TRINITY
A heat creeps on my cheeks when Bash pulls himself away from me.
I’m sure my lipstick smears over my lips. I bite my lower lip to avoid trembling. What was I thinking kissing Bash again? And this time in the office building.
It never occurs to me to have a relationship with my boss or worst my best friend. But it always been a part of my dreams to get his attention.
Does he even want to start a relationship with me? And is there anything he wants more than just those kisses?
God! I’m in so much trouble. I tilt my chin up to see Lizzy’s grinning at me. My brows furrow with confusion.
“Well, aren’t you two lovely?” Lizzy chirps.
My jaw almost drops. I feel a possessive hand on my waist that makes me stiffen, though I know whose hand belongs to.
This is so awkward.
His sister just caught us kissing in the hallway.
“Do you want something, Lizzy?” Bash asks. I can’t even feel or hear any regrets in his voice.
Lizzy giggles crossing her arms over her chest as she glances at us with satisfaction. “You two need to do that inside the office and not here in front of dad’s office.”
“It’s not what you think, Lizzy.” I move closer to her and try to explain, but I have nothing in my freezing brain right now. I sigh helplessly.
“Oh, K. I don’t need your explanation. In fact, thank God, you two finally figure it out. What took you two so long to finally realize that you two belong together?” she gushes with full of enthusiasm.
“Lizzy, enough of that,” Bash stops his sister, grabs my hand, and walks away from her.
“K, well talk later!” Lizzy yells as I follow Bash’s quick pace.
“Okay!”
“Bash, stop!” I pull off my hand back from his grip.
He stops and glances at me. I squeeze my eyes shut as I take a deep breath to calm my racking nerves and slow down my frantic heartbeat. I open my eyes and try to focus on what should I say and not how my heart is beating.
“We can’t do that again, Bash. That was a terrible mistake to let you kiss me and kiss you back. It has to stop.” I feel bad because I love how we kissed, and it’s a dream comes true that he finally kissed me.
I’ve been dreaming all these years, and technically, I’m single right now, but I don’t know why I am having these feelings that I should not be glad about it. Perhaps, we’re friends, he’s my boss, my best friend’s brother, and I value the friendship I have with him, with his sister and with his family.
If I have to continue doing this, I have to put everything at risk; my family connection with Hughes and his mom is Mom’s best friend.
I’ve been avoiding him this weekend because I have to choose our friendship over my feelings and over how much I love the kisses we shared. It kept me wide awake these past two nights.
The two kisses that we shared were the best kisses I’ve ever had.
“Trinity, please? You’ve been avoiding me this weekend.” Bash’s voice pulls me out of my deep thoughts.
“We can’t do that again,” I remind him again, press my lips together, and look at him on his beautiful eyes.
I need to be straight with him but it’s killing me deep inside because this is not what my heart says.
I love him so much since I found out I have a heart. Even I was with Oli I never forgot Bash no matter how I’ve been broken because of him.
I should be celebrating that we finally back together and somehow, he finally sees me. But it doesn’t feel right.
“Is that what your heart speaks Trinity?” I know he’s not pleased with my decision clenching his jaw.
All I can do is nod.
“I want you to say it,” he says quickly.
I bite my lip because I feel it starts to tremble. My eyes sting, but I try hard to control not to cry in front of him.
I take another deep breath. “Yes, that’s what I want,” I say it looking straight into his eyes.
He breaths shakily. His face turns red and his nose is flaring with anger. “You’re a terrible liar, Trinity. Don’t you dare lie to me again? I’ve known you since we started to walk, and I know how you feel about me.”
I shake my head repeatedly to tell him he is wrong. “You don’t know anything about me anymore. We’ve been away for years and things had changed between us. I’m not the old Trinity that you knew. I’m not the weak and coward Trinity that you used to bully. And I don’t know anything about you too, Bash. We’re both different people now.”
He has no idea that I’m still the old Trinity by heart, the old Trinity who is crazy over him, who looked up the sky every night in my bedroom window, wishing that Bash would notice me and he would smile at me and kiss me. I did that every night before I went to sleep. I believe that there were stars that fell every night, but I couldn’t just see them. So I did that because I read in some books that it would make your dream comes true.
“Is it because of him?” There’s a hesitation in his voice as if he’s ashamed.
“He won’t come back, Bash. I accepted that fact already, and I can’t just live in my past. He won’t be happy if I keep on sulking because of his death.”
He presses his lips into a thin line as he shakes his head. “He’s not what I’m talking about, Trinity.”
My brow cocks. “Then who?”
He groans and looks pissed. “That Indian guy.”
I’m beyond confused. “Indian guy?”
“Yes, Trinity. What’s his name? Banshee, Shanvi, Rashid?”
I burst into a laugh. I instantly cover my mouth when I realize my voice echoes in the entire hallway. I scan around to see if anyone is watching us.
“You mean Ranjiv? And what about him?” I ask, still laughing at him.
He shoots me a glare. Jesus, he looks hotter when he’s glaring. He doesn’t look amused, though.
“Lizzy told me that that guy asked you out.” He throws his words annoyingly.
I laugh again, then bite my bottom lip. I feel suddenly self-conscious when his gaze falls to my lip.
I clear my throat. “I will desiccate your sister’s ovaries. She’s playing with us because Ranjiv didn’t ask me out, and she knows it. She will pay for this.” I groan and start walking away from him, but he won’t just let me go. He grabs my hand before I can get far from him.
I look down at our hands then up at his beautiful face.
“So, it’s not true, huh?” he seems to find it hard to believe that I am not dating Ranjiv.
