Before Beauty's parents could bombard her with any more questions.
Beauty seized the opportunity to escape, hurrying toward her room. She could still hear them talking in hushed tones behind her, obviously not buying her casual dismissal.
Her mother, still unsatisfied by the answers she got, persisted.
“We need to talk about this, you know!”
Her husband put his hands on his shoulder.
“Just let her be Sweetie, we can only hope for this to be good…for the best…someone who will see her the way we see her”.
“I hope so too… I am just you know…excited. I got a feeling that he is the one for her…did you see the way he looked at her? We need to know more about that young man… I want her to be happy…you know… I am sick of seeing her always sad and lonely and insecure…”.
She paused abruptly as a sob erupts from her throat.
Mr. Hill smiled and kissed her on the cheek.
“Sweetie. I know you are excited and also worried, but let's not push her too hard into another relationship, give her some time…okay?”
He replied softly.
His wife sighed.
“You are right, honey”.
She hugged him.
********
As soon as Beauty got to her room, she shut the door immediately with a deep sigh of relief. Leaning against the door for a moment, her heart was still racing like she just escaped a zombie apocalypse.
She closed her eyes and her mind was spinning.
*Why did they have to make such a big deal out of everything?*
Slowly she opened her eyes and the memories of the car ride came back to her. Her face flushed and let out a quiet, excited squeal with her palms over her face.
“I can't believe that happened for real”.
She yelled in her head as her whole body buzzed with the emotions she had been trying to suppress.
There was something about that car ride that felt so intense. She couldn’t tell whether she's the one overthinking it or not. But each time they were close, and their body touched, it felt like there was a spark between them.
*It wasn’t just me, right? He had felt it too, or did he not?*
She thought and walked over to her bed, flopping on it.
“Maybe I am overthinking everything, what if it's not just my delusions?”
She buried her face in the pillow, trying to calm down. If she makes too much noise of excitement. Her parents might have been suspicious.
*Bruno was just being kind. It wasn’t anything more than … was it?*
The way he had caught her, the warmth of his hands on her waist, the way their faces had been so close… she felt her heart beating so fast like it would explode.
*What if he had kissed me back, then?*
She wondered, biting her lip as her heart raced again and her cheeks flushed.
“I would definitely lose it and black out”.
She screamed again into the pillow.
Unable to stay still in excitement, she jumped to her feet again and stood in front of the mirror.
Her reflection in Bruno's outfit made her smile like an idiot.
She looked cute in the hoodie and sweatpants. His cologne on them smells so intoxicating.
Beauty couldn't help but sniff the sleeves. They were longer than her hands, but the outfit fit her chubby size.
She went on and ran her hands over the fabric, hugging herself tightly as if it were him, she was embracing.
A shy, giddy laugh bubbled out of her as she twirled around, feeling like a love struck teenager.
“Sir Bruno…” .
She whispered to herself, her face flushing red. She hugged the hoodie tighter, imagining it was his arms around her.
“I am being so cringe right now and I can't help it. I need to let Jessie know, I can't wait to see her face tomorrow at the office”.
She jumped in her bed and grabbed her phone. Then excitedly, she dialed Jessie’s number, eager to spill everything about the evening with Bruno.
Her heart was still racing as she waited for Jessie to pick up, the butterflies swirling in her stomach.
When Jessie finally answered, but before Beauty could say anything, Jessie interrupted with her own news, she sounded just as excited as Beauty felt. It made Beauty interested in the tea she was about to spill.
“Oh my God, Beauty, you won’t believe it!”
Jessie squealed.
Beauty paused her excitement for the moment, but her smile was still there.
“What? What happened?”
she asked curiously.
“Bruno called me! Can you believe it? I was shocked and it's not a mistake. He thought about me and called me…not business related”.
Beauty's face turned pale instantly.
The excitement that was bubbling inside of her was completely deflated.
Her stomach twisted with jealousy and insecurity.
Bruno called Jessie?
Is he attracted to her?