Filthy Rich by Atarah Yvaine (electronic reader txt) 📖

After some minutes our order was served.

"Dad said he will introduce me to one of the sons of his business partners."  Alison said while sipping her Frappuccino. 

I worriedly looked at Ali. She looks unbothered but the atmosphere suddenly becomes gloomy. I'm used to her being jolly and talkative so moments like this emphasized that she's dealing with something heavy and serious. It's her dad again. As always.

" I thought he is done playing match maker to you." I commented with annoyance. I sipped my coffee and waited for her reaction. This is not new but the irritation I feel always felt the same. Who is he to control her? Yes, he's her dad but matters like love shouldn't be manipulated by him.

Ali and his father were never been in a good term. Her dad was a womanizer. Her mom died because of too much anger and disappointment causing her to collapsed on the ground holding her chest when she found out that his father impregnated her mistress. She died of Cardiac arrest. And now her father was trying to manipulate her by trying to arrange her marriage to some of young business man. 

" I'm so done with him but I have no choice. I need to take over my mom's company. I need to get my mom's possession away from him. His whore of a new wife does not deserve anything." she said with a gritted tooth.

She wanted to run away from her father's custody and live with me instead but her desire to see his father and her mistress suffers hinders her to do so. She wants revenge and I can't do anything to change her mind.

I gave her an assuring smile to let her know that I'm always got her back. She raised her cup of coffee and offer a toast.

"Cheers for this fuck life and for the fucking dumbass people around us." she said it with a smile but her eyes are full of hatred and her voice sounds with anger and resentful. I raised my cup to do the toast with her as I look fixedly at her direction. I hate her smile. It's hoax. She's the jolly type of person. She always wears her best smile making her the everyone's friend in campus. If I didn't know her this well, I might never know her massive heartaches and battles behind her mendacious mask.

"How are you?"  I asked her and she looked at me astounded. She eyed me like I suddenly grew nine heads.

"Why are you asking me that?" she take a sip on her cup. 

I look at her in the eye.

"You look restless Ali." I said stating a fact. She can fool everyone but not me. Nah ah.

" I'm fine" she gave me her sweet smile again exposing her pearl white teeth. This girl can win a best actress award. I went to her and hug her. I felt that she didn't expect this. She was stiff for a minute but hugged me tighter after she recovered.

We seldom hug each other unlike normal best friends do. We are both reticent with what we truly feel but we're still on the process of finally opening up everything to each other. 

"I think one of these days you will be successful in making me cry." she commented as I returned to my seat. I wiggled my brows. 

"I know" I say it in a sing song.

I never see her cry. Because of everything that happened, she restrained herself from feeling any pain and having any weakness. I always told her that it’s okay to cry because crying can make her feel better but she keeps on insisting that it’s a sign of weakness.

"But thank you for staying with me and for listening to my rants" she kissed my cheek. I sticked my tongue in her direction trying not to take her seriously.

"Yieeee, My Ellie is feeling shy" She laughed. Ahh, she knew me very well. I'm not fond of people appreciating me that's why I'm trying to be goofy to hide the overwhelming feeling.

"I'm not" I looked at the other direction avoiding her eyes. She loves teasing me you know. She really does.

She was so busy teasing me when my phone rang. I quickly fished it out of my bag.

Unknown Number????

I was holding the phone and just staring at its screen.

It's been a while since I received a call. Who this might be? 

"Aren't you going to take that?" Ali asked looking at me then to my phone. I shake my head no then declined the phone call. I put it back in my bag.

"I don't know who it is. Maybe a wrong number" I shrugged it off and continue sipping my coffee thinking of possibilities of who it might be.

After sometime it started ringing again. I get it again and declined it. But it was just barely a second when it rings again. 

"Answer it. It may be an emergency."  Ali suggested. I stare at the screen again. Should I answer it? I am waiting for it to stop but it never happens. It proceeds on ringing.

With a shaky hand I accepted the call. My phone is still away from my ear but I can already hear someone shouting. I put my phone near my ears to hear the other line more clearly.

'Hello?" I greet whoever is on the other line.

"Fuck woman, where are you?" I immediately remove my phone away from my ear preventing myself to get deaf because of his shouting.