Isha

"Please don't tell me you have committed a national crime," the words fly out of my mouth the moment Lola reappears in the doorstep of Aria and Dakota's house at around 6 p.m., but a lot calmer than what she was few hours back.

"I should have," Lola let out something similar to a growl as the fiery lady enters the house, "That fucker deserves to die in the worst way possible."

"Language Lola," Aria warns, reminding she is one and a half months pregnant and must hear only good things, as she walks past by and into another room. Lola, who listens to my elder sister more than us, (perhaps somewhat fears too) immediately decreases the volume of her voice.

"That fucker deserves to die in the worst way possible," Lola repeats the sentence in a whispery tone, while I usher her to the living room. My best friend sighs, clearly glad to be out of Aria's earshot and settles into the couch. "I can't believe I thought Calix was different."

I can't help but smile gently, sitting beside her. "I am alright, Lola. Really. I am. Anyway," I exhale staring up at the ceiling, "As you have overheard, it wasn't a real relationship in the beginning. This was supposed to end one day. I was just a delusional fool to expect something more with a prince. To hopelessly believe, we had something."

"Isha no," Lola frowns turning her body towards me, and giving my hands an assuring squeeze, "You were not wrong. Fine, it was a fake relationship in the beginning but then, you two dated, didn't you? For real. Even if it was for a small span of time. And you know what, feelings are something we cannot control and does not happen with our permission. You did nothing wrong. You were or, are, just in love. Yes, with the wrong person since clearly that jerk had no business in leading you on with whatever ulterior motive he had, by simply playing with your feelings or using you for whatever reason..."

Invisible thorns prick my skin, as Lola's talks fade away and the hollow, empty, stupid feeling returns. A horrible thought plants its roots in my brain. The thought of Calix using me just to acquire physical pleasure. It isn't that these past two days of absolute hell of loneliness and feelings of betrayal and abandonment, I did not think of the possibility. Of Calix being all nice and charming, like the perfect prince from movies and books, possessive, showing signs of jealousy, sweet gestures, caring and with concerning gaze, at times hot and flirtatious, in order to just bed me. Even the thought is disgusting and I can't help but feel guilty for thinking so low of the man for whom I am head over heels for. He made me feel things that I never knew were possible in real world. And to find everything was a bitter lie and a fragment of my own realistic, delusional, hopeless, love, my mind drifts off to that toxic prospect. The thought of Calix using me just to get in my pants. And I allowed him like the naïve woman I am, didn't I?

I for sure do hope that it isn't true. That Calix simply was confused like he had claimed two days ago. However, if the former assumption does come true, I do not know how I will cope with the terrifying information.

I am aware it will pass, just how my feelings for Killian had, but the bittersweet memories and that one plague-like voice taunting me "You just have the body. What else?" will forever haunt my days and nights.

Calix is the beautiful dream I wish I never had.

"Isha?"

Lola's sympathetic voice finds me, pulling me back from the haunting thoughts. "Y-Yes. Yes...what did you say?"

Lola sighs, tugging me into a hug and the warm tears return as they stream down once again and I bury into the warmth of her embrace while her hand softly rubs my back. "Let it all out, Isha. Let it all out."

And I do let myself go as I release the pent up frustration, anger, hurt, disappointment, pain, in the form of the liquid droplets we call 'tears.' For ten minutes straight, I shed the tears of misery and my unfortunate love life into the cuddly arms of Lola Hwang. I am truly thankful to have so many people who genuinely love and care for me, but to have that special someone whom you can love romantically and be loved in the same manner is where I have always showed my bitter luck. It hurts. It's painful. It's bearable. But it's excruciating all at the same time.

After a good fifteen minutes, I finally feel light as I pull away from the hug, sniffling and wiping away my tears. "Thanks for being there for me all the time, Lola." A small smile blooms on my lips at the memory of how Lola had arrived at my apartment the very night Killian had broken my heart over a text message. The girl had kidnapped me, taken me to her glorious penthouse and we had bloated ourselves with all types of unhealthy, oily, spicy, but delicious food (our Asian genes were high that night), and we stayed up till six in the morning while sobbing hysterically over heartbreaking, romance movies.

"Trust me, Isha." Lola pats my cheeks. "The right man is out there. He might be invisible at present, but he is."

But he isn't Calix. The bitter thought clouds my mind.

Lola suddenly springs up from the couch, her face lighting up as if a genius plan has taken over her brain. She claps her hand, pulling me up with a jerk as well. "You need to go out. Like, today!"

"As in, out of the house?" I question furrowing my eyebrows. Honestly, I was thinking of crying my heart out and gush equally, over K-Dramas but Lola's plan does not sound bad either. If, she is implying at what I am thinking she is. Going out to eat, movies, or anywhere else to take my mind off the heartbreak, might actually take my mind off things.

"As in, on a date." The devilish gleam of Lola's eyes return, while I gape in shock at the woman.

"I'm sorry?"

"Go on a date." She nudges me with her elbow. "I have the perfect guy for you. And you know what, he will come running over now to take you on a date, if you ask him."

"I am not sure I know such a guy in my life." I say while immediately wracking my brain into finding out one potential such guy amongst all my male friends, colleagues and acquaintances.

