In Between April

CHAPTER 4

"I called you so you could tell me how the date went? My mum called me ranting about how I missed an opportunity of being a wife. Bla bla bla.." Lily said and my heart skipped a beat.

I had taken a cab to her house where I always stayed with her, most nights. At this point, I was scared of Lily's reaction. She was one hell of a girl who doesn't control her feelings and the fact that I accepted Ryan's proposal without letting her know first, after all he was her date.

"Anything special happen? April? You're not saying anything."

"Oh, I was just thinking."

"About what? Did something exciting happen?"

"Yes. Kinda of." I scratched my hair not knowing where to start from. "Well, he knew I wasn't you."

"Of course. You aren't as beautiful as I am but you guys had a great time right?"

"Kinda of.. "

"You see.. that's why you should go out more.." Lily said as she combed her wet hair.

"He asked me to marry him." April paused and squinted her eyes, hoping it didn’t come out wrong.

"Marry him? Why? What did you say?"

"He promised to pay me. He promised to pay me handsomely if I pretended I loved him and got married to him."

"But why would he do that?" Lily asked, for the first time interested in discussions about marriage.

"Well .." April was skeptical. She didn't want to tell Lily the reason. She knew Lily talked carelessly and could land her into trouble since Ryan warned her not to say a word to any other person.

"Tell me."

"Well, he's hoping to get the company from his grandfather who gave him a condition to get married first before it'll be handed to him."

"Hmm.. interesting. So did you say yes?"

Lily stood up and continued drying her hair again, pretending like she didn't care.

"I needed the money. I did agree to marry him but don't worry, as soon as he gets the company, we'll annul the marriage, immediately." I responded, trying to calm her down.

"It's fine."

"Lily, are you upset with me?"

"Upset? No. I can't be. I'm truly happy for you."

"Don't be happy for me, yet. That man is truly crazy." Just then, April received a text message from Ryan. "The email?"

"Imagine, he even asked me to send him an email about everything he should know about me. I should check mine, I think he already sent his. This is so funny." April chuckled.

There was no reply from Lily and that was April's cue to leave. "I'll be on my way. Do take care of yourself."

"You too." Lily answered with a forced smile.

April, not minding that her hair was wet, gave her a hug from the back. She took one of her hoodies because the weather was cold.

Lily, immediately April had gone, dropped her smile and while staring at herself at the mirror, crossed her hands. She was the only child in her family and they treated her like a princess, she never lacked u like April who was always finding a way to work herself through life but the truth was that she was jealous of April.

They didn't have much but she always found a way to make things happen. Now, she's getting married to a man that I was supposed to date.

Lily received a phone call. It was clearly written on the screen "Mom."

"Hello, Mum."

"Why are you so stupid? I prepared a date for you and you didn't go?"

"Mum, how did you know?"

"Are you seriously asking me that? I made sure to warn you to go on this date and you disobeyed me?"

"I'm sorry mum..I was just.."

"You never accept your mistake, you rather blame someone else. God!"

Lily has never heard her mum angry like this on phone. "I'm sorry, Mum."

"What is this I hear about him getting married to another woman?"

"It's my friend, April. She went to that date instead of me and he asked her to marry him."

"How can you let your friend take this opportunity from you? How can you?"

"Mum, this isn't real. It's not. They're just faking it."

"Whether they fake it or not, do you know the amount of money that lady will make if they get to annul that marriage or the amount of money she'll get during the marriage. You've always been dumb."

"Mum, I'm sorry.

"I give you just a week to find out how that marriage should be stopped. Ryan Wilson is your husband." She hanged up.

"Ryan Wilson, he is the richest bachelor in town. How didn't April mention him." Or she was hiding him from me?

Lily thought that April was becoming too much. She was always trying to know everything about lily but never sat anything about her miserable family. Lily was fed up and wanted Ryan. She wanted him and nobody else.

****

I yawned as I opened my eyes finally. This was the third time I woke up this morning, I had woken up two times and went back to sleep again. I remembered last night and I sighed.

I went to the kitchen to get some breakfast done o was so hungry because I didn't eat last night because I was so tired.

"Bella?" I called out to my sister who was supposed to be home by now but I received no answer. I had called her the night before to know if she would like to visit Dad but she said she was working and I let her be.

A knock got me distracted.

"Mr. Ryan?" I stood at the door wondering how he found my place. He entered without waiting for me to usher him in.

"I'm very busy. This is the contract papers, sign them." He ordered as he dropped them on her dining table.

Ryan was speechless, not because he looked more handsome than yesterday but because of his unspeakable manner.

"How can you walk into my house and order me around?" She closed the door.

"Your house?" Hmm. Is it?"

"What do you mean, is it?" April faced him, her hands crossed.

"Well, this house will soon be taken by the bank and destroyed from the information I get."

"How.. how did you now that?" April was uncomfortable where she stood.

"Well, I am Ryan Wilson so .. and I'm getting married to you so I need to make sure you're not a thief."

"What?"

"I will pay the bank the debt you owe If you sign those contract papers now." Ryan said, as he stood handsomely pointing at those papers.

I'm taken away.

"I will sign the papers."