Undercover

Best Friends

The past few weeks of the two were quite monotonous. Every evening, Bina texted Nate the same message: "Tomorrow at 15:00. Don't forget your tasks." With a slight change in hour and list of tasks coming afterwards. Nate's reply would never be late to arrive, "OK". This was the only type of communication between the pair.

From time to time, Bina would struggle to make appointments with Nate as he was becoming busier with basketball as they dove deeper into the semester. Nate was playing basketball in the academic team of the university, as even though it wasn't any national team or closer, it was a hobby he preferred to hold to.

The best part of the week for either of them was the weekend - a paradise of free time, for the moment.

Bina usually salvages her four full days of the week for studying, Monday to Thursday, and leaves Fridays and Saturdays free. As for Sundays, she uses them to prepare for the upcoming week by studying a bit or simply planning the week better.

Friday morning, Bina is already on her routine: Morning workout, reading, drawing and finally listening to music. Our girl is not a type of a specific genre, but she appreciates anything done with a sense of good taste and dignity. She prefers texts and lyrics with sophisticated language (or at least not loose), and prefers arts of perfection, where every stroke or node justify their presence.

Even though Bina is not a very social type, she does handle a few, counted on one hand, friendly relationships. Out of these, probably the most dominant would be with Daniel, with whom she would be meeting this evening.

As the meeting hour arrives, precisely seven in the evening, Bina is already dressed and made up, ready to head towards their usual pub, Isis. The owners already knew the pair always sitting in a small table at the corner near the window, always drinking two pints of Guinness with peanuts and pretzel bites, accompanied by a big bowl of homemade fries covered with Bulgarian cheese.

Daniel met Bina at the entrance, and they both entered the pub after giving each other a friendly hug. The crew greeted the two and immediately served them their regular order while asking for their well being.

Daniel was Bina's classmate in high school, sitting next to her in ice and fire for the whole three years till their graduation. He was a smart guy but also a playful boy, and their friendship often seemed very strange from the side. Bina often got annoyed by Daniel's behavior at the beginning, but learned to know him better through the years and get along with him until they became inseparable.

"You've been over busy with your studies later, haven't you?" Daniel asked.

"I'm always over busy with them. I really should get myself some rest." Bina sighed.

"Or men," Daniel smirked, and uttered a light giggle. "You really had none for a while."

"Danny!" Bina was annoyed by the comment. It is the perfect time to clarify that most of Danny's annoying comments were s****l in a very childish way. For some reason, though, Bina indeed was frustrated from her romantic life, so these comments had an extra point in annoyance.

"And you probably had too many of them lately," Bina struck back.

"You know that doesn't happen that much anymore!" Danny was a playboy, changing partners like socks, so frequently that once he even urgently called Bina for help in fear that one of his one-night-stands got pregnant. Well, this case ended up well for him, but indeed was a punch that made him act with more responsibility.

In fact, this case might have hit him so hard that he actually preferred to spend his one-nights with male partners only, leaving the females out of his bisexual zone.

They both shook their heads with a smile, cheered and sipped from the beers. There had been silence for a few moments between the two, but unlike other companies, for them it was conventional and they both seized it to enjoy their drinks. But although they were used it, this time it was way longer than usual.

"I feel that you have something to tell me." Danny asked, holding her beer, ready.

Bina looked at him, raised her eyebrows and inhaled deeply. Given the hint, probably the getting it wrong, Danny swallowed the drink at once. "I'm all ear," He said.

Looking confused and frustrated at the same time, Bina mentioned, "It's nothing special actually." Danny was still intrigued. "More like a usual rant about my life," she said.

"Go on then," Danny confirmed, ordered another beer and started eating from the untouched bowl of fries.

"I have been busier than usual these weeks, but not entirely for the right reasons." Bina started telling Danny, who began his listening-session-munch. "I've actually gotten acquainted with a guy from my faculty-" not finishing her sentence, Danny cut her with a surprised "Ooh!" and widely opened eyes.

"Danny, we're just studying together." Bina wore a serious expression on her face, asking Danny to stop his teasing. "And that's the thing - I'm being used again." She said in a disappointed tone.

"What do mean?"

"Like always, Dan. He looked for me just to convince me to join me in my project, at first trying to get closer to me by being my studying partner."

"And you agreed?"

"No, I didn't. Not yet, anyway... But I was really willing to help him when he asked me to invite him to my sessions, but that wasn't even his intention from the beginning."

"Well, if it doesn't fit you, just ask him to stop."

Bina looked at him with annoyance. "You know, if it was that simple, I would have already done that."

"This 'I don't want to be rude' stuff again? Seriously?" Danny frowned. "You should really learn how to say 'no' sometimes. You know, you're a girl and you will need it." He added cynically.

