From the awkwardness I laugh:
“Hm, well, I don’t think his ass is a donkey.” With me he is always very nice.
“Of course, dear.” You are so amazing. What man will not be nice to you?
– There are many of those.
“They’re all donkey asses,” Hochmit Cash.
“And they too?”
– Yes.
– What today, all the ass asses all without exception?
“Yes,” cache repeats abruptly. – The word of the day is pipifax.
I laugh this time sincerely.
– That’s for sure?
– Yes. And what was the word of the day yesterday, you better not know.
– No doubt. And then suddenly the eardrums burst.
Cache’s voice is quieter and softer.
– No, you can blush.
I am silent. I feel a pleasant fever pouring on my face. It becomes clear: no matter how I poke around, knowing that you do not expect good from this guy, it will be almost impossible to resist him.
Damn it!
“Have a nice day, Olivia.” Waiting for you on Wednesday.
With these words, Cache hangs up, and I, limp, remain lying in bed and immersed in thoughts of what would happen if I stopped resisting.
* * *
Just left the shower, I hear voices. It’s unusual. You can’t confuse Dora’s unsettled screech. Oddly enough, the second voice, also voiced in elevated tones, belongs to Nick. I hide behind the door, leave it slightly open and turn my head to the crack with my ear.
You are a shameless, mean spy.
I choke on a laugh. But I’m not giving myself a break. To impersonate so to impersonate.
“You can’t dump this at me at the last minute!” I already had plans, and I don’t even have anything to wear! – I can say for sure: Dora is still trying to stay calm, and this is proof of how much she likes Nick; so she tries not to show her true nature. Although I can not judge how she manages to mislead him. It would be interesting to see how long Nick would start to follow her if she began to show herself in all its glory.
– If I knew that I would be back, I would have warned. I wanted to surprise you. – Nick raises his voice just to shout down Dora’s screech.
“Well, what should I do now?!” I can’t cancel the meeting with dad. He already …
“It doesn’t matter,” Nick consoles her. “I can invite someone else.”
There is a long pause, filled with such tension that I feel it even through a closed door.
Hand over a little, Nick! She’s about to explode!
– Who do you think?
Dora’s voice is as cold as ice. Interestingly, Nick knows this tone and its meaning?
“I have no one; I did not know that you could not go.” Although, I think I will be able to persuade someone. No worries.
I almost laughed out loud. No worries. I swear, Dora is already smoking.
I almost feel the smell of boiling brains while she tries to think of someone to make her a safe rival, who is reliable enough and at the same time so unfortunate that she has no plans for the evening and will agree on everything at the last minute.
“What about Olivia?” I am sure she will be happy to go with you, especially now that you have become her benefactor.
My jaw drops, and on the face, I know this, an expression of deep resentment appears.
Oh my God! So the loser is me!
“I appreciate your offer, but doesn’t it work on the weekend?”
“If she got a job with Cash, who knows what her schedule is.”
“Well, I won’t wake her up to ask about it.” I think she worked late yesterday.
“Yes, but she will not refuse.” I will ask her myself.
Nash starts to say something, but the way he cut off the phrase told me: Dora was gone. I quietly close the door and stomp into the bathroom, as if I had just finished taking a shower … But I actually finished.
– Olivia? Dora calls out to me, knocks loudly on the door and opens it, without waiting for me to answer.
I bite my lip so as not to growl: “Here is a witch!”
“I’m here,” I say in a sharp tone.
The door opens wide and Dora comes in, stomping loudly. She has an expression of disgust on her face. She does not spend time on courtesy.
“Do you work tonight?” If not, I need you to go with Nick to the show. You owe it to him.
How similar it is to Dora: to launch heavy artillery from a swoop – accusations of ingratitude and blackmail.
What an honor it is for me to be related to the devil’s mistress herself.
Carefully suppressing the urge to grunt loudly, I reply:
“Actually, I’m not working tonight.” True, I can’t go. I am very sorry, but I have nothing to wear to fulfill such interesting duties.
Dora dismisses:
– You’ll wear something from mine. I’m sure you won’t stay naked.
I just heard how she complained that she would not have time to buy a new dress for this occasion, and now I am absolutely convinced that I can be sent … whatever.
“Well, if Nick doesn’t care how I look …”
Dora rolls up in a subtle, derogatory laugh:
“Olivia, I’m sure Nash won’t look at you closely.”
I will be honest. I am enraged. Fury, damn it! It is at this moment that I decide to surprise everyone, especially Nick. Dora will regret this day …
Even if I have to follow the example of a girl in pink and sew myself a new dress in just seven minutes.
All this happens inside of me. Outside, I smile sweetly at Dora:
– In that case, I will be happy to go.
Dora turns around and leaves without saying either “thank you,” or at least “kiss my ass.”
I hear her tell Nick that I will go, and she will try to do everything so that I look presentable, and I can not help thinking: it would be nice to pierce this cold-cold heart with a knife for chopping ice and wash off with impunity.
For this, I could get the Nobel Peace Prize. Or at least a thank you call from the Vatican.
This time I don’t care about hiding a contemptuous grin.
Chapter 12
I wait