Billionaire’s Side Attraction

Lula Lopez

I hid my hands inside my jacket pocket as I walked toward my car in a desperate attempt to find warmth. Bits of snowflakes littered the path to my car. We barely get snow here in this part of America, but like I said earlier, this year is different in so many ways.

I struggled to find my keys in my purse because of how blue my fingers had gotten. Thankfully, I found them and pressed the button. Once I was secure inside my car, I started the engine and headed to the club. Still contemplating if taking a ride to the club was the best thing for me tonight or just going straight home, but as soon as I took the lane opposite the direction of my house, I got my answer. My mom had organized a small party for me, Carlos, and some of our business partners’ kids -and that was the venue. It beats me how I’m still stuck in this maze, blindly following my mom’s orders.

Streetlights twinkled along every street that I drove through, leading me to my current destination. Not long after, I parked in front of the lounge/club. I removed my seatbelt and got out with my phone and purse in hand. I approached the entrance, walking past the long queue of people trying to get in. When I flashed my card at the guy there, he let me walk in.

Neon lights almost blinded my eyes as I stepped in. I adjusted my sight as I walked further, doing my best to meander through the crowd of dancers; some were stoned, drunk, or both, while a rare few were sober.

I finally made it through the maze of dancing clubbers and found myself at the bar. My eyes darted through the floor until they landed on a table where Carlos and two girls were sitting. I recognized those girls as the daughters of my mom’s investors, there was another guy whom I also recognized. The way Carlos put his hands all over the girl’s bodies didn’t surprise me. Yet another unsuspecting bimbos like me.

I walked over there after getting my drink. As soon as Carlos saw me, he shoved them off of him, not knowing that I had seen him. I acknowledged everyone at the table and they acknowledged me too. I sat next to the guy and joined in the convo. I checked my phone to time myself: the time was 9 pm and I planned on leaving at 10. My bed was calling me and I wanted to answer her majesty. I sipped my drink as the conversation was becoming too boring for me. I avoided Carlos’s hands from touching me.

Just then, that girl walked past us. I had seen her that day I visited Javier’s studio. I remember he called her Mona, she has a great voice. As she walked by, everyone chanted her name as if she was this big superstar. She is quite pretty and I honestly didn’t like the way she glared at me that day. I decided to shove those thoughts to the back of my mind.

She got on the stage at the far end of the hall and grabbed a mic. She started singing and everyone danced. Carlos offered me his hand but I refused it. He pulled the other two girls along and they made it down to the dance floor. He wasn’t standing upright anymore due to the number of drinks he had consumed. I shook my head as he made a fool of himself under the neon light.

I noticed the girl, Mona’s eyes go up to the balcony that overlooked the dance floor. I followed her gaze and saw him. Javier. He was watching her as she performed. She moved her hips seductively as her body swayed to the song she sang. My breathing became unstable as I watched him admire her like that.

I got up and walked out of the club hoping he doesn’t see me. As I made it toward the exit, someone bumped into me and I almost fell back, but he caught me. I know him! Unfortunately, an embarrassing feeling washed over me as I remembered how we met. He smiled my way: “Hi, Lula, right?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “Francisco, right?”

He grinned, flashing his dimples. There was so much of Javier in his features, “Yeah, you remembered.”

“Yeah”. I blushed with embarrassment as I remembered the other thing. “I’m sorry about that-”

“It’s totally fine. I’m cool.” He smiled. “Can I buy you a drink?”

“I’m afraid not, I want to go home,” I responded honestly.

“Oh come on, the night is still young, let’s go on some adventure, shall we?” He held my hand and led me to another side of the building. I never pictured the club to have a gallery, but here I was enjoying the sight of a fine piece of art hanging on the wall. The gallery wasn’t overfilled; just a few men in suits and ladies in elegant dresses. Thankfully, I didn’t feel out of place in my flute-end magenta dress with an off-shoulder and matching shoes.

We sat at the bar there and ordered champagne. Once the bartender brought our orders, I picked up the flute and took a sip before placing it on the small table between us. Francisco cleared his throat: “So tell me about you and my brother.”

“Well, we met on a road trip-”

He clicked his tongue. “I know that I’m just curious about what’s going on between you two. All this will he-won’t she thing, where is it headed?”

I swallowed the knot in my throat. “I don’t know, honestly.” I looked down at my drink.

He adjusted in his seat and took a full swig of his champagne, leaving nothing in the glass. “I think you love each other, but you’re letting the world hope you back.”

I hummed. “I just wish he would understand me sometimes.”

“If you want him to understand you, then have an earnest conversation with him, that’s the solution to this entire problem.”

“It’s not as easy as you think.” I shrugged.

“It’s not as difficult as you think” He answered back.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

I finished off my drink and focused my attention on him. “So, tell me, what was your first impression of me?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Well, you gave me a hard boner on our first meeting so that was good.” I threw my head back as a rumble of laughter erupted from my chest. He continued: “But aside from that, I think you’re good for Javier, he just doesn’t know it yet.”

“Why do you say so?”

He thought for a moment before answering. “You make him lively, happy… Javier is the eldest of my siblings, his life has been filled with a lot of sadness and it affected him in life in general. He is always so serious, but with you, he can be crazy and clumsy.”

I digested his words, my eyes water with just the thought of being apart from him for so long. I barely made it past the last few weeks without going into a nervous breakdown. I want to make him smile and laugh, I want to be his happy place.

In the haze of my mind, I glanced up at the wall clock. “Would you look at the time, 11:30!”

He laughed, “Admit it, you lost track of time because I’m fun to hang with.”

I rolled my eyes. “Maybe. Come on, let’s go”. We paid for the drinks and made our way towards the exit of the gallery, but I stopped in my steps when I caught sight of Javier. His eyes were fixated on me and Francisco. The smile on my face vanished when I noticed how mad he was. What did he think was going on between Francisco and me?

I felt a need to explain the situation so I took a step toward him, but Francisco grabbed my hand-and right in front of Javier, he placed a kiss on my forehead.