✷Chapter Fourteen✷

"I'm doomed." Alexa groans out dramatically, slumping on the couch in the middle of the room. Her ginger red hair in a messy ponytail, the sweat on her face didn't go unnoticed, few tendrils of her hair plastered in her jawline. Her pale skin glitter in sweat, her adorable round face stood out more with her pink small lips.

Teresa glances at her briefly before shaking her head at her roommates' overacting behavior. She carried the last brown carton box into the room after thanking and escorting the moving agents who helped move in their loads. 

Finally she and Alexa found a suitable condo apartment for themselves. The place was spacious, and modern, very classy just like how they both liked it. Miraculously it was within their budget. 

Their agent contacted them about a vacant apartment just a few blocks away from their former apartments. The last tenant had packed away a few weeks ago, giving her and Alexa the fortunate opportunity to rent the building, and began moving in during the weekend when Teresa is free from work.

Dropping the box by the door side, she strode to where Alexa laid on. "What did Ben say?" Teresa sat next to her. Her brown eyes scrutinize the entire area of the apartment. It was a total mess. Boxes litter at every given corner or edges of the room, painting frames resting on the floor. The couch they both sat on was in a disorganized position.

Alexa sighs, grabbing her ponytail in her fist, her head backwards in the headrest, sea blue eyes closed. She appeared totally stressed. Ever since she excused herself to receive a call from her manager, she was a complete mess. "The sponsors are pulling out." She grunted out.

For a moment Teresa appeared confused. It took her a moment to understand whatever Alexa just uttered. She blinked once, then twice. "What do you mean the sponsors are pulling out?"

Alexa sat up sluggishly, her hands dropping by her sides in defeat. "They are pulling out, as in, they no longer want to sponsor the production of a movie for my book."

Dumbfounded Teresa stared at Alexa in pity, rubbing her roommates and friend's arm to provide her warmth. "Is there a reason why they did that?"

Alexa's lower lips looked like it was about trembling, her eyes filled with tears that were about spilling to drench her cheeks. "T-the—" she tried speaking but found herself unable to complete her words.

"Let me get you a drink." Teresa offered, standing on her feet to get a drink from the kitchen. Taking out a bottle of cold water, she twisted the cap as she dashed back into the living-room offering her a drink. "Now calm down and tell me everything."

Taking a little sip, she closed it while sniffing back her almost spilled tears. "Teresa, I don't know where to even begin from. I'm just as confused as you. One moment everything was going smoothly and the next within a snap of a finger they all began removing their sponsorship."

Teresa frowned as she heard Alexa speak. "But I thought they loved the book. It was a total hit. With the demands of people to get a movie out from it, the movie also would have been a hit. Which means they will have a good gain from the whole thing. Why suddenly pull out?" 

Teresa doesn't know how this sort of thing works. But she found herself understanding what she just said, hoping that's how it works. The last thing she was interested in was the entertainment world, profit and gain. All those sorts of things confused her totally.

Alexa immediately started bawling out loud. Teresa sighed at her friend's state. Alexa has always been an emotional person, apart from her running mouth, she gets easily emotional when things become frustrating and stressful. That's one of the reasons why she chose to stay home and work. She hated being controlled.

Teresa knew how much this movie meant to Alexa. At first Alexa refused turning her book into a movie because she was aware of the stressful procedure it took to accomplish that. Even if more than one production company were beginning to go down on their knees for her to consider accepting their offer. It took a long while for her to accept, on the condition her manager handles the whole thing.

And when she was already beginning to love the idea of having her book be made into a movie, this entire mess came up. Proving her fear all along.

"I hate this!" She cried out, placing her hands to her face while crying her eyes out. She startled Teresa when she suddenly dropped her hands down, her back straightened, her red shot eyes glaring at a distance. "It's all because of that stupid company." She muttered, her fist curled looking ready to punch someone or something.

Quirking her brow quizzically Teresa stared at Alexa like she was beginning to lose it. "What are you on about?"

Her red tired eyes snapped towards Teresa eyes, almost making her flinch at the anger vibrating through her eyes. The orb of her sea blue eyes darken rather devilishly. "Youngbro cosmetics. They were the first to place a sponsor, and the moment they pulled out, so did the other sponsors."

"Why did the other pull out the moment they did?"

"Because Youngbro is the head and highest sponsor, or something like that? I don't even know how these things work?" She groans out, slamming her eyes shut, as she slump back to the couch again. "I just wanted today to be normal and joyful. We finally moved into the apartment we needed. I can't deal with this sponsorship shit." She raised her hand up in frustration. "You know what? To hell with them all. I'm done with this whole mess."

Knowing the best way to snap her roommate from her whole predicament. She took her phone from her side pocket, searching for their favorite song, clicking play. Symphony by Clean Bandit began playing. 

