Chapter 9.1: Nobody
Caroline
"Wake up! Wake up!"
I peeked my eyes open to find Rebekah jumping around in excitement, rummaging through her closet to find the perfect outfit.
"It's Whiskers day,’ she squealed.
I groaned and slammed the pillow on my face to shield my eyes from the sunlight only to have Rebekah snatch it away and grin
down at me.
"Wake up, sleepyhead.We have to find you a cute outfit"She rubbed her hands in excitement.
"Why?"I let out a cry.
She deadpanned, "You'll be at the kissing booth.’ I thought for a moment.
"Is it possible that we could switch stalls? I would love to volunteer with the games and it makes more sense for you to be at the
kissing booth.As for me, I'm not even sure dudes will show up to kiss me.Let alone pay for it
"No.There's no way we're switching, even if we could."She frowned.
"And people will show up.You'll see"
"Sure."
Rolling my eyes, I got out of the bed and disappeared into the bathroom.
A few minutes later, I stepped out in a pair of denims and a plain black t-shirt.
Rebekah scrunched her nose up in disapproval.
"What part of cute outfit did you not understand?"Her hands went up to her hips.
"Calm down, woman.I'm going to the coffee shop right now’ "Oh."She nodded.
"But make sure you're back before 1 p.m* I gave her a little salute and walked out of the dorm.
Thankfully, the coffee shop wasn't very crowded and Cathy the Cashy had her shift in the evening, hence no trouble.
Speaking of trouble, I was still furious about yesterday's events when she bumped into me on purpose, causing me to drop the
coffee mug.
Unfortunately for me, the stupid manager started scolding me and before I could tell him that it wasn't my fault...Nick Sinclair cut
in.
Nick Sinclair.
Just what the hell was he doing here yesterday? And why would he pay for the loss, when the fault was mine? What was he
trying to prove? And the things that happened outside the coffee shop.
Was he going to kiss me? My heart skipped a beat at the mere thought.
Shaking my head, I cleaned the counter and once my shift was over, I walked back to the dorm.
Rebekah was still standing in front of her closet, only now her hair was pulled up in a messy bun as she ran her fingers through
her clothes in frustration.
"It's over"she said when she had noticed me standing at the door.
"It's all over"I could see the panic in her eyes.
"I have nothing to wear’ I eyed the fancy clothes, half of thern cascading out of her closet because the humongous space wasn't
enough to store them all.
"It's okay, Rebs.If there's anything I can do to help—"
"You will?"Her eyes lit up.
"Uh, yeah, of course."I nodded.
She suddenly sprinted in my direction, dragged me inside the room and seated me on the edge of her bed.
"Okay.Now I'll wear the outfits I have shortlisted.Tell me which one looks the best’ I agreed and an hour later, I was sitting in the
same spot and Rebekah was on her twentieth outfit or something.
So much for shortlisting.
"This one's amazing too" I said.She frowned.
"If you call them all amazing, how am I going to choose?"I pressed my lips into a thin line and before I could open my mouth to
speak, she had disappeared into the bathroom to change.
She stepped out in a beautiful blue summer dress that reached her mid-thighs, flaunting her tall, sleek legs.
"All of them are amazing but this—"
I stopped to smile in excitement, "—this one is the best’ "Really?"
She looked down at it.
I nodded.
"Okay.I was thinking about this one too."
She grinned.
"Now" she clapped her hand in excitement, "let's get you dressed up"
"Um, I think I'm good..."
I trailed off because she was already picking out stuff from my wardrobe and looking for something that matched in hers.
Finally, half an hour later, I found myself wearing a cute polka dot dress that reached till my thighs, matched up with my black
boots.
"Now let's get going.’ She walked towards the door and I followed her.
The stalls were all set up and the campus was filled with people.
"There you are."
We turned around at the voice.
Liam was walking up to us with a huge goofy grin plastered on his face.
"My favourite women in the world."
And then he pulled us in for a hug.
"Can't...breathe...""
Rebekah muttered.He finally let go of us and smiled at me.
"Ready?"
"We'll see."
I nodded and turned to Rebekah.
"Are you sure we can't switch?"
"Off to the booth" she cut me off, and Liam was already dragging me in the opposite direction.
I read the banner in front of the booth.
Five dollars for a kiss.
My jaw dropped.
"Liam, no one is going to pay five dollars to kiss me, or kiss anyone for that matter.
Unless I was a queen or something.
That's too much.’ "I beg to differ"
Liam smirked in a particular direction and I followed his gaze.
Oh no! Zach Brown, the famous football jock, tall, well-built, with dark brown hair and brown eyes, was standing first in line.
We had dated for a few months in the freshman year.
I knew, from the very beginning, that it was a precarious relationship as he was popular and I was, well, I was just me.
Everything was going great but then he wanted to take our relationship to the next level.
He wanted more and I wasn't ready.
So we broke up.
No hard feelings.
And so, what the hell was he doing here now? "Caroline."
He greeted me with a slight smirk.
"Long time.’ "Zach.
I managed to pull on a smile.
He eyed the kissing booth behind me, the banner, and then averted his gaze to me.
"Worth it"
He smiled and took a step in my direction.
I couldn't help but blush when he said that.
He grabbed my face gently and leaned down.
"Locking lips in the name of volunteering?"
I heard a deep voice and looked over Zach's shoulder to find the most unexpected person walking in my direction.
A white t-shirt was covering his muscular torso, with matching black denims and a black leather jacket that looked borrowed from
the devil himself.
Hot.
My jaw dropped open.
"Hello, Caroline."
Nick Sinclair greeted me with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Then his eyes fell on Zach, twitching for a fleeting moment.
"I believe you're her first customer, he spat.
"I guess so."
Zach looked between us in confusion.
"Well, I'm gonna have to tell you to come back later’ "And you are?"
Zach raised a brow.
At this, Nick let out a laugh before a callous look fell on his face, which would have easily scared me to be honest.
But it didn't seem to have the same effect on Zach.
"Someone you don't wanna mess with."
Zach narrowed his eyes for a moment and I stepped in front of him.
"I'll see you in a bit"
He frowned but without further question, left us alone.
I turned to Nick furiously.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
His eyes narrowed for a moment, giving me a watch-that-tone message.
But this wasn't his office where he could tell me what I was supposed to do.
"Shut this booth down or’ he turned to Liam, "find another girl to make your earnings""
Liam was clearly baffled.
And so was I.
Why would Nick Sinclair care if I was volunteering at a kissing booth? "But, Mr.
Sinclair, a lot of hard work went into this booth and we haven't made anything to cover the cost yet,’ Liam said and gave me a
quick what-the-hell-is-going-on look.
I mouthed to him, later.
But I had absolutely no idea what I was going to say as an explanation later.
"I see.How much are you expecting to make?"
Liam thought for a moment.
"Seventy to eighty dollars, tops."
"I'll give you five hundred dollars if you shut this thing right now, He stated.
What the fuck! I crossed my arms over my chest with a scowl.
What the hell does he think of himself? Throwing money around like that? "I'm sorry, Mr.
Sinclair, I intervened and he turned to me.
"But this isn't charity’ "Who said anything about charity, Ms.
Stewart?"
"What?" I was confused.
"You'll do what you're supposed to do.
A slight smirk was forming on his lips.