𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 (𝐀 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧-𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥) ✔

- 19 -

                   - Hope's POV -

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Happy new month!

First update of the month so enjoy.
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Getting to the house, Henry slumped on an armchair, staring at the blank plasma TV. What's wrong with him? Was the only thought in my head as I witnessed his current state. I tried offering him a glass of water which he declined. Why was he so upset? It wasn't like he was going to a stranger's home to rehearse, it was his girlfriend's. Doesn't that make things a hundred times better?

I kept starring at him, then the blank TV. It wasn't my business, right? I could have gone up to my room and mind my business seeing I've got other things in mind like how to ignore stupid post on my social media accounts. But my eyes landed on the blue script which he'd thrown on a different couch seconds after we got to the living room. I moved towards the couch and grasped the script with both hands. My movement of course caught his attention but he said nothing.

"Sir," I cleared my throat to make it deep. "What if you rehearse with me? Just to prepare yourself for tonight."

"I can't rehearse with you," Henry said, then stood up. "I can't rehearse a kissing scene with you."

I quickly stood up to block his path which made Henry to glare down at me. The Henry that got mad at me on the first day in the elevator, was resurfacing. "I've been told to have the gift of merging my voice to that of a female. Trust me sir, you won't know the difference."

Henry said nothing, forcing me to press my lips in frustration. I then cleared my throat and stretched out my hands towards him. "Hi, I'm Hope Prince. Nice to meet you."

"That voice," Henry whispered to himself, taking aback by my sudden change of voice. I had spoken with my actual voice but it wasn't like he was going to remember my voice from our past encounters.

"See, no different from a female. Right?" This time, my voice was deep and manly. "So shall we start, sir?"

Henry was reluctant but gave a silent nod. We both moved over to the couch and sat down, facing each other. But there was a small issue. "Only one script sir, what are you going to use?"

"I know each words by heart," He replied and I nodded in awe. I flipped through the pages and skipped the conversation they were going to have at the club. I only focused on the car scene, which was the kissing scene. Though Henry and I was seated on the same couch facing each other, I only focused on the words written in the script. "You had fun didn't you?"

"Eh?" I was taking aback by how soft his words were, that it didn't occur to me that he had started saying his lines.

"I mean," I cleared my throat and skimmed through the lines. "I did, but I'm a horrible dancer. Why'd you force me to come?"

Henry shifted, moving closer to me. "Of course your dance is horrible,"  He let out a slight chuckle. "But it was nice seeing you have fun. Fun looks best on you."

I dared to look up and almost choked in my own saliva, at how Henry was staring at me. I gulped and gaze on my lines. "You're just saying that, I heard some people laugh back there."

"Then they are dumb for laughing at the most talented person I know." My breath cut when Henry reached for my hands and held it in his. I had to remind myself that he was just acting. "You're beautiful, smart and run a multimillion dollars company all by yourself. Those people in there can't do half of what you're doing."

Script what? My eyes couldn't stop staring at the hands holding mine. It was like I'd totally forgotten how to breathe. What was it again? Inhale, exhale? This was the kissing scene but there was no way Henry was gonna kiss me like this, right?!