chapter 10: bridget, shut up.

Bose POV:

Bridget and I stepped out of the car and walked towards the venue, a modern space with sleek decor and ambient lighting that set a sophisticated mood for the event. As we approached the entrance, the buzz of conversation and the clink of glasses filled the air.

Several guests greeted us warmly as we entered. I tried to focus on mingling and networking, but Bridget seemed to be soaking up every bit of attention.

"You two make quite the couple," a well-dressed woman remarked, giving us both an approving look.

I offered a polite smile. "Thank you, but I consider myself as her boss only."

Bridget, however, seemed to take pleasure in the compliment. "People keep saying we'd look good together," she said, her tone flirtatious. "Who knows? Maybe there's something to it."

I kept my responses neutral, concentrating on the interactions with other guests. Despite my attempts to steer the conversation, Bridget continued to drop hints about our supposed relationship. It was clear she was enjoying the attention, though I was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the direction of the evening.

As the evening progressed, I spotted a familiar face in the crowd—Mika. It was an unexpected but delightful surprise. Mika had always been a smart and sweet friend from my Danger Force days, and it was great to see her again.

"Mika!" I called out, waving as I approached her.

Mika's face brightened with recognition. "Bose! It's so good to see you!"

I introduced her to Bridget, who was clearly pleased to be included in the conversation. "Mika, this is Bridget. Bridget, this is Mika."

Mika extended a hand with her signature warm smile. "Nice to meet you."

Bridget beamed. "Nice to meet you too, Mika. So, are you and Bose..."

Before she could finish, Mika's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Is this your girlfriend, Bose?"

Bridget's smile widened at the suggestion. "Bose can answer that," she said with a mix of pride and playfulness.

I quickly clarified, "Bridget is my assistance."

Mika looked momentarily surprised but then her smile turned into one of understanding. "Got it. Well, it's really nice to meet you, Bridget. Bose has told me so much about his work and how much he values his team."

Bridget's smile wavered slightly but she quickly recovered, engaging with Mika as they discussed various topics. Mika's enthusiasm and intelligence were palpable, and her genuine interest in people made the conversation flow smoothly.

Throughout our chat, Mika's warmth and charm shone through, and Bridget seemed increasingly overshadowed by Mika's vibrant personality. Mika shared stories about her latest projects and her insights into the industry, making the conversation engaging and lively. I knew she didn't tell us everything since her work is top secret.

Mika then broached a new topic. "Bose, we should catch up soon. How about meeting up with Miles and me at Hip Hop Purée this weekend? There's some stuff I'd have to discuss with you."

I nodded in agreement. "That sounds good. I'll check my schedule and let you know. By the way, Mika, I ran into Chapa recently. She's now taking art classes at my company. I might be able to bring her to our meet up as well."

Mika's eyes widened with interest. "Really? That's quite a turn. How is she finding it?"

Before I could respond, Bridget, who had been quietly observing, decided to chime in. "Chapa, that aggressive, stubborn girl? I heard she's desperate for money. She seems like a waste of resources if you ask me."

I felt my temper flare. "Bridget, please shut your mouth for once and don't ever talk about her or anyone like that again."

Mika, noticing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, gave a sympathetic glance but chose to remain silent, understanding that it was not her place to interject further. Her calm and collected demeanor was a stark contrast to the discomfort Bridget's comment had caused.

Bridget's smile faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure and tried to steer the conversation back to safer topics. Despite her attempts, the evening's earlier ease had been replaced by an undercurrent of tension.

When Mika eventually excused herself to mingle with other guests, The rest of the evening saw Bridget trying to maintain her upbeat facade while I focused on the networking opportunities at the event.

As Bridget and I left the event, the car ride was marked by an uneasy silence. The hum of the engine and the muted city lights outside did little to alleviate the tension that had been building throughout the evening.

Bridget broke the silence. "I didn't mean to be rude earlier. I apologize if I crossed a line."

I kept my gaze on the road, my expression unreadable. "I haven't liked your attitude for quite some time now, Bridget."

She looked over at me, her voice tinged with genuine concern. "I'm sorry, Bose. I didn't realize it was bothering you so much."

