Jealousy is like mist over clear water. You’re so thirsty, but you don’t know whether it’s clean or not, due to that mist. You tend to relinquish and take no risks since you happened to experience drinking murky water. Not knowing that it was clean all along, you die because of dehydration, passing up that chance of reconciliation.
Chad Montgomery.
I stared at the name of the caller, warily. My phone vibrated against the surface of my desk, paperwork long forgotten. Last night, I didn’t expect to see him in the streets chasing a girl. Why was he even chasing her? Was she a thief? A friend of his?
His girlfriend?
I frowned at my own thoughts and shook them away. Chad doesn’t seem the type of man to even chase after a girl. It’s usually the other way around. The idea of women chasing after him made me laugh. His face would probably be priceless if he happened to be chased down by them on the streets.
I sat back once my phone stopped vibrating. A missed call. I sighed and propped my chin up, staring at it with pursed lips. Why is he even calling me? I don’t remember having an appointment with him, or any meetings. What does he want this time?
Should I answer it?
I waited for a few seconds to see if he would call once again. If it’s important, he’d call again. Unless he wants to mess with me. Now, that’s another story. The memories of what happened between us at the party a few days ago came back like bricks being thrown at me. It didn’t surprise me that he didn’t come to see me or give me a surprise visit. The way he acted that night suggested that someone he didn’t like had called.
Thoughts being cut by the ringing of my phone, I picked it up and was about to answer it before retracting my hand.
Should I?
I took a deep breath, put on a determined face, and answered the call.
“Hey, Chad Montgomery!” I lightly laughed. “You know, it’s been a while since we last saw each other. How are you? What do you want? You should make an appointment to see me today since I have a lot of meetings to go to. So, if you have something to say, say it now.”
Chad was silent for a few seconds, making me think he was no longer on the other line. I frowned hard.
“Hello? Hello? Oh, well, I guess you don’t have one. Goodbye—”
“First, why are you rambling?”
I fought the urge to scream in surprise at his sudden answer.
“Second, it’s been only days and I have a company to run, too. And, lastly, if you have a lot of meetings to attend, why are you on the phone? Shouldn’t it be silent?”
I rolled my eyes at his reply. “Well, they’re all scheduled this afternoon. As you can see, it’s only twelve o’clock. If you’re wondering, I still have to eat lunch.”
“You haven’t eaten lunch?”
I sighed and shook my head. “Nope. I haven’t. Still have these papers to sign and I want to finish them before eating. That way, after the meetings, I can go home right away.”
“Do you want to eat lunch with me?”
I swallowed at his words. “With you?” This guy is seriously different from the last time we saw each other. Has he solved his problem? Is it possible that the girl he was chasing before is the person who called him that night?
“So? I’m your business partner, I think it’s all right to eat together. We’ll just be eating lunch together. It’ll be fun rather than eating alone.” I heard him laugh softly. “What’s the matter? Are you afraid of what may happen?”
This guy… “Afraid? Afraid of what?” I laughed at his words. “Seriously, Chad, I’m not afraid of the media now that we’ve made it clear we’re only business partners. That’s all, right?”
“Right,” he drawled. “All right, now that’s settled, I’ll come and pick you up.”
“There’s no need—”
The line went dead. I set my phone down. Staring at it for a few minutes, I let out a frustrated breath. Seriously, this guy is so dense. What makes him think I’ll be frightened by the media’s opinion about us when it was made clear that we are just business partners at the contract signing?
Are you sure you’re just business partners?
I shut my eyes tightly and pinched the bridge of my nose, nursing an upcoming headache. Don’t, Rachel. Don’t go down there. Falling in love with that guy would only lead to your demise. You might end up like those lovesick teenagers rampant in stories.
Are you sure? We’ll never know if you don’t try.
Letting out a small cry of irritation, I stood up and grabbed my phone before taking my bag. That paperwork can wait. Right now, I need lunch! Being alone with my own thoughts will just make me go insane. Walking out of my office, my eyes fell on Arianne, who was busy mumbling something over the telephone.
