Bestfriend With Benefits

I quickly take a bath and prepare myself after I read Caroline's text message saying we have to meet the lecturer today. Then I went back to my room to check my phone again.

"Okay" she suddenly looks cold. She must be pissed off.

I walk towards the kitchen, found Tiere sitting at the dining table with a cup of oreo shake.

"Hey, Tiere"

"hm?" she turned her head looking at me, waiting for me to continue, but my jaw stiffened. I can feel cold sweat rushing down from my head. Caroline is mad at me. "I think she is angry" I mumbled. "What should I do?"

She shrugged her shoulders and say, "I hate when a guy forget my date actually. But well, you can ask her directly what does she like to do? Cause I think you have no idea what does she like right? I mean, girls hate being asked too, what if she is different"

"Yes..I guess" I replied, rubbing my forehead. I think Tiere was right, I have to ask her later.

"Bye Tiere"

"Bye, take care" she said, waving her hand.

I pulled my brake, stop in front of her huge mansion. I clicked my window down, smiling to the security, then grabbed my phone to call Caroline, at the same time I saw her walking towards me with her handbag on her hand, the new bag I bought her about last 3 weeks.

"Hey, Carol!" I smile. "Hey" she didn't smile, she looks angry. Then Caroline clicked the handle, throwing herself inside the car. "You are 30 minutes late, Ryan" she said. I scrunched my eyes, wrinkling my forehead, "Sorry.. I really forgot" I hope she doesn't spit my excuse.

"So, do you bring your thesis?" she asked, without looking at me, she pulled her phone out.

Wait... My thesis??

DAMN!

I slapped my forehead once, "Damn! I forgot! Aduhhhhhh".

Caroline's eyes popped up wide, "WHAT?"

"ah! Come on!" she groaned.

"Just... Sorry" I tried to calm her down.

I step on the gas pedal, wheels spinning against the asphalt, "I think we should head home first" I afraid looking at her, afraid she would angry more. She threw her face away, gazing straight through the window, and doesn't say anything.

DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG

I pressed the bell abruptly, making Tiere quickly answer "WAIT" since she locked the door from inside. As we heard Tiere yelling from inside my apartment, Caroline eyes widened, her big eyes staring at me "Tiere?" with fingers pointing my door. I nod my head and give her an awkward smile, "Yes... she is inside" I added. Caroline rolled her eyes, "Just make it quick".

"ummm okay.." I mumbled, at the same time I heard the door clicked open. Tiere showed up with towel wrapping around her body. Caroline threw her gaze away, walking inside and I catch her up, didn't even say Hi to Tiere at all, like she is invisible.

"Gonna continue my shower" Tiere said as she walked back to the bathroom.

Caroline sit on the sofa waiting for me, cleared her throat as she saw a guitar leaning by the sofa. "So... you guys played music just now?" turn her head looking at uncovered keyboard in turn. "Yes" I answered as I lifted my thesis in my hand, "Found it, let's go" I said. She stood up and walking along the short hallway about to quit my apartment as soon as possible, she seems like pretty uncomfortable with Tiere inside.

Tiere just finished her shower, "Done? Going to leave now?" she asked. I grabbed her shoulder, "Be right back soon, Tiere. Gonna take few hours". Then, she hugs me tight "See you soon babe" she held my head and gave a kiss on my cheek. I was startled, blushed red as I can feel my face warmer.

"Alright love birds, please make it quick" spoke Caroline, she is all ready outside the door. "See yah!" Tiere waved her hand at us. 

***

It's pretty awkward for me since Caroline didn't speak a word since we left the apartment. She's still angry and really hard to persuade, I tried to talk to her since the beginning but she tends to ignore me all the way. Tiere is easier to cheer even though she is hard to understand sometimes, but Caroline is way harder than Tiere.

Mr.Lim settles into his chair and clears his throat. He is impressed by the information we gave inside the thesis and finally nods at us. He seems proud with our great works so far.

