FRIEND
Caroline Havens: At Work
The sun shot its rays past my curtains at around six when my body had started its process to wake me up from my weird nightmare of being dissolved in a beer can by some headless monkeys.
It's not even funny, but too fearful.
I woke up with a scared expression, sweat was all over my body. My clothes sticking to my skin, nearly see-through. I stretched my hands.
"God! The cold sensations after waking up are the best!" I said because I felt like it. Then I remembered last night—whatever happened. Even though I was drunk, I do remember it.
I opened my phone, and it was switched off. How long has it been since I've charged it?
I plugged my phone into the charger and got off my bed. In front of the mirror, I slapped my cheeks while reciting some mantra.
"Momomomowitchwitchgetoutgetoutofmyheadhead!!"
I don't know, maybe I was overwhelmed by her yesterday, but now it's fine. A good cry at night can solve a whole week of suffering. Damn! I should become a poet, I guess.
Those trashy words were the same as the existential crisis I used to get reading some philosophical quotes online. Man! It's better not to let philosophy ruin my...
I held my face tightly, my eyes peeking out of my fingers.
Wait! Last night...
[Flashback:– "I like you"... "I mean it."]
Didn't Mr. Gehrmensch just confess to me? Or what was it? Are my memories messing around? Oh God, what should I... do...!
My face was glowing in the golden hour as my phone rang!
"Ah yes, I did get a call last night, right?"
ZN!
—HELLO! CAROLINE!!!
"Ouch! Stop yelling. And also, good morning, Suzie!"
—We don't have time for greetings! Why did you hang up my call
LAST NIGHT??
"Oh, I'm really sorry if I did that. I was drunk!"
—Whatever! Now print my every single word on your brain, got it?
"What's gotten into you? Why're you talking so weirdly? Just say it already!"
—Remember we once asked Natasha her secret? And her rumours only spread because she refused to tell anyone!
"Yeah? Tell me more."
—She told us her secret. And I may be assuming a lot, but I think you're in danger!
"Oh my Lord, again? Just tell me. I'm used to it anyway!"
—Natasha once went to The Nickel of the Nyco brother to accompany him on his date! And there she found something terrifying—so much that she quit their PA job!
"What? NATASHA WAS THEIR PREVIOUS PA??"
—And listen, I heard you're their new PA, right? So, you probably know about that princess Mr. Nickel is dating!
"Yeah, what about her??"
—She's a walking dead alert! Just try to be as far as you can.
"Why?? Just tell me what's her deal?"
—There are people trying to hunt her the moment she leaves her palace.
—Because she's a walking nuclear code! Her body has a code hidden inside it for activating a literal NUKE!
"What the hell? Are you sane? Did you hit your head somewhere?"
—Just try to never call her out of her palace, because if Natasha is right, she will immediately leave her castle if Nickel calls her! She's obsessed over him!
"Oh my Lord! She has to be freaking insane. Why do these rich-ass people always have weird codes inside their goddamn bodies!"
—Okay, just stay safe and try your best to not let her out, or those goddamn hunters will come straight after her, and mind you, they're professional hitmen, MMA fighters! Black-belts!
...
After the call, my mind is totally fried. Momo said she won't act up again on me because her issue was solved. Then Gehrmensch confessed to me—but I'm not sure. Now, Suzie is telling me I rejected a walking nuclear code for Nickel.
God, my instincts were so damn right!
I then changed my clothes to something a bit fashionable.
I hope they don't just attack me with concerns. I won't be able to answer them all.
I opened the door and there was... a maid? She's here again?
"Miss, everyone's waiting for you at the breakfast table!"
"Oh... okay. Let's go!" Do it! Just keep it normal, usual, unchanged.
I walked down and confronted the reality. Someone was waiting for me. I couldn't believe my eyes and ran towards her.
CLAP
I gave her a high five and hugged her. I didn't know in just such a short time I'd be so connected to her that I'd hug her. It's so weird, but she feels like someone close.
Everyone at the table—Gehrmensch, Nickel, Cupra, Cass, and Hoddy—stared at us.
"You're here!? It's my utmost pleasure to meet you! La Mes!" she held me closely and said.
"To cherish your family and friends is the biggest treasure anyone can have. I'm blessed to have you. I hope I bless your life as well." Her words widened my eyes, as if for a moment we were above heavens, a crystal-clear pond, Wysteria, sakura, willow trees around us.
She's really an author of beauty.
I held her hands; there was an unspoken feeling in me. My eyes were faintly wet, more than usual.
I giggled, and she held my shoulders, pushed me to sit at the table.
"I'm sorry for yesterday," Hoddy spoke. What happened here? Why is he suddenly nice to me?
La Mes hopped and went around the table in front of me and sat there.
"That line was beautiful as hell. You really are a one-of-a-kind author! I just felt the whole world in those two sentences!" she bit her finger and giggled, then spoke.
"Well, I do write such lines. But this one, it was handed to me by someone. He also helped me in writing the Song of Pen novel. Right now, he's in a different country, but I'd love to introduce you two to each other!"
