"How did it go?" Kiara asked me as I turned the television off. "The interview I mean." She said, clarifying.

"It went... okay I guess." I said and she nodded, telling me to explain everything in detail, down to what color suit he wore. "It was all black with a maroon button up." I told her and she fanned herself.

"Did you check him out? Like flat out obviously check him out? I feel like I would have and he'd hate me." She told me and I nodded.

"I did, but not that much. I was too nervous to really take in how utterly attractive that man is." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"My jaw would be on the floor and I'd be on my knees the second he said my name. Girl, you don't even know." She told me and I laughed.

"He told me to meet him on Monday." I said and she nodded. "I'm worried."

"If he told you to meet up again, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about." She told me as the doorbell rang. "It must be Jonah."

"Oh no, I want to sleep tonight Ki!" I said and she laughed as she opened the door, allowing her boyfriend in.

"There's my girl," he said and gave Kiara a kiss on the lips. "There's my rat."

"Look what the cat dragged in from hell." I said and stood up. He rolled his eyes and I gave him a hug. "How you been?"

"Good," he said and I sat back down. I picked up my carton of chow mein and then my fork since I couldn't work chopsticks. "How'd the job interview go?"

The lady at the store nearly killed me when I asked for plastic forks rather than chopsticks.

"It wasn't bad. He wants to meet up again to talk." I told him and he said that was a good sign. "I hope, I don't have any other backup plans. I'll probably have to work as a batista or cashier or a retail job if I don't get this."

"I think you got this in the bag." Kiara said and I shrugged as Jonah agreed.

The two sat down on the loveseat and I sat alone on a chair with cartons of food. "This sums us up pretty well." I said and Kiara looked at me.

"Your sad, lonely, food filled life and my less sad, less lonely, dick filled life." She said and I choked as Jonah laughed, covering her mouth.

"You okay there Monica?" He asked and I hit my chest a bit, drinking water to help it go down.

"I literally almost died, Jesus Kiara. Go to church. Read a bible. Become one with God." I said and Jonah laughed.

"Become one with me, you know what I'm saying-"

"A date inside of Church doesn't sound that bad." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"So you meeting up with Mr. Mendes on Monday?" She asked and I nodded. "Good thing I'm off, guess who's picking your outfit, fixing your hair, and doing your makeup? Don't guess actually, it's me."

"Of course it is. Who else would do it? Jonah?" I asked and he laughed.

"Don't tempt me. I know my way with a brush and a blender, my girl works as a stylist after all." He told me and I rolled my eyes as they turned the television on.

"Have your parents called you yet?" He asked me and I shook my head. "No?"

"Nope." I told him and set my food down. "It's whatever. I don't need them. I left them, they didn't leave me."

"I know Monica but still, wouldn't it be nice for them to call?" He asked and Kiara made him stop talking... by slamming her lips against his.

"I don't really care if they call or not." I told him and stretched. "I need a shower, I be in the bathroom."

"Alright." Kiara said and when I left the room, I could hear her scolding Jonah on bringing up my parents.

I took my hair out of a messy bun and then pulled my pajama shirt off, leaving me in grey sweats that have black and white paint stains on them.

I turned the faucet on and then right when it got to the perfect tempature, my phone rang. I went to pick it up and I held it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Is this Monica Ramirez?" I heard someone asked and I stood up straight, my eyebrows furrowed together slightly.

"Who wants to know?"

"Mr. Mendes." She said and I debated on telling. "I can put him on if you wish."

"Please." I said, needing the reassurance. There was rustling and I held a low chuckle.

"I have the right number then." He said and I turned the faucet off. "Have I caught you at a bad time?"

"No sir." I said and grabbed a brush. I began brushing my hair and then looked in the mirror at my phone. "What are you calling for?"

"I want to get to know you more before I make my desicion on Monday. Are you free tonight?" He asked me and my throat was dry.

"Like right now?"

"No, perhaps around nine?" He asked and I looked at my phone, seeing that it was only seven.

"I'm free." I said and he chuckled as I pushed my sweats down, kicking them into my room.

"Good." He told me and there was a clicking of a pen. "I'll have a car by your apartment duplex at nine o'clock sharp. Be ready?"

"O-Okay." I said and he hung up. I looked at my phone and set it down, confused at what's going on.

-

"Where are you going?" Kiara asked as I flattened my red dress. "You look hot."

"I know." I said and she rolled his eyes as Jonah rose an eyebrow at me. "Mr. Mendes wants to meet up to talk more."

"Oh shit Moni, get it." She said and Jonah just laughed as he put a hand over his girlfrend's mouth.

"Stay safe Monica. If anything happens, call me and we'll be there." He said and I nodded. "Go get him."

"It's not a date."

"That's what they all say." He told me and I just laughed as I waved, walking out of the apartment.

