Chapter twelve

"That outfit shows too much skin."

"Well," Isa says, her voice filled with a teasing lilt, "Thank God you've got just the right body to show off." Her eyes sparkle mischievously as she playfully winks at me, creating a sense of irritation and confusion

"Don't push your luck, Isla," I say, my voice tinged with irritation. As I walk towards my room, the sound of her pleases fades into the background. The air is heavy with tension, the smell of frustration lingering in the space between us. I ignore her pleading eyes, my footsteps echoing on the floor, as if marking my determination to stand my ground.

In all honesty, I have zero interest in attending; it sounds utterly dreadful.

this party nor put on some wicked seductresses dress.

"Ugh... your persistence is grating on my nerves; aren't you done yet?" ." I find myself muttering on noticing her foot in between the door hindering me from shutting the door

Since it seems like she isn't in for the peaceful talk, perhaps it's time I'd use other means. I wasn't going to be easy on her.

"Ouch..that's so mean ,Elena!." She winches in pain the moment I stamp hard on her foot

It's so deserving of you. I remember vividly telling you not to strain my patience, the sound of my voice filled with frustration. But you assumed we were so close and went on persistently bugging me. So, good for you." I say, the door creaking as I push it forcefully to shut it, the feeling of resistance in my hand. However, this notorious imbecile of a friend blocks the door once again with her hand, her touch firm against the wood.med we were so close and went on bugging me. So__ good for you."

A look of utter surprise washed over her face; her mouth fell agape, eyes wide, and brows raised in disbelief at my statement.

"Did you just say, I assumed we were close? Like seriously, Elena!"

" I guess that's what I said. If you didn't hear me clearly the first time, I guess I could just say it once more or even till it sinks into your brains."

Her expression-a perfect blend of shock and denial enthralled me-her cheeks flushed, her breath catching in her throat.

"Huh...I_ uh__ didn't know our friendship was being measured."

"What other way is there to truly understand the depth of our connection?"

"Huh... So your results came out to be __ that we aren't close."

To be frank, that initial sense of satisfaction from teasing Isla is undeniable, even with the accompanying headaches she sometimes causes.

"Alright! Just say, it was a joke _bad joke." I say throwing myself onto the bed.

The silence that fell in the room was palpable. Had I just killed miss blabber mouth.

The absence of a response left a void, making the situation even more unsettling.

So unlike her.

The unsettling feeling inside me , overwhelming. At once, I jolted from the bed, straighten my posture.

Isla, standing in front of me, on her face an evil smirk.

The kind of smirk an evil witch displays once her plans are successful.

"You seem.. worried or __ am I just assuming it."

From her tone, she was definitely going to make a fuss over the ' assuming ' statement.

I know Isla, she definitely going to drag the matter til my guilty conscious took over.

"No__ I was just.. curious. It felt like we'd gone from a club to a cemetery."

"Hmm." She says whilst raising a brow." Anyways, Elena, I know you possibly thought I'd gotten a heart attack from your words__ but darling, I knew all long, you just wanted to shake me off your back."

This girl.

"Your something else, you __"

"Enough with the bickering. Just take a close look at this dress, Elena." She says holding out the dress for me to look at.

"Yeah..I know, it's pretty but am still not interested in putting it on."

"I know it's pretty and sexy too." She takes a pause and first turns the dress towards herself, as if wanting to take a good look at it herself. "It being pretty isn't the point __ but where it's from is."

"Tell me it's from Hector and I'll smack you right in the face."

"Why in God's name would I be bringing you anything from Hector. Believe me, I would run him over if I set my eyes on him."

Her resentment towards hector palpable. It's almost as if she hated him even more than I did.

"Then who's it from?"

"It's not whom it's from but rather where and when."

Okay, now am starting to get lost.

Where and when!

"I can't really seem to figure out where or when I saw that dress." I say getting up from the bed and walk towards the closet.

If I wasn't going to put on Isla's dress, then I had to pick out from one of mine.

"Seriously Elena, you have a chickens brain. Of all things you chose to forget, the origin of this dress shouldn't have been one."

Chickens brain!

"That's mean, Isla."

"This dress." She says holding it up and then raising a brow, " A keepsake from Alejandro's party.". The mischievous grin not escaping her face.

Huh... Alejandro's party.

"That's where it's from!" At least I now remember that party, but then how's the dress any of my concern.

"Is that it?" Her voice echoes in my ear, the disappointment and dissatisfaction evident in her tone.

At once, I hit a pause in my search for a cloth. I let go of the dresses I was looking at in the closet and turn my attention to Isla.

"You were expecting me to say more or..."

"Elena! You're indeed living with a chicken brain."

The teasing and cheerful demeanor she once had disappearing from her face.

"You can really mean to be ridiculous. This dress," she says throwing it at me and then walking towards the bed throwing her wait on it." That's the dress that got Pedro running after you  our entire final year at uni and on the same night, got you the attention of that lunatic husband."

Pedro Vargas! Hector, now I remembered.

Second semester of our final year, Pedro threw a farewell party. Being the most popular and good looking rich kid at uni, every single student flooded his maisonette.

Isla just didn't feel like missing out on the party nor did she feel like going alone. she had to drag me along.

Wish I could relive that day, now that I think of it, this dress isn't really something I see myself putting on.

"Believe me, how I accepted to put on this dress__ I don't remember but I know clearly it was never to seduce Pedro."

"What's with the guilt conscience? I don't remember saying you intended too. All am saying is that, this dress is your lucky charm with men, so you need to put it on so I can get my new brother in law."

At once, I throw the dress towards her and it lands right on her face.

"I don't need a__"

"Before we get into another banter about you needing or not needing a man, just know we're running late. The girls might pop in here anytime and find you unprepared, mind you, ."

Walking towards isla, i take a seat at the edge of the bed.

A deep sigh escaping from him "All I want is a divorce and I'm done with love and all that drama. For good." I say

I could swear on Zeus and all deities... The expression on her face was far from how I thought she'd react to me wanting to divorce Hector.

I can't help but feel she's up to something.

"I won't lie__ I thought contrary to what you just said." The mischievous smile still not fading from her lips. " I actually thought you'd want to patch things up with him..but since it's not the case, then I guess you're not going to have a problem with what I have in mind."