~ NIKITA ~

My phone started ringing from my purse.

Like the depressed bitch I was, I frustratedly slipped it out of my purse and answered the incoming group video call from Imogen.

"Hey, Nik. Hey, Lil." Imogen's cherry voice made a smile finally appear on my face.

"Hi, babe." I waved, taking a seat on a chair.

"Hi. What's up?" Annoying Lila spoke, sipping from a juice box.

"I'm really cool. It's been a while since we've had a group video call so I decided to do it now." She was clearly walking as she spoke. "Faith is here too." She moved the camera to Faith's face.

"Hi, Faith." Lila waved.

"Hi." Faith waved both hands at us, smiling like a child.

"Faith and I are taking a stroll. We just went shopping and returned everything to the car then we're taking a stroll now, I feel so energetic." She flexed her muscles.

"You look really hot." I complimented, paying attention to her outfit.

"Thanks."

"Yeah, true. I noticed the men behind you were staring and fainting. Hames must be so mad if he finds out." Lila laughed.

"He'll definitely be." She joined her to laugh. "Where are you, ladies?"

"Of course I'm at home, the salon is closed today, again." I replied with a yawn.

"I'm at Kades' right now. Imogen, you won't believe Kade asked me to go with him on a romantic business trip to Paris, I'm so excited."

"I thought there was nothing between you." Imogen asked with curled eyebrows.

"I haven't told you yet?"

"Told me what?"

"I totally forgot- Kade and I have made our relationship official. He jumped into my room through the window late at night with a bouquet of roses, asked me to be his girlfriend and I agreed because it's definitely what I want." She giggled, bringing hurt upon my soul.

"Wow, I'm so happy for you! I can't believe your boyfriend stole my idea; I wanted to plan a nice vacation for the three of us only, maybe to Paris too, or somewhere else, but it's fine. We might have to wait till after Tristan is 1-year-old or more." She giggled.

"Aw, that's sweet of you."

"Please tell me more about your progress with you and Kade."

"I think I'll hang up now, I have to attend to something urgently. Bye." I ended the call, returning my phone to my purse.

Burying my head in my palm, I couldn't help but feel more frustrated about how these crazy emotions were disturbing my life. From Dash to Kade, to rejection, to craziness.

I couldn't take this anymore. I needed to get out and drink my life away. Maybe love wasn't meant for me. I give up on that shit. Going around with different men without fear of commitment was what I needed right now.

***

"Nikita?" A familiar masculine voice called.

No, no! I definitely didn't want to see anyone, especially not... I raised my head to... Rob.

"What do you want? Why are you here again?" I frowned.

"How drunk are you?" He asked, taking a seat beside me.

"I've only had a few glasses, I'm just tipsy." I poured myself another glass.

He poked my shoulder with his fingers and I was quick to slap it away. "What was that for?!" I snapped.

"Ouch, definitely not drunk." He wiggled his hand in the air from the pain I caused, creasing his forehead.

He ordered himself a drink.

After we both gulped a glass simultaneously, I decided to speak up because he was the only one I could freely speak to, he was the best listener I had all the time. "I'm just so unfortunate in love. I always fall for the wrong person. From high school to college, till now, I've never dated the right person." I sniffled. "Kade is in love with Lila, that same Lila." I let out a bitter laugh. "I'm not destined to fall in love or be loved by anyone."

"Don't be so hard on yourself."

"I'm just a slut no one wants." I chuckled again. "Just because I didn't want to die, I strived so hard to survive and was forced into this crazy business till it became an addiction and now I can't quit it."

"Nikita, who am I to you?" He asked with a different tone I had never heard him speak with before.

"Rob Kingsley, the fucking bastard who I think does nothing else with his life than sleeping around with women, mostly me." I laughed at my life.

"That's what you think. Have you ever seen me with any other woman except you or Jovi?" He asked, chugging another glass.

I tried to think about it though I wasn't so interested then shook my head. "No. I don't think so. I don't know. I don't just sit and watch you."

"That's true but if you did, you'll realize I'm mostly here for you. You might think I sound crazy but you're the only reason I come here or any club every time."

"Why? It makes no sense?"

"I don't know if you're blind or simply ignoring the truth. Don't you realize what we share is special? It's not just to have sex, you're my source of happiness."

"This makes no sense." I focused my gaze on him.

"It started off as fun for the first time till I started growing attached and wished to have you, that's why I'm always at your service every week. I know it's crazy but I've overlooked the fact that they are other men. You started blabbing about this really hot guy, Dash, whom you're saving the best part of yourself for, for so many months.

"I was able to endure the torture for so many months because I thought I still had Jovi. When you told me Dash was with someone else, I was more than happy because I thought you were going to finally realize me and give me a chance but guess who was wrong?" He asked rhetorically.

"Suddenly, there was this new Kade, Jovi's fake boyfriend. I was more than curious to find out about you always going on and on about him without even paying attention to me. It's so fucking annoying.

"Jovi's relationship with Kade ended. I was so excited and scared- excited to have thought that she was finally going to come and play her role as my girlfriend since we've accumulated enough wealth from Kade to make us live comfortably, but I was also very scared to know that things between you and I was going to end and I wasn't going to be able to deal with that, I can't even bear an entire week without you."

