Mr. President’s

“Sit down Mercedes, I didn’t mean to make you feel distraught. She just insisted on tagging along Griffin apologised. He understood the friction between the two ladies and tried to make them come to reason but it never yielded a thing.

“You could have texted or called to tell me you had company Grifin, Mercedes was so upset, she couldn’t hold it in. Due to the loud music, her voice sounded like she was yelling.

“Look, I said I’m sorry, okay? Let’s not

“She has a problem with my presence too?” Penelope cut him off, her voice so piercing, it aggravated Mercedes‘ already sour

mood.

“It’s fine,” Mercedes forced a smile and sat back in her chair. She could already feel that the night wasn’t going to be as fun as she planned.

“How was your day?” Griffin was worried about her. Mercedes might be bubbly on the outside but he could feel something wrong. After all, he has known her for over a decade.

She had so much to say, ranging from her day in the office to her hit and run and the things she bought for him but she couldn’t say anything in front of Penelope. It seemed she had to get used to not having her best friend anymore. They hardly spoke when they got home because Mercedes was always tired and wanted to sleep. Griffin had also been job hunting without success and always got back exhausted. He casually blamed Mercedes for landing all the good jobs in New York City. “Fine,” she uttered unfazed. “Yours?” she asked with keen interest.

You won’t believe it, Mercedes, I didn’t go through the interview before the winner was announced.” His mood went sour. He has faced rejection throughout his job search and always hoped for a miracle. Griffin was bright and smart but no company accepted him. Not able to put up with the shame in front of his family, he moved in with Mercedes, who readily accepted him.

“That’s unfair.” Mercedes had forgotten her sour mood just by hearing Griffin’s bad day. She understood how the rejection got into him and always tried her best to lighten his mood.

“I know and it gets worse you know?” Griffin didn’t hide the agony in his voice, and gulped down Mercedes’s glass of martini, making the latter order more for all of them. Mercedes was generous.

“You will get a job soon Griffin, just be patient. As they say, good things come to those who wait.” She tried to encourage him as always.

“But you’ve always changed jobs. Does it mean they aren’t good enough? Griffin never hid his envy of his best friend’s favour with jobs. He concluded that perhaps it was because she was female.

“Would I change them if they were?” Her answer was rhetoric. Penelope, realizing that she was kept out of the conversation, looked for a way to get attention.

“Mercedes let’s play a game,” she interrupted the two friends, childishness grinding her tone.

“I’m not in the mood for your games Penelope?” Mercedes outrightly rejected the notion. The last time she played to Penelope’s tune, she found herself trapped. She was honest and never had Penelope’s cunning mind.

“Oh, it’s just a truth or dare kind of thing,” Penelope insisted. Mercedes was about to reject the invitation when suddenly, the club went dead silent. The music stopped and bright lights turned on. Everyone moved away as a tall slender man walked in. He wore a casual Lacoste with a pair of jeans and black designer shoes, matching his jet black hair. Whispers filled the air, as he strode and sat in the VIP section. He carried a powerful aura around him that made everyone kowtow to him.

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Waitresses flung around him and at his signal, the multicoloured led lights returned, music dominating the atmosphere. “Who is he?” Penelope asked Griffin. Her eyes were still glued to the man who carried himself with sophistication and elegance. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

gaze

Why do you ask me? I don’t know.” Griffin shrugged and answered in an irritated growl but that didn’t deter Penelope. Her

did not leave the man and she realized how his gaze was stern and he never gave any of the ladies his attention. Instantly, a cruel intent crossed her mind as she thought of how she could cause Mercedes the worst embarrassment of her life.

“So, Mercedes. What do you say about my proposal?” She taunted her mind ordained rival who had been trying to guess who the man was that just entered the club. She could swear that she had seen him somewhere but as to how, her mind was too addled to recall.

“Fine. Truth or dare?” She daringly said. She would just play the first round and go for a dance with some random guy to clear her mind. Griffin would protect her if she falls into trouble.

“Truth” Penelope instantly answered. Mercedes let out a wry smile. This was her chance to know exactly how Mercedes felt about her best friend.

“Do you love Griffin?”

“With all my heart.” Penelope pulled Griffin closer, kissing him passionately when she responded. Mercedes wanted to gag. She always felt something wrong with Penelope but couldn’t put a finger on it. She wanted a yes or no answer but the girl had just outsmarted her.

“Truth or dare?” Penelope asked Mercedes after breaking from the kiss. Mercedes was scared of Penelope throwing the same question at her. It was quite obvious to both women that they were in love with the same man except one of them had given.

1. up.

“Dare!” Mercedes swallowed tightly and said. A dry smile decorated Penelope’s face as she said, “I dare you to kiss that man.”

She was referring to the devil everyone feared and whispered about. Mercedes‘ heart sparked fire. She was trapped and she needed help. This wasn’t how she intended to lose her first kiss. Not to a handsome stranger. But then, her mind probed further and she instantly understood Penelope’s intent. The man never allowed any woman around him so what if he causes her embarrassment?

She swam in regret, seeking a way out of this mess and luckily, her best friend came to her aid as always.

“Penelope, that isn’t right,” Griffin disputed. He has always been Mercedes knight in shining armour since they were in high school. That’s how they became best friends even though they knew each other before then. Griffin will always protect her from the bullies but in the work field, he couldn’t protect her from the ravenous bosses, simply because he couldn’t be there but whenever he was with her, his protective banner rose like a kite.

“Come on, it’s just a game or would you rather do it?” Penelope smiled flirtatiously. Griffin was confused. He loved Penelope and would never allow anyone else to touch her even though she wasn’t his first but he also had a responsibility towards Mercedes. It had always been like that between them.

“I won’t do it,” Mercedes muttered through gritted teeth.

you agree that you lost to me?” Penelope continued to heckle her. She knew that Mercedes would never accept defeat and just as predicted, she hissed, “I can never lose to you.”

So kiss him and make it real.” Penelope was enjoying her game. Mercedes deadpanned, stood up, turned around and looked at the man. His features were very attractive but it was also as if he was angry or icy. Her heart burned with an already ignited

B.

fire.

“Fine,” she gritted her teeth and said.

Penelope’s smile bloomed as she held out a glass to her. When Mercedes turned to look at the man, Griffin did the same and didn’t see when Penelope slipped something into the glass. Mercedes knew she would need a drink to accomplish the task so she took it and gulped it down instantly. She hand combed her long wavy black hair and turned to leave.

“Don’t do it!” Griffith rumbled but it was too late. Mercedes had already begun sauntering to the VIP section.