At the gym, I did my routine and also decided to swim a bit. As I was leaving, I received a message from Serafina:
“I’m heading to your place”
My response:
“I’ll be there in 15 because I’m just leaving the gym”
Her response:
“I’ll be there in about 20”
I figured my friend was coming to check how I was doing because she was worried since I’d told her I wasn’t feeling well the night before. What a friend I’d become, lying and worrying people who mattered to me—and all because of that egotistical, overbearing, arrogant, controlling, and haughty man! Damn you, Darwich!
My friend arrived almost right after I did, and as soon as she entered, she began her assessment.
“Are you okay? Because you look terrible. Those dark circles aren’t from the gym,” she said with her inquisitive gaze.
“I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep much last night.”
“Why? As far as I know, you left early.”
I looked at her, defeated. I knew that sooner or later I would tell her everything that had happened with Hermes, so if I wanted to get rid of that look that made me feel like a suspect in some crime, it would be better to start as soon as possible.
“Well, actua—”
“Wait! First I have to show you something,” she exclaimed, and began searching for something in her purse. A few seconds later, she pulled out a magazine and showed me the cover.
“Is this Baco’s brother? The one you like?”
I looked at the magazine cover and nearly landed on my backside on the floor. The image was a photo of Hermes in an office. He was standing, leaning against the edge of a desk, wearing a dark suit, and as always, his expression was serious. Didn’t that man ever smile, not even for photos? Nevertheless, he looked spectacular. Obviously, if his image occupied the entire cover, he must be the main feature. My friend was looking at me, waiting for confirmation, but I had gone mute and only had eyes to observe every detail of that perfection made man.
“Well?” she asked, waving the magazine.
I snatched it from her and looked at it closely, not to make sure, but to examine him carefully.
“It’s him,” I replied.
“My God! What a man! He’s truly gorgeous and imposing.”
“He is. Why is he in the magazine?”
“Because they’re featuring successful businessmen and he tops the list. In the interview, he says little about his personal life, only that he’s not in a relationship and that topic isn’t his priority. They call him the most eligible bachelor.”
“Imagine that,” I said, stretching out my arm to return the magazine. “Take it with you, I’m not going to read it.”
“Something happened with him,” she stated with certainty. My friend knew me better than I thought.
“Sit down already, I have quite a bit to tell you.”
She looked at me with eyes as wide as saucers but obeyed immediately and sat quietly waiting for me to begin my story. I told her what had happened at the pub and his subsequent appearance at my apartment. I held nothing back, telling her everything from the kisses to his proposal and my rejection. Serafina took a while to process everything I told her because she was looking at me with narrowed eyes but saying nothing.She must have been very surprised because she rarely found herself speechless.
“What do you think?” I asked, seeing that she was just staring at me without blinking.
“Did you really make out with that hunk?”
“That’s what I just told you,” I said, rolling my eyes.
“And you rejected him,” she stated.