He was increasing my confusion beyond explanation.

"Jovi was so furious and ranting about you being with Kade when a random guy in an obviously extremely expensive car pulled over and offered her a ride. She left, claiming that I was not her boyfriend but her brother.

The next morning, she was excited to let me know how rich he is, how sexy and good he was in bed, and how she can try to seduce him for more money. Then I realized the whole relationship was pointless and decided to end things finally. She cried at first but laughed and called me a fool, she said she had now found a rich and hot man so she can do without me."

"That woman," I rolled my eyes.

"The point is that things are over between me and Jovi and you're not head over heels for anyone so..."

This was still so unreal to me. "You're in love with me?"

"Yes. Haven't you been listening to all I've been saying?" He glanced around like he was searching for the reason for my question.

"It makes absolutely no sense." I felt my eyes tearing already. "How can you love a prostitute? I'm just a cheap, random, useless, shameless slut no one loves. How can you love me?"

"I do. You're not any of those things to me. I can see through you, I can see through your activities. I know there's pain, regret, sadness, sweetness, love, an amazing person behind the sassy Nikita you prove to be. I've been with you for a very long time now and I know you. You share your happiness, success and problems with only me and I appreciate it."

I let the tears roll down my cheeks, sniffling.

"Please don't cry." He hugged me. "Like you said, you were forced to become a prostitute so you can survive living in this harsh world, you had no one else to run to, you made it an addiction... I understand everything. I can see through Nikita Bend and I accept you whatever way you are. You're a special person to me, not just someone I sleep around with. You're someone I really care about more than anyone else. I thought you were ever going to realize this but you never did."

I sobbed in his chest.

"Please stop crying."

"I can't... th-this... it's the first time... someone would ever see the real side of me, it's the first time... some... one would ever understand me." I stuttered, sobbing.

"I always have, and I'm certain there might be other people who do too but you're unable to realize it."

This was still hard to believe. Why would anyone be stupid to fall in love with a prostitute like me?

I had never cried as much as I cried in his chest while he muttered soothing words to me.

Was this going to be my destination in the journey of love? Had I been looking for something that was already with me all this time?

***

~ IMOGEN ~

After Lila and I had talked about her new relationship for quite a while, the call finally ended after Kade called her and I returned my phone to my shorts' pocket.

"Finally, you can focus on this stroll." Faith sighed. "By the way, I'm very happy for Lila. She's a sweet woman and deserves such a good person."

I know.

Faith and I continued our walk without interruption, chatting and travelling from one topic to the other and multiple topics.

"I'm starting to get really tired and I think we've walked enough for the day, let's return to the car and go back home." I said to her, yawning.

"I- I agree wi-with you." She nervously bit her lower lip, scratching her neck.

"Is there anything wrong?"

"I have something to share with you but I'm kinda scared to say this..."

"What's wrong? You know you can tell me anything."

"I'm pregnant."

"You're pregnant?! Wow, I'm so glad." I pulled her into a hug.

"No, you shouldn't be. I don't even know who the father is. I know it's against what I stand for but I had a one-night stand while I got drunk for the first time. I thought I just needed to have fun to wash away my pains by drinking but then I woke up the next morning, naked, no man, just money on the bedside table of the hotel I knew nothing about."

"Did you ask the hotel for who it was?"

"I was so broken to ask and wasn't expecting to be pregnant. I've been trying to keep it to myself but I think I'm starting to have this morning sickness and it scares me. I was feeling depressed for many reasons, that's what resulted in this. I know I've sinned, I've broken my promise to God and myself."

"Faith, I feel terrible. You've always seemed so jovial to me, I didn't realize you were feeling depressed, in so much pain. I'm such a bad person." I pulled her into a hug.

"You're not." She burst into laughter. "You have other things to worry about and I don't express my pain. You're the best friend I've ever had and I love working for you." She returned the hug. It wasn't tight enough due to my bump.

A loud noise like a gunshot made us flinch from each other.

"I'm definitely not the only one that heard that, right?" I asked with fear starting to sip into the heart.

"No." Her chest started to rise and fall.

Another gunshot was heard then everyone around started panicking.

"Imogen, run!" She exclaimed, grabbing my hand and we started running.

The gunshots increased and everywhere became a mess; everyone was running, bumping into one another and trampling on people on the floor. Different people around were falling with blood rushing from them, increasing my heartbeat rate.

"Imogen!" Faith screamed, quickly stood in front of me to serve as a shield then there was another loud shot.

I felt thick liquid dripping to my hand and the sound of the police siren filled the air.

Faith slowly slid to the floor with her arms sprawled lazily and her blood stained her clothes from her stomach.

"Faith!" I exclaimed, glancing at the direction the bullets were coming from. There was someone who looked like a teenager, holding a gun, but there was also a person in a balaclava who seemed like he or she was aiming his gun at me.

The person's eyes were widened and he or she quickly ran away when the sound of the police siren was heard.

I returned my gaze to Faith who was now in a pool of her blood.