"It's not funny, Dan." Bina paid him a glare.

"Sorry," He apologized, "but I really mean it."

Putting on a sad face, Bina recalled some previous events in her life. "I really don't know why I always get to experience these things. I wish I could just be a normal person. No social anxiety, no naivety, less fear."

Trying to comfort her, Danny placed his hand on hers and said, "You have other traits that others don't, and that's what special about you."

"Cheers," Bina raised her glass and they continued their evening talking about the latest geek news they could find among the many thoughts filling their heads.

***

On the opposite side of the planet, Nate was finally able to have his precious free time.

Fridays are casual parties or meeting with friends, so as in this weekend.

Nate was spending his Friday with his fellow basketball teammates watching a movie at his place.

Nate lived in his parents' house in one of the university's surrounding neighborhoods, known for its wealth and social status.

Describing it as humble as possible, he lived in an architecturally personalied villa on the top of the small moutain the neighborhood was built on, getting the best view of the sea on one of its sides, and a part of the city on the others. The sides that could not provide a scene of the same quality were simply padded with greenery and a half olympic pool along with a wooden deck surrounding it.

Nate's parents, both businessmen, would often travel for business and simultaneously as well, leaving the house unattended by others than him and his sister. These times were the best for Nate to utilize the house's facilities, and even better if he could bring a friend or two to share the abundance with.

Saturday morning, day off, but Nate makes a good use of it for a proper full body workout in his in-house personal gym.

As if trying to ruin the great session he had, Nate hears his phone ringing.

Again... He thought, after checking the caller.

"Hi babe", Nate picked the phone, forcing himself to speak.

"Hi sweetie. I have a surprise!"

A female voice exclaimed in excitement. This was Gemma, Nate's girlfriend for the past few months.

Confused of the timing and reason, Nate remained silent, making some facial expression of questioning to himself.

"Come to the gate," she continued, "I'm here!"

What a great surprise...

Nate walked slowly to the gate to see the pretty bleached blonde with the bold pink lips waiting for him.

God, please send me patience, he thought, opening the gate and gently kissing the girl in front of him.

Nate might have been in a relationship, but it mostly was a show-off and some self entertainment.

Gemma was a very pretty girl, in an exact opposite correlation to her brains. She and Nate could be easily placed as the real-life Barbie and Ken presentors, if those were needed, and it suited Nate's image and reputation up until now.

Needless to mention, they both filled each other's s****l needs and this arrangement fit Nate perfectly, even though the romance was missing.

And surprisingly, Nate actually cared for the romance.

Gemma stepped inside, already dressed in beach apparel, headed confidently to the living room to lay her bag inside, and immediately crossed the space outside to the pool. The whole process was accompanied by rants about her travel to the house, as Nate followed her quitely with a tired pace, finally getting sitted in one of the sunbath chairs on the deck.

He watched the garden peacefully, still resting after his workout.

"Nate hun?" Gemma suddenly paused her swim.

"Huh?" Nate glanced back at her.

"I asked you what do you think", she replied back, "are you even listening?"

Thinking of a proper answer, Nate preferred to be frank. "No, I'm sorry."

Unfortunately, his honesty betrayed him this time, as Gemma began to quarrel.

"What is your problem?!" She raised her voice.

Nate covered his face with his palm as a sign of annoyance, remaining silent, which made her even more furious. "You're ignoring me! You don't pay attention to me, and you barely even talk to me! I came here to surprise you and you haven't said a word."

Gemma waited for a short while before extending her speech, "You haven't even said anything about my new hair, I had it colored just yesterday! And my lipstick is new, it has a cherry smell, have you noticed?"

"Gemma, stop this please." Just a moment before the shallow rant continued, Nate decided to cut it out for his mental peace.

"I also have things on my mind."

Irritated by his words, making a dull face, Gemma made a questioning gesture as if to cynically ask what else could occupy her boyfriend's mind except her.

"I have to take things seriously with my studies", Nate pointed out.

Surprised by the answer, Gemma let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"So take it seriously", she replied, "but better get your priorities right".

Gemma put on a tyrant expression with her last statement.

This one had also triggerred Nate's nerve, which answered plainly, "I did. I actually have my future in the highest priority. See if it suits you."

Wearing a deep serious look, a moment of silence fell between the two.

Nate glared at his partner as if he anticipated a glorious praise, or rather than that, for her to simply disappear from his eyesight.

It was clear that Gemma was completely dumbfounded by Nate's response. Without utterring a word, she got out of the pool, pulled her clothes ona nd collected her bag on her way out of the place.

Just a step before leaving the house for good she exclaimed "good luck Nate", angrily closing the gate behind her and adding her last say.

"Not with me!"