Chapter 4 "You are my savior."

Scarlet's pov

"Girl, for someone who wants to be a makeup artist you sure don't do a good job on yourself," Denise taunted me, referring to the deep bags under my eyes and my tired face. I am quite sure I even have some drool stains around my mouth.

The sleepover last night had taken a toll on me and my body.

We watched three horror movies while binging on ice cream and pizza like we always did. After that we discussed few things here and there and then finally Blu dropped the bomb about my plan around midnight. It had costed me five hours of my sleeping time explaining and arguing with Charlie. Even then he didn't appreciate my idea, just like Blu.

Those two always teamed up against me!

"I just drove here from Charlie's house," I yawned, slumping beside her while pulling my hair up in a messy bun. She laughed giving me a knowing look before taking out a Starbucks coffee from her bag and a cupcake causing me to beam at her gratefully.

She must have already known something like this would happen; after all she had been my best friend through thick and thin.

I reached out to take the food kept on the table in front of us when she slapped my hand away and gave me a face wipe first, while saying, "You look like shit. Clean your faces before eating, people are already giving you disgusted looks."

I laughter bubbled out from inside me as I realized that I must have really looked bad if she wanted me to wipe my face.

"You would love me either way, who cares about what others think," I said winking at her and then cleaning my face. It had a lemon fragrance that immediately made me feel fresher. I was thankful for that; God only knows my body was working on a zombie mode.

She chuckled, and her eyes sparkled as she shook her head and passed me the food and I immediately took a big gulp of the coffee. It had been an unhealthy obsession of mine, but I wouldn't be able to start my day properly without it.

"You are my savior," I gushed at her when I felt the caffeine energy flowing through me.

Rolling her eyes at me but never once removing her smile she snickered, "Anything for my best friend."

Denise has always been the ideal best friend a girl could ever wish for. She belonged from a very rich family and was brought up to be the perfect child. A poster kid. That was a façade she pulled off for the world. Besides that, the real her was so much more than a rich girl.

She had fought with her parents many times when they tried to break our friendship when she got in trouble because of me. They never believed that their child could ever be at fault and deemed me as a bad influence.

They might be a little correct about that, but she was no angel to begin with.

They had tried everything to break us apart, but she adamantly stood with me through all.

A sudden crash made me jerk my head to the left. Apparently two girls were clawing at each other's face because one had cheated with the other's boyfriend.

People had started gathering around them cheering for them while a few of them recorded it.

I scoffed at their stupidity. They had been fighting with each other like it was high school drama all over again. I certainly didn't know whose fault it was that caused this fight but a voice inside me repeated that it must be the guy's fault.

I didn't want to make a half-assessed judgment, but my past seemed to have a better grip on my mind right now. The hatred inside me sparked again. I didn't even think twice before hating that guy and sympathizing with that girl.

Anger simmered within me as I saw myself in that girl, having gone through a similar experience. And before I could stop myself, I said, "It was that boy's fault, I am sure."

"Well, I won't decline that assumption, it could be," Denise said from beside me as she peered over me to get a better look.

I felt my conscious prick, telling me that the way I have been thinking is anything but right, but I suppressed that thought as soon as it came.

"It's good that they have somewhat calmed down, it's almost time for the class to begin," they had both been pulled away and been held by few people as they still threw insults at each other.

When one of them finally pushed her way out of the crowd and exited the hall only then did the people went back to do their respective works.

After around five more minutes Mrs. Fernandez finally entered the class and obliviously began teaching. When an hour of listening to her lecture about different brushes used during make up, she finally decided to end the class with giving us a group project to complete with another person of our choice.

Denise looked at me and grinned, "I'll be there at your place as soon as possible. We are gonna ace this project."

I laughed already predicting that but shook my head, "Not today, I have a date with Andrew," I said as I collected my things and walked out of the class; I still had half an hour to spare before my next one.

Denise silently followed me, keeping quiet. I sighed when I turned around to see her frowning, "Come on tell me I know you want to say something."

"You are ditching me for that boy," She stated folding her arms in front of her chest while pouting.

"It's not like I want to go, I have to finish the first part of my plan," I groaned realizing that she is most probably trying to guilt trip me into something.

"Ok I'll only let you go if you let me doll you up," she negotiated giving me an excited smile.

I looked at her in horror. Her makeovers were long and painful and even though the end result was quite lovely I didn't want to put that much effort into my first date.

"No Denny, not today. I promise I'll let you do that some other day but today I just want to go home and sleep."

"But don't you think you should look your best for your first date, to make him instantly fall for you," she tried to reason as she pulled me towards an empty bench in the university's garden.

