TAMING BECCA

NINE

NINE

The four drove to the nearby restaurant, Baker’s choice and true to his words he did know a place of expensive and delicious food in that by the time they got back to work, it was around two in the afternoon and they were all full, Becca paid for the bills just like she had promised. They didn’t have a lot of work to do that afternoon, just finalizing reports and by four they were ready to go home

“You giving me a lift back home in your car, I don’t really know what is happening but Michael hasn’t called nor texted me since morning, I have been calling his number but it keeps sending me straight to voice, h was supposed to pass by and drop my car here but now look at the time almost five I don’t think he will still make it either, we had an agreement and he was supposed to keep his end of bargain and the way I love my car, I hope nothing wrong happened I will be pissed at him” Joanna said to Becca as they were on the elevators heading down floor

“I told you Michael is not to be trusted especially with any of your asset your car for that matter, you will come to tell me the whole story later but let me just tell you, you can only trust him on matters to do with love and not your heart but the rest be careful, your problem is that every time I bring his name up you shut me off, you think me being single I don’t really know how relationships work? Just because my first relationship failed doesn’t mean I know nothing and trust me when I tell you that Michael is only using you because of your kindness maybe and once he is done with you, he will throw you away like you never really existed in his life, just a piece of advice, just like a friend, don’t trust too much lest you want to be disappointed in the future, love him with your brains and not you head, men never want to be shown our vulnerability, they will always use it against you, once they know your weak point and especially if they know that you love them immensely they will try to manipulate you, so once he returns you car, God willing don’t dare give him again, you are just dating and not married so don’t let him get into your head, no offense though just trying to look out for you” she said as they headed to the parking lot and Joanna just kept quiet, she had a lot in mind that she was not even listening to her best friend, she remembered the first time they met with Michael, it was exactly two years back when they had just moved to San Francisco with her friend Joanna, she had not stayed for long, just new in the neighborhood and they bumped into each other

She was on her normal morning jog when she bumped into him, at first she got attracted to him, he was a physically fit type of a guy, his abs and muscles could be seen even from his t-shirt, he was like a sexy god that was sent to torment her , his hair was dark black and coiffed to perfection, his eyes had the same startling clarity as a mountain stream and the lineaments on his face were in perfect proportion to each other , he seemed to be molded from a different cast as he had an androgynous look uncommon to most men Joanna had seen in the neighborhood, first they just exchanged names and weeks rolled into months, he asked her out on a date which she could not decline since she was already floating in love like a teenager, Michael was her leaf on which she floated and full of love, she wished nothing ever changed between them and six months later he asked her to be his girlfriend which she gladly said yes, Becca was not happy with the news because first she didn’t like Michael and she always thought that he had a hidden motive or agenda, so she warned her best friend against him and juts like they always say, you can never advise a woman in love, she will always think that you are jealous of her so when her efforts bore no fruit she let her do whatever she wanted because after all , she was a grown ass woman who was bound to making her own decisions, Becca did not just stop from there, Becca did her own research on Michael, just in case she didn’t have anything to support her reasons for her best friend not dating the guy, and lucky enough she had enough reasons she could pin on him, reasons that could bring him down but she never told her best friend about it because she knew it would break her, she only told her about him being a drug dealer which Joanna brushed off saying that it did not matter to her, the only that mattered was him and not his way of life or his part, but truth be told Joanna was in for the biggest surprise of her life, it was just that her best didn’t want to be the reason whatever the two had, she did not want to spoil the fun or the sparkle that was between the two but she knew day she was bound to tell her the truth, the truth about her parents and her boyfriend

“Joanna, are you even listening to me? Are you listening to what I am telling you?” Becca asked her and as they drove off the highway and to the road that connected to where they lived, there was no traffic on the road so it took her only ten minutes to reach to the road that connected to the road that led to their apartment, all the way Joanna was silent which was unusual of her, she was lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t even hear what Becca told her, she was brought back to earth from her own reverie

“Oh my, sorry I didn’t even hear or get what you said, what did you say?” she asked and face palmed herself, she didn’t even realize that they were just a few blocks from home

“Are you okay? You are not thinking about him are you?” she asked her and she shook her head in denial, truth was that she was thinking a lot about Michael and mostly about her car, she had crazy imaginations in her head which she was only hoping it was not true, like what if he got an accident and maybe died, or what if he was in trouble, she could not stop imagining her own things

“Of Course not, I am just thinking about my life not about him, you should be knowing me better than that, I just have a lot on my mind right now, I am sorry I didn’t hear what you said, what did you say to me?” she asked trying to avoid the subject but Becca was not letting go until she ensured she was okay, at least that is why they were friends, looking out for each other, that is what that mattered, her best friend’s happiness

“I know you better than that Joanna you can’t lie to me because it is written all over your face, now get your ass off that seat, I will take you in and ,make some coffee for you, you need that to calm down before we can talk about whatever you are trying to hide from me and if it is about, we are still going to talk about it and we are not leaving any stones unturned, now come on let me walk you in the house and please don’t say no because you know that I don’t always take no for an answer, come on, I will make you some coffee before I go to my house” she said as she parked the car on the drive way and proceed to open the door for her

“Wow look at who is being a gentle man here, you know if was out straight I could have dated you, you are always perfect more than most of the men out here, I don’t remember the last time Michael offered to open the door for me, he is always like I can open the door myself, Mr. Grumpy, I don’t even know why I fall for him, he is a bastard that doesn’t really care about me” Joanna said as she got out of the car and closed the door behind her

“Well, he is a Mr. Grumpy bastard that always make you weak when you are around him, must be nice having someone that can make you vulnerable in his presence but that does not mean that we don’t love ourselves, so I will make you a cup of coffee then you will tell me what is really bothering you, you and I are going to have a really long talk and you know me better than anyone else , I will dig out the truth from you so don’t you dare lie to me, so where is the key to your beautiful home” she asked and Joanna chuckled as she reached for her handbag and fished out her key then handed to her