= SARAH POV =

When I was done cleaning up the guest room as best as I could, I changed into a loose-fitting top and a pair of shorts, which were the last clean set of clothes that I had, and tied my hair up into a bun. 

I wondered if Chris liked girls with up-dos? Who knows, it was worth a shot.

I peeked out of the room, and the house was dark. 

There was a delicious smell wafting through the apartment, and I followed my nose, which led me straight to the kitchen where Chris was at the stove, preparing something.

I watched her for a few moments. Chris had changed into a grey hoodie with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows, and black slacks that hung loose around her hips. 

My mind started to wander… I wondered what it would be like to put my hands up her -

“Umm, I finished cleaning the guest room,” I said tentatively, clearing my voice, hoping I could also clear my thoughts.

When Chris grunted in reply, I sighed and drew closer, knowing that I was in the bad books with her still. 

I stepped into the kitchen and leaned against the kitchen counter, trying to look casual but feeling anything but as I watched Chris busying about at the stove.

“Oh? Consider that your ‘C’ of the day. Tomorrow I want you to clean the whole house,” Chris said without missing a beat. It looked like she was doing a vegetable stir fry and it smelled so good.

“That smells deli—wait. The whole house?” I gasped, Chris’s request sinking in.

Chris turned and beautifully plated the vegetables into perfectly served plates of rice. The steam rising from the cooked food made my mouth water and I realized I hadn’t eaten all day.

“Fish or chicken?” Chris asked as she started cracking some eggs into the awaiting wok.

“Chicken… Can I do a… partial house clean? The whole house sounds like a lot,” I whined, hoping to be able to get out of a bit of the work. 

I mean who cleans the entire house in one day? I literally paid a team of cleaners to work on my apartment… Maybe I should call them again for tomorrow. 

Ah, but it was Chris’ apartment. I can’t just bring strangers into someone else’s home without asking permission.

Wait what am I thinking? Snap out of it Sarah, you gotta tell Chris this whole thing is a joke…

The kitchen wasn’t very big, but it felt spacious…until Chris turned around, took two steps, and was right in my space.

 A hand slammed into the cupboard door just above me.

“My apartment, my rules. I told you I was going to make you regret it,” Chris smirked. 

Then Chris bent low, leaning in so close I was forced to lean back as her eyes bore into mine, her breath caressing my face as she held my gaze.

“Just admit it, this whole contract is bullshit. What were you thinking, Sasa? That you could just pick and choose what you do? This is what happens when you put your fate in the wrong person’s hands.” She said, her eyes briefly flickering to my lips as if to make a point.

She straightened up then, her eyes looking up as she opened the cupboard directly above me, searching for something. 

“Ready to call it quits and just stay here for free like you always do anyway? It’s not like you can actually do any of the shit on that contract anyway” she snickered and grabbed salt from the cupboard above my head before returning to cooking.

My heart was beating so fast. I gulped hard.

Oh, I wanted to! I so wanted to! 

But sometimes, just sometimes… I forgot just how infuriatingly smug Chris could be! 

I don’t know how she managed to get under my skin… and I knew I should be trying to explain how all of this was a joke…

But oh she made me so mad! 

“I can do the stuff on that contract. You’ll see, I'll have the whole house cleaned before your shift tomorrow!” I snapped and huffed, storming out of the kitchen.