I KNOW HIM ( CHRIS ) IN AND OUT.

She stood in the mirror, staring at her reflection. Staring at the off the shoulder black glittery mermaid gown she was putting on. She can't believe she was doing this, she was actually going to the music gala with Chris, with the famous Rock star. She wondered what people will think or say if they see her with him? She can't help but ask herself what she saw in that Rock star that made her not to stop thinking about him. Why can't she get him off her head?

Jane stood in front the mirror, admiring the beauty of the dress, actually some delivery guy came to her house a day before today with a package which contained this dress and she already knew who it came from. The thought of being with him throughout the event keeps making her cheeks heat up, she couldn't help but place her hands on her cheeks, feeling their temperature. Her mind deviated back to the conversation she had with her parents two days ago, her Dad was pretty good with her getting married to Chris but her Mom is the problem. She swore with her life never to see her get married to him.

All her life, she really wants to be with him, build a home with him but her Mom is the obstacle in her way. She had to endure Chris with his stupidity and when he finally agreed to get married to her, her Mom won't allow her. Yes she knew her Mom wants the best for her but she should also know that Chris is the man her heart desires. She's obsessed with him, she can't let him go that easily and on the other hand is Ethan who would do anything just to be with her. Who cares for her more than anything but she keeps hurting him but there's nothing she could do…..her heart beats for another.

But sometimes she feels pity for him, if only she has some feelings for him. 𝑰𝒇 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚. She only sees him as a friend just like the way Chris sees her like a friend. 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔. She stood there, lost in her own imaginations when she felt a hand tap her on her shoulder. She turned and saw her sister in her black cocktail lace gown, smiling so brilliantly at her. She wished she was her sister who doesn't have any problem in her love life, she isn't even dating anyone but here she is…..caught in the between two men.

"What do you think?" Her sister asked, smiling. "Does it look good on me?"

"It looks fantastic." She smiled at her. "You look so stunning in that dress."

"Really?" Fortune twirled, admiring her dress.

"Yes, it's good on you." She replied, smiling but that smile didn't reach her eyes. These days she has been drowning herself with thoughts. "Chris's brother really has good taste."

"Yes but I'm returning this dress including the other ones he bought for me to him." Fortune said, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

"Why would you do that?" Jane asked, surprise at her sister's words. "Why would you return them to him, he bought them for you, they're gifts from him."

"I don't want his gifts, I don't want any possession of his with me. Seeing or wearing those dresses will only remind me of him." Fort exhaled, sitting down on the bed.

"Of how madly in love with him." Jane teased, staring at her.

"I'm not in love with him, I will never be in love with him." Fort defended herself. "𝐼 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑔𝑢𝑦 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑡, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒'𝑠 𝑛𝑜 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝐼 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑏𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ ℎ𝑖𝑚. And besides I'm going there so I can see my favorite Rock star."

"There's no hate without love." Jane quoted. "You hating him is your own way of saying you're in love with him."

Fort's jaw dropped at her sister's words, she stared at her like a maniac.

"Enough of me now, you look beautiful." She inserted, regaining her stand. "Chris won't be able to take his eyes off you, he will stick with you like glue." She giggled.

"Stop talking gibberish and exaggerating things." Jane prompted, returning her focus on the mirror.

"I'm not exaggerating things." Fort replied. "I'm stating the fact and I bet you will knock out the beauty queens and models that will be there. And I have the perfect necklace for this gown." She went into the wardrobe and opened her makeup kit, she ruffled her things, in search of the necklace.

"Found it." She announced, bringing the necklace out in the open. She placed it around her sister's neck. Jane admired it and wondered where she got an eighteen carat pearl necklace.

"This looks expensive." Jane inserted, still feeling the necklace round her neck. "How much did you buy it?"

"Actually Vincent bought it for me along with the dresses, three different necklaces." She smiled.

"You shouldn't give it to me, I will use my own necklace." Jane said, trying to take off the necklace when she stopped her.

"What are you doing?" Fort asked.

"I'm taking it off, this is a gift from Vincent to you, you shouldn't give it to me." Jane said. "What if he sees me wearing this?"

