BELLA’S POV
“Enjoy your mango shake, Ma’am, and your coffee, Sir,” the server happily said after he served our order on the table.
“Thank you,” I replied and smiled at him. He also smiled at me before he left. I took a sip of my mango shake to taste it before I looked at the man who was sitting in front of me. 
“What do you want to me?” I straightforwardly asked him. I saw how he smirked upon hearing that, so I could not help but raise my left eyebrow.
He sipped on his coffee first before he spoke, “You seem a bit in trouble, Bella. You should take time to just chill,” he jokingly told me.
I rolled my eyes at him, “I do not want any issue, Bryle,” I metaphorically told him.
“Why? What issue are you avoiding? Is it about me being with a woman who is not my fiancée, or is it about the fact that you are with the lawyer of the suspect in the case you are investigating? He asked, then laughed at me.
“Bryle!” I authoritatively called his name. He breathed deeply before he spoke again.
“Chill, Bella. Explaining how two old friends met again at the resort and decided to have a quick talk is easy. Unless you have a different reason why you are here,” he suspiciously told me, then he looked at me intently. I guess he did not change at all. He still knew me well. I did not try to rebut his statement earlier.
“You are still easy to read, Bella. I understand if you want to close this case as soon as possible. Even if I wanted to finish this case the earlier, the better. I want to prove that my friend is innocent, so I can move forward in the preparation of my wedding. But, not in this way, Bella. This is illegal,” he angrily lectured me.
“I know, but this case is very important to me,” I replied to defend myself.
“Why?” he asked in wonder.
“Because—”
“Oh, you are here, Bella. Oh, hi attorney.” I was interrupted by my explanation when Riri suddenly appeared in front of us. Well, I feel a bit of relief because of Riri’s presence. Phew, I almost disclosed a piece of vital information about the case I am investigating.
“Hi, Riri…” Bryle smiled while greeting her. “You can call me Bryle. Don’t be too formal like we did not have past connections,” he added.
“Well, it was you and my best friend who had a past,” Riri jokingly replied, so I secretly pinched her waist.
“Kidding aside, I think it is not good in people’s eyes if they see you guys together,” Riri seriously commented. Bryle smiled, then looked at me.
“It seemed like the excuse of two old friends meeting again would not work,” he jokingly stated, which made me smile.
“Maybe it can work if our work is not conflicting with each other,” I replied and stood up.
“Well, Bella, the next couple of days will be tough for us, may the best justice-seeker win,” he said and extended his hand.
“There is no competition. We both want the same thing, justice,” I was smiling while stating it and then I accepted his hand.
“Ahem! Will that conversation take more time?” Riri interrupted us. This girl really is so impatient.  Bryle let go of my hands.
“See you around, Bella… you too, Riri. I’ll go ahead,” Bryle bid goodbye to us.
I only nodded to him as my response. That became his signal to start walking away from us. On the other hand, I shifted my attention to Riri to lecture her about how she treated Bryle. However, before I could say anything, I was stopped because of Bryle’s statement.
“Bella, before I forget, take care of yourself.” Even if I was not facing him, I could hear worry in his voice. After a few seconds, I heard how the beverage shop’s door closed. It means that he already left the place.
“What is wrong with your ex-boyfriend?” Riri asked directly to the point.
“Shut up. Let’s go,” I irritably replied. This girl is driving me crazy. Her voice sounded like a megaphone. I did not want to be grumpy, but I was just afraid that someone might hear us, then it may cause a problem.
“I am still asking,” she protested while pouting.
“I will answer that in our room,” I replied and started to drag her. I did not have any problem since she let me drag her easier than expected. I only let go of her when we already reached our hotel room.
“Sometimes, your mouth is driving me crazy, Riri.” I glared at her before I sat down on the bed.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I just noticed that your path kept on intersecting with your ex-boyfriend,” she replied after closing our room door.
“Of course! Bryle’s client is the suspect in the case we are investigating,” I slightly became irritable on her sentiment. Well, she is making such a fuss about it.
“Exactly! That is why you two should not see each other often, especially if you are just alone together,” Riri lectured me while she was holding her waist.
