My Sweet Surrender Aftermath Series 1

I was in the middle of a particularly sweet dream, the kind where everything felt just right, and I could have stayed in that blissful state forever. But all good things must come to an end, and mine was rudely interrupted by the blaring of my phone.

My hand blindly reached out for the source of the disturbance, and I fumbled to answer the call. "Hello?" I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.

"Gianna! Wake the fuck up!" came a loud, high-pitched voice that was painfully familiar.

I groaned and squinted at the digital clock on my bedside table. It read 7:30 a.m., a time that should be illegal on a weekend. "Emilio, do you realize it's the weekend?" I groaned, my voice filled with indignation.

He didn't seem to care about the weekend or the ungodly hour. "I don't give a damn about weekends, Gi. Get your ass out of bed, put on something decent, and meet me in thirty minutes. We're going out!"

I contemplated hanging up on him and returning to my dreams. But before I could muster the energy to do so, I heard him shout, "Gianna, I swear to all the deities, if you don't get up right now, I'm coming over!"

As if he could see my defiance, he added, "And I'll bring a bucket of ice water with me!"

My eyes shot open at that threat, and I could practically see Emilio's mischievous grin on the other end of the line. Without further ado, I pressed the end call button, thinking that would be the end of it. But I underestimated Emilio's determination.

A few minutes later, just as I was about to drift back into my dream, I heard an ominous sound, a sound that could only mean trouble. It was the unmistakable sound of water being poured, and it was coming closer. My heart raced as I realized what was happening.

Before I could react, a cascade of icy water engulfed me, and I let out a bloodcurdling scream. "What the actual fuck Emilio!" I shrieked, bolting upright in bed, sputtering and shivering.

Emilio stood beside my bed, triumphant, holding an empty bucket. He wore a self satisfied grin that only he could manage so early in the morning. "Good morning, My darling best friend " he chirped happily standing in a yellow shirt and shorts, completely unfazed by my wrath.

I shot him a death glare, my teeth chattering from the cold shock. "You are insane, Emilio! That was fucking cold"

He simply shrugged, undeterred by my fury. "Maybe, but now you're wide awake. So, get dressed. We've got a big day ahead!"

I was tempted to throw a pillow at him, but the icy water had already given me enough of a shock for one morning. Reluctantly, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and muttered a string of curses under my breath.

"What did you say baby?" he said

"Nothing" I grumbled and entered the bathroom.

Emilio, ever the fashion guru, had apparently taken it upon himself to play stylist for the day. He rifled through my closet with the precision of a seasoned personal shopper, pulling out various outfits and throwing them onto the bed.

I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on. "Emilio, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it's way too early for a fashion show. Can't I just wear jeans and a t shirt?"

He turned to me with a look of mock horror. "Gianna, darling, jeans and a t shirt are for mortals. We are going to be strutting our stuff today, and I refuse to be seen with you in anything less than fabulous."

I sighed, realizing there was no arguing with him when he got into his fashionista mode.

   What did I expect

 "Fine, fine, just pick something and let me get dressed. But you owe me breakfast for this."

Emilio grinned triumphantly and selected a stunning ensemble that would undoubtedly turn heads. As he left me to change, I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief. Only Emilio could manage to drag me out of bed with an icy wake-up call and turn it into a full-blown fashion emergency.

I descended the stairs, my legs still slightly wobbly from the early morning shock and the unexpected fashion show Emilio had orchestrated. As I reached the living room, my eyes landed on Emilio, who was waiting with the kind of stylish confidence that was unmistakably him. His eyes widened as they took in my appearance, and a grin broke across his face, revealing his perfect white teeth.

"Bitch, you look absolutely stunning!" Emilio exclaimed, his words dripping with enthusiasm. "I knew this outfit would work wonders on you. Fuck me" He exclaimed theatrically.

I couldn't help but smile at his infectious energy. "Bitch, I feel like I'm dressed for a red carpet event, though."

He waved off my concern with a flourish of his hand. "Nonsense, You can never be overdressed when you're with me, So we're going on a shopping spree, we need to spend this money Gianna, you have it, spend it, But it's my treat today" He said and brought out a credit card.

"Isn't that Emilio's card"