In Love With My Rival

CHAPTER TWENTY: eyes of someone

            Nothing was great, but to imagine a picture of a man and woman, laughing together and enjoying the food in their favorite fast-food restaurant. The world around them did not really matter as long as they were enjoying each other’s company. They did not care as long as they were happy.  

“I... I… can’t believe you did that. What punishment did you get?” Ava tried to ask between her laugh as she clutched her stomach. It was hurting from laughing so hard. She just listened to Zephyr telling her the worst and daring thing he did in his life. She was laughing so hard to the point that Zephyr could hear almost no sound from her anymore. Her eyes were twinkling and squinted terribly as she bent down and forwards, holding her stomach.

“Hey. You need to calm down.” Zephyr had been laughing along with her, not because he found his own story funny, but because Ava’s laugh was so infectious. He just could not help, but laugh too. “Hey, hey, hey. Breathe, come on.” Zephyr said, moving his chair closer to her so he could hold her by the shoulders and straightened her up on her seat. He got worried when her face started to turn red from laughing so hard. He hurriedly withdrew his hands away when she started to calm down, but he stayed on the same spot where he was closer, or actually now sitting beside her. When Ava finally stopped laughing, she kept taking some deep breaths with that happy smile still on her face.

Ava wished it was always like this… just happy and carefree. She never had that laugh for ages. The last time she laughed so hard was when she was just a four-year-old kid when her father slipped and fell on their pool at the mansion.

It feels so good to be happy… to be laughing so hard without a care in the world to the point that tears would form in the corner of the eyes. It’s the best feeling.

Ava thought, now smiling widely at her company who was patiently waiting for her to calm down. “Sorry.” She pursed her lips and cleared her throat. “That was really funny. I can imagine his face eating a salad with a poop dressing. You are so evil, Mister Hernandez.” She shook her head at Zephyr. “It was your teacher. How could you do that?” She shook her head again as she made a ‘tsk’ sound.

“Nobody knew it was me who did that so I did not get any punishment.” Zephyr shrugged proudly with a smug look on his face.

“That’s unfair. I think I’m going to prank my father with that. He loved mustard and let’s see how he would react when he would mix it with his salad.” Ava imagined.

“You’re not serious.” Zephyr shook his head at her.

“I don’t know. Let’s just see, I said.”

“Whose s**t are you going to put in the mustard bottle? And how will you do it? From the looks of it, I don’t think you’re going to hold a stinky piece of shit.”

“Wait. You held it?” Ava’s eyes widened in shock as she gave him a facial expression that was grossed about the memory. “No way.”

“I did. I was a kid. Don’t blame me. So much for a six-year-old could do.”

“Eeww. That was so disgusting.” She faked gagged, making Zephyr roll his eyes at her.

“You’re so dramatic. At least the look on Mr. Barn’s was satisfying enough. Kids don’t really care about what they put their hands into. The ‘F’ he gave me on my quiz did not make me happy at all.”

“You’re so impossible. Are you happy now?”

“Realizing that I did that to a teacher? Not really. That was so disrespectful. I felt bad he let me pass his English class.”

“Awe.” Now, she had a dreamy look on her face.

“Stop it. Now, tell me… Will you really do it?”

“No. I was just kidding. I can’t do that to my father. Just no way.” She chuckled. “Just no.”

“You are such a good daughter,” Zephyr said, smiling at her. He sounded so serious that Ava fell silent, thinking deeply about what he just told her.

A good daughter?

“How could you say so? I mean, we just formally met today.” She could not help but ask. Her voice was oddly soft and almost shaking because his words were so good to be true. She wished, she was good when she thought she was doing better. She thought she was better when she was all her best.

“I read the latest Forbe’s magazine issue. There are articles there about you.”

Ava scoffed at that. “Don’t believe them. I’m so far from what they said.”

“Huh?”

“I’m a badass. They just thought I’m good because my company is pushing its way through the top and more success. They just said that because I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Why? Does having a boyfriend or girlfriend make you a bad person?”

Ava shrugged. She was not sure how to answer the question. She thought about it for a few seconds before shaking her head and saying, “No, it does not…unless you hurt your boyfriend or girlfriend, then that’ll make you bad.”

“Reasonable enough.” Zephyr, muttered.

