"Earth to girl."

"R!" Cassie jumped off the stool she had been sitting on before Ella entered. She pulled Ella into a hug,surprising the both of them.

"What's up?" Ella pulled away from their embrace and sat on the other stool facing Cassie. "You were staring off into space when I came in and even this place looks dry."

Cassie ignored the question as she sniffed the air like a blood thirsty hound." Do I smell Burger and chips?"

"Yes,nozilla." Ella shook her head before producing the brown paper bag containing Cassie's favourite snack. "I got it just the way you love it and also your precious soda."

"You're the best." Cassie groaned at the first bite.

"Chant it sister." Ella bit into her own cake with a giggle. "Now that we have that out of the way,can you tell me why you were so lost in thought that you didn't hear me coming?

Anyone could have entered without you even knowing."

"To steal what? Flowers?" Cassie scoffed." And just to satisfy your curious soul, I've got a lot on my mind. Which reminds me, Did you by any chance know what was in the file that Josie wanted me to sign that day?"

"No." Ella said without missing a beat or batting an eyelid. "Did she do something?"

"Yes,she did. Can you believe that--" Cassie narrated everything to Ella,who had stopped eating to listen with rapt attention. "---Five year contract. Could you believe that she tricked me?" Cassie finished with a frown.

"I don't think that Josie is capable of such a thing." Ella defended.

"Whose side are you on anyway? I told you that I have proof."

"I'm on no one's side. But the first time I met Josie...I don't think she's someone who's capable of that."

"Then tell me why I haven't seen her since the after noon that William was here."

Ella frowned at her. "Who's William?"

"A friend of mine, I met him that night after I went to dinner with Kaden. And could you believe that we almost kissed?"

"You almost kissed?" Ella gasped.

"And not only that," colour flooded her cheeks. "We kissed." That came out as a whisper.

"Omfg." Her voice went ultrasonic. "I want every juicy detail. Don't leave anything out."

Cassie explained everything. "And also last night---" she narrated everything from when she read the contract to the point when he kissed her. ---And he released me and walked away without a word. Could you believe that?'

"That's a jerk move." Ella frowned. "And why would he want to give you the penthouse and other things just because of flower deliveries?"

"I don't know. I've been asking myself the same question over and over again but I just don't get it." Cassie took three huge gulps from her soda.

"And to think he kissed you when he was clearly engaged to that USK." Ella shook her head in disapproval.

"What's USK?"

"Uptown Spoilt Kid."

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You always have names to call people."

"Is this coming from the person who labeled her new boss 'manwhore'?" Ella snorted. "Ah, I think I should tell you before you find out from someone else. Kaden Mckade, manwhore and recently titled, Armani suit freak, by Jamie dropped by the cafe last week."

"Why would he want to drop by?"

"Do drink designed Latte and Blueberry muffins. You should have seen Jamie slug it out with him. Seems like you are not the only one who dislike him. Who knows, he might even try seducing Jamie too."

"He won't." Cassie snapped.

"Uh oh,someone's got it bad." Ella wiggled her eyebrows.

"He's engaged....well, was engaged,that is, until his wife to be walked in on us."

Ella smirked as a thought came to her mind. "I've seen this kind of scene in movies. The female catches the male cheating on her with another girl, and the female goes ballistic. And do you know that that other girl always end up dead?" Ella faked a shudder and hid her smile when she saw Cassie's eyes widen slightly.

"Not only that, the death is always slow and painful." She leaned closer to Cassie. "The female goes to the other girl's house at night, walks in through the window or door with butcher knife or chainsaw in hand. Then she will walk up the creaky stairs,open the creaky door and start the chain saw. Grrghhhh,ghrrrr. Then she would walk up to the bed,raise the knife or chainsaw above her head and then,Baam!"

Cassie jumped in her stool,all the fine hairs on her body going stiff and taut. "R-really?"

"of course not." Ella started laughing. "The look on your face,it's epic."

"Geez,Ella you scared me." Cassie swatted her arm with a smile on her face.

"Bruuuh, I said in the movies not reality."

"You're sick." Cassie chewed the remaining chips as she tried to get herself under control.

"As you are. So what about Kaden and William?"

"What about them?"

"Who do you like the most, Kaden or William?"

"I don't like either of them."

"And you let Kaden kiss you twice? "Ella huffed."yeah,you don't."

Cassie pursed her lips together as she thought about it. Kaden's kiss,twice, had left her breathless and panting for more(even though she'd never tell Ella that). And whenever she hear his name,her blood always go into over drive,which was not supposed to be. He, after all, betrayed his fiancée and forced an unwanted contract on her. He was definitely not someone she should even think of or desire.

But with William,she felt safe and comfortable. He was like the older brother she never had and she could very well tell him anything. William was the type of guy every girl dream about. And even though she did not know much about him,she felt that she could trust him.

William was cool and gentle while Kaden was dangerous and anything but gentle. Cassie like cool and gentle.

But you love dangerous and not so gentle. A tiny voice,in the back of her mind, whispered.

"Well?" Ella voice broke into her thoughts. "From what you told me about William, he should be from uptown, and we all know that anyone staying uptown is rich.

Kaden's rich, William is rich, are we doing a round of rich boyfriend and boss now?"

"Ha ha. That's funny, and William is not my boyfriend."

"Then what's taking you so long to answer?"

"I don't like any of them."

"Liar, Liar pants on fire." Ella had to bite her cheek so she won't laugh. Cassie hated that song with passion.

"What are you? Relationship police?" Cassie scowled at her friend,who was trying the hide her bubbling mirth.

Only Ella would find a situation funny.

'Touchy,much?" Ella sipped her cola." You are just getting defensive for no reason. I asked a simple question and I expected a simple answer. And there's nothing like relationship police as far as i'm concerned, there's only fashion police."

"Whatever." Cassie rolled her eyes. "Fine, I like the both of them."

"You're crazy." Ella school her head. "Just because You almost had sex with Kaden in his office and William kissed you on your forehead you like them both?"

"I hate it when you sound like that,but yes I do like them both." Cassie drummed her fingers on the counter top. "And just for the record, I'm not crazy."

"You all say that."

"What do you mean by that?" Cassie scowled at her.

Ella waved her hand as if to discard the subject. "This feels as if I just stepped into a movie, you know that Beauty and the beast one?"

"It's a Disney cartoon. William and Kaden are no beast."

"William is no beast,yes. But that Kaden, he is the epitome of beast." Ella smirked.

"Kaden's not a beast!" Cassie said through gritted teeth.

Her smirk widened." Now I have my answer."

Cassie ignored her and sipped her soda,since her throat suddenly went dry.

"If this is a movie,which it's not, and I happen to be the producer,I would name it 'beauty and the rich' or maybe Beauty and the uptowners,what do you think?"

"I think your cola must have been spiked with a bit of whiskey. "

"Sarcasm becomes you,but of course you're Kaden's employee."

"I would pretend that I didn't hear you say that. Kaden is just an asshole."

"Did you just call me an asshole?" Came the unmistakable voice of Kaden from the doorway.

Cassie gasped and whipped around in her chair. He was indeed, standing in the doorway,with his hands tucked into the pocket of his white corduroy jeans. Heat flooded her body and her nipples tightened at the sight of him.

Talk about the devil and he would walk right in.