Chapter-14

Choices, sounds like such an easy word, but is it easy? Easy said than done. Choices honestly scare Elise, and the fact that she is not good at making decisions maybe adds up to the trauma. Abrams never leaves an opportunity to make the right choice, for her own self, and maybe for her best friends. Wait! She definitely loves making decisions for her best friends. And maybe she was making this one for Elise.

"I don't think that is the idea behind the whole contract thing Abrams!", Leo muttered, trying so hard to knock some sense into his best friend.

"Then what is? Is this some rom-com drama, where he proposes to sign a contract and the heroine will fall for him?", Abrams argued.

"Have you even read the contract?", Elise asked a little suspicious.

"No, I haven't but this is how these rich spoilt brats think El!", Abrams argued.

"Rams, the contract talks about keeping the details of this fake marriage confidential. And it does make sense to accept the contract. El wants to hide this marriage from her parents and only a powerful man like Clayton can help her.", Leo spoke up.

"Ah! You are talking as if you read it all!", Abrams replied with a roll of eyes.

"I did!", Leo replied.

"I guess there are some changes that need to be made in a few points that I have highlighted.", Elise showed the paper to Leo and he read the points.

"You don't want to meet his parents?", Leo asked looking at the point that said that party B (Elise) will have to meet party A's (Clayton) parents whenever he asks.

"Doesn't that stand against his benefit? He wants his parents to believe you guys are married.", Abrams asked confused.

"No! I am not denying meeting them. I just want to edit this part, to meet them only in family gatherings and not in private or without Clayton.", Elise clarified.

"I don't think he will plan a meeting between you and his parents without him.", Leo pointed out.

"But I want to be sure.", Elise replied and her best friends nodded.

"Okay and what about the living with him part?", Leo asked the question Elise was trying to dodge since the beginning. She was trying her best to ignore that this option even existed and she must make a choice.

"El this is the main issue here. The contract holds a special section for the live-in thing. Are you ready for that?", Abrams continued. Elise was finally cornered by her best friends and there was no way they would let her go without knowing her answer.

"It is not right. I don't want to do it but do I have any other option?", Elise finally gave in.

"We can talk to that jerk and make him know that you cannot be forced into this!", Abrams spoke up.

"But it does make sense El!", Leo interrupted.

"How?", Abrams's attention was now focused on Leo.

"Married people live together. This morning they were just having breakfast together but got followed by paparazzi. Imagine if they tell the world they are married and not living together, will anyone believe them?", Leo explained.

"I know that Leo but how can I stoop this low and live with a man I don't love!", Elise asked. She knew the decision was not in her favour, but she wanted to hear from her best friends that this is the right thing to do.

"Just like you live with me El!", Leo pointed out.

"What do you mean?", El knew what he meant.

"When we first came here, we didn't know each other but we lived together. Even though it were different rooms, we did share a living unit. Live with him like he is your new flatmate.", Leo said.

"But I don't want to leave you guys!", Elise finally confessed the other thing troubling her. She had been living with them since the beginning of her life as an independent person. And leaving her best friends behind seemed like the wrong thing to do.

"El I feel Leo is right. And we are not going anywhere. You can see us on weekends and all the lectures we might have in common.", Abrams spoke after giving it a lot of thought. It was rare for her to conform to someone else's thoughts, but she did.

"Are you agreeing with me?", a baffled Leo asked and got a smack on the head as a reply. But he smiled, knowing he was finally proving to be of some help to his idiot best friend.

"So, I should sign this contract?", Elise asked looking between her two friends. Asking for their confirmation one last time.

They nodded.

"First let me get these corrections done and discuss them with him, then I will sign it.", Elise finally made a choice. She didn't know if it was the right one or not.

"Wait! I have an idea!", Abrams said and ran outside to the living room.

"What did she think of now?", Leo asked rubbing his forehead. Was he too early to celebrate this milestone of making Abrams change her decision because she liked his thinking better? Was it too early?

"I don't know!", Elise shrugged her shoulders.

"Here!", Abrams came running inside with a piece of paper.

"What is this?", Elise asked taking the paper.

"Isn't this the paper stuck on our refrigerator?", Leo asked looking at all the doodles on the edges. He did it in his first lecture and his two roommates liked it so much that they made him do it on all their stuff, even this paper.

"Yes, it is our apartment rule manual!", Abrams said.

"And what shall we do with it?", Leo asked.

"Make a rule manual like this for Clayton! Get that printed in the contract!", Abrams explained.

"Yes! You are right!", Elise finally cheered up. Rules to keep them apart and for her to enjoy her own space.

"Wow, Rams! I didn't know you are this intelligent! I am so proud of you for the first time!", Leo fake cried receiving another smacking on his head.

"We should draft the rules and then you can discuss them with him!", Abrams exclaimed. Elise nodded and picked up a blank paper. Clayton Cameron is in for so many surprises, but a rule manual will always top the list, and he has no idea about it!