Alexa's eyes slowly opened, gaze on Teresa, who wiggle her brow teasingly. "Come on. You know you can't resist." She begins dancing to the song. Alexa groaned tiredly, covering her eyes with her left arm, but Teresa noticed her lips twitch fighting a smile. Teresa stood to her feet, curling her hands around Alexa's upper arm, she pulled her to her feet. 

"Feel the beat. Life is too short." At her words Alexa smiled, before giving Teresa a huge unexpected hug, which she reciprocated in an instant, wrapping her arms around her.

"I love you. You know just how to cheer me up." She pulled back, smiling genuinely for the first time since she got the sad news. "How about we start arranging this whole mess." Alexa glanced around the entire living-room, before opening a box to begin the arrangement.

Teresa glanced at her in pity. She wished there was something she could do for her. But such a thing were so far from her reach. She was illiterate when it came to handling things like this.

Sighing out quietly she joined Alexa unpacking their load while they both danced to the rhythm of the music, trying to take their mind off the mess in both their lives.

Time seems to pass really quick, the morning sun turned to the sunset of the evening, they were almost done with tiding their apartment. They were both so famished and tired. 

Teresa had ordered some pizza since they wasn't enough time for her to prepare a meal from them both. She heard the doorbell ring. "I've got this." She yelled from the living-room, while Alexa was busy organizing her bedroom, immediately heading to the door, but not before checking the security monitor, to check if it was really the delivery man.

Teresa noticed a lady standing by the other side of the door. She frowned at the presence of the woman. The lady had a straight face, her hand stretched again to ring the doorbell.

"Why haven't you gotten the door yet?" Alexa shouted from her bedroom.

"I'm getting it." She moved towards the door. Opening it to welcome the sight of the lady in a tight body hug peach dress and standing on her black high-heel. Her hair tied in a tight ponytail, leaving not a single hair from it. Sophisticated and well put together.

She smiled the moment her eyes connected to hers, revealing her white clean teeth. "Good evening. I've a delivery for Miss Teresa Andrew."

Teresa's eyes shifted and locked on the large white rectangular shape box the lady held in her hand. She frowned, wondering how she was getting a delivery when she had only moved here today. "That's me."

The lady immediately smiled more brightly, if that was even possible. "Oh good! I'd have dropped this at the lobby if I wasn't specifically informed to give it to you in person." She handed the box to Teresa which she carefully took. "Goodbye." She said, turn her back to Teresa, her heels clicking loud as walked on the marble floor leading to the elevator.

Teresa's hand curls around the box, shutting the door behind her. Sluggishly she moved to the living-room, placing the box on the center table.

Not hesitating for a moment, she pushed the cover off, revealing an envelope and a single red rose resting at the center of the box. Stretching her hand, she pick them both up making sure the thorns on the rose don't pierce her palm. She opened the paper foils from the box, which revealed a blue dress.

Dropping the item on her hands on the table beside the box, she lifted the dress up, revealing a short flay off-shoulder gown. Her frown deepens as she drops the dress down back to the box.

She quickly opened the envelope, and read what was inside.

'Wear the dress tonight, then we'll discuss about your friends sponsorship'

PS; I'll text you the address and time.

J.S

Teresa's hand squeezed the paper to a crumble mess. She swore profoundly underneath her breath. Her body suddenly boiling in pure rage.

Jacob.

It's been two weeks since she last saw or heard from him. Though the thought of him constantly sneaking into her mind every single time she tries forgetting about him.

She'd hoped that devious man would forget about her. But it was obvious he hadn't. She hadn't forgotten the sick stunt he pulled concerning his grandpa. His reasons for doing so are not completely understood by her. She could only conclude on the fact that was for his own amazement.

She wasn't aware he'd go even this low as to be behind her friend's predicament. He would never change would he? He was still that sick bastard.

Teresa heard Alexa walk out of the room. Immediately she hid the letter under her shirt. 

"Didn't you get the pizza?" Alexa glanced at her then at the box of dress opposite her where she was kneeling. "Are those yours?" She asked in curiosity. Teresa nodded quickly as if she was caught doing something really bad, prompting Alexa to stare at her skeptical. "Well we'll talk about that, after I get the door. And I really hope it's the pizza." She said, sprinting to the door excitedly.

Teresa had been deep in her thoughts that she wasn't aware of the door bell ringing. Until Alexa willingly decided to get their order.

There was nowhere in hell she was going to tell Alexa the actual truth of the dress. The last thing she'd want is Alexa not keeping her mouth shut. 

She swore she was going to make this right for her friend, she wouldn't want anyone to suffer all because of her. Even if it means seeing the devil again.

"Pizza is here!" Alexa shouted, with a smile on her face, momentary forgetting about her sponsorship disaster.

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