What He Wanted (Book#1 of The Runaway Club)

Chapter 22 : Oh, look! How alike our sob stories are!

I love this picture. It soo defines this book, don't you think? I even made it my desktop wallpaper! 

So, without any further adieu, let us dive back in.

~Ria's POV~

I froze. The alcohol that I had consumed seconds ago seemed to flow out of my body like a vapour. Shit, I am dead. His rigid features turned rock hard and expressionless but his bright eyes swirled in thousands of emotions as if he was seeing all that happened to him all over again. The hurt, the betrayal and a broken heart. I have never seen Adam like that before. Scratch that, I had once, that morning in his suit when I asked about his real friends. But this time, the anger and the haterd that rolled off his body was overpowering. I gulped and the silence between us streached onto infinity. A muscle in his jaws twitched in anger or in annoyance. Will he slap me? Yell at me? Or walk out on me? I needed to save myself.

"I am sorry, Adam. I know it is a sensitive subject and I shouldn't have asked. If you feel that you needn't tell me, it is okay. I understand. I am sorry." I told him in a soothing voice and kept a hand on his shoulders. His strained muscles instantly relaxed on my contact. "I was not in my full mind." I said and Adam looked away to the dance floor, I assumed was so that he can stop himself before he said something that will hurt me. I withdrew my hand but Adam never looked back at me, didn't acknowledge me. I turned to the Vodka shot and drowned it in a swing. Another. Another. