Update Announcement

Euphoria, a new beginning of phase chapter 18 has been updated please check it out. 

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"Thank you so much for your time Mr. Smith, we will be looking forward to our future project as well."

Said the sheik, with gratitude, and then hugged me. I've replied to him with the same sincerity in his mother tongue. I'm fluent in six different languages, which include Arabic. It helped me to impress my client. I was grateful that my business is not just expanding in America but another continent's as well. We were just done with the meeting and about to wrap up when my phone started to buzz. It's Elena. A smile forged on my lips. And the others started to tease. I excuse myself and pick up the call as I make my way to the washroom. I answered in my delight.

"Hello, love"

"H- Hey, umm are you busy, I mean you are probably busy, sorry I'm stupid. I shouldn't have called. I'm - - "

"Don't cut the call, Elena, yes I was in a meeting but it's almost over and I'm already in the washroom. So tell me baby what happened, you okay, you sound...edgy"

And then things went to the south of pleasure land. I can't say that I was craving her touch as well, it was like a high euphoria. After we were done, I initiate to cut the call, cause I've been in the washroom for more than ten minutes. And the others may have the idea of things. After all, we are men's. Giving her kisses I cut the call.

'It's alright, you're fine'

I mumbled to myself, cause the phone call was amazing I must say, but deep down it just make me vulnerable. I know I should trust her more than anything, but the anxiety is still there. It's a cyclone, any minute the wave of jealousy and insecurity will destroy my trust.

With a sigh, I walked out and washed my hands. Then went back out, and I was right everyone was teasing me. I ignored most of the things and then went back to the hotel I was staying. It's Elena's birthday in three days. And my work was done today, I've planned things out. I'm gonna surprise her. And my first step was giving her flowers and cake so she will think I won't be able to make it. But she doesn't know that I'm gonna fly to Seattle tonight and will be there by morning. 

I have already booked everything in Seattle, the venue is ready and just waiting for the seventh of November. I want to make her happy and the most excited part of me surprising her is, I wanna see her reaction. How will she react when she will see me. Will she be happy? Will she feel the same euphoric and ecstatic feeling that I feel when I see her? I just wanna see it. It will make me and my stupid heart calm down.

I was walking down the street, cause I haven't got the chance to properly see the city around. So with whatever time I've left, I should probably go look at the beautiful city. I've changed from my business attire to my causal hoodie and jeans. Walking through Dubai's streets is quite fascinating. It's truly beautiful all around. I've got my camera ready to take pictures and I know when ill show Elena all the pictures she will be so happy.

'She loves traveling, but my baby doesn't get time more often'

Mumbling to myself, I promised to take her on a world tour in the future. Maybe we can directly go after our wedding, as in a honeymoon phase, which will be traveling around the world.

'Yeah, she will like this'.

I know I'm smiling like a fool but what can I say, I'm driven by her. As I walked inside the mall my eyes landed on a beautiful piece that would be a great gift for my love. I bought it immediately. And I know she will like it. I checked my phone and it's already two in the afternoon.

'I should take rest a little bit, before flying'

Deciding that I went back to my hotel room and ordered some room service. Plopping on the bed, I checked my phone again, and smiled, looking at my screen lock. It's me and Elena, I have a bucket hat with the Santa beard and she has the red Santa Clause hat and the costume. We were making these weird faces. We were laughing and goofing around the festival. I still remember it vividly like it was yesterday, but the photo I have on my screen lock is the one we took four years ago on Christmas Eve.

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"Okay mike, cat or dog"

"Umm cat"

"Okay bunny or wolfie"

"Bunny"

"Cold or hot"

"Hot"

"Boobs or ass"

"Boobass"

"Hahaha, you sucker. Okay whose the best friend you love the most, Elena or Christopher"

"Elena"

Michael stopped and knows he just gave her a satisfying answer. Cause Elena was smiling ear to ear, she is been down two bottles of alcohol now, and she is getting drunk minute by minute. They've been wandering around on a Christmas Eve for an hour, and Elena started drinking the minute she stepped in the car, saying it was a shitty day for her. Michael didn't mind. But now he is concerned. Cause they always get drunk in the safety at their house or club but now Elena was a free spirit. The road rides and play games. And then Elena got hungry so they are walking to find a food stall. But suddenly she started to ask rapid-fire questions.

"Aww, you love me more than Chris, I'm touché, ...oh my God sees there is a photo booth with costumes, come let's go"

She giggled, hiding her smile through her hands. Then squealed in excitement like five years old and dragged Michael towards the photo booth. If only she would have known how much Michael loves her. Michael smiled sweetly, through pain in his chest knowing she still sees him as a best friend, nothing else.

They both squeezed in, Elena chooses the Santa costume, and wear the red coat and hat herself, and gave Michael the white beard. She laughed so loud when she saw him wearing that loose beard with his bucket hat. But for Michael, her laugh was the remedy. He made weird sounds and faces just to make her laugh more. His heart feels satisfied with that only. They both took pictures making faces and sticking to each other. The polaroid came out in a few seconds.

Elena refused to give back the costume, so Michael just gave back the beard and red hat and paid for the costume more than it's worth. They finally found a stall and eat silently cause both of them were hungry now. After eating Elena insists to watch the fireworks. And he agreed, he even agreed when she stopped in the middle when she saw the toy claw machine. She whined about how she never was good at it. And how her group of friends always returned with toys and not her. So Lisa used to play twice and used to bring her the same toy.

