Almost His

Chapter Four

ASH
I entered the kitchen the next morning and disinfected it but I still couldn't stop think of Steph's butt on the counter. I really wanted to forget what I saw last night but it's not so easy when you're baking and you have to use butter.
I heard a knock on the door and went to open it. Dannie stepped in, I hadn't realized she wasn't around
"Weren't you here last night?"
"No, I wasn't. I guess you didn't even notice" she sat on the sofa.
"I didn't, in the midst of all the drama last night." I sighed
"What drama?"
"Chad and I came here after our date last night, I offered him a drink and when I got to the kitchen Steph and Crayboy were having sex on the counter. Now whenever I enter the kitchen all I think of is her butt on the counter " I said laughing.
"What?" She started laughing. We were laughing when Steph entered.
She looked at us "Let me guess, Ash told you how I got laid last night" she sat across.
I chuckled "Technically you didn't get laid"
"Ash!!" She covered her face with her hands "Can we stop talking about me, please". I could tell she was trying very hard not to laugh.
"Sure, we won't talk about your sexual encounter on the counter" Dannie said. This time Steph laughed.
My phone beeped. It was Sharon.
"Hey" she texted.
"I'm almost done with the first book you sent" . I looked up to see Steph and Dannie were engrossed in a conversation.
"I'm about to leave for school"
"You're always in school, you need to take a break sometimes."
"Says the girl who's had one boyfriend her entire life and has only three friends." I laughed. If only she knew how hectic this weekend was for me.
"You're saying that just because you're finally dating. When are you going to send a pic of him?When we were in high school you were such a snub" I said.
"Our relationship is a secret, I'll send it someday soon. BTW I grew up and so should you. I gotta go. Talk to you later😘".
What guy would want the fact that he's dating a girl as beautiful as Shar to be a secret, something is definitely fishy.
Anyway, I texted "Bye😘"
That's when my phone rang, It was Chad.
"Hey baby". I smiled. I love it when he calls me that but he didn't have to know that.
"I told you to stop calling me that, and why are you calling me?"
He sighed "Miss Ike, if only you knew how much I missed your hostility towards me"
I laughed "You're so cocky. What time is your flight?"
"Oh..so you care about me enough to ask what time my flight is". I could feel his smirk.
I rolled my eyes"I just wanted to know when you'll be out of my life"
"I know you just rolled your eyes and Darling, we are going to be in each other's lives for a very long time". How did he know I rolled my eyes? It's scary how he knows a lot about me when we spent just 2 days together.
"We're about to leave for the airport. I'll call you once we've landed. Laters baby." He said and cut the call.
I sighed, what was I getting myself into by getting closer to him. I was just setting myself up for heartbreak.
Dannie put on the TV and switched to E! The E! News was going on, that's when I saw myself....
"Singer Chad was spotted at Genesis Cinema in Owerri, Imo State with a lady...".
There was a picture of Chad holding my hand. I looked at Dannie and Steph, their mouths had dropped open.
"You're on the news" Dannie said slowly, then her eyes lit up" I'm so happy for you!!" She said excitedly.
She and Steph hugged each other and started screaming happily.
"...sources say that the lady is known as Ashley Ike,Miss Imo State 2020, business woman and stylist to model, Danielle Adebayo. The two were said to have met at his concert on Friday night..."
I turned off the TV I didn't want to hear more.
I picked up my phone to call Chad but he'd probably be on a plane so I decided not to.
I was stress baking when my publicist called,
"What am I hearing?" She said. Oh no! What have I done?
"Bianca it's not what you think. We're just friends and__" I was explaining when she cut me off.
" This is amazing!!" What was I hearing?
"What?!!"
"It's good for your image and for the image of the pageant" she said. I could tell she was excited, the opposite of what I felt.
"I don't want too much attention". I walked to the window I looked at the gate where the security men were dealing with the paparazzi and some angry teenage girls.
"Honey, it's good for your brand. Sales will sky rocket and there'll be more money in your account. So just relax and enjoy the ride". She made sense but I didn't want the attention. I wasn't keen on the invasion of my privacy, hiding from paparazzi and warding off angry teenage girls. I didn't have the strength to argue with her so I shrugged and said, "Okay,if you say so" and hung up.
The day went on pretty fast with Dannie and Steph celebrating my being the headline on most Entertainment channels, me stress baking chocolate cookies to last a lifetime and finishing my novel. I still hadn't gotten a call from Chad, I wonder if he had seen what was going on. I wonder what his publicist said.

I picked up my phone the next day to six missed calls and a text from him.
"I'm sorry about everything that is going on. I tried calling you last night you weren't picking my calls, I guess you were asleep. Don't worry about it my publicist will take care of it."
Thank God! Finally! Something to reassure me. With that in mind I went to the kitchen, Steph and Dannie were on their phones when I entered. Steph handed me a cup of coffee.
"You need to check your Instagram"Dannie said.
I sipped my coffee "Why?". I unlocked my phone and checked. I couldn't believe it! Forty Thousand new followers under 24 hours!!
"I can't believe this!" I said
"You better believe it, baby!" Steph said excitedly
"Some news channels are saying you are his girlfriend" Dannie said.
I was dumbfounded. This is crazy. I went through my DMs and a lot of people were asking me if we were dating. Wow!
I was still in shock when my manager called me and told me that sales were moving fast, "...in no time the new stock will be sold out" she said.
I loved that sales were moving but I didn't want the attention that came with it. I just wanted to live my life like a normal person.
"Chad is having a press conference!" Dannie said rushing to living room,
"Put on the TV!" Steph and I said together.
"...She's a sweet girl and nice to be with but about the status of our relationship? I'll leave you all to keep guessing, laters baby." He winked. This guy is crazy! He knew I'd be watching. I was so going to give him a piece of my mind.
I called him severally and it went to voicemail each time I called. So I sent him a text "You can run but you can't hide. You don't want to take my calls, right? Is that what you meant when you said your publicist will 'handle it'? I'll get you back for this. Just wait and see."
He replied, "I knew you'd be watching. Did I look good? I think I handled it perfectly. I have to go rehearse for my performance tomorrow. Laters baby"
Ugh!! He is so frustrating. I'd get him back when he least expects it.
The rest of the week was anything but normal. I had to hire bodyguards, my course mates wanted autographs from my 'boyfriend', people were trying so hard to impress me, the paparazzi was always around, I was expecting a new stock because the old one had sold out, my parents and siblings were asking for an explanation. I was so stressed out. Dannie and Steph weren't left out either. Journalists were trying to get information about Chad and I out of them, they also had their bodyguards.
Chad called me every night and we'd talk for hours. I liked talking to him. We'd narrate how our day went, he'd make me laugh, we'd talk about books and movies. Each time we spoke he'd try to coax me into coming to Lagos, I'd already planned to go but I didn't want to tell him. I knew more about him now; his favorite sport was basketball, he had two brothers and two sisters, he was the last child of his parents, he slept with the light on, he was deathly allergic to bees and his best friend is Crayboy. We had gotten really close. I just hoped that I wouldn't fall for his charms cause if there's anything novels have taught me it's that rockstars are full time players.