CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
A LITTLE MORE
Michael was in the back seat of his car that evening. His driver parked in front of a convenience store and excused himself to get something from the store. Michael looked out of the window and saw someone. His eyes lit up when he saw it was Michelle. He quickly got out of the car and called her name.
"Michelle!" He called out.
Michelle looks up from her phone and her smile widens when she sees Michael.
"Michael!!" She ran up to him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Ivy wanted to get her hair done, so I brought her to my hairstylist," Michelle said to him.
"Are you busy now?"
"No" she shook her head.
"You wanna go somewhere with me?" He asked.
"Mmmh!" She nodded.
When the driver entered the car, Michelle had to ask,
"Where are we going to?"
"I wanted us to go to the sea. You're going to come with me, right?"
She nodded, "Mmmh"
"Before that, I'll have to honor an invitation. It's gonna be very brief"
"I'm not well-dressed"
He looks at her, "You're okay for a time at the beach. We'll be in the shadows. I also don't want to be seen. Just that I have to honor this invitation" he turns to the driver. "How many minutes until we get there?"
"Ten minutes" his driver replied.
"Okay. I'll spend less than fifteen minutes at the auction"
"Auction?!" Michelle gasped covering her mouth. "I've never been to any in my life"
Michael just smiled.
When they got to the place, a lot of people were there. But the event owner welcomed Michael personally. Including Michelle, and he took them to a private section of the room. Michael sat with her. They watched everyone throw their bids for everything that was introduced. Until they displayed a very shiny bracelet. It was made of diamond and has lasted for over a decade yet still maintained its luster. The first bid went for five hundred thousand and so on.
Michael looked at Michelle's hand. Picking up the microphone before him, he made the highest bid. He said 500 million. The room was silent immediately. They all turned to where Michael sat but they weren't able to see any faces.
The event owner just smiled and closed at that amount. Michael got up and patted Michelle who was still in shock. He just held her hand and led her out. His driver smiled.
They went to the beach and they strolled down the seashore. After a while, Michelle stops.
"Why?" He asked.
"I want to feel the ocean sand beneath my feet," she said excitedly and giggled.
Michael thought for a while before nodding,
"Okay. Let's do that"
They took off their shoes and took a small walk down the coastline. This particular side of the ocean was empty and there was no one around except for them.
"This has its own kind of special therapy," Michelle said.
"That's true. I've never tried this in my whole life"
Michelle laughs, "This is fun!"
"It's not fun to Miss Hena. Just like playing computer games with the guys at the computer village. My dad would scream if he ever heard that".
"It's been a long time since I went to the computer village"
"You don't do girly stuff. Kelvin and Sylvester are the only friends you've got?"
"Yeah! And you also. Kelvin and Sylvester are fun. They've been with me since. Imagine ditching so many privileges just to keep me company and that's because my aunt does not recommend them for me"
"What about your uncle?"
"He's never around. Always travelling. And we've gotten so used to it" she said.
"Mmmh! I guess that also includes his family"
"Yeah! He likes me a lot. I feel at ease whenever he comes around. It's like a day off for me. It wasn't until he got a new job the last two years. The job requires him to travel a lot, and that's what he's been doing" Michelle kicks the sand beneath her feet with her right foot.
"You've got other family members?"
"Yeah! But he's the one who calls me his own, personally" she smiles.
Michael stares at her.
She pauses. He paused too.
"Is there...um?" She licks her lips rapidly. "...Something on my face?"
Michael smiles. "No!"
"You're always staring!" She said almost in a whisper and looked down at her feet.
"You also do the same" Michael shrugs.
Her head springs up,
"W...well, that's... that's because... Um!" She was lost for words.
Michael burst out in laughter. He looks at the distance they've covered.
"We need to head back to the car. It's getting late" he suggested.
"Yeah! We should do that" she put in quickly.
"Let's go" he held her hand as they walked back to the car.
Michelle was slowly matching his strides while looking up at him with a smile on her face.
****
They stopped by a small ice cream joint that overlooked the ocean side. Michelle bought them ice cream while Michael was making calls. She waited until the call was over before she handed a cup to him.
"Thanks" he hung up and said. "My driver will soon be here"
He heard his name.
"Michael!!"
He turned around and saw Maxwell running up to them.
"Ooh! Maxwell!" Michael smiled and hugged Maxwell, who stopped in front of him.
"Michael! I've missed you so much. I feel so blessed now that I've seen your handsome face," Maxwell said, snuggling and hugging Michael even tighter.
"I've also missed you," Michael told him, and they disengaged.
"Good evening, Maxwell," Michelle greeted him, bowing slightly.
"Yeah! Michael, she's beautiful. Who is she? Business partner?" He asked and turned his eyes to Michael. He didn't remember her.
Michael is slightly amused and pats Maxwell on his shoulders.
"Maxxx! You don't remember her"
Shrugging, Maxwell replied,
"Well...I...I...can't but she seems very familiar"
"You'd better get adapted to girls. She's Michelle. The one you met in my school the other day"
"Haa!!" He screamed immediately and that was when he frowned. "Is she your girlfriend now? Michael! I'm your one and only, and you know that," he sulked.
Michelle made a face at him. Maxwell raises an eyebrow at her.
"Don't disturb Michelle" Michael turned his face towards him. "You already have a place in my heart"
Maxwell smiles, "Mmh! Mmh!" He takes out his phone and shows it to Michael when he hears his driver call his name.
"We have another party by next week. At the same time, 9pm" Maxwell said.
"Okay," Michael nods. "I'll be there"
"You sure, Michael. That would make my whole week"
"I'm sure" Michael gave him a half smile and hugged him.
"Okay. I'll be going now. Bye," he gave Michael a peck on the cheek and eyed Michelle before walking out. This made Michelle sneer at him again.
Michael turned to look at Michelle.
"What's the problem, Michelle?" Michelle looks at him. "You don't look so happy"
"Um!" She licks her lower lip. "Would you go to the party?" She asked.
"Yes, I have to. I don't want to disappoint him again"
"Michael..." She paused. She wanted to tell him not to go. But she didn't have the courage to.
"Mmh!" Michael was still waiting for her to talk.
"Nothing. Never mind." She shook her head but made a resolve in her heart that she would stop him.
"Okay"
Their driver soon came and they entered the car and drove off.
****
They got to Michelle's house, and she got out of the car. Michael also got down with her and circled the car to meet her at the other side.
"Goodnight, Michelle. Thanks for keeping me company"
"I also loved it. I guess it's mutual"
"Mmh!" Michael nods slowly. He took two steps and stopped in front of her. "Here. I'll see you in the morning"
He handed her a small gift bag. She noticed it was the same one the driver came back with when they were at the beach earlier.
"Oh! What is inside?" She asked while collecting it.
"It's nothing. Just chocolate" Michael said. Grinning softly, he entered back into the car and they drove off.
When Michelle entered her room, she slumped on the bed. After a while, she felt her eyelids were becoming heavy in that same position. A text came in. It was from Kelvin. He was asking her how the outing with Michael went. She heard the beep but she was already dozing off. Still holding the gift box Michael gave to her she closed her eyes and slept off again.