"He won't do anything besides you're my sister and he bought it for me so I have every right to give it to whoever I want." Fort implied, stopping her.

Jane gave her long look before refocusing her attention on the mirror. "It looks brilliant." She admired the pearl necklace.

"Same as the dress." Fortune chirped in. "You look brilliant, if I were a boy and not your blood, I would have asked you out and I will never make room for you to fall for Chris, you will instead fall for me." She joked making Jane to hit her arm playfully.

"You're insane." Jane said, laughing.

"I'm not insane, I'm just appreciating God's gracious work." She smiled.

"By the way, is Vincent coming here to pick you?" Jane asked, applying some makeup on her face.

"I don't know, he didn't say anything concerning that. I'm still waiting for his call to know where I would meet him although I texted him the direction of our house when he asked of it."

"Oh.…okay."

"What about you?" Fortune asked, wearing her silver pointed heels. "Is Chris coming here to pick you?"

"Yes, I think so." Jane answered wearing ear studs.

Just then they heard a car honking outside, Fort rushed out to the sitting area. She shifted the curtains of the windows and saw a white limousine flashing its lights outside their compound.

She rushed back to the room with excitement written over her, she twirled Jane along with herself, squealing. "He's here, he's here, he's here."

"Can you stop swinging me around and tell me who is here?" Jane demanded. "Vincent or Chris?"

"Chris, Chris is here." She stopped twirling her around. "My favorite Rock star is here, he has come to take his queen to his castle in his carriage." She gestured with her hands dramatically.

Jane rolled her eyes at her sister's behavior. She's just so dramatic. "Hey calm down, he's not a god."

"Of course he's a GOD to me." Fortune emphasized. "Not only is he a god to me, he's going to be my brother in law soon. The world famous Rock star will soon be my in law. Do you know what that means?"

"Why do you like exaggerating things?." Jane asked, rhetorically. "Don't over exaggerate things. It isn't good."

"Okay I've heard you. I won't exaggerate things anymore but Chris is here." Just then the sitting room's door rang.

"Yeeepie... I will get that." Fortune squealed and clapped her hands. She rushed to the sitting room again, opening the door with all the excitement bubbling in her. But to her disappointment it wasn't Chris or Vincent but some guy who has a spike hair. He has this rugged aura, some dark shades were placed over his eyes and a black stud on his right ear. When he spoke up, Fortune really trembled by the effect of his voice, so deep and intimidating.

"Ummm….. you're?" Fortune asked, looking nervously at him.

"Is this Mr Alfred Ezeugo's house?" The guy in glasses asked.

"Yes, how may I help you?" She asked, looking restless at him.

"I'm Chris's driver." The guy responded. "I came to take Miss Jane. Is she around?"

"Yes, yes, yes, she is." She answered with an emphatic tone. "Gosh I thought something wrong happened." She mumbled to herself.

"Can you go and inform her Chris's driver is here to pick her up?" The guy said.

"Yes, on it. Please come in and make yourself at home." She gestured inside the sitting room. The guy walked in and sat down. "I will go get her now." She smiled and walked back into the room.

"The person here isn't Chris but his driver." She informed immediately she walked inside their room. "He's here to pick you up. You should go now, you don't want to keep him waiting."

"Already?" Jane asked rhetorically. "Doesn't it seem a little bit early for him to come? I'm not even done."

"You don't want to keep the driver waiting, he looks like he doesn't have all the time in this world just by looking at him." Fortune inserted. And he isn't smiling."

"Why don't you join me since your Vincent hasn't called you, I will need a company. I can't handle all the people that will be present there and the cameras." Jane implied.

"But you have Chris by your side, why would you need me?" Fort asked. "And that driver of his I don't think he will let me since he came here to pick just you."

"You're my sister and I will feel more comfortable if you're by my side. I don't want to feel outta place there since I will be getting to meet a lot of people there." Jane prompted. "I'm feeling nervous right now that palms are sweating."

"Don't worry, I will come with you." Fortune smiled. "I will tell Vincent to meet me there."

