(ARIELLE''S POV)


    "Shit! We''re gonna bete."Jared cussed as he threw his shirt on.


    Iughed heartily, watching him whine like a kid. "Well, if you''ve not been so needy in the bathroom, we wouldn''t bete," I teased.


    "You can''t me me, dear wife. You''re just too irresistible," he said, and I sucked my lips in to stop myself from blushing. I tried not to recall the sex in the shower, as it would make me blush more. Jared had suggested a quickie, and we ended going two rounds, and was almost on the third if not for my timely intervention.


    "Well you have to learn to," I said and approached him, giving him my back. "Here, help with my zip."


    You look lovely in this red dress," Jaredplimented as he worked on the zip.


    "Thank you-" I made to say, but gasped, when I felt his fingers trail my back.


    "We could ditch the party, what do you say?" He whispered.


    "I say that you zip my dress and keep your hands to yourself."


    He scoffed. "You didn''t have to ruin the fun."


    Iughed as he zipped to the end. "I have to, else we might end up not attending the party," I said, and stepped away from him.


    We resumed dressing up, and soon we were done. Jared was dressed in an expensive ck shirt, with two buttons undone, tucked into well ironed ck pants. He had a ck belt with a golden buckle to match, and a pair ck shiny shoes. His hair was washed and styled in a way that some strands fell on his face, giving him the perfect hot and smoky look.


    I, on the other hand, wore a red knee length gown that entuated my shape and showed off my legs. I wore a pair of drooping gold earrings, matching ne, bracelets and rings. My hair was let down as Ashley suggested, and I wore light makeup. A pair of gold strap on heels, and purse, and my look wasplete.


    ""You''re stunning!" Jared eximed.


    "Thank you," I responded. "You are handsome."


    "Thank you. Shall we?"


    I nodded, and we walked out of the room. We arrived outside, and I walked over the passenger door of the car, while Jared took to the driver''s door. I opened it, and was startled by who I saw. Sofia. "Sofia?" I called, surprised to see her. And even more surprised on why she was looking all dressed up. She was wearing a long orange dress, her ck hair flowing down, and she had makeup on. "What are you doing here?" I asked.


    "What do you mean by what am I doing here?" She snapped. "I also have a ss reunion today, and Jared is giving me a ride there."


    I was stunned, but then it urred to me that Sofia and Jared had been ssmates from highschool. His ss reunion was bound to be hers too. I turned to cast Jared a disapproving look. Shouldn''t he have informed me that Sofia wasing with us? "Oh, okay," I responded.


    "Yeah," Sofia responded curtly and turned her face away.


    However, as much as giving a ride was a nice thing to do, it is assumed that the passenger seat in a car is usually reserved for the woman of the house. I stood, my hands still on the car door as I expected Sofia to alight and move to the back seat, but she didn''t show any sign, instead, she took out a small mirror from her bag and began to nce at her face.


    And so I opted for a viable option. "Sofia, don''t you think you''ll be morefortable sitting in the back seat?" I said, while subtly passing my message.


    She paused, and returned the mirror to her bag before turning to face me, her look condescending. "I do not want to sit at the back. I''mfortable here, and thank you for your concern even though it''s not needed." "Sofia you can''t -"


    "I am not a child, Arielle. I believe as


    an adult, I know when I''m


    the


    al as a car seat and get into t


    trivial as


    car? t case you don''t know, we''re


    runningte," Sofia said in a haughty


    tone.


    I was short of words as I turned to Jared for his reaction, but he didn''t give any. His face was neutral. "Arielle, we should leave. We''re runningte," he said instead, not looking my way.


    I stared at him in disbelief. He was chiding me, and not Sofia. He didn''t even suggest that Sofia sit in the back seat. Realizing that there was no point arguing further, I opened the back door, and got in.


    The drive was in silence until Sofia broke it. "How do I look, Jared? You didn''tpliment me."


    "You look good, Sofia. You always do," Jared said, ncing at her.


    But Sofia frowned, not pleased. "Now that I''m pregnant, I don''t look my usual beautiful self. I feel so ugly and bloated that even makeup can''t help."


    "You''re even more beautiful without makeup. Don''t fret," Jared said, smiling warmly at her.


    I scoffed and looked out the window, praying we would arrive at our destination soon. We soon arrived, and Jared pulled into the parking lot.


    The ss reunion venue was set in an expensive bar called " VERITY." There were not many people in the bar, and the ce wasrge enough, and ideal for a ss reunion. I found outter that the whole bar was booked for the reunion. "We''re here," Jared announced, and turned off the car''s engine. We all alighted.Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org.


    "Let''s head in," he said, and we walked on, with him leading the way. As we walked, he and Sofia engaged in small talks, reminiscing on their highschool days, and as usual, I felt left out.


    Just before the bar''s entrance, my


    phone rang in my purse. I paused to take out the phone from my purse and saw that it was Reba calling. I hurriedly picked up, wondering if something had happened at the restaurant because Reba only called when it had to do with the restaurant.


    "Hello, Ma. I Hope I didn''t catch you at a bad time," Reba said on the other end, her voice bearing its usual gossip tinge.


    "Not at all. What''s up? Is everything okay with the restaurant?" I asked, my concern evident in my voice.


    "Oh yeah, everything''s fine, I guess. I left already, and I''m not calling in regards to the restaurant."


    My eyes narrowed, and I was just about to ask why she called then, when she resumed talking.


    "Actually, I need your help with


    something. I''m trying to make an intercontinental dish but I''m stuck know you''re good at making it, because you''ve made it once at the


    restaurant and it was a hit. Can you walk me through the process,


    please?"


    A mix of emotion washed over me at that moment-relief and disappointment. Relief that it wasn''t something serious, and disappointment because Reba had called me for something so trivial when she could easily look it up on the inte. "What dish are you trying to make?" I asked, shoving the emotions aside.


    "Bouibaisse."


    I sighed inwardly and began to exin the process.


    "Thank you so much, Ma. I really appreciate your help," Reba said after I was done exining.


    "It''s fine. I''m d I could help. I have to go now, Good luck with the dish," I said, and dropped the call.


    I put my phone back and looked around, but Jared and Sofia were nowhere to be seen.