Noelle walked into her apartment, setting her bag on the table by the door. The apartment was large and the walls, tables, and counters were a perfect snowy white. All the little decor was brown, and the wooden floor was gray wood. In the kitchen and bathrooms the floors are white tiles.

She moved over to the coffee table in front of her white couch to grab a stack of papers. “Hello, father.” she said expectantly. “Why did you do that?” he said in a gruff voice. She sighed before turning to him with the papers in hand. “I did you a favor. He was going to steal your money right from under you if it weren’t for me.” She said looking at him now. “And how do you know this?” he said crossing his arms. He was a forty-five year old man with salt and pepper hair. His eyes were narrowed from age, and his face was in a frown as usual.

“Intuition.” Noelle shrugged. When he wasn’t at all satisfied with her answer, she pulled her lips to a thin line and held the papers out. Alister took them and looked them over, flipping through them. He pulled them together and nodded. “Alright. But this doesn’t change anything. We had business with his family.” “Pointless business. He was and unneeded and non-loyal asset, and therefore needed to be disposed of.” “You always talk about people like they’re just objects, Noel-” “Because in the long run, till I get control over my own life, they are. Every person I encounter, every obstacle in my way, all of this around me in my so-called life; it’s all so meaningless to me. All I need to do is get what needs to be done, to get my own life, done.” She said almost losing her composure.

Alister looked down and nodded before turning and going to the front door. “You’ll have a date on saturday with Mr. Michelles-” “No. I want a female this time. The males have bored me and after the last one, I’m not sure if I’ll be so nice with the next man just yet.” She said sitting down then looking at him after a moment. “Don’t worry. It’s not like I’ll marry her or something.” She said with a raised brow.”

Alister frowned harder and opened the door. “So be it. I’ll set a date and email you the details later tomorrow.” Noelle nodded and he left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-Three days later-

“So, you just told him to choose a woman instead? Just like that?” “Yep.” Noelle said, putting her phone down. She looked up with a smile and the two women giggled. “Alright, alright. So then how did you know he would choose me?” the woman asked. “Because your family is wealthy, has great business experience, and he doesn’t know we’re friends-” “Best of friends!” She said smiling. “Ah! Remember the days when I would be the one to pretend you were my partner whenever a guy asked me out? I’d always say I’m a lesbian.” the girl said with a snicker. “Yeah, I remember, Violet. Even that one time the guy had doubts and told us to kiss…”

Violet’s eyes widened, “Oh my god, yes! You leaned in all close then turned around and punched him in the face!” The two burst out laughing till Noelle eased into a frown. Violet looked at her sympathetically. “You know I don’t agree with what your parents are forcing on you.. But you should find someone eventually.” she spoke cautiously. “Ugh! I know, I know. You told me before.” Noelle muttered looking away. “You shouldn’t lose hope. Love exists out there for you. I know it’s difficult because of-” “Don’t say it.” Noelle interrupted, sitting up straight. “You know it has nothing to do with any of that.” “But it does! You won’t admit it, but I know how it affected you. I know you were hoping it’d be different, that something would prove you wrong. And something, or someone will! I know it. I promise Elle…” Violet leaned forward, taking Noelle’s hand.

“Look.. why not try going out with Carter?” Noelle tensed and looked up in shock. “What? Why?! What even made you think of him?” she pulled her hand away. Violet looked at her like she’d said the dumbest thing in the world. “You forget who I am? You even checked your phone to see if he’s texted back.” Noelle looked at her confused. “Wha- no I didn’t?” Violet looked at Noelle’s phone. Noelle did the same, then back to Violet, before quickly moving to get her phone.

Too late, Violet swiped the phone and unlocked it. “Let’s see… ‘hey’ ‘hey’ ‘what you doing’ ‘still at work, hella tired, wanna go to-’ he asked you out?!” Violet stopped and looked up at Noelle. “Uh- no.” she said, looking at Violet like she said something stupid, and swiped her phone back. “He just asked to hang out, that’s all.” Noelle said as she typed a response then set her phone aside.

Now I need to change my password..again.

“He asked you to come over to watch movie and eat. He asked you out!” Violet said excitedly. Noelle raised a brow. “Noo~. He asked to hang out. If it were a date, he’d of asked to go out to eat at some restaurant.” Violet looked at her like she were crazy. “Neither of you like restaurants, or being out in public, and he knows this. He asked you out on an antisocial-people’s date.” Violet said with a smirk. “I bet twenty bucks you said yes.” “I didn’t. I said sure.” Noelle said with a smirk before sticking her tongue out and laughing.

Violet rolled her eyes and raised her hand to get the waitress' attention as she passed buy. “We’re ready for the check, please.” Violet said with a soft smile. “Alright miss, I’ll go get that for you.” the girl said in a small voice. When the girl went, Noelle looked at Violet. “She’s new.” she said with a smirk. Violet looked at her sternly. “Don’t do it…” she said in a grown. Noelle looked back seeing the girl coming back. She looked at Violet with a smile before sitting up. “Here you go miss.” she handed it to Violet. “Thank you,” she said, not taking her eyes off Noelle.

Just as the girl turned to go, Noelle took the girls wrist gently. “Thank you, your service was absolutely wonderful. I’ll make sure to give a great rating on the restaurant..” she said in a husky voice as she rubbed the girls wrist with her thumb. The waitress looked at her in shock, her face completely flustered. “A-ah, right, th-thank you..” she stuttered. “Mhm.” Noelle nodded letting go of her, and letting the girl walk off.

Violet looked at her with disdain before shaking her head and standing up. “You’re paying.” she said walking away. “Huh?! What?! Come on!” Noelle groaned and put the money on the table then running off to the front with Violet. “Jerk!” she said and they both laughed. “Whatever, go have fun on your date.” she said with a smirk, nudging Noelle. Noelle rolled her eyes. “Not a date~..” She walked to her car and got in, closing the door.

Once she got to Carter’s apartment, that was nearly as big as her own, she knocked on the door. Almost instantly, he opened it and pulled her in, kissing her deeply. “How did you know I was with someone?” Noelle asked breathlessly with a smile. “I saw Violet post about eating with you. That, and your dad talked to my dad about it. Word got to me.” Carter said smiling. “Good thing too. She had seen your invite.” Noelle said with a smirk. Carter smiled before pecking her lips and leading her more inside, closing the door behind them. “Still secret, right?” he asked looking into her brown eyes. Noelle nodded, pulling him close to her and pecking his lips with a kiss. “Of course.”