THE STARKS ALLEY

37

KRISTIE'S POV

"No!" I said banging, the last glass from a set of twelve on the floor, "You will have to carry me there!" I took another set of glasses in rage. How could they just agree on such issues behind my back? I'm not a child. I have my own voice and no one can take that away from me, not again.

Charlie quickly held me before I bashed the glasses on the wall. I was like a raging whirlwind.

"You knew about this all this time but you didn't tell me anything!! I trusted you again!!" I violently pushed him to the side, "I am not going with you or anyone else!" I marched towards the door.

"Okay, okay!" My mom said, "You don't have to do any of that. Please, don't leave." My hand was already on the door knob and I remember the last time I walked out on people who disappointed me and it did not end well. I was walking in the cold, dark street crying my eyes out. That was when Monic pulled up and offered me a ride. She was very caring and comforted me.

"Men are trash, we women need to stand together," she said over dinner. Turns out, she was the trashy one. I fell asleep in the car and I woke up in a room that would be my home for months. Monic was cruel. She would give me one meal in a day like she was forced to keep me alive. I know that if it were up to her, she would have killed me already. I did kiss her boyfriend and given her heartbreak. I should have left Izzy to deal with his relationship instead of meddling.

Izzy...

"I need to go see Izzy," I said, "I will be back." Izzy had helped me a lot in hospital and... I still remembered our kiss; probably the one that drove Monic crazy enough to kidnap me.

I got to Izzy's place and took a deep breath before knocking. He opened it after a long time and I hugged him immediately he did. I was so happy to see him and he was more of surprised to see me. I got into his house and he offered to get me a drink when I saw a purse on the sofa. Was someone else here?

IZZY'S POV

"Edit only the photos I chose. I look really good in those," Ella said over the phone. It was the first time I had spoken to her without her agent who was always receiving her calls. Maybe she was finally putting her walls down, "And thanks." She then hang up. Was she just courteous? Unexpected. She was like a small precious stone, so beautiful yet so hard and rigid.

Her photos were perfect; all of them. I couldn't term any of them as a bad photo. I was just about to finish the editing when I heard a knock on the door.

"Ella?" I was almost out of breath just by saying her name, "Come in."

"I know this is so unexpected but I changed my mind on the photos I told you about," she started, putting her purse on the sofa.

"I was actually working on them when you knocked. Please, have a look." She scrolled through her pictures and we actually laughed at some of them but we both agreed that she nailed it big time. They were for the current trendiest magazine, The Puxxé, and I understood why she was worried. The Puxxe could make you popular in seconds in all the right and wrong ways and a picture was all they needed. Ella, being foreign, had only but the worst to expect but she would totally nail it.

"You'll totally nail it," I had to say it, "This series will actually gain more viewers after they see these photos."

"And Hozzby's of course," she added.

"The lead female actress always gets more credit," I said, "And you are perfect for that part." It took a lot for me to compliment her in case she got the wrong idea.

"Can I use your bathroom?" She asked. She definitely got the wrong idea.

"Right this way," I said, leading her there. I stood outside the bathroom knowing she thinks I'm a creep. Even waiting for her at the bathroom door makes me look like a creep.

Ding-dong!

Another unexpected visitor? Great. As if one wasn't already driving me nuts. I hesitantly opened the door only to find... Kristie. She then hugged me tightly without a word.

Things between Kristie and I had gotten weird the moment Mr. Tokyo arrived and I was fighting a losing battle. I decided to focus on my career and invest more time in it and that meant reducing my time with Kristie. This was when I almost lost my job.

"Let me get you something to drink," I said, still confused.

KRISTIE'S POV

I sat on the sofa with the purse and wondered if it would be appropriate to ask Izzy about it. Of course it would not. It wasn't in my place and I should mind my own business. Which is why I quickly went through the purse but I couldn't find any ID! Who walks without an ID?

I quickly closed the purse when I heard footsteps coming into the room. I turned to smile at Izzy but instead, I met another woman in a towel. She's the one?

"Where is Izzy?" She asked.

"He's...uh..." I was too surprised to talk.

"I'm here," he said returning with my drink, clearly surprised to see her in his towel.

"Are you stealing from me?!" She shouted, coming at me.

"No! I don't even know you!" I said.

"Obviously. If you did, you wouldn't be stealing!" She yelled.

"Ladies!" Izzy silenced us.

"I just wanted to borrow your towel," she said smiling. What was the point if she was already in it?

"I need to leave," I said shortly. I was obviously intruding them and I was so offended. So that's why Izzy was so surprised to see me. Izzy followed me to the door quickly.

"I don't know why she's in my towel," he was quick to say.

"It's okay. I should've called before coming." I had to walk away before things got even more awkward because I could hear the other girl coming.