Billionaire's Childhood Love

LXXI. Soon-to-be (Fake) Boyfriend

Hailey's POV:

Two days later, we resumed school. After school, Josh guides me to the library. The sweats drill down my body. "Is this necessary?"

"Hailey. You only turn fifteen once. Now, which color design would you like?"

I groan and turn back towards the computer screen. "Purple."

After we finish designing my invitations, Josh sends them away. In the next two weeks, he helped me set up for my birthday bash. Everyone was dying for an invitation. I've never been so hassled for an invite so much in my life.

I crouch behind a bush.

"Where did she go?"

"I think she went that way."

I exhaled softly when I heard their footsteps fade. I blame Ahmend. He screamed when I gave him an invitation during lunch.

"Mind finding your own bushes?"

I look to my right to see Ricardo. "Sorry. I didn't know this was your bush. Mind if I borrow it?"

"You're not the confrontational type, are you?"

My eyes narrow, "I got into a fight not too long ago."

Ricardo chuckles, "I heard you lost."

"I did not! I gave her a good black eye!"

He reverts his eyes towards the book. "Good for you."

"Oh." I unzip my backpack and grab an invitation. "Here."

He stares at it, "What?"

"An invitation to my birthday party." I smile, "Will you come?" I know if I left it on Ricardo's desk, he will throw it away and pretend he never saw it. Then when I confront him. He will say he never received the invitation.

I know because I invited him out for a meal before, and he said he never received the text message. He deleted it and pretended he never saw it. Then, when I show him the message from my phone, he would say he never received it on his end.

"No." I didn't expect him to flat out reject me. Well, I kind of did.

I lower the invitation. "Oh, I see. I mean, I turn only fifteen once. But it's fine." I thought Ricardo and I had gotten closer, maybe even became friends, but I guess not.

Ricardo exhales, "Mamma is calling me that night."

I can hear the sound of students talking. The sound of the bell ringing. The sound of leaves swarming against the wind. "Excuse me?" Did I hear, right? His mamma?

"Mamma calls me every Saturday. I need to wait for her call."

"That's your excuse?"

"She gets sad when I don't answer it."

I have a feeling Ricardo has some sort of complex towards his mamma. "Oh," I responded. "That's a good reason." No. It is not.

Then again, a family is important. And he does love his mamma. With how Ricardo looks and sounds when he talks about his mamma, she doesn't sound like she's too well-off. He seems like he's afraid he may never hear her voice again.

Ricardo exhales and grabs the invite. "If she calls early and I have some time. I'll drop by." He put the envelope inside his book and closed them. "You can have this bush." He stood up and walked away.

I cannot believe it.

He said: Maybe.

I think I'm breaking him.