The millionaire's matchmaking

I hurriedly entered the bar where I worked, my breath slightly faster from the run. I put on my uniform, which was a bit wrinkled from my dash from the apartment.

The alarm clock had betrayed me earlier because I didn't even hear it go off, so I enjoyed my sleep. It was my fault too, as I had still gone to bed even though I knew I had work later that night.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and the low hum of conversation, my old friend Carlo spotted me from behind the bar. He flashed me a warm smile, his familiar face a comforting sight in the midst of my slightly frazzled state. He beckoned me over with a wave of his hand, a silent invitation that I gratefully accepted.

"Isabella, it's alright. Don't worry about being late. Just catch your breath and start your shift when you're ready." 

"Thank you. I got stuck in traffic, and then my alarm didn't go off." I said as I was catching my breath.

As I got closer, I could feel my heart rate gradually returning to normal, and the adrenaline from my rush was slowly subsiding. Carlo's smile was infectious, and for a brief moment, it felt like the reason for my tardiness didn't matter anymore.

"These things happen. Take your time," Carlo added before leaving the bar. Perhaps he had something to attend to because every time I entered the bar, he would step out and not return.

I started to compose myself and got to work. Throughout the evening, I was extremely cautious, which my colleagues found odd. Maybe I was traumatized by what happened earlier, and I hadn't even told Carlo about it. I didn't want to share it because it was embarrassing.

Later that day, after my shift, I decided to meet up with my best friend, Shane, who had been waiting for my shift to end. When I arrived, I noticed Shane sitting at a table with a group of people I didn't recognize. As I approached, my best friend spotted me and waved me over.

"Isabella, come join us!" tumayo ito at lumapit sa akin. Out of curiosity, I began to Question her.

"Hey, Shane! Who are all these people?"

"Oh, this is my cousin, Mike and some of his friends. We bumped into each other, and I thought it would be fun to hang out together. Well, it's my cousin's boyfriend's birthday, so why not right?" 

I smile and greet everyone, finding myself quickly warming up to Shena's cousin and his friends

"So, Isabella, what course did you take? You're always mentioned by your best friend here. She almost wants to put up a billboard with your name on it," Shena's cousin teased, her cheeks turning as red as my best friend's. She seemed so proud of me.

"Quiet down, you two. I'm just proud of my best friend. I want to adopt her, but she won't let me," Shena retorted with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"So, Isabella, what are you studying? Maybe I should shift to your course too," Michael, Shena's cousin's friend, jokingly chimed in. He had a few earrings in his ear, and his style was quite appealing.

"I'm taking a Bachelor of Law degree, and I'm already in my third year," I replied. I couldn't help but notice their amazed expressions.

"Wow, that's a great course. If I ever end up in jail, you'll be the first person I'll call," he joked, and I just smiled.

"Sure, but if no one calls from your end, I'll personally put you in jail," I replied, and they all exclaimed in amusement.

As the evening wore on, I realized how late it had gotten. We were outside the bar, waiting for Shena's companions to finish up before heading home. We had been so engrossed in our conversation that I hadn't noticed the time.

"Isabella, it's getting really late. Why don't you come over to my place tonight? It's closer, and you won't have to worry about traveling home at this hour."

I hesitated, feeling grateful for the offer but also a bit unsure. Shena's condo was within walking distance, so we could easily walk there. Since I didn't have work in the morning, I wanted to sleep all day before looking for another job.

"Are you sure? I don't want to intrude," I said, but she brushed it off.

"Nonsense! You're practically family. Come on, it'll be like a sleepover!" she said excitedly, and I couldn't help but smile.

I said goodbye to my coworkers inside the bar and headed to Shena's condo, which was just a short walk away. Once inside, we settled in, changed into comfortable clothes, and reminisced about old times. Shena bounced over to the spot where I was sitting on her bed.

"Remember our high school sleepovers? It's like we're reliving those days," she said, not looking at me, as she hugged her huge pillows.

"Definitely! Thanks for being so understanding, Shena. Today was quite a day," I genuinely said as I prepared to lie down on her bed.

"It's what friends do, Bella. Speaking of friends, our former friend recently met someone on a dating app. It seems she's enjoying the money from her sugar daddy," she said, catching my interest. I had recently learned that many people were becoming sugar babies, which I initially thought was just a trend or a form of entertainment. Still, it seemed like there were many sugar babies out there involved with wealthy individuals. However, I had no intention of pursuing such an arrangement, as it felt like selling my dignity in exchange for financial support.

"Don't even think about trying something like that, Shena. You might end up feeling insecure again," I warned her because she tended to make impulsive decisions when she got into these kinds of situations.

She just smiled sweetly at me. "Of course not! What do you take me for, someone who's after money? Excuse me? I'm rich," she said, rolling her eyes, knowing that I was worried she might do something foolish again.

I sighed deeply and decided to sleep now; we could continue chatting tomorrow. It was already past midnight.

"Okay, I'll sleep now. We can catch up more tomorrow. It's almost 3 AM," I said.

"Sure, babe. Goodnight," she replied as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock, which I had placed on top of the cabinet. I turned it off and stretched before getting out of bed. I was used to waking up early in the morning, so even though I had gone to bed late, I still woke up quite early. My mother had trained me to wake up at the slightest sound, so it had become a habit of mine.

I glanced at my sleeping friend, who was still sound asleep. She probably didn't fall asleep immediately, but I didn't want to wake her up since she was still deep in slumber.

I reached for my phone, which was outside my bag, and noticed a notification from an app I didn't remember downloading: "Matchmaker: Dating with a Twist." I hadn't used any dating apps before, so this was unusual.

Out of curiosity, I opened the app and saw that there was no profile picture or information. Instead, there was a message area.

'phantompurse sent you a message'

-'Greetings. Your profile emanates an enigmatic allure that's hard to resist. The way you mention navigating trails and capturing elusive moments through the lens, it hints at a life filled with fascinating stories. Care to share the tale behind your latest adventure?'

The message seemed overly elaborate and well-written. Perhaps this was a foreigner, which would explain the formal English. But why did they mention a profile when I didn't have one?

A new message arrived, and I saw that the sender was online.

-Good morning! I hope you're having a great start to your day. I sent you a message earlier, but it seems it got lost in the depths of the digital sea. Or perhaps it's a case of intriguing conversations requiring a little time to simmer? Either way, I'd love to hear about your latest hiking adventure or anything else you'd like to share.

Why was this person so persistent? Well, there was no harm in responding, and I was curious now.

'Good morning! Haha, I appreciate your creative message. Sorry for the delay; sometimes the digital currents do get a bit unpredictable.But sadly, I've never been on an adventure. I'm currently busy with something that makes my day hectic and full. How about you? Any memorable adventures on your end?'

I quickly hit send, biting my nail nervously. 

'Well, I once stumbled upon an abandoned cabin during a hike, hidden deep in the woods. It had an air of forgotten stories, and I couldn't help but wonder about the history behind it. You should be busy by now, I'm sorry for disturbing you.'

I responded promptly, 'No worries! I want to hear more about you. You can tell me some if you're not busy yourself?'

- I'd love to. Care to continue this conversation over a virtual cup of coffee sometime?

I shook your head, trying to clear my thoughts. Why was this stranger getting under my skin? It was just a chat, nothing more. I decided not to respond and exited the app. It was tempting to delete the conversation, but I left it there, intrigued by the mysterious stranger's words.

With a shrug, I headed to the bathroom to wash my face. I needed to get back to my apartment and take care of some things before starting my job search again.