"Thank you." Jane smiled back. After been through with their dressing. They came out to where Chris's driver was seated. Jane explained to driver to allow Fortune to come along with her, after some hesitation from the driver. He agreed.

They entered the limousine. It was so cosy in side. The temperature of the car was good and nice. And as for their parents, Jane informed them that she and Fortune will be attending the music gala.

Although their Mom didn't agree but after some conviction from their father. She finally gave in.

______________

They arrived at the event place. I mentioned the place to be Floris garden. They got down and stepped on the red carpet. Immediately they got down, camera lights flash towards them and only that made Jane nervous but it seems Fortune was having fun posing for the cameras to capture her poses.

Jane continued smiling awkwardly at the cameras as they walked on. She wasn't use to this, she wasn't use to having all the attention on her. She saw the press there and she prayed non of them should recongise her as the lady who had a fight with Chris. She had to shut herself from the world until the gossip died down. She wasn't ready to answer any silly questions of them.

"This way…" The driver said, guiding them towards the direction of where Chris was. Without his help, she wonder how she and her sister would walk pass this people. Since it is a garden, he took them towards to a shade where she couldn't recongise anyone there. She saw many celebrities there.

"Where's Chris?" She asked the driver, looking around the whole place to find a glimpse of him. She saw many actresses, models or other elites she didn't recongise.

Just then, a man walked up to them wearing a smile. "My number one fan, you came?" DJ Miko smiled and hugged her, roaming his eyes down her outfit and she ( Jane ) kinda felt uncomfortable under his stare.

"Nice outfit, you have here." He smiled, still roaming his eyes all over her. "I'm happy you're here, I have been wanting the see you again."

"Wait a minute?" Fort chirped in, cutting him off. "You're DJ Miko right?"

"Yes I am." He smiled, the driver was already long gone from their sight. "And who are you?"

"Sorry for not introducing you to my sister." Jane inserted, smiling. "She's my sister and Fortune meet the producer of Chris's beats. DJ Miko."

"OMG." Fort squealed. "You two already knew each other?." She asked rhetorically. "I'm your fan too, I love your beats."

"Really?" Miko asked, smiling back at them. "The two sisters are fans of my beats. I think I need some oxygen now or I will die out of excitement."

"Don't be silly." Jane laughed.

"Can I take a selfie with you? " Fortune asked, looking expectantly at him.

"Yes, sure." He smiled, she took out her phone and switched it to selfie camera. "Why don't you join us?" Miko said to Jane.

"Yeah Sis, join us." Fort urged.

"Okay." She joined them in taking selfies.

"Where's Chris?" She asked immediately they are done taking selfies.

Calm down Jane, you will get to see him.

"He's with his manager, I can take you to where he is. I'm going in there anyways."

"Yes sure." Fort answered. Jane nudged her shoulder as a way for her to compose herself.

"What?" She asked. "I can't wait to see him. He's my favourite Rock star and also I want to see what he is wearing." She giggled.

"Sure, come with me." He laughed at Fortune's sillness and walked them to an inn built across the garden. She walked inside the inn with her sister and Miko. She thanked her stars that no one tried to interview her or take pictures of her. She guessed they didn't do that because they're with Miko or they didn't recongise her.

They walked inside the inn which looked more like a pub. They saw Chris and his manager seated on a sofa, discussing. He was wearing leopard print blazer and the designer pants coupled with the black shiny loafers on his feet.

"Jane you're here?" He asked immediately he sights Jane with Miko. He grinned, taking in the way the dress he sent to her looked on her. "You look beautiful."

She blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you." She answered and looked up to meet his eyes. He kept staring at her that she found herself melting under his stare.

Hi Chris, you're looking good. Fort chipped in. Can I have a selfie with you? You know you're my favorite Rock star. Chris smiled.

You aren't looking back either. He said as he took selfies with her.

Just then another figure walked into the inn, Fortune recongized him as Vincent. He's wearing a mint blue polo with a Chinese anime Ne Zha designed on it coupled with the rugged jeans on his waist and some white Nike sneakers on his feet. A white face cap covered his head. Seriously speaking, Fortune couldn't take her eyes off him. Leaving the hatred she feels for him aside, for the first time she saw how handsome he looks. She found herself drooling over his beauty and she hoped he didn't catch her drooling over him.