Who is she talking to that’s so secret she has to mumble? Is it her boyfriend or a fellow worker she admires?
I slowly walked towards her. It wasn’t until I stood at the side of her workspace that she noticed me. Arianne let out a small gasp and dropped the telephone.
“M-miss Maxwell! Do you need something?”
“I’ll be out eating lunch,” I stated, gesturing to my office. “Please take care of the incoming papers for me, and if someone looks for me, tell them I’ll be back around two.”
She nodded. “Yes, Miss Maxwell. Anything else?”
I looked down at her desk to see many papers scattered here and there. Her cup of coffee, now cold, had lipstick stains around the rim. Her chaotic desk just reminded me of how busy she was and how I missed Patty.
I shook my head. “That’s all. See you later, Arianne.”
She slightly bowed and muttered goodbye. Once inside the elevator heading to the ground floor, I quietly listened to the humming of the mechanism. Around this hour, a lot of the employees were either eating or chatting with friends.
A few stops along the way, a few employees smiled at me before I arrived at the designated floor. Heels clacking on my way out, I stared at Percy, who waited vigilantly in the doorway. I managed to convince him to eat lunch first before resuming his job of looking after me.
“Are you finished eating, Percy?” I questioned. Seeing me walking towards him, Percy’s spine went straight.
“Yes, Miss Maxwell. Are you heading somewhere, if I may ask?”
“Out. I’m going to eat lunch with a friend,” I replied. Before he could call for someone to get my car, I stopped him with a shake of my hand. “He’s going to pick me up,” I added.
Just as I was about to explain, the familiar red Koenigsegg CXX strode in, in all its glory. To other people, it may seem like a really awesome car that matched its owner (if you could say Chad was awesome) but, to me, it just reminded me of what happened before.
The time where I screamed for him to slow down while he laughed in that sick brain of his. Yeah, nothing more but good memories. I tucked back a few hairs that escaped my ponytail and warily stared at the car. Seeing that one of the windows was rolling down, I approached the car and smiled at Chad, whose eyes were covered by dark tinted shades.
Is that woman, who he was chasing that night, his girlfriend?
“Come on, let’s go.” He gestured for me to come in.
I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. “Yeah, I don’t think so.” I gave him my unconvinced laugh, which made him frown slightly. It apparently dawned on him what happened last time, for he laughed aloud.
“I thought you weren’t afraid!” He smirked. I felt my right eye twitch at those words. Oh, so he was also referring to his car a while ago. Well, I won’t give him that satisfaction! The idea of him knowing more of my weaknesses made me feel uncomfortable.
Let’s just go and eat lunch together. It’ll be fun, he said.
“Miss Maxwell, shall I get your car?” Percy suggested.
Chad stifled a laugh. It made my blood boil.
I faced him and shook my head. “There’s no need, Percy.” Returning to the matter at hand, I opened the car door. “I. Am. Not. Afraid,” I grumbled underneath my breath as I got in. Tempted to slam the car door really hard, I decided against it. Last thing I want is to be lectured by Chad about how important his car is. Blah, blah, blah. Trying to stay composed, I strapped on my seat belt.
Men and their cars.
As we drove down the road, Chad hummed softly to the music playing on the radio. Thankfully, he wasn’t driving at high speed or I might’ve turned him over to the police. I turned to look at the side mirror, to see the familiar black sedan following behind us. It didn’t take a mathematician to know that Percy and his companions were right behind us.
When Mom said that Dad’s words were imprinted in their head, I knew she wasn’t joking.
“You all right?”
I averted my gaze away from the side mirror and turned to Chad. “Huh?”
He pressed his lips tightly together and stared at me for a few seconds, before turning his attention back to the road before him. “I asked you if you’re all right.”
“Oh.”
“Is there something bothering you?”
