Perfect Strangers

“Hello? In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m getting wet here?” Myla snapped.

“My bad, Myla. I didn’t think drips got wet,” Stavros said laughing. He took a step towards her and held the umbrella over her head.

“Oh, ha fucking ha, Stavros! Nice to see you too,” she replied with a swat of her hand to his chest. “Let’s get inside, this weather is horrific.”

“So, where is this Karl then? I thought he’d be coming here with you?” Stavros asked as he unlocked the front door to the studio and motioned for the ladies to go on ahead up the stairs.

“I told him to meet me here at 2pm, he’s still got five minutes left yet,” Myla retorted over her shoulder. She walked around the large spacious room that was situated at the top of the stairs, and headed straight towards the large bay window, looking out to Lots Road. How boring. Off to the left of the room was a doorway to a small bathroom with a toilet and sink, and plain white walls. Coming back into the main room, she headed towards a narrow hallway, at the end of which she found a kitchen, that held a fridge, microwave, oven, and sink. Not bad. Not bad at all. Turning to head back towards Avery and Stavros, she was stopped dead in her tracks by a voice calling out. It was him. Her insides flipped over with nerves, as she took in the sound of his voice. He’s getting closer.

“Myla,” Avery called. “Your fiancé is here.”

She screwed her face up at Avery’s words. With a shake of her head and deep gulp of breath, she suddenly found her legs and strode back into the main room. All eyes fell up on her. “Hey,” she gushed, over-enthusiastically, causing Avery to smirk.

“Juliet,” he curtly replied, avoiding eye contact as he looked around the room.

“Oh, here, let me introduce everyone. Avery, Stavros, this is Karl. Karl, this is Avery, my best friend and Stavros, who owns this studio.”

Kai swiveled around to look behind him then looked back at Myla with an amused look. “Who is Karl?”

“Oh, Uhm you?!” She rolled her eyes at Avery and Stavros, and used her forefinger to make a circular motion at the side of her head, implying he had lost the plot.

Kai laughed loudly and walked towards the bay window. “How did you come up with that name, Juliet?” He challenged when he turned to face her with his arms folded across his chest.

Taking a sudden interest in her wet feet, she kicked off her flats and let out a sigh. “Can you hear someone talking?” She asked Avery, embarrassed.

She heard a harsh clicking of fingers from his direction, begrudgingly she looked up towards him and his face shone at her uncomfortableness. Moving her hair from her face, she pushed her shoulders back and raised her chin. “It began with a K, that’s all I remember. You wouldn’t tell me so I assumed it was Karl,” she said defiantly, determined not to give him any more fodder to make her feel further embarrassed.

“As I recall, you didn’t ask for my name, but on this occasion, I’ll put you out of your misery. It’s Kai, my name is Kai.”

“Kai? Isn’t that Greek?” Stavros asked as he strode over and shook his hand.

“It can be. However, my name is derived from the Old German ‘Kamph’ meaning ‘fight’, for somebody who never gives up,” he replied. “My mother is German and my father is British.”

“That explains a lot,” Myla muttered. She stole a glance in Avery’s direction.

“You didn’t say he was this hot, Myla. Jesus, is he gay?” Avery whispered, taking a step closer to her.

“How should I know, I didn’t even get his name right.” A loud bout of deep laughter echoed around the empty room as the two men shared a joke.

“Come, let me show you around,” Stavros said. The leather under-soles of his shoes began to squeak across the polished flooring as he walked.

“I could see you two together, you know. He seems lovely, Myla,” Avery whispered. She pulled out her compact and checked her lipstick, again.

“Are you freaking serious? I mean, seriously me and him, together as a couple?” Myla asked completely shocked. “Over my dead body,” she snapped. She walked towards the bay window and glared down on to the street, her hands resting on her hips.

“The man is all right to play my fiancé for a week, but seriously, Avery that mouth of yours dribbles some shit sometimes. He is rude, cocky, arrogant, challenging, not to mention annoying. I can see why he is single, who would want to date someone like him? Oh, and did I tell you he was a barman—,” she stopped her rant midway when she turned around to see Kai staring at her.

Avery pulled her lips into her mouth and looked at the floor. Her shoulders shook as she tried hard not to succumb to the all-encompassing laughter that rumbled through her body.

“I’m sorry, I was—”

“Well, I’m so glad you have your feelings out now. For the record, Myla you are no pretty catch yourself! You are insensitive, egotistical, all hard work and rude, so I’m not surprised you’re still single. Now, that we have both got that off our chests, are we going to do this fake fiancé bullshit or not?”

Myla stood stunned. She opened her mouth to speak, but only a strangled grunt fell from her lips as she willed her vocal chords to work. Clamping her mouth shut firmly, she nodded her head at him. His face softened and the anger vanished from his features. “Good. I’m glad that’s sorted,” he stated hoarsely.

Clearing his throat, Stavros spoke. “So, the studio, Kai? It will be yours for six months, rent-free as Myla is paying for it. You will however, have to cover the water and electric bills and obviously kit the place out with your own work station.”

“It sound’s perfect,” Kai said. His mouth broke out into a wide grin, showing his pearly white teeth.