He didn't even acknowledge her immediately he walked because his focus was on his brother. He marched his way up to him, hugging him. They look pretty close to each other and the way Chris hugged him back convinced her completely that he wasn't lying when he told her Chris is his brother.

"Bro how are you?" Chris asked as they broke off the embrace. "You're looking different from the last time I saw you."

"I'm good but you hardly have time for me, you are always busy that you don't have for your brother." Vincent complained. "And I know what I passed through to get in here, don't they recongise me as your brother?" Chris chuckled.

"Let me guess, he's Vincent?" Jane whispered in her sister's ear, pointing at Vincent.

Fortune nodded, not taking her eyes off the two brothers, in a way she felt hurt that he didn't even acknowledge her. In as much as the hatred she has for him is increasing day by day, she feels hurt when he fails to acknowledge her. She wants him to acknowledge her.

"He's so dreamy." Jane said, taunting her. "Why would you hate a beauty like him?"

"Will you please stop." Fortune inserted, making her to let out a chuckle. "I'm not in the mood for your teases."

"How is school?" Chris asked. "I missed you man. I can see school is treating you very good."

"School is treating me fine except for the work load of assignments." V answered, this time he looked at the people in the inn. His eyes landed on Fortune who was staring at him.

"You are already here?" He asked, taking some few steps towards her. "Sorry I made come her by yourself."

"Yes, I am." She answered, diverting her gaze from him to Chris's manager.

"Do you two know each other?" Chris asked, pointing at the two of them.

"Yes, we're school mates." Vincent replied. "Actually she's my date for this event."

"So you two are dating?" Chris asked, eyeing them suspiciously. "That's nice, my brother dating the sister of the woman I want to marry."

"We're not dating…" Fort prompted. "We're just course mates. And I came here because my sister is coming and moreover I want to see you perform again."

He smiled including his manager and Miko.

"Bro, you're getting married?" Vincent asked, surprise. "How come I didn't know?"

"Because you're in school, we hardly see or have time for each other but I was planning to tell you." Chris answered. Vincent eyes narrowed towards the Jane who is beside Fortune.

"I remember you." He inserted, pointing at her. "You're that woman from the news, you're the one who had a fight with my brother. What is she doing here, bro?" He asked Chris.

Jane forced a smile on her face, she guessed that's what she will be remembered as for the rest of her life. She will always be remembered as the lady who had a fight with the famous Rock star.

"Hey, that's my fianceé you're talking to." Chris cautioned. "Show her some respect."

"And my sister too." Fort chipped in.

"Ohh." V mouthed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to speak in that tone."

"No probs." Jane smiled. Just then Fiona walked in, announcing to Chris is time for him to go up on stage.

"Chris you're up next and we need to fix you before going up there." She said. "Hi Jane." She greeted. 'Nice outfit."

"Thanks Fiona."

"Why would I fix myself?" Chris asked, looking down on the clothes he's wearing. "I'm already okay."

"Yes you look okay, but you need to style your hair, it's already mess up and you need to apply something on your face, it looks oily." She inserted. "Where's that stylist, I thought he was coming with me?"

"Yes I'm here, sorry." A guy appeared, who looks girlish. He was wearing studs on both ears, the clothes he was putting on look kinda girlish and some massacres on his eyes and some lips gloss on his lips. Really he looks like a girl. "Sorry I had to squeeze my way here."

"I need you to fix him." Fiona said, referring to Chris.

"Alright." The guy nodded, taking Chris with him to another room attached there. After some minutes, Chris came out with the male stylist, although his hair was all done, he braided his dreadlocks hair in French braids but he look kinda the same.

"Chris, can I have a word with you?" His manager interjected. "Privately."

"What is it manager?" He asked. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh nothing." His manager smiled. "I just want to talk to you."

