CHAPTER 5: A LOST BET

Jessica felt a hand gently stroking her face. She opened her eyes and gazed at the figure next to her dreamily. He smiled at her. She blinked a couple of times to focus her sight as she tried desperately to remember his name.

"Good morning," he whispered at her.

"Hrummpphh..mmmphmh...mhpmmpgh..."

"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked, not being able to decipher Jessica’s mumbles.

"Hrum cofhhfee mphmh...mhpmmpgh..."

"Huh?" Julian was even more confused now.

"Cof...mmphm...fee..." Jessica mumbled again.

"Ohhhh...coffee! You want coffee!" Julian exclaimed, finally understanding the noises emanating from Jessica’s mouth.

Jessica nodded sleepily. Julian bounced off his bed and ran into the kitchen. Slamming the cabinets open and close, he hunted high and low for the packet of coffee. In his over enthusiasm, he had forgotten where it was placed. When he finally found everything and eventually made the coffee, Jessica was already fully dressed and standing in front of him.

"Err...your coffee," Julian said as he held the mug towards her.

Jessica smiled. "Thanks," she told him as she took the mug and gulped it down.

"Careful! It’s..." Julian reached out to try and stop her.

"Oww!" Jessica shrieked, mouth wide opened, tongue sticking out.

"...hot."

Jessica grinned at him with silliness. "Hmm...yea. I kinda figured that out," she said as she pointed at her tongue.

Julian smiled at her.

Then realising that Jessica was all dressed. "Urm..." Julian stammered. "You’re not going yet, are you?" he asked with dread.

"I’m afraid I have to," Jess smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"Erm...shall we have dinner again tonight?" Julian called out to her just as she headed out the door.

Jessica pulled a face. "Sorry, I can’t make it tonight. I’ll call you, okay?" she apologised, leaving an utterly confused looking and desponded Julian standing there holding an empty mug, dressed in only his underpants.

The lift door ‘ping’ opened and a smiling Flora walked out and into Jessica who was fumbling away looking for something in her bag.

"Good morning," Flora greeted her friend.

Jessica looked up from her bag. "Oh good, you’re here. I can’t seem to find my keys," she moaned.

Flora shook her head at her friends absent-mindedness as she opened the door and let herself and Jessica into the apartment. As soon as they were inside, she plopped herself down on the sofa and grinned at Jessica knowingly.

"Okay, when do you want to go shopping for your bags?" she sighed in resignation, knowing that she had probably lost the bet.

Jessica looked at her curiously. "You admit defeat? Who were you with last night then?"

"Whoever it was, it wasn’t that Hayden."

Jessica chuckled. "I can’t believe it. The great Flora. Failing to twist her fingers around one little Hayden?!"

"I tell you, I think he’s gay," Flora decided.

"No wayyyyy...You’re just losing your touch," Jessica snickered.

"Bitch." Flora lifted a pillow and threw it at Jessica who evaded it, laughing away. "I’m not done with him yet. I’ll have him eating out of my hands or my name isnt Flora Lau," she vowed.

"Shall I call the Registration Department and make an appointment for your name change then?" Jessica squealed. Flora got up to chase after a laughing Jessica who ran straight into her bedroom.

Flora reached Jessica’s bedroom door just as it slammed in her face. Putting her two fists to the wood, she banged at it with all her might. "Jessica Lee! Open up or I’ll huff and puff and blow your door down!"

"Oh? So you’re doing blow jobs now?" came a snickering reply from behind the door.

"You incorrigible excuse for a woman!" Flora shrieked. "If you don’t open this door on the count of three..." Flora wracked her brains for something to blackmail Jessica with. "...you can kiss your LV bags goodbye."

In a flash, the door was flung opened. "There’s no way I’m going to let you get away with that..."

BOOF!

Flora got Jessica right smack on the head with the pillow. Jessica just stood there and pulled her friend a silly face. "Just for that, I want the LV Palm Pilot case too," she smirked at Flora.

Flora threw Jessica the pillow. "20 minutes. If you’re not ready by then, I’m leaving without you," she said, ignoring Jessica’s sniggers as she casually walked back towards her own bedroom.