Drake on the other hand felt Nicole's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. It felt like she was forcing herself to smile which was quite strange as Nicole was one with an abundance of sweet smiles that brought nothing but comfort. It was sad to see her smiling with her teeth and not her eyes - it felt different. 
"There's a bar. You can check it out. Also, Josh is throwing a party next week." Nicole glanced at Drake whose face had now contorted into a frown.
"You should come." She nudged him by the elbow and Drake shook his head.
"I can't." He whispered and she nodded in understanding.  
"I'm happy to hear this." Maeve pronounced, reminding them of her presence. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, Nala"

Nicole stood up then, smiling a bit. "It's Nicole and the pleasure is mine. As long as I would have loved to stay and chat, I need to be on my way." 

Maeve bit her lip before nodding. Drake on the other hand couldn't stop the happiness from building in his tummy as the thought of being alone with Maeve filled he head. However, what Nicole did next left his jaw hanging as she leaned in and planted a wet kiss on his cheek. Nicole chuckled shakily at the surprise written clearly on Drake's face.  She glanced at Maeve who was watching them and waved a bit before walking out of the house, feeling quite fulfilled. 

Some seconds after she had left, a sly smile formed by the corner of Maeve's lips as she looked at Drake who was still acting like he had seen a ghost. He asked why she was staring at him, the moment he finally saw the smirk on her face. 

"I didn't know you are popular with the ladies.  She even brought you pizza. " Her goofy grin widened. "I'm impressed."

Drake smiled shyly to his surprise, staring at his fingers. This gesture increased Maeve's amusement and she burst out laughing.
"You're blushing, Drake.  This is so cute." She teased and Drake blushed harder, now embarrassed.  

He took a big bite from the slice he had in his hand and chewed hastily. He soon began to cough wildly and Maeve moved to the kitchen to get a glass of water for him, a small smile still on her face. 
"Easy, man! It's a good thing to have a girl. It shows you're a man."  She rubbed her palm down his back as he drank the water she had brought. She left him when he had finally regained himself and Drake winced at the break of contact. Her body close to him emitted a kind of warmth he considered as comfort and he had expected her to stay a little longer - Nicole would have done that. 
  
"I want to go to that bar your girlfriend talked about."
"She's not my girlfriend." Drake snapped before he could think and Maeve looked taken aback by how quick he was to oppose.  
"She isn't?"
"She isn't." He stated much calmer.  
"You don't have to lie - "
"She isn't." Louder this time and with much conviction. Maeve nodded and Drake wondered if she nodded because she believed him or because she didn't want to push the matter further. For strange reasons,  he didn't want her thinking he had a girlfriend.  

"Alright.  So who is she?"
"A friend and a colleague."
"That's what you think she is?"
"Because that's what she is." He shrugged. 
"Then you're blind," Maeve concluded and he turned to look at her in confusion.  
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind. I want to go to that bar tonight."
"Then go."
"You have to take me. I don't know where it is."
"I don't go to bars." Drake protested, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her. He was already getting worked up; he seemed like a different person with her.  
"I didn't ask you to. I only said you should take me there.  You can leave but you'll have to pick me up. You know I don't know anywhere in this country." She fetched her phone from her pocket and handed it to him.  "Input your number."

Drake opened his mouth to speak but a call came in then, disrupting his speech so he handed her phone back to her. A deep frown crossed her face as she looked at the caller id. She got up immediately, picking the last slice of pizza as she walked to the door, hastily. 
"We'll go immediately I'm done dressing up." She told him and he nodded swiftly; his tongue feeling like it was tied as he listened to her answer her call as she left the house.  She was talking quietly and he couldn't hear a word though he strained his ears. Wondering who it was and why she didn't want to take the call in his presence,  he stood up with the empty pack of pizza and walked to his window. 

She was at her doorstep and from the deep frown on her face and her stance, he knew the call was quite serious. He felt bad that he was being shut away but then, who did he think he was to her? His subconscious probed him. He was just her neighbour so why would she share important things with him?

Wading those thoughts off, he disposed the empty pack in the trash can and returned to his chair,  waiting for her to return. 

★ ★ ★

The sun was at its peak when Drake woke up the next morning. The bright light emitting from his window despite his curtains being closed blinded him for a second and he shut his eyes tightly,  groaning loudly. He rolled to the other side of his bed, wanting to sleep more when he set his eyes on the wall clock. He sprang up from his bed immediately and let out a frustrated sigh as he dashed into the bathroom with a speed he never knew he possessed.  All he could think of was what Mrs Silver would say to him for coming late to church. 
 
Had his alarm not rung? He wondered. How could he have overslept on a Sunday morning? His lips quivered as the cold water from the shower dropped on his body and in a jiffy, he was already out of his house in a plaid suit and well-polished shoes. He had ironed his clothes the previous day for church - one thing he commended himself for.

As he drove out of his driveway,  he glanced at Maeve's apartment,  hoping to see her face but the black Iron door greeted him instead and he sighed. He hoped she was okay for she had been quite tipsy early that morning when she had woken him up with a call to take her home. It was quite stressful to drive to and from the bar - not when he still craved sleep. Now that she knew the bar, he hoped she would not ask him for a drive again. It was for this reason he was late to church and would have to face the wrath of Mrs Silver. He shuddered at this.  

The pope was already preaching the moment he arrived in church and Drake's palms became sweaty when he noticed this. He hoped to find an empty seat at the back of the pew so he would not have to walk in front of everyone - he was never a fan of 'all eyes on me'. It made him sick. Though this was the very first time he was this late to church,  he couldn't help bowing his head in embarrassment as he walked into the building. Fortunately, there was an empty seat beside a fat woman and he quickly dived in despite the direction the usher gave to move further.