38. A jealous Chloe
1290 Words
"What are you doing here?" came Nathaniel's voice as he forced the hug apart seconds later.
“What in earth's piss are you yapping, Nate? I'm here to see my favourite men. Well…” The guest's bold face flashed seductively. “MY favourite man.”
Nathaniel stopped her before she could dance closer for another hug.
"You should have called,” he said.
“I said the same thing,” Gabriel muttered while shifting to stand beside Chloe, who was still observing to see how the scene before her would play out.
The woman called Kate made a whining sound, her lips pouted as she playfully hit Nathaniel's arm. “Don't be weird, Nate. We haven't seen each other in a long time. Besides,” her eyes became wider with a need for the man to react the way she desired, “you never pick up when I call. Please, Nate.”
After a deep sigh, Nathaniel shifted his eyes to Chloe. “Kate, let's -”
“Who is she?” The woman cut him short when she saw how his eyes softened towards Chloe.
“She is Chloe,” Nathaniel answered sharply.
Though brief, Kate attempted to threaten Chloe with a sharp gaze.
“And she is?” she softly demanded after turning her head to Nathaniel.
"I believe that is none of your business, Kate. Now let's-"
"I want to know who she is."
"She is our friend, okay?" Gabriel said with obvious anger.
“Your friend? Really?” Kate was about to walk closer when Nathaniel pulled her arm and dragged her with him.
“Come with me,” he said. “We have to talk.”
“Finally!” Her voice rang through the space. “I've missed talking to you.”
Once those two were gone, Chloe scoffed.
“Bad timing, yeah?” Gabriel pointed out and he got a slight glare from Chloe.
“Those two used to date, didn't they?” She asked.
“Chloe, don't do that,” he rebuked. “Don't back out when-”
“Answer my question.”
“They don't have a history, Chloe.”
It didn't seem like he was lying.
“And how do you know?” She continued her probe.
Gabriel, with a gentle smile, answered, “Kate is my sister.”
“Seriously?”
“I am not cooking things up, Chloe. Kate is my sister and Nathaniel never liked her romantically. He never will because he likes you.” He poked her arm a little. “Remember?”
Chloe looked away, her face frowning.
Before that loud woman barged in, she was trying to decipher Nathaniel's reaction to her being a virgin.
“I should have said nothing,” she thought aloud.
“Wasn't it going well? Things seemed tense between you two.”
Chloe still found it weird that he was so interested in her love life after getting rejected.
“No. Things were going fine.” A smile formed in her eyes as she recalled the tingles and desires she felt because of his touch. “Being with him feels so good.”
“You know,” she finally looked at him, “I still find it hard to believe you've been single all your life.”
“Believe it or not.” She shrugged. “It's true.”
“How come?”
“I just never had the time to indulge in relationships and whatnot. I was busy making a life for myself and searching for-” She swiftly halted before she could reveal secrets of her life. “The time was just never there.”
“That happens.”
Her eyes trailed Gabriel as he approached a shelf and pulled out a book.
As he examined the hard cover, he continued, “It is crazy how easily time can slip past us. It slips faster when we continuously hesitate to do things that could make us happy. Or maybe just elevate our life and bit. So,” his eyes found hers, “it's a good thing that you let Nathaniel know how you feel. That way, your time can be more meaningful.”
His words became a melody to her mind.
Even as she answered with, “I guess,” she was still thinking about them.
"But!" He startled Chloe out of her thoughts. “If Nathaniel doesn't do the needful…”
With a sensual touch to his steps, he moved closer.
Chloe taking one step backward didn't help as he easily and nearly closed the gap between them.
"...I am going to make sure you become mine."
“What?” Her back hit the wall, she could not escape.
“You heard me, Chloe.” He caged her between his arms as he plastered his hands against the wall. And his intense voice continued, “You must never forget that.”
“Okay?” Quite nervously, her hand swept through her hair.
“f**k!” He startled her again. “Why are you so pretty?” It seemed like his knees were about to buckle. “You keep making my freaking heart flutter.”
"I-"
Shaking his head with a comical look on his face, he took a step back and said, "I am out of here. The sweetness here is too much. Too much."
Chloe had no idea what was happening.
Was he being cheesy? Or serious? Or playful?
"Gabriel?" she called.
"Bye," he said, not looking back as he walked out of the library.
Moments later, Chloe did too.
The day had been dramatic enough, and a good sleep was needed to work its magic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was the next day already and Nathaniel and Kate were yet to leave each other's company.
That angered Chloe a bit.
She had not gotten a single chance to say hi to him or even continue their conversation from the previous night.
And she needed to speak about it!
If not, she would be at risk of feeling like a fool.
Nathaniel and Kate, who came down to the dining room an hour ago, were chatting, and Kate's reckless laughter kept taunting Chloe.
And she worried that something might have happened between the two after they left the library.
That thought roused even more anger within her.
“Cleaning the air isn't your job, Chloe,” Amir's voice dragged her out of her thoughts.
Awkwardly, she lowered her duster which was wiping the space above the artwork she was meant to be cleaning.
“Hmm.” Amir craned his neck to check what she was glaring at. “Oh. Kate's around.” He shook his head, his tongue making a clicking sound. “I wonder why she's here. Nothing good comes out of her visits.”
"She is hot though," Lucille's voice added from behind.
With an interesting shot of excitement, Chloe jumped onto the woman, her hug very welcoming.
“Hey you,” Lucille greeted warmly.
"I am glad you're okay.” Chloe pulled back to look at her. Lucille looked healthier; her worrisome loss of weight had been rectified to some degree.
"What can I say? This is the new me." Lucille also sounded less sad. "So, who is the woman?"
"Gabriel's sister. And she has been stuck to Nathaniel since she came."
"Someone sounds jealous," Lucille cooed as her arm slung over Chloe's shoulders.
"I am not."
"She is hot, though." Lucille couldn't tear her gaze off the chatting duo in the dining room.
"Are you trying to worsen the situation?" Chloe demanded.
"Chloe," Amir interrupted Lucille's reply. "I just got a call from Sebastian."
"Yeah?" Chloe had actually forgotten about their fun interrogation for a moment.
"He found out who Tate is working for."
- Writer