A man wrote this? Such beauty? Who might he be? In this era? I wonder how he looks... speaks, walks, talks, and most importantly, thinks.
I looked around. Gehrmensch was looking jealous—so much. I could tell from his face. That means... last night he really said that? No, maybe I'm thinking in spirals.
"Today's a day off. Let's go eat somewhere outside!" Gehrmensch offered me.
Me? He pointed at me. What about the others? Is this a date? Oh my Lord, is this really?...
"What about others?"
Oh shit! Did I ruin it? I just wanted to check if I'm right about the date or not.
"I already asked them! They're all busy!"
Oh, that's why! I guess I can.
Why not La Mes?
I looked at her and said, "Why not you?"
She answered, "I can't. I have to do some work with the publishing of the novel as a book!"
She then took out something from her hanging bag—it was a book. She handed it to me.
"Here! It's the first copy!"
I looked at the title: SONG OF PEN by LA MESPHRITANIA. The cover was...
"It's beautiful as hell and smells brilliant. I could eat every page—that's some divine quality!"
My words shone her face, and a smile spread all over her face. I felt easy. To make someone smile—this feeling just always hits the right spot.
After the chatter, I exchanged numbers with Gehrmensch and La Mes.
The dinner was at late night, around 10. Until then, I decided to stick to these two minions and watch over them.
Nickel and Cupra both had a date today, and I guess I gotta take my professionalism back to its peak now.
I tucked the book inside my coat that I wore before leaving the mansion. I also had to warn Nickel about the Princess.
I already sent three messages scheduled to deliver to him today at night, tomorrow morning, and overmorrow evening.
We stayed in a burner's authentic café. Nickel and I sat near a burner. It's hot, obviously, but kinda aesthetic.
Cupra was on his date. Nickel and I were watching him on our tablet with new and better earpieces.
The date hadn't arrived yet, so I was reading the prologue of Song of Pen. It touched my heart. As I read every word, my body felt like it was floating amidst flowing sun rays dancing over my skin, and the breeze of willow trees enchanting my body.
"Hey, what are you reading?" Nickel asked.
Wait, wasn't I supposed to alert him? I hurriedly tucked the book in my coat unevenly—some part of it sticking out of my pocket went unnoticed.
"Hey Nickel, I want you to make a promise with me!"
I can't let him call the danger.
"What is it? Why are you so serious?"
He doesn't know the gravity of the situation playing out.
"Promise me. Whatever happens, you will never, ever call that princess, even if you remember her number, okay!?"
I know he's simple enough to not break a promise with me.
"Okay, master! Roger!"
I giggled at his actions as he gave me a salute.
Suddenly, the beep went on the tablet. The date had arrived. By the information I had, she's a simpleton who's eagerly preparing to be a doctor. I wonder how she looks normally.
I looked at the screen and held the earpiece tight.
Wait.
A woman sat in front of Cupra. Lemon hair, eyelashes, brows. Different hair, but she seems familiar as hell... her ratio... body shape. Um...
[Nickel: – Don't worry, Cupra, we're here with you! Just start as we did before, right, master! Master?]
[Caroline: – I don't know why she seems oddly similar. Ask her if her hair is naturally like that? In a complimenting tone!]
As I was moving, the first copy of Song of Pen was slowly slipping from my coat towards the open burner.
Take a deep breath and ask her. I stood up and greeted her. She said her name is also Lemon. Which seems pretty cute to me but master...
"Hey, do you dye your hair? They seem way too beautiful!" I did! I tried in the complimenting tone. Let's see. I'm momentarily more confident than last time. I gotta have the fire inside; I can't afford to stay in the dark one more time.
"Oh, these? No! Actually, I was born with these. They're natural, don't worry—many people ask this. And I actually feel complimented."
[Caroline: – Nickel, just call him and give him a reason to leave. Just speak any gibberish; it just needs to look like an important call! And Cupra, just pick up the call, argue with Nickel, and the moment she says something to you in anger, say 'rejected' and leave, because she is none other than Momo in disguise! She's a total bitch!]
(The novel's first copy was on the edge as I just stared at Nickel calling Cupra.)
If master is using a slur, she has to be down bad.
CALL INCOMING
I stood up in front of her and picked up the call. She can't hear me, so I have to make it sound serious!
— Hey, did you put extra chili in my food today?
What kind of question is that? No! Control, Cupra, you just have to yell!
"YES. YES, I DID. BECAUSE YOUR PRESENCE WAS BURNING MY GUTS!"
Everyone in the cafe looked at me as if I committed a crime, but that's fine because my call is also on recording mode, so legally I'm safe.
— Oh, is that it? Just know that potato tastes better than basketball!
"WHATEVER YOU SAY, I WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOUR TERMS EVEN IF IT HAS ME EATING BASKETBALL. I'LL DO IT!"
I am sure she must be thinking something really bad has happened in business for me to rant this nonsense!
She looked surprised and was taken aback as she drank water from her glass.
— Basketball? You can't even pick up a regular ball. You're built like a fishbone with no bones!
"I'LL CRUSH YOUR BONES!" Wait, was that too much? Meh! Who cares.