I remained silent, not wanting to say something stupid that would make him laugh at me. Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just going to pretend that nothing happened between us at the party and that I didn’t see you at the homecoming dinner for Patton.
“Not going to tell me, are you?” He nodded softly. “It’s okay. I won’t force you.”
I mentally sighed in relief. There were no words being exchanged afterwards; the music playing in the background did its work, eliminating the silence between us.
Out of the blue, Chad let out a soft breath and scratched his head. “Instead of staying quiet, why not suggest a restaurant?” He pointed out to a few by the streets. “Do you have something in mind? Just pick.”
I bit my lips and stared at the restaurants we passed by. What do I want to eat? The thought of eating Japanese food made my mouth water. Sushi and Ramen sounds very appealing right now.
“Are there any Japanese restaurants nearby?” I questioned. Hunger was slowly taking over and I wasn’t sure I could hold on much longer. I must be close to having that monthly friend again.
“Japanese restaurant?” Chad wondered, and continuously tapped on his steering wheel, deep in thought. “Yeah, I know one. You want to go there?”
I nodded vigorously. “Yes, let’s go.”
Chad casually shrugged and drove away. “All right.” I couldn’t help but feel a bit happy that I would get to eat Japanese food once again. I guess my friend is visiting soon. Having this craving is a sign.
It didn’t take long for us to arrive in front of a fine-looking restaurant with dark color schemes. It was all simple but inviting; the exterior design most Japanese restaurants have. The car engine died and Chad got out of the car as I unstrapped my seat belt. I felt my heart jump when the car door was opened, and I saw Chad holding out a hand for me to take. He smiled down at me.
I merely gazed at his hand before taking it. Approaching the entrance, the usher threw us a bright smile. “Hello! Table for two?” Both of us nodded and the usher gestured to the doorway. “This way, please.”
Like the exterior, the interior of the restaurant was simple but refined. A few diners were chatting to themselves and it was clear in their faces that they were enjoying the food. Seeing the colorful dishes was enough to make me drool.
“Here are your seats,” the usher indicated with a smile. Chad helped me into my seat before sitting across me. “Our waiter will be with you in a few minutes. Here are your menus.” He handed each of us our own menu before sauntering away to attend to other customers.
I directly opened the menu and began choosing what to eat. Let’s see… These all look delicious. Maybe I should order everything? I let out a small gasp at my own thoughts. I must be really having that friend soon.
“What is it? Did you find what you were looking for?” Chad asked.
Looking up from the menu, I nodded. “Yes, I’m ready to order.”
As if hearing us, a waiter hurriedly came to our side with a smile. “Hello, I’m Reiner. I’ll be your waiter for the day. May I take your order?”
Chad pointed at the colorful picture of a plate filled with different types of sushi on the menu. “Yeah, I’ll have this and a bowl of tonkotsu ramen. I want a bottle of wine, too.” The waiter nodded and turned to me. “What about you, Miss?”
“I want tempura, sashimi and donburi,” I ordered. “And green tea.” Ignoring the face Chad threw at me, I watched as the waiter nodded and walked away.
That’s when I heard him stifle a laugh. “What’s so funny?” I demanded.
Chad raised both of his hands in surrender. “Sorry,” he apologized, but his face said otherwise.
Disregarding his apology, I fished out my phone from my bag to check for any new messages. And to avoid having a conversation that would only lead to an awkward situation.
But not talking is also awkward.
I mentally groaned when I saw that there were no messages, not even one. Slowly looking up, I found Chad just staring at nothing in particular, tapping his fingers against the table. What’s going on in that mind of his? I quickly averted my gaze away from him to the cute centerpiece on the table.
“Come on now, Rachel. Don’t be so silent.”
I slightly looked up to see him smirking at me. Those blue eyes of his didn’t hold any of the pain or anger that I saw at the party. Instead, the usual Chad Montgomery was in front of me, smirking as if there were no tomorrow.
It rang the alarm bells in my head.
I opened my mouth to say something, but no words would come out. Can I ask him? If I do, will he even give me an answer?
“If you have something to say, say it now.”
His words brought me back to our conversation earlier, on the phone, which only embarrassed me more. What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t be speechless like this! Clearing my throat, I sat up straight and put on a serious face.
“Mr. Montgomery—”
“Chad.”
“Chad, or whatever, I want to talk to you about what happened last time.” Good, direct as possible. I watched his face, expecting it to turn from calm to an irritable storm. Much to my surprise, he remained composed.
“What about it?”
The warning bells rang even louder and I decided to drop the matter in hand. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”
Chad stared at me for a few minutes before nodding. “Okay. So, what have you been doing for the past few days? Is the company doing well?”
“Yeah, it is.” Thanks to you. I propped my chin and gazed down at the chopsticks waiting to be used. “My old friend arrived last night and we had dinner.”
“Oh, is that so?”
I smiled softly at the memories. “Yes, he’s a soldier. Me and my friend, Francine, met him during our high school days.”
Chad cocked his head to the side, curiosity in his eyes. “Really. Is he the one?”
I raised an eyebrow at his odd question. The one? “What?”
“Is he the one? Is he your boyfriend?”
I quickly shook my head and laughed. “No, he isn’t. Don’t jump to conclusions.” Even if Patton was a good man, he was well suited with Francine. Those two were meant for each other. “If he is, Francine might kill me,” I mumbled under my breath.
“Mhm?”
Seeing the waiter carrying a tray of food, I grinned brightly. “Here’s our meal.”
Setting down our orders, the waiter placed the bottle of wine beside Chad and a cup of steaming green tea in front of me. “Enjoy your meal!” With that said, he walked away with his tray and smiled.
“That is one jolly waiter,” Chad commented in awe.
I giggled softly and took the chopsticks. “He clearly enjoys his job,” I mumbled. Wasting no time, I directly dove in and couldn’t help humming to the delicious taste of the food. “Delicious!”
“Where did you take your friend for dinner?”
“To an old restaurant where we usually celebrate,” I answered, after chewing the raw seafood. Then, I stopped to stare at him. Noticing my stare, Chad looked up from his plate and raised an eyebrow.
“Is something wrong? Is the food all right?”
“Yes, yes, it is. I just want to know…” I trailed off. Taking the cup of green tea, I took a sip of it and swallowed. Go on, you can do it. Just ask, there’s no harm done in asking. “Um, why were you chasing a girl that night?”
“So, you saw me?”
“Yeah, I did,” I confirmed. “Is she your girlfriend?” Why are you even asking that, Rachel?! Don’t tell me… No, I’m not jealous. It can’t be jealousy. Stop, stop right now!
Chad’s eyes turned icy. Then, a cynical smile spread over his face.
“Do you want to know?”
I felt my heart beating, drumming, against my chest. My throat ran dry and no words would come out of my mouth. The coldness in his eyes returned and it made me wonder where the jovial man, who sat with me a few seconds ago, had gone. He’d been replaced by a stony man, whose eyes were shooting daggers at me.
What is this? Why is he staring at me like that? Is he really like this?
Is this even Chad Montgomery?
“Um…” Do I want to know? Obviously, I do. But, what if… I gazed at Chad, watching his every move. His jaw was tense and his posture screamed irritation over my curiosity. Well, might as well say yes, since you already opened it up. “Yes, I do.”
Much to my surprise, he let out a short laugh. I nervously folded my hands together under my table, hoping he wasn’t pissed.
“I’m glad you asked,” he mumbled. “I was beginning to think you’d be afraid to.”
I sheepishly laughed, while mentally sighing in relief. I thought I was going to die!
Chad leaned back on his chair, playing with the wine in his glass. “Well, I won’t say girlfriend. More like—”
“Rachel?”
No way…
I gradually turned my head to where the voice was coming, to see the one person I least expected to bump into here.