I closed the door and then made my way to the elevator, clicking a button before I waiting for it. I pulled the dress down and pushed my hair behind my ear, hoping I didn't dress over the top. Wearing a casual outfit of skinny jeans and a t-shirt just didn't seem to fit with Mr. Mendes. It felt too professional and formal around him.

The elevator opened and I walked in beside an elderly couple that lived a few floors below me. "What floor dear?" The guy asked and I smiled.

I pushed a button and then thanked them. "Where are you going? You look beautiful." The woman commented and I looked down at my outfit again.

"Thank you ma'am." I said and nodded. "I'm going to meet up with someone, hopefully my future boss."

"Dress like that and he'll be more than your boss." She said, clearly joking, as her husband laughed. I laughed aswell and the elevator opened. "Have a nice night, stay safe."

"I will, thank you." I said and walked out, heading out to the front of the building.

I saw a large black car and I gulped as the door opened, revealing Mr. Mendes. "Get in." He said and I thanked him as I did.

"You look beautiful." He said as I closed the door. "Red is most definitely your color."

"Thank you sir." I said and he gave me a curt nod. "I like to think blue's my color." I told him and he just gave me a charming smile.

"Only one way for me to decide, on Monday, you can wear blue." He told me and I blushed a bit as I nodded.

"I-I will." I said as I finally buckled my seatbelt. "Where are we going?"

"I was hoping I could interest you in taking you to dinner." He said and I nodded.

"Okay..." I said, despite eating earlier. I nearly puked it all earlier anyways out if nerves for tonight. One mistake and I can kiss this job goodbye.

"Do you have any siblings?" He asked me and I shook my head.

"I have a half-sister but we were never close, the result of her hating our father for cheating on her mom with my mom." I said, not wanting to get too into it. "Do you?" I asked and he fixed his sleeve, buttoning the cuff and folding it over.

"I do, a younger sister named Aaliyah." He told me and nodded. "She is currently in college, studying to become a veterinarian."

"That's nice." I said and smiled. "I love animals."

"As does she, it's a shame we never had any family pets growing up." He said and looked at me. "So you live in an apartment, do you live alone?"

"No, my best friend and I live together." I said and nodded. "She gets paid a lot as a stylist for like celebrities and stuff, so she pays bills. I cook, clean, and do like everything else."

"If you have such a balanced life already, why go out of your way for a job?" He asked me as I rubbed my chest a bit.

"I feel bad for not helping her pay for things." I said and he nodded. "I've been trying to find a job for a couple of months now."

"Understandable. Guilt makes people think twice." He told me and I agreed as I made sure to keep my posture at its finest so he didn't think I was lazy.

-

I couldn't tell if it was the wine I was drinking. or the fact I was physically attracted to Mr. Mendes, but I just seemed to refuse to stop checking the man out. His button up just seemed to fit him perfectly, showing off his biceps and narrow waist. His jawline seemed to sharpen with each chew he made and the way his fingers wrapped around the delicate wine glass made my head spin.

I kind if think it's both the wine and myself.

"You alright there?" He asked and I hummed, blinking a few times as I sat up. "You zoned out there love."

"I'm sorry." I said and the look he gave me made me positive that he knew I was checking him out. "I think I had enough to drink." I told him when he went to pour us both another glass.

"As you wish." He said, setting the bottle down. "Tell me Monica, are you single?" He asked me and I was taken back.

"Excuse me is-"

"I don't mean to be offensive or rude, I just want to know." He told me and I tapped on the table.

"No, no I'm not with anyone." I said and he nodded. "Why?"

"Just curious... how could such a beautiful girl bot be attached? It's ludacris." He said and I blushed as I shook my head.

"You're sweet." I said and he just shrugged his broad shoulders as he smiled at me.

"Are you quite ready?" He asked me and I nodded as he opened the leather booklet the bill came in. He placed a couple of bills in there and then stood up.

I copied him and then pushed my chair in. We walked out and he opened the door for me. "Thank you." I said, finding there hat I've said that more today than I have in years.

We got inside of the car and he closed the door. "Driver, partition please." He said and it was rolled up soon.

"What's that for?" I asked and he set his hand on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Guess who saw you checking me out?" He said and I could feel my heart beating in my chest. "Me." He whispered as he leaned in close.

"Sir..."

"If I knew we could be so blunt with the staring, I wouldn't have held back." He said and I could actually hear my heart beating faster than it ever has.

"You're a beautiful, beautiful woman Ms. Ramirez." He told me and I tilted my neck to the side as his lips grazed my skin.

I wasn't drunk, but I wasn't exactly sober. He was the same, if not even more drunk, having drank more wine than I had.

Either way, it felt good to have his hands and lips on me.

"Can we go somewhere private?"

"My house it is." He said and I chuckled as he pressed his lips against mine. "You sure doll?"

"I'm positive sir."