I took a deep breath, trying to maintain my composure. "I don't want to hear you speak about Chapa like that ever again. It's not your place to judge her, and frankly, I don't appreciate the disrespect. Also, don't assume we could become something romantic, I'm your boss and not interested in you on romantic aspect."

Bridget's face fell, and she fell silent, the weight of my words settling between us. The rest of the ride was spent in near-total silence, with only the occasional rustle of movement breaking the stillness.

When we arrived at her house, Bridget quietly thanked me for the ride. Her earlier attempts at conversation were replaced by a somber mood. As she stepped out of the car, I could see she was visibly affected by our exchange.

"Good night, Bose," she said softly, closing the car door behind her.

I watched her walk up to her front door, the sense of unresolved tension lingering in the air. As I drove away, I reflected on the evening's events, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment.

Chapa POV:

It was Thursday. Elena and I arrived at the academy, ready for another day. As we stepped inside, someone behind us said, "Hi, Elena." We turned around, and Elena rolled her eyes. I looked at the person. No way.

"Scar?" I said, surprised.

"Scar?" Elena asked, confused. "Wait, do you know Sam, Chapa?"

"Sam?" I thought, trying to place the name. Then it clicked. "Uh, yeah, we do," Scar said, confirming my suspicion.

Elena looked puzzled. "Who's Scar?"

"Scar was my artist name when I was younger," he replied, looking somewhat embarrassed.

This was all very weird. "Scar isn't your real name?" I asked.

"Sam is my real name," he said, walking up to me. "Are you friends with Elena?"

"Yes," I replied, still trying to process everything.

I asked, "What are you doing in this building?"

He explained, "I got a job here."

Elena, still surprised, looked between us. "Why didn't you ever mention you were friends with Chapa?" Sam asked Elena.

Elena shrugged. "I didn't think it was necessary to tell. Besides, you wouldn't care anyway."

I could sense the tension between them. They haven't been on good terms lately.

I looked at Sam—Scar, or rather, Sam—and tried to reconcile the memories of our past with the present situation. "It's been a long time, Sam."

"Yeah, it has," he said, with a smile and a touch of nostalgia in his voice.

The awkwardness hung in the air as we all stood there, each processing the unexpected reunion in our own way.

Elena broke the silence and said, "We should go to our classes."

Sam—or Scar—nodded. "Yeah, I have a tour of the building first." Bridget appeared to guide him and the other woman who also applied.

We barely said our goodbyes before Elena and I headed upstairs. I didn't see Bose anywhere; he must have been in his office. Then it hit me—I had just thought about seeing him. Why do I want to see him? It makes me sick.

Elena noticed my distracted look. "You okay, Chapa?"

"Yeah, just... a lot on my mind," I replied, trying to brush off the thoughts.

We walked into the classroom, and Ms. Ambrose was already there, setting up for the day. I tried to focus on the tasks at hand, but my mind kept wandering. Seeing Scar- Sam again after all these years had thrown me off balance.

"Alright, everyone, settle down," Ms. Ambrose called out. "We have a lot to cover today."

I took my seat, pulling out my supplies. As Ms. Ambrose started her lecture, for a very brief moment I thought of meeting up with Bose tonight. Stop it, Chapa, I scolded myself internally. You don't need this distraction.

After class, Elena and I headed to the break room. "So, what's the deal with you and Sam?" she asked, curiosity evident in her voice.

I sighed. "It's a long story. We used to date back when we were younger. He was my ex."

"Wow, small world," Elena said, shaking her head. "I had no idea. So now I'm friends with my boyfriend's ex?"

"Yeah, it sounds funny. I had no idea either." I muttered, lost in thought.

Elena checked her phone. "I have to run. I promised to help Ms. Ambrose with some preparations for the exhibition."

"Alright, see you later," I said, watching her leave.

I sat there for a moment, trying to sort through my feelings. Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Sage, thanking me again for the help and telling me about her day at school. I smiled, grateful for the distraction.