It was suddenly quiet. Ava suddenly spaced out and Zephyr wondered if she knew she was zoning out. Her eyes are just staring at their empty plates and burger and fries wrappers. They were full. They enjoyed lunch very much. He glanced at the time on his old Rolex and it was thirty minutes before one o’clock.

She did not seem to have any idea that she was out of the world, so he just took the advantage of staring at her face and found something cute.

“Hey.” He softly called out. “You have ketchup on the corner of our lip.” He wasn’t lying. There really was pea-size ketchup on the corner of her lip. He just did not notice it because they were busy laughing until now.

“Oh.” Ava finally blinked and looked at him. She extended her hand across the table to get a tissue, but Zephyr beat her to it and wiped it himself. Surprised, Ava’s breath hitched as she slowly faced him. Their faces were literally inches apart. She felt too shocked that she froze. She wanted to stop him from doing that but his hand felt so light and good on her skin. His thumb wiped off the ketchup and what shocked her, even more, was when he just suddenly put it in his mouth and suck it clean while staring into her eyes.

Fuck.

Absentmindedly, she swallowed whatever lump was in her throat and look from his eyes to the thumb in his mouth. When he finally pulled it out, she let out a breath she did not know she was holding. She felt suddenly all over. Blood rose to her cheeks, realizing what just happened. There was an awkward silence and she hated that he had to do it.

You could have been quicker. ay n, we just formally met t

Damn it. This is so annoying.

            Seeing the McFloat, she leaned closer and angrily mix the soft ice cream and coke with the hard plastic straw before taking a sip of it. The cold made her relax a bit, but it did not freeze her mind from imagining his face when he sucked his thumb.

            This is insane.

            She wanted to let out those string of curses, but her mouth wouldn’t let her.

            Why isn’t he saying anything now?

            The silence between them was getting awkward. Ava hated it. From the corner of the eye, she could see him not looking at her but around them. Why was he calm? She wondered.

            This is so unfair?

            Did he even feel it?

            Feel what?

            The heat? The spark? There was just something in our eyes.

            You’re dreaming.

            This is not good.

            She was talking to herself in her mind. That simple gesture made her gone crazy. The time on her white leather-strapped wristwatch said it was ten minutes before one o’clock already. Employees time in the afternoon at one, but she was the boss so she could literally go back to her office anytime unless otherwise, she had many things to do. She actually had many things to do. She wouldn’t be going to Starbucks and to McDonald’s and have a crazy fun lunch with this guy beside her. She did not why she said she wanted coffee. It was her fault for not knowing where to really go.  

            I need to go back to the company.

            Go.

            “We should be going back to the office now.” She finally talked after a few moments of silence.

            “Sure. You stay behind me.” Zephyr said, standing up. He was about to help her up from her chair because he was afraid her stomach was so full, but she gave him a look to f**k off and walked away first.

            Zephyr’s brows furrowed in confusion at Ava’s sudden change of attitude. What did he do?

            This woman has unpredictable mood swings.

            Shaking his head, he caught up with her so he could open the door and she once again, gave him a look that said, ‘What the heck are you doing?’ but nevertheless, passed through the door and walked in a fast pace to her car. She got in the passenger’s seat as he hurried to the driver’s.

            Without saying anything, Zephyr started the car and drove back to the company.

            I should apologize for invading her space.

            Zephyr realized that when he felt Ava sat at the very edge, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked out the window. He realized and regretted it. He did not know what came to his mind and why he did that.

            I should study her personality first and get to know her more… but no attachment as promised.

            They arrived at the company after a fifteen-minute drive. Zephyr parked the car in the basement parking lot. He hurriedly got out of the car to walk closely beside her only to make Ava scurry away from him.

            Sighing, he took her by the hand and pulled her close enough to him. “I’m just doing my job.” He whispered.

            “You can let go of my hand now,” Ava whispered when they were about to get into the elevator.

            Zephyr obliged and let her get in first before he followed. The elevator ride up to the top floor was filled with silence again. On the shiny elevator walls, Zephyr could see a blank expression on Ava’s face. He felt bad that he was the reason her mood was changed. She was just laughing so hard and now she looked like her cat just died.

            The ‘ding’ of the elevator made her look away from her refection. He followed her out when she suddenly stopped in her tracks and he wondered why. He stopped beside her and looked ahead only to see a man who seemed to be so familiar, staring at them with eyes so cold.