Chapter 267 - No To Marriage

"If they cough up insults, it's because they are jealous of your success and scared that you will do better than them." Lily scoffed and rolled her eyes after saying this.

"People try too hard for a competition that will bring them no benefit in the long run. This is a promotional contest, none of them will get invited to play professionally," Katherine commented as she threw a couple of casual clothes on her bed.

Angelina proceeded on to picking out some outrageous and gorgeous outfits as well. Katherine gave her the evil eye, but she persisted in putting those in the pile of clothes Katherine would be carrying to City O.

"You never know," Angelina started all of a sudden. "You can see how Katherine has gained some popularity on the web. If her momentum remains, she'll be earning good money from this hobby," Angelina noted.

"Yes, but a considerable amount of my 'fame' can be attributed to Stephen and Cage and you guys. You know the industry and what works. I have an unfair advantage, don't you think?" Katherine contested thoughtfully.

"It's a competition. If it is within the rules, it is fair. Don't overthink everyone's influence on your life. You would have done a stellar job yourself," Lily stated.

"Well, her nasty personality came to some use, then," Angelina snickered. Katherine wanted to smack her friend for teasing but what she said was true. Katherine's personality was eccentric and sarcastic in her videos. Even though she did it politely, she couldn't be considered sugar sweet. In that way, her real nasty personality seemed to have done her a favor in attracting people.

"What can I say, birds of the same feather flock together." Katherine smiled slyly as Angelina frowned. "Which reminds me. You have been behaving suspiciously for the past couple of days, Lily." She turned to look at her friend, giving her a firm look that demanded Lily give up the secret.

Not one to be coerced into saying things, Lily ignored the look. "Don't know what you are talking about," she answered.

"Now that you mention it," Angelina began in a contemplative manner. "Lily has been a little quite lately. Ever since she met Jared's parents…" Angelina's head snapped towards Lily. "Did you break up with Jared?" she screamed.

"Don't jinx our relationship," Lily m.o.a.ned. "We are doing really good. I liked his parents." She looked away from her friends, taking to silently folding and placing clothes inside the suitcase.

Avoidance tactic, Katherine thought to herself.

"That's wonderful. Why didn't you tell us?" Katherine was worried that there was something else bothering Lily. The magnitude of the revelation was yet to come out.

"I don't want to…" Lily trailed off. Her eyes glazed over as she stared into nothingness. She was thinking of something, as if waiting to break the news to her friends.

"Is it bad?" Angelina asked. Lily shook her head.

"It's good. It's really good."

Both Katherine and Angelina exchanged a glance.

"What? Did he ask you to move in with him? Or get married?" Angelina joked.

Lily stiffened and the other two gasped. It was either of those two statements. "Which one is it?" Katherine asked, sounding excited. Lily coughed, unable to speak for a second before she sighed and looked at her friends.

"He asked me to marry him." Squeals ensued, but Lily held up her hand to stop them. "I said no," she mumbled, silencing the two effectively.

"I thought it was not bad news?" Katherine stammered. She exchanged a glance with Angelina who looked equally panicked. Both friends were ready to jump in and console their friend but they also remembered that she had not broken up with Jared. This would mean, she was scared of their opinion about her rejection.

"Sweetie, we won't judge you for saying no…" Angelina claimed.

"I said no to marriage. Then he asked me to move in with him," Lily choked.

"And you want to," Katherine finished. "What's wrong with that?"

Lily looked at Katherine incredulously. "We've been living together for years and you ask me what is wrong? I'm essentially going to move out and stop paying my share. You guys will have to foot bigger bills and…" She didn't know what else to say.

The light bulb went off in Angelina's head. "So you are scared about our opinion?" she asked without judgment.

"I don't have a problem with you moving out. It was bound to happen sooner or later," Katherine shrugged. "Angelina is travelling most of the time and I am not certain how long I will live without Cage. Life is just like that. We were bound to go separate ways," she explained. She placed her hand on Lily's shoulder and stroked it to comfort her.

"I have no issues, either. Frankly, moving in is a great choice for you." Angelina smirked as she said the next part. "But I have to say, Jared played the game well. He asked something you would never agree to before the actual offer so that you compromised immediately." Angelina nodded in approval.

"Those tactics don't work on me. I want to live with him too," Lily deadpanned. She sighed as she picked her head up and looked at her friends. "You really don't mind?" she squeaked.

They shook their heads.

"If things go well, we'll all be living with our significant others. We'll have triple dates and hang out all the time. What's there to worry about?" Katherine observed both Lily and Angelina. Neither seemed to have a problem.

"When are you moving out?" Angelina asked.

"After Katherine returns. I'll slowly move my stuff over to his place." Lily remembered something. "What about the rent?" She fiddled with her finger.

"I think I can pay off the loan after my ad revenue comes in for the month," Katherine announced. "So, I don't think you should worry about rent."

The conversation turned to lighter things and soon enough, all the packing was done. For the five days she would be in the other city, Katherine had packed up a medium sized suitcase of things. Not too shabby if she may say so herself.