Deciding I needed a break, I headed to the small cafe within the academy. As I walked in, I noticed Bridget sitting at a table with Sam and the other woman who applied. They were deep in conversation, and I felt a pang of unease. I grabbed a coffee and found a quiet corner to sit in, hoping to avoid any more awkward encounters.

As I sipped my coffee, I noticed Sam waving at me. "Hey, Chapa! Come join us," he called out.

I hesitated for a moment but decided to walk over. Bridget and the woman who applied for the other position looked up as I approached.

"Hi I'm Emma," The woman said, introducing herself. "Emma, this is Chapa, my ex girlfriend." Sam said. I cringed at the word ex girlfriend.

"Is everyone here an old friend of Chapa or something?" Bridget said under her breath.

Emma smiled warmly. "Nice to meet you, Chapa. Sam's been telling us a bit about you."

I raised an eyebrow at Sam. "Has he now?"

Sam chuckled. "Bridget asked if I knew you since I stood in the lobby earlier with you and Elena. I was just telling them about our old days in Swellview. You know, before everything got... complicated."

I sat down next to Sam, feeling awkward because why would he share those things. "Yeah, those were some interesting times."

Bridget leaned in, clearly interested. "So, you two have known each other for a long time?"

"Yeah," Sam replied. "We grew up in the same neighborhood. Used to hang out all the time."

"Uhm Sam," still not used to his real name. "was my first real boyfriend," I added, surprising myself with the admission. "He introduced me to a lot of things."

"Like art," Sam said with a grin. "Remember the graffiti mural we did on that old warehouse?"

I laughed, the memory coming back vividly. "How could I forget? We nearly got caught by the cops."

Emma looked intrigued. "Sounds like you two had quite the adventures."

"We did," I said, nodding. "But things turned out differently."

Bridget glanced at Sam. "So, Scar was your artist name you said?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I went by Scar when I was young. But now I've become more professional, I figured it's time to go by my real name."

"It must be nice to reconnect after all these years," Emma said.

"I guess," I said. "So, Emma, what brought you to the academy?"

Emma smiled. "I've always loved fashion and organizing events. When I heard about this position, it felt like the perfect fit. Plus, I love working with creative people."

"Emma's going to be in charge of organizing fashion shows and working with the fashion department," Bridget explained.

"That sounds amazing," I said genuinely. "I'm sure you'll do a great job."

"Thanks," Emma replied. "I'm really excited to get started."

Bridget then leaned back, her eyes glinting with excitement. "Speaking of amazing, Chapa, hasn't Bose told you about last night's event. Bose and I went, and everyone kept complimenting us."

I felt a pang of jealousy but tried to keep my expression neutral. "Oh, okay?"

"Yeah," Bridget continued, clearly enjoying the attention. "Bose even said I looked good in my dress. Can you believe that?"

I looked at her with disgust. "Honestly, I can't." Sam laughed at my words, Bridget ignored it.

"And you won't believe it, but people at the event were saying we looked good together," Bridget added, her voice a bit too enthusiastic. "They were even suggesting I might have a chance with him romantically."

My stomach churned. The thought of Bridget getting close to Bose made me feel uneasy, especially after everything that had happened between us. But I didn't let it show. Instead, I focused on the conversation.

"Good for you," I managed to say.

Bridget kept talking, her excitement unabated. "I mean, who knows? Maybe this is the start of something new. It's just so exciting!"

I glanced at Sam, who seemed to sense my discomfort. He gave me a small, reassuring smile, which helped a bit. Still, it was hard to shake off the jealousy and frustration.

Eventually, the conversation wound down, and we all had to get back to our respective tasks. As I stood up, Sam gave me a reassuring smile. "It was good to see you again, Chapa."

"Yeah, you too," I said, feeling a bit lighter despite everything. "Let's catch up more later."

"Definitely," Sam replied.

I headed back home, Ms. Ambrose told me I could prepare my presentation at home. It had to be done by tomorrow, It was 4 PM. Still 3 hours left until Bose came to pick me up to wherever we were going. But I wasn't in the mood to go. Why would he want to go out with me tonight when he was being so charming towards Bridget yesterday? I can't stand these type of guys who flirt with every girl and think that's okay.

I ignored my thoughts and started working on my presentation.