleep to come but it doesn't so I lay in wait.
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NEO'S POV

            "I can't seem to get that lady out of my head. Not in a good way though. I mean I helped her and she didn't even thank me. Talking to me about manners like she's my mom. I really don't see what I said as wrong. I was just starting a conversation. One thing I shouldn't have done. Noted. Normally I would've said something back to her but something about her kept me in shock. I mean she was so small and yet she wasn't intimidated by my height. Oh and I would've been suspended or worse for shouting at a customer had she reported. "
           "Ha. Like you'd care what the manager would say. Don't act all self righteous Neo."
            I instinctively roll my eyes. Charles. He's my cousin by blood but we're more like brothers. I've never trusted anyone except him. He has a little sister and an older one. Me, I have no siblings and I've never really cared for any. Charles and I live together now while we work.
          "Shut up Charles. I'm not self righteous." I throw a boot at his head and he expertly dodges it.
          "Now now Neo, that's dangerous. You're not allowed to throw things at me. We're brothers!" He jokes.
           "It's late Charles Good night." I deadpan.
           "I was going to tell you." He continues like I didn't just say good night. "There's this dinner party tonight at the tower. Shelia invited us. Actually she invited you and suggest that I be your plus one. I guess her crush for you hasn't blown over after what you did."
             "I have no interest in dinner parties and you know that. That's for extra rich people. Blue bloods precisely. Besides, everything about Shelia irritates me. I don't plan to be anywhere near her."
             "That has to be your business because I'm going and I can not get in without you so you're coming too."
        "Why do you want to be there anyway?" I ask the already determined Charles. I bet he thought about this before telling me. There's a motive behind this.
        "Aiyanna. She's going to be there." He says almost uncomfortably.
        "And you're not going to be uncomfortable?" I ask
        His emotions change rather quickly and he's back to his usual cheer. "You've forgotten who I am Neo." He says with a glint in his eyes.
         "I'll go with you Charles. Do you know anyone else that'll be there?" I intensionally ignore him. "Not really, not so much people. Actually I know just Theodore, Aiyanna and Shelia. That's all."
          "Alright cool."
      Theodore is Charles's friend from work. I met him through Charles and we've been cool since then. Aiyanna is Charles's ex girlfriend. I'm not sure they're really 'exes' they've been going back and forth. I check the time. It is exactly 3:00am. I'm free from work tomorrow so that's good. My mind wanders again to the customer. She's not leaving it anytime soon. I wonder if she'll be there.