TEST DRIVE: A Night of Forbidden Desire

“So, how was it? Wasn’t it worth it to enjoy a free meal with me? Just think, if you ate that much in a restaurant… how much money would you have spent?”

Max grinned, glancing at Vonda who was sitting in the passenger seat. She seemed pleased as she asked him the question.

“Well… it’s true, not a bad deal. But you have to remember something. Actually, it’s you who hasn’t lost anything by inviting me. I’ve proven to be a profitable dining partner.”

Vonda’s face lit up as she reflexively laughed at Max’s words, making his grin even wider. Nevertheless, Vonda expressed her gratitude.

“Thank you.”

Vonda uttered the single word as she unbuckled her seatbelt. She turned to face Max, who was also looking back at her.

“For riding with me and becoming a profitable partner,” Vonda continued.

“No problem,” Max replied easily. “Don’t hesitate to invite me for another free meal next time.”

Vonda nodded in amusement, assuring Max that he would be the first person she’d think of if she got another offer for a free meal.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Vonda asked, changing the subject. “Or do you want to go right back?”

Max checked his watch and shook his head. “It’s almost one a. m.,” he said. “I think I should just head back. Besides, I’m already so full. I’ll probably fall asleep soon.”

“Eh? Are you tired? It’s dangerous to drive when you’re tired.” Vonda’s eyes widened slightly in concern. “If not… you could just leave your car here. Take a taxi back.”

But Max shook his head. “It’s okay. I’ll be fine. I can still manage.”

For a few moments, Vonda seemed to assess Max’s condition. Perhaps she was unsure if Max could really fight his sleepiness or not.

“Don’t worry,” Max reassured her. “I’ll definitely make it back to my apartment safely.”

Finally, Vonda got out of Max’s car. She stood in the parking lot until Max’s car drove through the security gate and into traffic.

“Aww… coming home late, huh? I thought you weren’t coming back, Miss.”

Vonda’s lower lip protruded slightly as she heard Rika greet her with a teasing remark. For Vonda, it was not surprising at all. In fact, it would be strange if it was the other way around.

“If I didn’t come back,” Vonda said with a grin. “Where would I sleep? On the side of the road?”

Rika supported her chin with one hand and asked the question with a rhythmic tone in her voice. “Where else would you sleep?”

“You…!”

Vonda shuddered as a single shiver ran down her spine. It made her look horrified.

“You’re incorrigible! Always thinking of lewd things.”

Rika laughed as she saw Vonda leave in a hurry. But that didn’t mean that the receptionist didn’t manage to finish her teasing with one last sentence.

“I meant go back to your parents’ house, Miss. Hihihi. It’s you who has other things on your mind.”

Vonda’s lips moved abstractly from side to side as she muttered, Rika’s words echoing in the lobby. Fortunately, it was quiet at the moment, so Vonda managed to keep her embarrassment to herself.

Spending the night at Max’s?

Vonda fought hard to dismiss the thought as the elevator took her to the floor where her unit was located.

Because of Rika… now I’m thinking strange things. This girl is something else! How is it that her hobby triggers memories from the past?

Besides, it’s not as if Vonda could forget it easily. It was her first experience.

A first experience that was very different from most girls’ first experiences. Not only was it with a stranger, but the place was unusual. On the side of the road.

A first experience too strange to be easily forgotten. Especially… because after this incident, Vonda and Max found themselves in even stranger situations.

When Vonda reached her unit, she immediately went to the bathroom. She removed her dress, took a quick shower, washed her face, and returned to the room. She put on a knee-length jumpsuit pajama.

Vonda yawned, feeling more tired than she had first thought, her eyelids heavy with sleep. But there was one thing that made her resist the beckoning bed.

Half an hour passed, and Vonda endured it with a magazine, only glancing at the pictures. She had no intention of adding to her drowsiness by reading the string of words in the article. But as time went on, Vonda found it harder and harder to hold out. Finally, she gave in and reached for her cell phone, which she had placed on the nightstand earlier.

Vonda:

Hey, Brother of Kitty. Are you there yet?

Vonda’s eyes felt even heavier. As she waited for a response from Max, she rested her head on the pillow. Trying to find a comfortable position, she lay on her side and tried to stay awake.

But every moment she spent staring at her phone screen made Vonda’s eyelids feel even heavier. It was no surprise that five minutes later she could no longer resist. She surrendered to unconsciousness just as a message arrived on her WhatsApp.