"Hey, is there any problem?" she asked. That's my chance! Let's go.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I'M IN SUCH AN IMPORTANT CALL AND YOU ARE INTERRUPTING ME AS IF IT'S NOTHING? I'M really sorry to say this DATE NEEDS TO END NOW! BYE!" Oh shit, my voice nearly cracked in between.
I walked out of the cafe hurriedly, and finally, she snapped. She stomped her hands on the table, threw her glasses, and left as many girls followed her.
Oh god, she brought so many girls this time? She really wanted to go all out, didn't she?
I didn't pay attention to the book, and suddenly a small amount of fire embers jumped out of the burner. I stood up, screaming like a fox.
Nickel came in front and saw my book burning in the burner.
After that, the owner settled this incident with no payments from both sides, since I scared customers and my book got burned because of no protection used on the open burner.
I walked beside Nickel, checking my phone.
-MESSAGES (2)
I checked. One was from La Mes. She sent her pic with the publisher she liked as a cute puppy—don't know why.
Second message was:
-Headless monkey (Gehrmensch)
-I've sent the location. Be on time.
I saw the location. It wasn't a restaurant but a garden he booked. I guess he's really picky or just an introvert.
Now it makes it harder to think if he really confessed to me that night or not.
Time went, and we met Cupra at the decided location. He said he and Nickel canceled all the dates to avoid if Momo comes again, so we just roamed here and there in the city, found a restaurant, and ate food.
Dusk was beautifully enveloping my day. I didn't know how, but I had a thought.
Time was past 08:30 p.m., and my decided time to meet Gehrmensch was 7. Man! What can we do? It's not like he'd show a big present.
At best, he'd eat some green veggies with some rich sauce and call it a day. I guess my idea to eat with these two was better.
I ate burger, pizza, French fries, chocolate sticks with hot chocolate, red velvet cake, etc.
I saw my messages again.
-Headless monkey
-You didn't come today?
I did reply that I was busy, and then he said:
-Okay, if you're free in the evening, how about 5 p.m. tomorrow?
I replied with a yes. Why is he trying hard? Does he wanna show off his food choices so bad? Or is he gonna introduce me to his date?
Is he angry at me? But why? Did he find out my PA false job was just as a date advisor?
Due to some difficulties, I, Nickel, and Cupra had to spend the night at the hotel. We all had our three separate rooms.
It was a five-star hotel, and supper was outclassing my normal taste.
I had a weird thought: if I keep rejecting their dates, can I live in luxury forever? Or if I just ask them to hire me as their real PA? That could work too...
Night passed, and day bloomed.
Day 2
Today, actually, Nickel had some dates. I rejected a gothic-obsessed girl—it went something like:
[What are you doing? Do you have a kink for dying from thighs or some shit!?]
On my yelling, he actually got scared, and the Goth chick weirded out, so I rejected her anyway.
Then in Cupra's turn, it was an old-sage librarian type girl. Headphones, listening to audiobooks. She even carried a book bigger than her face.
Her talking manner was too high for Cupra—he rejected on his own without even my interruption.
It was something like:
[Cupra I think she'd be perfect—calm and knowledgeable!]
"So tell me, dear. Would you be willing to lay your heart on my barren feelings to grow a tree of love? Or was this meeting beyond the measures of fate that it had to be succumbed by the favour of hell?"
"U… Actually… I'm dyslexic so I can't draw. Bye bye, see you never!" And Cupra ran away!
[Hey, why did you run? It was fun seeing you date a walking book!]
After that, they both had a double date with two twin sisters.
It was the most compatible date, since these two were also twins. Their names were Alya and Ayla. Both had rich brown hair, and even I liked them.
To be honest, I'd rather have said yes just to see how funny it'd be if one day they both did something weird to each other's wife, since they both were nearly carbon copies.
However, to avoid confusion, Nickel rejected them.
Now I think these two have more standards than just wanting an alive and safe woman. I don't hate it because, after all, I gave them lessons to have some standards.
After all of this, it was 5 p.m. However, I was unaware of it. It would be a lie if I said that. I was just too tired and lazy to go there and wanted immediate food.
So again, we three went to a restaurant, and there I met Mr. Charles, my old manager, and my previous co-workers.
"Hey Caroline, it's been a while, right?"
The time was 6 p.m. when I met them. We talked about too many things, like what I was doing here, and none had objections.
Nickel was getting along with Julius and Natasha, while Cupra was with Suzie and Charles.
After the banter, I checked my phone. Now I have to deal with Gehrmensch's messages again—oh god.
And there was a part inside me grieving for my burnt book, but I didn't want to think much about it because there are already enough things to worry about.
-You didn't come today?
What do I say? Ugh!
>I actually met my co-workers and couldn't leave.
I guess I'm good at lying now. Since I was free at 5 and met my friends at 6. An hour doesn't change much.
-So… Tomorrow 10 p.m.?
>k!
Ohkay, now tomorrow 10 p.m.? God, why is he so insisting? It's already turning me down.
Whatever. We'll see it.
Today was a great day. All three of us again took the hotel and slept.