I shake my head before I hear footsteps approaching, and speaking of the devil.
“K, thank God I found you here!” Ranjiv’s strong Indian accent catches my attention.
“You’re looking for me?” I pull my hand from Bash’s grip.
“I called you, but you didn’t pick up. So I decided to look for you instead,” Ranjiv responds, arching his thick brows at me.
I know what he’s trying to say. Bash fakes a cough.
“Oh, sorry, Mr. Hughes, I’m—”
“I know who you are,” Bash snaps.
I shoot him a glare.
“Oh, okay.” Ranjiv nods and looks embarrassed before he faces me. “Can I have a minute with you?” he asks politely.
“No,” Bash interjects with a stern voice.
“Bash.” I groan.
“Does he need to talk with you alone?”
“This is work-related, Mr. Hughes,” Ranjiv answers politely.
“Good, then you can tell her in front of me. Wait, which department are you in?”
“Information Technology consultant, Mr. Hughes,” he replies delightedly.
Bash’s eyes widen like he has an idea that pops out in his brain.
“Ranjiv, I need you in my office before four,” he says dismissively, “Tri, we’re not done talking.” Bash kisses the side of my head and winks before he left.
I just watch him walk away while I’m glued in my place, shock at his gesture.
“What was that all about?” It’s Ranjiv. I look at him with his dark eyes wide and mouth slightly open.
“You wanna tell me something, Ranjiv?”
We both went to the same university. He’s one of the brilliant students who got lucky with a full scholarship sponsored by Hughes Industries. He came from India four years ago, and now he works as ITC, and he brought his family to New York with him.
“Ms. Hughes told me that you needed me, so when I called up, and you didn’t pick up, I came to find you.”
I roll my eyes. “Seriously, Lizzy?”
“What is going on with you and Bash Hughes?” he asks cautiously with a small smile on his lips. Then his gaze falls to my lips.
Shit! Does my lipstick really smear around my lips? I should buy a waterproof one.
I mentally hit myself. What am I thinking? That we’ll kiss again.
“We used to be best friends.”
He raises his brow like he never believes me. “Is that all? Used to be best friends? And now, you’re more than best friends?”
I hit his arm, making him laugh. “We’re still best friend, Ranjiv. Now, shoo, and go back to work.”
He laughs as he walks backward. “I guess, K is finally back into life and back out there, ready to mingle.”
“I’m not dead, Ranjiv,” I retort.
“Physically, yes, but heartily?”
I raise my hand and shoo him away. “Oh, please. Go, go, go!”
“See you around, K!”
***
I noisily sip my peach iced tea with a straw to annoy Lizzy. There’s still a devilish smile on her face, and it’s really annoying. I wear a scowl and try my best to ignore her.
“Hey, guys!” Saph’s sweet voice comes from my back. She kisses my cheek from behind then moves to Lizzy to do the same thing.
“When will you be a minute earlier than us, Saphoera Hannahbelle?” Lizzy asks.
Saph never appeared a minute earlier than us. She took too much time curling her blonde hair.
“You know me better, so don’t expect me to come early,” Saph answers, taking a seat beside Lizzy, and now I’m facing the two Goddesses in front of me.
“So, is it true? And since when did you two hooked up?” Saph is grinning.
I almost spit the iced tea on their faces. My eyes pop out in surprise. We always share secrets, and I guess Lizzy filled her in already.
This is so embarrassing, and I feel my forehead starts sweating.
What the hell?
“Hooked up?” I ask with a surprised tone.
“Yes,” Saph answers cheerfully.
“Me, hooking up?” I ask you again.
“Yep. You and Bash.” She giggles.
I glare at Lizzy. “We never slept together, and sorry to disappoint both of you.”
“Oh, so, you two are couples now? That’s what you’re trying to say?” Lizzy asks this time.
“Lizzy, whatever you saw earlier was a mistake, and it won’t happen again. I can’t risk my friendship with you, my family relationship with yours, my job, and my friendship with Bash. I already made it clear to him after you left,” I answer even if I feel being stabbed thousand times right through my chest. I can see the dismay on their faces.
“Really? Don’t you feel anything towards Bash? I mean even a little bit?”
My brain suddenly freezes. My mouth opens, but no words come out. I have to shut it close again.
“That’s what I thought,” Lizzy says quickly and sighs in relief.
“K, that’s not real love if you won’t risk something worth. I can see the tensions between you too. Bash is my brother, and I love him so much. I don’t wanna see you or him confused as you two try to ignore or control your feelings. Take a risk for once, K. It’s worth a try. If it doesn’t work, then you really don’t belong to each other. You can move on. But trust me, I can see the way you two look at each other. I see myself in you, and that’s how I exactly look at Dean.” She reaches out for my hands.
“K, our families are friends, and nothing’s gonna break our ties. Whatever happens to the two of you will never affect us, to our friendships. I will still love you and treat you like a sister. Nothing’s gonna change that, but if you will not even try, K, trust me, you will never be happy, and you will regret that for the rest of your life. Do you want that?”
I look at her, shaking my head. Finally, I understand what she’s been doing since Bash came back from London.
“You loved Bash since we were kids, K. Everyone knew that. It’s not a secret, and Bash loves you, always and forever. He may be so dumb not to figure that out soon because he’s an ass—a dumbass, arrogant bully before, but look at him now, he still sees you,” Saph says.
I can’t say anything, and all I do is just look down at our hands clasping together.
“He loves you since then, K,” Lizzy adds.
“I doubt it, Lizzy.” I look at her.
“You’ll find it out very soon.” A familiar voice from my back startles me.