“It is just a coincidence that we met in the lobby earlier when I was about to go with you guys. I think I will be rude if I will decline his invitation to talk, right?” I defended myself. She nodded like I made a point.
“Even so. If we remove the issue of you and him outside your work, is it not awkward that you were talking to each other alone?” Riri intrigued me. I can’t help but sigh because of what she said. I think I know where this conversation will be heading.
I stood up and approached my bag to get some clean clothes. I need to change my clothes suitable to where I am right now, so I can enjoy my day off. “You have a dirty mind, Riri. Bryle and I are still friends even if we had a thing in the past. So, it is normal that the two of us are talking.” It’s my time to lecture her. I also took my T-shirt and leggings that I originally planned to wear on the beach.
“Even so! You are still ex-lovers, you know…Wait, don’t tell me that pair is the clothing you plan to wear right now?!” Riri asked in shock before I entered the comfort room.
“Yep,” I simply replied.
“No, no, no,” she said in disbelief and took my clothes. After that, she got a paper bag and handed it to me.
“What is this?” I confusedly asked.
She smiled at me and said, “That is what you will be wearing.” I frowned at her, then opened the paper bag she gave to me.
“What is this? Is it some kind of joke?!”  I could not help but exclaim because of shock when I saw that the paper bag contained a two-piece swimsuit. Its color is black and I think only the middle part of my treasure will be covered if I wear it.
“What? That will suit you well. You will be so sexy. For sure, many will be head over heels to you later,” Riri commented while laughing.
I threw the two-piece swimsuit to her and took back my T-shirt and leggings, “I can’t believe you. You will never make me agree to wear that,” I exclaimed, entered the comfort room and loudly closed the door.
I went to the shower area, closed the curtain, and started taking a bath. I have this attitude that I will not go out in a crowded place without taking a bath. It is because I felt conscious. After ten minutes, I go out of the shower area. I became confused when I could not see my T-shirt and leggings since I put them on top of the sink here in the comfort room. I frowned when I saw the paper bag that Riri tried to give to me earlier. I went closer to it, then I noticed that there was a card on it.
“I am sorry Bella, but today, this will be your clothes. Enjoy. PS: Don’t try searching for your clothes, I hide them well so you will not be able to change. I also put a see-through cover on it, so that you will not be that conscious. See you on the beach.— Riri.”
My jaw almost dropped because of what I read. That crazy girl! I immediately covered myself with a towel and went outside the comfort room to look for my clothes, but I failed. Where did Riri hide those clothes? She should be ready for the consequences of what she did later!
I went back to the comfort room to where what was in the paper bag. Well, I do not have any other choice. Of course, I will not go outside only a towel cover my body. I was frowning when I went outside the room and hurriedly went to the resort. I could not help but be shy because people kept looking at me. Even if those people who are talking to someone could not help but look at my direction. I am not boosting but I know that my body shape can be categorized as sexy. Also, since I am wearing a black swimsuit, my skin color shines the brightest. In order for me to avoid people’s gaze, I walked faster towards Riri when I finally found her. When I got close to her, I hit the back of her head.
“Aww, it hurts… oh beshy it’s you.” Riri’s face could not be described after she realized that I was the one who hit her.
“Where are my clothes, Riri?” I seriously asked her.
“I hide it for now. Don’t you dare change your clothes. Besides, the bikini you are wearing suits you well,” she smirked at me. I glared at her. Sometimes, my own best friend annoys me the most.
“You know that I am not used to wearing something like this,” I gently said, but deep inside I want to hit her head again.
“But I will not let you wear what you chose. This is a beach, not a jogging area,” she said while pretending that she had goosebumps.
“That is what I want to wear. Just give it back to me,” I intensely ordered her.
“Well, that suits you well. You look so sexy that even those who are in the other cabin could not remove his eyes on you. You just captivated him again, Detective. But I think this time, it was his heart that you got,” Riri teasingly told me.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
She did not bother to answer me. She just pointed something on my back using her lips. Without hesitation, I looked back. The next thing happened; my eyes met Toph’s eyes. Wait, is he looking at me since earlier?
           TO BE CONTINUED!