#118 “Everyone’s Acting Weird, huh?
Sophia’s fingers practically flew as she shoved clothes into her suitcase, fueled by the anticipation of escaping town and leaving the Alexander drama behind. Without finishing her morning coffee, she hailed a taxi to the airport, grabbed her suitcase, and locked the door to her apartment.
In the taxi, she quickly tapped out a message to Evelyn, “I’m on my way to the airport. I know it’s earlier than we agreed, but I couldn’t wait.”
Evelyn’s response came swiftly, “I’m already walking in the duty-free shops. You’re not the only one impatient.”
Sophia chuckled and stashed her phone back in her bag, relishing the excitement of traveling with her friend after what felt like ages.
Both of their lives were very busy and they rarely saw each other, and that was why Sophia was so grateful for this opportunity to spend time together again.
At the airport, after breezing through security, Sophia headed to the cosmetics store, a hunch telling her she’d find Evelyn there. Sure enough, Evelyn was seated in front of a perfume stand, surrounded by testers, her eyes lighting up with each new scent.
“I knew you couldn’t be anywhere else, “Sophia remarked as she approached.
Evelyn giggled, hugging her friend tightly. Sophia couldn’t help but inhale a mixture of scents as Evelyn moved in for the embrace. “Girl, you won’t believe how stressful the last few days have been,” Evelyn confessed.
“Lord, I think you should stop for now. Buy one, and let’s go have a coffee,” Sophia suggested, laughing.
“Coffee?” Evelyn made a face. “Honey, we’re going to Vegas. We’ll have Mimosa.”
“At eight in the morning?” Sophia questioned.
“You know you don’t count when you’re on vacation. Somewhere in the world, it’s evening now,” Evelyn said with a wink.
The duo headed to a nearby restaurant, and before Sophia could object, Evelyn ordered two Mimosas. Rolling her eyes, Sophia didn’t protest, taking a sip of the fruity cocktail.
“Now, will you tell me why this spontaneous vacation happened?” Sophia inquired.
“Should I spoil my mood even before I’ve had my cocktail?” Evelyn pouted.
“So I’m right. Something has happened,” Sophia persisted.
“I had a fight with Kyle,” Evelyn finally admitted, her eyes clouded with frustration and sadness. Sophia’s eyes widened with surprise. ” Kyle? Your seemingly perfect boyfriend? spill it!”
Evelyn sighed “It’s a wild story. You remember how I met him through Alexander, right?”
Sophia shook her head, urging her to continue with a raise of her eyebrow. ” No, you didn’t tell me.”
“The first time I actually met Kyle was when he was drowning himself in booze with Alexander at that bar downtown. I never got around to telling you that part,” Evelyn admitted.
Sophia took a sip from her cocktail intrigued. “Okay, now you’ve got my full attention. What went down?”
Evelyn delved into the tale, “So, recently, I started sniffing around Kyle’s life. I know this sounds bad, but he has always been super secretive about his work and his family. Something just felt off. I mean, who’s that tight-lipped about their job and family, right?”
Sophia nodded, agreeing with the skepticism. “Fair point. So, what did you find out?”
“Not many. Besides being a journalist, I don’t know much about his work. I don’t understand why he hides it from me,” continued Evelyn.
“And what did you do?”
Evelyn’s eyes gleamed with mischief.” Well, the mystery surrounding him only made me more suspicious. So, I did a little detective work. When Kyle found out, we had this epic showdown.”
Sophia couldn’t resist asking, “What were you looking for?”
Evelyn took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on some distant memory.” Remember when I got kidnapped? It was Kyle who fed Alexander crucial info about the kidnapper.”
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “Wait, what? Kyle saved you, and you didn’t even know? This is like some Hollywood plot twist!”
Evelyn nodded her emotions on a rollercoaster. “I know, right? And when I asked him about it, he exploded. He said it was no business of mine to pry into his life.”
Sophia frowned thoughtfully, unable to shake the mention of Alexander and his unexpected role. He had once been the hero, helping save her best friend with Kyle’s assistance, and later lending a hand in London. Now, he seemed to be playing for the other team, leaving Sophia utterly perplexed.
The sudden change in Alexander’s mood bewildered her. The confusion and frustration gnawed at her, making her wonder if there was more to this tangled web of relationships than met the eye.
Yet, amid the chaos of emotions, Sophia couldn’t ignore the suspicious behavior emanating not just from Alexander but also from Kyle. Evelyn had discovered that Kyle had played a crucial role in saving her, yet he was angry about it.
“Everyone’s acting weird, huh?” Sophia muttered more to herself than Evelyn.
Evelyn nodded, her eyes clouded with frustration. “These men. They make us so angry that…” She let out a sigh, her thoughts trailing off. “But Kyle is not only secretive, he’s also awesome, Sophia.”
Sophia raised an eyebrow, intrigued. ” Awesome? Even after all this drama?”
Evelyn grinned, her eyes lighting up with a kind of love that Sophia couldn’t ignore. “I know, I know. He can be infuriating, but there’s something about him. I believe we’re meant to be together.”
Sophia leaned back in her seat, absorbing the complexity of Evelyn’s emotions. “You really think so?”
Evelyn’s gaze grew distant, lost in the maze of her thoughts. “I do. I love him, Sophia. But why does he keep his life such a secret? I couldn’t even find out about his family.”
Sophia couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern for her friend. “His family, huh? That’s a pretty big gap in the information department. What do you know about them?”
Evelyn sighed, her eyes searching for answers. “I know he has a cousin in Las Vegas. An Italian-American who owns a casino. That’s all I could dig up.”
Sophia arched an eyebrow, her mind already connecting the dots. “Las Vegas, huh? Don’t tell me we’re going there to…”
Evelyn nodded with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Oh, you bet. I’ve decided to head there and uncover the mystery myself.”
“So, let me get this straight. We’re going to Las Vegas, the land of excess and extravagance, to find an Italian – American guy who supposedly owns a casino in this gigantic city. Sounds like we’re on a mission impossible, Ev.”
Evelyn, undeterred by the skepticism, flashed a determined smile. “Oh, come on, Sophia! We’re a dynamic duo. We’ll just stroll down the Strip and ask every guy with an Italian accent if they own a casino. How hard could it be?”
Sophia raised an eyebrow, her disbelief evident. “You do realize how huge Vegas is, right? We might need a lifetime for that stroll.”
Evelyn shrugged, still upbeat. “Details, details. We’ll figure it out once we’re there.”
Sophia couldn’t help but shake her head, thinking Evelyn was on the verge of love craziness. “You, my dear friend, are absolutely nuts. But you know what? I’m in. Let’s embark on this wild goose chase together.”
Evelyn beamed, appreciating Sophia’s willingness to dive into yet another unpredictable adventure. “I promise you, Sophia, this trip will be unforgettable. Who knows what kind of eccentric characters we’ll run into in the city of dreams?”
Sophia chuckled, already anticipating the absurdity that awaited them. ” Unforgettable, huh? Well, let’s hope it’s for the right reasons. Lead the way, Detective Evelyn. I’m ready for our Vegas escapade!”