"Denny, he found me cute when I had only been wearing a sweat pants and loose t-shirt, I don't think I need to put much effort for a movie date and don't forget I am a makeup artist too, I can handle it."

Maybe the tired look I was so languidly sporting made her change her mind, but she didn't argue any further, "Fine, but you better call me and tell me everything."

I nodded thankfully at her and she got up to leave for her next class but not before waving at me like a maniac.

******************************

The weather had been turning warmer as July approached but the nights were still relatively on the colder side. I decided to dress comfy and cute in a slim fitting, black high-waisted jeans and a thin cream sweater. Pairing those with 3-inch-high black boots and a few accessories I left my hair down and swiped a bright shade of lipstick to add some color to my basic outfit.

I checked myself in the mirror and when I was satisfied with the result, I quickly went down my apartment to where Andrew was waiting for me.

He was pacing in front of his car muttering something to himself looking extremely anxious.

He was wearing a white t-shirt paired with simple khaki pants. A black jacket adorned his lean body and white sneakers completed the look making him give off the minimalistic fashion style.

I didn't know if he was aiming for it or not, but he had nailed it.

I cleared my throat when he didn't realize my presence. His head snapped up towards me at once and he stared at me for a few seconds completely stunned.

I didn't tease him this time in case he got embarrassed and irritated and decided to call this off. So, I let him drink me in while I did the same to him.

His dirty blonde hair was styled to the side like he had spent a lot of time on it. His muscles were rather on the lean side but the tight-fitting t-shirt he wore was clearly working wonders to attract attention.

"You look beautiful Scarlet," he complimented, his eyes sparkling under the street light. It seemed that all his nervousness had faded away in that moment and it made him look even more handsome than he already did.

Giving him a small smile only because I felt that he was being genuine I cheekily said, "I take your word for that and you take mine when I say that you look absolutely handsome."

Bashfully smiling he opened the car door for me and gestured me to get in. Somehow that action didn't sit well with me. I didn't like that he was being so genuine and good when I was anything but that. Without sparing him a look I quickly got inside the car not wanting to see his happy face but not before muttering a small 'thank you' to him.

He jogged around to his side and got inside on the driver's side and I could see a permanent smile etched to his face.

"So Scarlet, I still don't know your full name," He said driving the car towards the cinema as he tried to start a conversation with me.

I turned my head towards him and smiled when I realized that he knew absolutely nothing about me and I can be whoever I want him to believe I am.

"It's Scarlet Davis," I answered truthfully and asked, "What about you?"

"I am Andrew Stevens. It's nice to finally know the woman that has been occupying my thoughts for the last two days," he says grinning at me and though it might have sounded like a pick-up line from anyone else, from him, it just seemed so honest that I couldn't help but think that he was actually speaking the truth.

I am usually not very good at reading people and its one of the things I don't like about myself. If I could, then it would have saved me from so much hurt and meaningless relationships, but then again something about him just wants me to believe him.

For the first time in my life, I wanted to be wrong about my judgment because if not, destroying someone good will be a new low for me too.

I try to push these thoughts out. Boys like him are uncharted territories for me. Forever being attracted to the dark and brooding type I have never once dated the good guys but I guess I'll be changing that now.

These thoughts are definitely because of the therapy session Charlie and Blu decided to give me after believing that I have succumbed to the darkness and all things evil by following through with this plan. They really had to stop acting like we were in a dramatic sit com.

He turned on the car stereo and an unknown song started playing. Given that the only songs that I listen to and knew of are the ones which Blu listens to I had no idea about this current song.

It had a nice beat to it and involuntarily my head started bobbing with the beats while I tried to catch the lyrics.

He must have seen me enjoying the music because he asked me, "You like this song too?"

Giving him a sheepish look, I said, "Yeah I do, but I have never heard of it before."

"No way! Starboy was a major hit when it came out and The Weekend is one of the best singers in this industry," He babbled, his voice rising a bit in astonishment.

It was the first actual emotion I had seen on him aside from shyness and happiness and I was somehow thankful for that outburst, at least he was opening to me and becoming more comfortable.

"Well does it help if I say that I don't listen to music much, so don't worry I have nothing against your favorite singer," I reassured him even though I was laughing at his reaction internally.

My voice must have snapped him back to reality because he immediately looked away and muttered, "Sorry I didn't mean to burst out like that."

"Well, I am not, because it helped me to get to know you better, but you have to promise me to send me your playlist, I think I like your taste in music," I teased him and gave him a wide smile.

The outburst really did help me though, every small information about him could efficiently be put to use in destroying him.