"Congratulation you both! You just need to complete your presentation by next month" he smiles, looking at me and Caroline in turn. We nodded our head together, "Thanks" I said,

"Thanks, Mr.Lim. See you soon" spoke Caroline.

As we walked outside Mr.Lim's office, I tilted my glasses and look at Caroline one more time, guess I have to apologize again. My eyes hurt so bad cause I took too much hours playing computer last night.

"Carol" I called.

Caroline flicked her hair "hm" she short answered with mumbles.

"Please don't mad at me. What can I do to make you happy?" I try to smile, demanding some tutorials to make her happy, or at least a mini clue.

She stopped walking, and I paused. Now we are facing each other, "You don't know how to cheer a woman?"

I shrug my shoulders, puzzled and say "I....just.. don't have that experience" I stammered on my own words, and my smile is getting awkward. She sniffed a smile, being sarcastic again, but she didn't give me answer.

"Do..you want to go..to a mall?" I lifted an eyebrow, at some moment I stare at her, which is slowly responded to my opinion. "Gonna buy you something? Like rice bowl or chicken sticks? Or even ice cream?". We go to mall for a date recently and she loves shopping, so I think it would at least cheer her up for today.

"Okay" she said vigorously, nodding her head in excitement. I feel relieved cause I finally know what she likes to do.

I pressed my car –key on and we threw ourselves inside the car seats. Once again, I tried to make out some conversations "I'm sorry, Caroline" I spoke, to make another apology. Caroline sniffed a smile and nods her head. All of sudden, the situation became awkward again. I froze, didn't say anything. Caroline gives me a smile, her eyes locked on mine, giving me a seductive looks, she leaned her head forward and I know what is going to happen again.

Heat rose from my stomach to my chest, my heart definitely skipped a beat as her lips are closing into mine. The coconut oil smell of her lipstick filled my tongue. Adrenaline rush. So much of it that I nearly forgot to breathe, my heart a ticking bomb. Her lips brushed over mine like a wave of warmth and all my body reacted to her instinctively. She opened her eyes, and her tongue stops playing mine, she looked at me one more time and I feel butterflies, then Caroline sniffed a smile. "Kissing is a piece of cake to you, huh?" she said, my face blushed red, I can feel it warmer itself. After a long time, I tend to dream about kissing Caroline since I like her, I even want to hug her right now but I don't have that courage, afraid she would probably slap me in the face if I do that, but since she kissed me first, I guess it's fine.

"Carol" I said, open my arms wide. She leaned closer and fall to my arms, my heart is racing inside my chest, going to burst out cause it beats too fast. But I feel guilty all of sudden when Tiere appeared in my head. I feel like both hurt and happy at the same time.

I cleared my throat and Caroline smiles, "Sorry...I" I said. "That's okay" she cut me off, "We both enjoy it, how do you feel?" she asked. I give her a short mumble "Hm. What do you mean?" I asked. 

"Who do you choose? Me or Tiere?" Caroline sits straight, looking at me.

At this moment, I can't answer her. Besides of feeling wrong and guilty. Tiere face keeps appearing in my head. I feel sad all of sudden, it hurts me a lot, but I also feel happy cause our plan finally works on Caroline, which means I have another chance to confess.

"You know, Ryan" she spoke. "Tiere's ex boyfriend, Calvin, is Monica's best friend"

Monica? Monica is from Caroline's gang. She has a pair or sharp Chinese eyes and hair dyed in light brown since high school.

"And I heard Calvin is dating Monica now" she added. I stared at her, listened carefully. How could Calvin do that to Tiere? After about 2 months breaking up? Tiere was so sad and broken that time, how could he moved on so fast like that.

"Tiere is lucky cause Calvin is..you know.... Calvin is from honorable family. They met in a pub and date soon after they hang out several times" she continued. I know there's another thing she is about to say, I look at Caroline's eyes, she is speaking like she was about to tell another ghost story.