Max:

We were born from different wombs. You call me Brother of Kitty, get ready for me to call you Sister of Kitty. By the way, I just got here.

Vonda didn’t read this message. She also missed the next message that came in.

Max:

Uh, Sister of Kitty.

Are you sleeping or sulking?

*

The sound of Vonda’s phone in the morning woke her from her sleep. She opened her eyes, and with reflexes honed over time, she answered the call after struggling to read the contact’s name on the phone’s screen.

“Hello, Mom.”

For once, don’t think it’s Riley calling. In fact, it’s Vonda’s biological mother on the other end of the line. A middle-aged woman named Heidi Clark.

“Vonda? Are you still asleep at this hour?”

Vonda’s eyes, which had closed after answering the call, tried to open again. Only to look at the wall clock hanging in her room.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“It’s early, Mom.”

Vonda’s weak voice contrasted with the enthusiastic tone of Heidi on the other end.

“It’s already noon, Von. Oh, my goodness! It’s already eight o’clock. How can you still be asleep?”

“Yawn!” Vonda yawned and shut her eyes again. “I had a wedding last night, Mom. I got back almost one o’clock. Got together with my high school friends. That’s why I’m so tired now. Besides… I’m awake, Mom.”

“Tsk tsk tsk. How come? Did you go to the wedding alone again?”

Vonda pouted immediately upon hearing her mother’s words. “Mom, seriously… not a good topic of conversation in the morning.”

“Not really, but…”

Heidi sounded like she paused for a moment, causing Vonda to open her eyes.

“You’re okay, right?”

Vonda’s gaze seemed flat as she replied, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m fine.”

Vonda’s answer brought a moment of silence to the conversation. Until Heidi’s sigh was heard again. As if to release a weight she was feeling.

“Has Andrew’s family not contacted you again?”

This time Vonda let out a tired sigh. She didn’t want to talk about this. Especially in the morning. Vonda thought it would be a bad way to start the day.

“They didn’t,” Vonda replied. “That’s because I’ve blocked all their numbers.”

“Oh my, Vonda.”

Heidi’s voice sounded surprised and disbelieving. She had never expected Vonda to do that.

“You blocked all her numbers?”

“Yes, Mom. I don’t want to have any more contact with them. Besides, what’s the point, right?”

“Are you really not going to tell me why you and Andrew broke up? Maybe your problems can be solved. Besides, you and Andrew have been together for quite a while, Von.”

This time Vonda changed her position slightly. She chose to lie on her back and stare at the ceiling of her room. For a moment, one of her hands went up and landed on her temple, giving it a little massage.

“Just because we’ve been together for a while, it’s pointless to keep the relationship if both sides don’t have the same goals. Instead of drifting further apart, it’s better to stop while we can. Do you want me to get married and divorced? Broke up is still better, right?”

This time Vonda’s words seemed to hit the mark. There was no more resistance from Heidi. Just the expression of a mother’s concern, which Vonda discovered later.

“I just don’t want you to feel pressured. Especially with your sibling’s engagement coming up.”

Something made Vonda understand why Heidi had been asking more often about her ended relationship with Andrew.

“I’m not stressed at all, Mom. Don’t worry. Even if it’s destiny for Kania to get married first, what can we do? Should we go against God’s will? And do I just have to get married by chance? Is that right? Is that what you want?”

“You, really,” Heidi replied. “Marry at random? Has your mouth not been flavored with devil’s chili yet?”

Vonda smiled mischievously. At least she knew her words struck a chord with her mother.

“Well, it’s up to you.” Heidi’s voice said that she had given up pushing Vonda that morning. “But what’s important is… when are you coming home? How long has it been since you last came home?”

“Don’t worry, Mom. I remember the address, you know. Hehehe. I have a lot of work now, so I can’t come home yet.”

“At least remember to come home later to help with Kania’s engagement.”

“Sure.”

After this serious topic, Vonda entertained her mother’s conversation about various other things.

Fighting the sleepiness that hadn’t quite left her, Vonda still tried to engage with her mother. She realized that’s what a mother does. Calling for a long time is a form of attention Vonda would like to receive.

“Ah!”

Vonda sighed in relief as the call ended and then checked her phone. Her smile widened as she read the message from Max that she had just seen in the morning.

A smile that didn’t take long to turn into a gentle chuckle.

“Sister of Kitty?”

Something mischievous suddenly crossed Vonda’s mind. Something she reflexively typed into a message sent to Max.

Vonda:

Sister of Kitty? You thought I was Cat Woman. Want me to scratch you?

*