"Azaiah!" Kaden walked up to his friend who just drove in and was getting out of his car.
"What's up?" Azaiah asked taking the outstretched hand of Kaden for a shake.
"Well things are okay over here. I used your perfume this morning by the way" Kaden stated. He was spending some days at Azaiah's house as they were both working on a project together.
"Kaden you have yours. You just love annoying me don't you?" Azaiah said feigning anger but Kaden knew perfectly well that Azaiah wasn't pissed at him.
"Exactly!" Kaden said whilst attempting to place a hand on Azaiah's shoulder but the man moved away from Kaden's reach.
He didn't mind Kaden using his items because they were close friends. Kaden was like the brother he never had. But even as close as they were, Azaiah didn't relay his condition to Kaden.
He knew the moment he did, they'd stop living in the moment and would begin to thread carefully with everything that concerned him.
"So we kept a very close eye on her today. She's safe but with the news about her popping up on the internet every now and then, I wonder how she might be feeling" Kaden changed the topic as they walked into the house.
"I found it unbelievable when you told me you had interest in her until I found your secret room filled with her pictures. I mean who does that? That's crazy work" Kaden teased.
"You call it crazy, I call it love" Azaiah answered with a straight face.
"Love? Bro that's obsession" Kaden chuckled.
"In high school you bullied her alot you know, how do you intend to woo her now?" Kaden asked taking a seat on the sofa and Azaiah did the same.
"I've explained to you times without number how much I regret doing that. Besides, I'd just show her the real me and hope she accepts me. At least I'm bold enough to attempt." Azaiah paused.
" What about you? You're too scared to even walk up to Yvonne even after leaving highschool for years now" Azaiah said, closing his eyes and throwing his head backward to rest on the top of the sofa.
"Ouch" Kaden feigned being in pain.
Just like Ariana and Yvonne, Azaiah and Kaden had maintained their friendship from highschool. While Azaiah teased and often bullied Ariana for a reason only know to him at that time, Kaden had an intense crush on Yvonne but never did anything about it.
"I know I haven't done anything about it but at least I'm not watching her whereabouts like a psychopath" Kaden joked but Azaiah didn't flinch at his words, not caring if he was called crazy for keeping an eye on the woman he was interested in. As long as he wasn't going the extra mile stalking her like a creep, he didn't care whatever anyone said.
It was true he kept eyes out for Ariana. Which was how he knew she was at Capital Hill hospital and went over, he still made sure he gave her the space she needed. He had lost his chance at her once and wasn't planning to do so again, especially now at the critical time of his life.
"Knowing how I feel about her, I give her space and you know it" Azaiah answered.
"I'm just teasing man" Kaden said quickly.
"I was indeed surprised to see Arianna at that club that night. I bet she only went because of Yvonne. But its crazy how she didn't recognize both of us" Kaden straightened up.
"Mmm..." Azaiah said.
"Anyway, for the new product the product design team came up with a really interesting label for it. Let me show you" Kaden took his laptop which was resting on a circular glass table and was typing on its keys for a while before handing it to Azaiah who opened his eyes and stretched forward, taking the laptop from his friend.
The laptop's screen revealed one of his company's products. A skincare product.
He meticulously studied the new label that had been placed on the product before saying "its not so bad".
"Yeah I'm impressed" Kaden added.
"When do you think we should launch this new design?" Kaden asked.
"Probably in a few days" Azaiah answered.
"Alright then" Kaden stood up and headed towards the kitchen to get a snack for himself.
Azaiah also stood up and walked towards the secret room which Kaden had spoke about earlier.
His habit of collecting several photos of Ariana was a bit concerning but to him, it was the closest way he could be to her through all those years he couldn't reach her.
The night they met at the club he was stunned to see her. He owned the club but he rarely came to it but luckily that night, he decided to go.
He was seated in his office at the top floor with Kaden and a bodyguard when he noticed the woman whom he had spent years of his life loving walk in.
Usually he didn't bother himself with watching the security footages he got from the security cameras all over the club but that night, he felt the need to . The only reason he placed the cameras was to make sure no one was running some shady activities at the club that could implicate him as he was the owner.
As he watched the security footages, everything seemed fine until he noticed Ariana Sterling walk in.