Husband For Hire

26. You Love Me the Most

26. You Love Me the Most
Karma is sweet, right?

***

"No, no, no, no, absolutely not!"

"Please!" Aara begged.

She had brought me to her room, locked the door, and sat by my feet on the floor as I sat on her bed. She pretended to massage my legs which I wasn't complaining about. However, I wasn't falling into her trap.

"You know how stubborn your brother is," I told her.

"He loves you. He'll listen to you," she stated as if it were that simple. Our love story would've made Jane Austen stop believing in love had she been alive.

"He loves you," I argued. "In fact, he has known you longer than me. You have the advantage."

"He treats me like a child!"

"Why is this ball so important?" I finally asked. "You were just complaining how fake everyone was."

She moved next to me and looked around the room as if someone was eavesdropping. Then, she leaned in and whispered, "Promise, you won't tell anyone?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Did someone ask you to the ball?"

"How'd you know?"

"I can't find any other valid reasons for this conversation." I had my doubts. All the quiet ones had secrets.

"Okay, first promise me you won't tell anyone," she said desperately.

I couldn't believe it had come down to this. The girl I couldn't stand before was now trusting me with her secret. I was her confidant.

The sun might as well rise from the west tomorrow.

"I won't tell anybody," I said. "I promise. But this promise is only valid as long as some guy doesn't murder you."

"Josh isn't like that!" she said defensively. "Okay, his name is Josh. He's also a senior. He's hot! You won't believe how jealous the other girls are because he asked me to go to the ball with him."

"You said yes before asking Ashar?"

"I didn't think he would make a big deal out of it," she admitted. "He has allowed me to go before. My brother had no issue when I attended any dances or any after school clubs at my old high school or middle school. He's so . . . protective here. He's worse than mama . . . "

She fell quiet as if confused whether she should've brought her mother up or not. I was lost whether to tell her I knew or not to tell her.

"He wants to keep you safe," I said. "You don't know how much he loves you and Rosie."

She nodded sadly. "Too much love hurts. That's why I want to sneak out to the ball. I'll be back by ten. Can you keep my brother busy till then?"

"You're crazy, but I'm not." I stood up straight. "I'm not becoming a part of your lie."

"It's fool proof," she insisted, standing up. "All you have to do is distract him while I sneak out to the ball."

"How easy do you think it is to distract your brother?"

"Well, take him out on a date or something."

I glared at her. "When was the last time you saw us go out on a date?"

Her eyebrows furrowed and I immediately regretted my words. I knew her response before the words even left her mouth.

"Why do you both never go out on dates?"