Above is Elena. Bridget and Amanda's friend.

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Amanda sat quietly in Bridget car saying nothing to her while her friend drove. She rested her head on the hand which she placed on the edge of rolled down window, enjoying the fresh breeze, letting her thought travel through the wind.

Bridget took a glance at her friend but refrained from saying a word; she just did her best to focus on driving. She understood that the reporters were like a noose on Amanda's neck and the thin ice she stood barefooted on was melting up due to the imminent ancient sun.

Bridget wished she could be her Best friend's knight in a shining armor, to save her from this grueling episode but, she realized her limits and all she could do was to pray for her friend and sister.

Was Bridget over thinking Amanda's silence? Amanda on the other hand, never took notice of Bridget through out the drive. She just rambled back in time to the awkwardness she felt the previous day. After her meeting with Mr. Wright senior-as she chose to now call him, she went back to her office but her Boss was already on seat. She quietly slipped into her cubicle and they sat in silence minding their business.

Amanda had a lot of thought in her head, she thought about bringing up the kiss but she didn't want to give him an impression that she liked him and wanted so desperately to kiss him again so, she reciprocated the silence. She stole glances of him flipping pages on the book he held, "He acts so focused on that book but, was he? Was the book a distraction? Was he also feeling the awkwardness too? Did he feel sorry about the kiss? Does he have a lot of questions like I do? Does he like me too?" Amanda had thought over the questions building up in her brain and not once did she take her eyes off him.

"Amanda! Amanda!!" Bridget called, bringing her friend back to reality.

"Yes, yes" she replied, looking round the environment as one who was lost.

"Are you alright?" Bridget asked with concern lacing her tone

"Yeah, I am. Why?"

"I thought I lost you there." Bridget gave a simple smile at her friend.

Amanda laughed too before replying "Seriously, I'm fine. Where are we?"

"Oh, we are here."

"Here! where?" Amanda asked confused.

"We are at Elena's boutique." Bridget replied, turning her gazes to the building on the left side.

"Wow!" Amanda exclaimed, scanning the boutique n awe as she stepped out of the vehicle "This place is Beautiful."

"Wait till you see the inside." Bridget told her and then, led the way inside the boutique.

A young man on white and blue uniform who stood at the entrance, gestured politely the moment he saw Amanda and Bridget approaching. Then, he showed them through the entrance.

"This is exquisite." Amanda's eyes beheld the interior splendor, admiring latest design on each mannequin mounted next to a large glass window, feeding he desires of every window shopper. "You are right Brid, this indeed is a fashion Palace. "

"I told you."

They toured around and Amanda fell in love with everything she saw. She left Bridget side and went to the place where the diamonds-a girl best friend-, were kept, she couldn't believe her eyes. Not in her wildest imagination has she assumed how successful Elena had become.

Yes, Elena. Her thought went back immediately to her second best friend from high school, the other reason she went there.

"Good Morning Miss Amanda, Welcome to ELENA HOUSE. Will you like to take a look at our jewelries?" The beautiful lady standing in front of the glass shelf where the jewelries were kept, asked politely.

"Yes please." Amanda replied, ecstatic.

"Oh my God, that is Amanda..." Amanda could hear people in the boutique lowly chanting her name. She ignored them but focused on the smiling lady in front of her.

Just as the nice lady brought out the boxes of Diamond earrings and necklaces, she heard a loud cry that attracted the attention of every shoppers in Elena House and the workers there hid not their surprise at the familiarity.

Amanda turn to find who cried out her name and without thinking or hesitation, she reciprocated the cry at the same ridiculous high pitch.

"Elena!!!" Amanda exclaimed, unable to maintain her posture she ran forward and the two friends jammed hugs at each other.

"It's been ages." Elena said still hugging her greedily.

"I know." Amanda replied feeling quite guilty for encouraging he distance between them. Bridget ad told her that Elena wasn't that upset with her but hearing Elena's next words broke to soft emotions.

"I thought you've gotten rid of me."

"Not in a million years." Amanda assured, finally disengaging the hug.

"My God, look at you, my big movie star." Elena took a satisfying look at her friend totally ignoring the stare of her workers and other onlookers.

"You don't look too bad yourself. I've missed you so much." Amanda told Elena sincerely.

"You have? How come you never returned any of my calls?"

"Yeah, how come Amanda?" Bridget, not helping her case at all, asked rhetorically "Everyone keep complaining the same thing, Elena. Including her father." Bridget told Elena.

"That's bad." Elena remarked and Amanda heart felt the regret as she watched her friend's happy face dim a little.

"I know and I'm sorry." Amanda apologized.

"It's ok. I understand perfectly well. It's not easy being you."

"Thank you Elena" Amanda said feeling better. She really did thought Elena won't forgive her that easily. She had prepared her knees to beg until Elena did.

"Uhh, come here." Elena squeezed Amanda in again for another hug "Please, come with me" Elena said leading Amanda and Bridget to her office.

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August 24 was a significant day for Wright Junior but he hadn't for once acknowledged that day as important. Like every other day, he went around doing his normal business. The only thing different was that he got more calls than usual.

Every Saturday, he visited the gym and today was no different. As soon as he was done working out, he took out a bottle of water from his gym bag and drank from it. Just as he returned the bottle into his bag and was about zipping it, he got distracted by a beautiful and sexy lady who approached him wearing just her tight gym leggings and a brief pink tank top.

"Hey, handsome." She greeted him with a grin.

"HI." Junior replied stiffly.

"I'm Joanna." She ignored his uninterested look and introduced herself with an outstretched arm.

"I'm Junior." He said back, shaking her hand briefly so as not to seem rude.

She smiled warmly "I've been seeing you round for a while now so, I thought to say hi."

"Thanks."

She looked at him but couldn't find an atom of smile on his face. She took the initiative to move closer, moved the tip of her fingers on his bare arm and said "I hope you are not in a hurry, I thought we could have coffee."

He just stood there smiling inwardly "What do you know? She thinks a lot." He said to himself. Gently, he removed her hands from his "We could but, we won't." He told her in a somewhat harsh tone.

She felt a little insulted, she tried persuading him to think about the coffee but Wright Junior wasn't interested. He tried his best to flash on her what looked like a smile and said warmly "You are right, I am in a hurry but thanks for offering though, and it would have been my pleasure sharing coffee with a gorgeous lady as you." He added as politely as he could.

She smiled intending to hide her disappointment. Junior smiled back and left the gym.

He threw his gym bag on the back seat of his car before sitting in the driver seat. He laughed involuntarily "What's wrong with me?" He asked no one but himself. His head threatened to explode "Hmm" He smiled again as his mind flashes back to Joana "Women, aren't they just wonderful creatures?" He placed the key into the ignition, starts the car and drove off.

"Boss, it didn't work. But he will be at a book signing this evening at the university. What's your order?" Dan, after observing he scene at the gym with is binoculars, said from the rooftop of a building that was a bit distant from the gym, holding a binocular on one hand and holding a phone to his ear with the other.

"Do nothing, yet. Just keep an eye on him and report back to me."

"Yes boss." Dan replied

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