Lola sighs as if I am such a dumb person. "I think you told me his name was...eh, Jarvey Hikora?" Lola scratches her head. The girl always had a trouble in remembering names of the people she has never come across or met only once or twice, through somebody else. "You did tell me about someone like that. Your, apparently, first friend in Syncitia."

I grin sheepishly at the obvious jealous expression on Lola's face. It was the same reaction when I had talked about my 'apparently first friend in Syncitia.' But since we were both heavily drunk, I had laughed my ass off while Lola had given me a speech on how she felt betrayed by the woman she had always considered her best friend, and above all friends she had ever come across. It was hilarious and I swear, drunk Lola is one of a kind entertainment to see.

"It isn't wrong though. He did become my first friend here at high school." I chuckle slinging my arm across hers, "Also, his name is Harvey Jikora. Not Jarvey Hikora."

"Whatever." Lola rolls her eyes. "Just call him and ask him out for tonight."

My smile disappears as I release our entangled arms. "Lola no. I am not going to use anyone as a rebound. And Harvey, just no. He is my friend!"

"To you, yes. But it wouldn't hurt to try." Lola urges. "You don't have to think this as a rebound. Just, go out for one night. You don't like it, don't have to continue. But just saying, the future is uncertain."

"Harvey will turn down the proposal immediately," I deadpan, "There's no way he would agree to go on a date with me. Someone he considers a friend. And I wouldn't either."

I see Lola mumbling something but not audible enough for me to hear. I do catch the word oblivious. "Just go on a friendly hangout."

I groan and in an attempt to stop Lola's nag, fish out my phone, scroll through the contacts list, click on Harvey's name and put the device on speaker (on Lola's insistence). Harvey would've surely laughed it off thinking I was joking or called me insane, had I gone with Lola's initial plan. Besides, he doesn't know about my breakup with Calix yet, since the news has not been officially announced obviously to others excluding the ones in high society (as I have been informed so by Broody). On the fourth ring, Harvey picks up the phone. "Hello Isha?"

"Harvey," I clear my throat as I form the words, "Well, uhm, are you free this evening?"

"Yeah, I don't have anything on my schedule."

I gulp noticing how Lola is growing excited by each passing second and I struggle to let out the words. "Would you like to hangout? We can go grab some snacks, relive old memories, chat like high school days." God, I sound so awkward.

The line goes silent on the other side and I almost wonder if it is the network problem but then comes his concerned voice. "Are you alright? Do you need me to come over? Maybe bring in some takeouts."

The guilt eats me when I realise the reason of his questions. Even after reuniting with my friend, I haven't been making an attempt to hang out with him. In my defence, we both are workaholics and busy and the day he had asked me for a hangout, it was biting cold outside. So, it isn't like I was deliberately avoiding Harvey.

The anonymous taunting voice speaks in my mind again. It is colder now but you don't find cold as bitter as before, because of a certain Prince Charming.

I shake my head, focusing on the conversation. "I am, thank you. I just want to hangout, nothing more. We both are always so busy, it would be nice for one time to roam around the streets and you know, have fun. Like old days."

Harvey seems awfully cheerful for some reason. Now that I realise, whenever I used to ask him to hangout with me during high school, despite his obsessive nature with studies, his face used to light up like Christmas lights.

"I will be at your apartment in an hour." That's too soon a time for someone who lives fifty minutes away from my residence. Well, unless he has the power of super-speed and gets dressed up in ten minutes.

"Oh I am at Aria's. I'll text you the address. Don't rush though." I say and Harvey hangs up, a cheerful see you soon fading away in the line.

Lola's grinning face greets me as I end the call. I raise an eyebrow. "What?"

"Your answer." Her smile seems almost creepy now. "Harvey likes you. He may even love you. Feelings since high school, that's not just 'like'."

I laugh at the ridiculousness that the words hold. "Have you gone mad or what?"

"I have not. You are just too blind." Lola snorts, putting a hand on my shoulder. "The two times I had seen that guy accidentally, the heart eyes were evident. Of course I was irritated at first thinking how some man was being obvious with his feelings, despite knowing you and Calix were in a relationship. But now, this man might be the right man. Just saying, he isn't too bad."

"Lola, I appreciate your concern but Harvey is not it."

"Well then, someone is." Lola stomps her foot like a rebellious child. "Maybe not this Harvey but someone."

Calix. The words remain stuck in my throat as I head to the guestroom to get changed into the remaining clothes I have brought with me. Otherwise, I can just borrow Aria's.

Lola would have followed me if her phone hadn't pinged with a message. I frown seeing the woman half irritated and half blushing as she reads whatever the message states. She furiously types a reply back before putting the phone inside her purse. "I have to go. Something urgent came up."

"Something or someone?" I do not stop the tease coming out of me.

She rolls her eyes in response, the blush deepening however, "It might be someone but definitely not in the way you are thinking. He can never be that."

So there is a he, huh. Interesting information that I must save for later teases. "Sure, sure, I won't hold you back."

Lola squints her eyes, as if making me believe or herself rather, that it isn't really someone important. "I am serious."

"I didn't say anything." The smirk stays on my lips. Lola opens her mouth to shoot a retort when her phone pings with another message. She plunges through her purse, sees the message, and with another groan and blush, leaves ultimately.

There definitely is someone.