He wasted no time and brings her to the machine, she was standing and he was behind her, his chest pressed firmly at her back as he guided and teaches her clumsy and drunk self how to play, his hands were on both sides of hers, caging in his hold, as he traced her hand delicately as he explained. She nodded like a good puppy, but he knew better she will be forgetting this the next day, cause she never remembers what happened after she is down the whole bottle of wine. They tried and they won. 

Elena clapped her hands, like a sea lion claps happily. She turned around and hung her hands on his shoulder and kissed him on the cheeks, making him all bothered and flustered. Whispering to him how she won with his help. Before Michael would lose his control of emotions he grabbed her hands and the teddy she won and started to walk. Elena said in the middle of their walk that she is tired so he carried her on his back, as she happily swings her legs. 

Being in one-sided love is painful but also worth it cause one smile of that person can make your problems go away, and that's how Michael never complains about her tantrums or whining, cause he knows if he would do the things she wants she will be happy, which is quite not good cause he is spoiling her with so much freedom towards himself. Cause that's the power she holds over him. Every single day he is falling for her harder than before. 

By the time they reached the fireworks spot, it was crowded and Elena yelled at the people in her drunkness, saying they shouldn't be here and why they following them and being everywhere they are going, and that they should be grateful that she is still studying or else she would have sued them, cause where Elena and Michael are going people are following them. 

She even glared and barked at the group of girls who were eyeing Michael. It makes him laugh hard but he then took her to the other side of the festival, near the beach where there are fewer people. It took a few more minutes and they were there, he put Elena on the ground and removed his jacket, and lays it out on the sand for Elena to sit, cause she was wearing a long-sleeve netted top with inner, and a pleated skirt that reached her knees. But Elena urges him to sit first and he obliged, she kneeled and parted Michael's legs, so she can scoot in between them. 

Michael gulped but he didn't mind. He opened his legs and she settled in between him. She murmured cold and he closed his legs until their sides were touching. She hummed in satisfaction when she leaned back to his chest and he wrapped his hands around her middle, nuzzling in her hair. These are the only moment he let himself feel more. He knows he shouldn't cause drunk Elena is always a vulnerable and emotional mess at the end but he does it, either way, cause no matter how many times Elena will break he will be here, to hold her put her together. Even if not as more than friends. 

He will always be her friend first. The fireworks start and Elena's eyes widened as she smiled. Michael looked down at her, knowing the story behind watching fireworks, that she used to go to parks or festivals and watched fireworks with her mother and father. His hold on her tightened when a broken whisper lives her mouth.

"It's beautiful...I miss her"

Michael knows the feeling, better than anyone else. He kissed her head and mumbled that her mother is watching from the sky with his mother, and that's why it's really beautiful. And Elena believed him. She believed his every word.

Michael feels Elena's hand on his, as she intertwined their fingers and squeezed it, she turned her head slightly and the constraction of the fireworks making was glowing on her warm reddened skin, his breath hitched and heartbeat started to beat ten times faster when he felt her lips on his skin. She wasn't kissing him, just finding comfort in his warmth, and he knows that but that didn't stop him from hoping.

"You're the only friend I have whom I show my real self Mike, please don't ever leave me. I love you"

He freezes. His heart should do a cartwheel but he knows the painful truth, she loves him but as a friend. He didn't answer her, just rubbed her back in a soothing manner. Her heavy breath subsided, to normal and slow, she is falling asleep.

"If only you let me show you, Elena, his much I love you and care for your".

He said knowing she didn't hear. He removed his phone and click a picture of them in that situation, he smiled as he sees how flushed her face is and how cutely she is nuzzling in her crook. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the warmth.

When he woke up it was time to leave, he put his phone on silent mode. Excited to surprise his love. His life.
 

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Michael reached Seattle around eight-thirty, he booked the cab and headed towards his destination, excitement tingling cause tomorrow is Elena's birthday, and he will be acting that he is tired from his trip and will stay in bed, but he knows better what he has to do. He doesn't seem familiar with Seattle anymore, but he knows his way around. 

Through distance he saw the cafe that Elena always talked about it at the beginning of their friendship, he got an idea if grabbing her favorite coffee and treats from down the cafe, he asked the driver to wait for few minutes, walking out the car he crossed the road and went to another side, he was inside and the vibe is really good, he asked at the counter for his order, he was just looking the surroundings when his eyes caught a familiar figure, his smiled reached at his highest when he knew who that is, its Elena sitting over the corner If the booth. 

He can see her but can't, cause she is sitting sideways, he thought he should go and surprise her now, like an over-excited puppy, he stood from one foot to another waiting for his order, but his excitement dissolved into thin air when he saw who was standing beside her. His breath hitched and the world took the spin of 360° he checked his phone and she didn't mention that she was going to meet Alexander Scott. 

His heart hurts cause he asked several times, that if she is ready to meet him and confront him but she denied it like three days ago. She said she doesn't want to, not right now, but here she was shaking his hands as he smiled at her. Michael felt peng of jealousy bubbling inside his pit. The order was nowhere, ready to go, but what matters now, his mood becomes sour. 

He knows he shouldn't overthink but he is human and in love with the person who doesn't love him as he does. He shouldn't have felt it but somehow he couldn't control the feeling of betrayal. He grabbed his order and paid for it may be extra but he walked out of the cafe real fast. His face was burning. He sit inside the taxi and told him to take him to the nearest hotel. He can't face her right now. Not when he is behaving like a jealous teenage boyfriend. 

He didn't throw the order, instead, he offered it to the driver and went into the hotel to check in. When he was settled in his hotel room, he checked his phone, he read the message Elena has sent hours ago, but he didn't reply. He felt tired and decided to sleep instead of overthinking. 

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