"Okay." He followed his manager back into the room where the stylist dressed him. "Okay, manager what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Nothing much, I just want to remind you of what we discussed, I mean you should really give it your best shot. Show your fans what you're made of, draw more crowd to yourself, that way we win the world's best records."

"Of course I will, I never let you down." He smiled at him. He wanted to leave when his manager held him back.

"Is there anything else you want to say?." He asked, looking at his manager, he knew he wanted to say something but what?

"Jane is your fianceé right?" His manager asked, he nodded. "I think it's time to introduce her to the world, you can't keep her hidden forever. And you will have to feed the press with a new story for you to be on top of the charts, take the whole crowd by surprise."

"And by the way, where's Cassandra?" His manager went to say. "Isn't she coming?"

"She called me and told me she's on her way." He answered. "But manager, introducing Jane as my fianceé…..do you think she will be happy if I do that?"

"Let fate decide if she will be happy or not but right now go out there and draw some crowd." He nodded his head and went out.

He walked out to where others were, he looked at Jane and smiled at her. After locking eyes with each other for some minutes, not saying anything to her. He moved outside. They followed him outside.

Fiona took Jane, her sister and Chris's brother to a shade, kinda VIP seats. Fortune and Vincent sat beside each other, she saw her sister giving him angry glares. She wondered if they're a thing or just course mates like her sister claimed. She smiled at their sillness, she focused her attention to Chris who stood on the stage set up there. Fans are already chatting his name.

This is the second time she's seeing him perform, the first time she came with her sister because she pressured her. And besides she came as a fan and some one who wants to see her long time friend. How much time flies, she never believed one day she will meet him talk more of becoming his bride to be. She came here as his fianceé not some friend.

She smiled at that thought, she wondered what it feels like to be married to a Rock star. She continued smiling but that smile was shortened by someone.

"Nice dress you have there." A female voice complimented.

She looked over her shoulder and saw Cass sitting beside her, she crooked her face into a smile. She wondered if it was a genuine smile or not but she's smiling, she's wearing a yellow satin dress and made her hair in a very high ponytail. She looks like some goddess from a movie, silly her...of course she's an actress so she ought to look like one.

She could see the lace bra she wore since it's a satin material but all in the round, she has to admit she's very beautiful. She can't measure up to her beauty, she always find herself loosing to her. She's everything….she has the same status with him in the society and also his childhood friend. Sometimes it feels like they will make a great couple.

She herself is just an ordinary painter but she isn't trying to fit in, she's just in love with him. She forced a smile on her face and responded back. "Thanks and you too, you look gorgeous."

"Of course I am." Cass flipped her hair to to the other side. "That's why I'm an actress but thanks anyways. I never thought you would come."

"Actually Chris invited me." She responded, returning her attention on Chris who has already started singing, Miko is behind him with his DJ sets, creating the beats for him.

"I'm not surprised, you know." Jane swore she said that with some bitchy tone. "You're his bride to be, his parents chose you for him."

Jane kept quiet and listened to her as she went on to speak, she didn't know where she was driving to with her bringing up the topic of her getting married to him.

"You know I have known Chris for a lifetime now." Cass continued. "I know him in and out, we share everything together from childhood. We share this bond but it's unlike what friends share, I mean what we share is very deep and I'm the only lady he has ever come to put his trust in."

She wondered why she's telling her all this.

She kept quiet as she rants on but she's right. She has history with Chris that she could boost of but she….she has nothing. She only met him on social media. Sometimes she feels jealousy…..she feels envy for Cass. She's always with Chris and has appeared multiple times in his music videos. She listened to her and she brags on. She endured her words even though they're causing havocs in her heart.

"I have known him in and out, you know he's getting married to you for his parents especially his Mom. He's doing this for his Mom not that he's actually in love with you. He came to me begging me to be his wife when he found out his father was planning to marry him off to some girl not knowing it was you."

Jane widened her eyes with bewilderment at what she said. Why would Chris do that? She kept mute and listened to her.

"Do you know why I came with Chris the day you came to his parents house? He took me with him to present to his parents as the woman he wants to marry, he wants to make me his wife." She smiled.

"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕!?"