"Tiere was so lucky..." she exhales and sniffed a smile "but his parents don't like her at all". I stared at her, didn't blink, waiting for her to response again, "Tiere is no virgin at all, Ryan. I was so pity on you cause you date a secondhand woman" she said with a shrug, "You know. Maybe when you made out with her you don't even notice, cause you are not experienced at this thing" she flared her nostrils, "I'm sorry.."

I never judge a girl by their virginity, it's her body anyway. She is free to choose, and I don't care. But I just feel so bad at Tiere, no wonder she cried so hard that time. I cleared my throat, "Are we going now?"

I don't want to talk about it too much, since it is pretty sensitive to Tiere later on. I don't want to hurt her even though she is not here with us.

"Okay" she smiled, clicked the seatbelt on.

***

drrtttt drrttt

It's once a week routine with my mom, I grabbed my phone and put it on my ear.

"RYAN!"

My mom yelled at me from the phone, I was kinda startled. Tiere was shocked too, she was sitting beside me playing with her phone, then she rose from her laying position gazing my eyes, worry that mom is going to deaf my ears.

"WHAT THE HELL, RYAN! DO YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND? OR A BOYFRIEND??" mom yelled, really loud. Come on mom, mom thinks I am either gay or bi, cause I never had a girlfriend. 

"Mom.. let me explain" mom is an overprotective parent, she keeps on checking my bank account, and control my spending. Whenever it takes too far, mom will directly yell at me like today. Actually, this is the first time she looks very angry.

"YOU JUST SPENT 35 MILLIONS IN A MONTH? WHAT DID YOU BUY HUH? DID YOU BUY GAMES? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" This time is pretty unusual.

Tiere's eyes popped up, she mouthed and gestured "WHAT HAPPEN?". I shrugged my shoulders and mouthed back "I will explain it to you"

"Mommm.. mommm" I tried to calm my mom down. She groaned and moaned angrily "URGHHH"

"Momm.. listen.. I have a lot of friends in the university, so they.. birthday.." I tried to think another excuses, which is I am worst at.

"JUST! URGHHHH" I heard her speaking to my sisters, but can't hear it clearly, it was all mumbles on the phone.

"Momm" I called, and she hung up the phone.

I put my phone aside, frowned in depression. I can't believe I just spent 35 million rupiahs in a month, which is unbelievable.

"What happen, Ryan?" Tiere touched my shoulders, I lift my head looking at her, she was staring at me anxiously.

"I just..." I exhales a harsh breath "I bought Caroline too much presents..I guess"

Tiere quirked an eyebrow, "it was her birthday?"

"No, Tiere" Did Tiere hear about the 35 million stuff?

"We hang out at the mall recently, sometimes when she gets into the boutique, or bag store or .."

"Wait" Tiere cut me off, now she stood up holding my shoulders, bend her body a bit to catch my gaze. "She asked you to buy her stuffs?"

I shook my head, "No.. don't get her wrong" I defend her. "She looks like happy to have it, soo... I was just about to make her happy, then I bought her things she likes"

"So, you guys have a date at the mall recently?"

"Yes" I nod my head, "Cause she was bored"

"Ryan.. Is she the one that drag you to the shop? You? Or?"

She looks like a cop interviewing the suspect, narrowing her eyes to scan my lies, the situation became awful.

"She loves shopping, Tiere" I finally said. "I mean yes" I stammered on my words, I feel tornado inside my head.

"Ryan, did she ever refuse to let you pay?"

"Sometimes, when she likes it, she just hold them by staring at me with puppy eyes by saying she like it so much"

Tiere clicked her tongue, "I know it" and groaned, now she looks pissed off.

I quirked an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

She sits back beside me on the edge of the bed, catching my eyes again, "This isn't right, Ryan. It's between you spoil her too much or she is the one that trying to let you pay in purpose"

"She is god damn rich, Tiere"

Tiere rolled her eyes "Dude, you are handsome, clever, and rich, but stupid. What a vanilla boy"

"What is a vanilla boy?" I ask confusedly.

"ASK MR.GOOGLE"

That's new to me, I think I've ever heard of it but I forgot the real explanations about the vanilla stuffs she talked about.