Chapter 5: In which she is a picky eater.
Back in high school, I was the total nerd and a teacher’s pet. Hence the name, Nerdy Savvy.
I was the typical nerd with too much to think and remember in science and math than to care about fashion, though I never wore baggy jeans and tees. Thing is, even though I was a nerd, I had a GPA of 3.6 and I wasn’t the brightest person around. I didn’t come from money and I was more concerned about getting into a good college that losing my virginity to the top jock...which just so happened to be Nathan Synclair.
Although, here the phrase 'don't judge a book by its cover' found its useful application. He was the typical dark haired, blue eyed quarterback of the football team, Nathan was the person who always came first in class. He had it all, a dick and the brains.
But that didn't stop him from harassing the hell out of me or making down-market sexual jokes...or making me do all his homework in exchange for a week free of his nuisances and a bit of pocket money. He knew my weaknesses and he knew how to exploit them.
So, when that same Nathan Synclair, who also happens to be my oh-so-charming new boss, suddenly asked me out to have dinner with him...it's not rocket science what my reaction might have been.
"Excuse me?" I asked in disbelief, almost dropping the expensive iPad from my hand.
"I'm pretty sure you heard me the first time," he answered nonchalantly.
"Okay. What's the catch?" I asked with my hands on my hips, making him raise an eyebrow at me.
"Why would there be a catch?" he asked, innocence personified. “Can’t I ask my old friend to dinner?”
“So I’m suddenly your friend now, boss?” I asked with raised eyebrows. “Since when? I don’t remember being anything other than your little slave even back in high school.”
"Okay fine! I feel guilty for making you work so hard on your first day."
I looked at him as if he had just sprouted another head, and then I burst out laughing.
"Y-you...haha...fe...hahaha...felt...haha...guilty...hahaha!" I had tears in my eyes and my stomach hurt so much from laughing that I had to clutch my sides. Nathan's scowl deepened.
"What? I can't feel guilty now?" His jaw was clenched.
"No...it's...it's just that," I was breathing heavily as I wiped the corner of my eyes, "you made me do your homework for an entire year in return for fifty bucks a month and a promise for not harassing me that you often broke. I don't think you felt an ounce of guilt back then. What changed?"
"I guess I finally grew up." There was something in his voice that made me halt and look at him. He had that faraway look in his eyes that people get when they are thinking of serious things. I didn’t want to interrupt but when he didn’t say anything for a minute, I walked over to his side.
"Nathan?" I asked placing a hand on his shoulders, it seemed to have snapped him out of his trance.
"So are you coming or not?" he asked again.
I looked at the clock to see that it was already 8.30pm. Just thinking about going home and cooking for myself made me cringe. "Okay. But I have to warn you, I'm a very picky eater".
*
*
"You weren't kidding when you said you were a picky eater, were you?” Nathan was looking at me wide eyed.
"What? I just ordered my dinner," I said looking at the menu for deserts.
Nathan raised an eyebrow. "And that was?"
"Chicken parmesan without the extra breading and frying and with only the real parmesan cheese with roasted vegetables on the side, fried in olive oil, not butter and no Italian seasoning. That's it. Oh! And a glass of Pinot noir on the side!" I said, surprised that he even asked. Wait. " You don't think I eat too much do you?"
"Um...," Nathan said closing his mouth which was hanging wide open as I frowned. " I mean, No! Of course not.”
We had arrived at a fancy Italian restaurant not too long ago and where ushered into a corner table by a waitress who seemed to be gulping down Nathan with her eyes, but Nathan...surprisingly, looked uncomfortable. What happened to the wicked playboy of the best?
Then we were offered menu cards, along with a personal card for Nathan, by the same ogling waitress, who tried miserably to make it seem like she was writing our orders, but in reality was eye raping Nathan with too much pleasure than to my liking. To think that the day would come when I would be protecting Nathan Synclair's virtue, as if he had any, was like looking out the window and watching pigs fly. But I did it anyway...out of the goodness of my heart. I gave Nathan my best seductive face and asked my ‘honey’ what he would like to order. Fortunately, Nathan decided to play along and I didn’t end up making an utter fool of myself.
The waitress was utterly disappointed and ultimately got the hint and quietly excused herself. And now here we were, discussing my picky eating habits while the waitress burned holes in my skull from afar. Like I care anyway.
"Well you don't get to complain anyways. You ordered a medium stake for God's sake! That would take hours to digest. How come you're not fat?" It kinda felt like old times, sitting here in a restaurant and talking with my old frenemy, except for the fact that the old frenemy of mine was now my boss...who seems to have gotten even hotter than before...if that was even possible.
"You know, there are these places in town where they have a lot of equipment's...people go there to stay fit. Ring a bell?" Nathan said deadpan.
My mouth was hanging open in a big 'O' after he finished, so I did the only thing I could...I threw a napkin at him, which hit him square in the face. Call me immature but I wouldn’t care anyway. And Nathan’s face after he removed the napkin was a treat for sour eyes. I was ready to burst into another fit of laughter at his expression but it died down as soon as I looked towards the entrance to the restaurant and saw two people being escorted in.
And striding inside the restaurant like he owned the place was none other than the blonde haired, teal eyed Samuel McKenna. My own blooded brother.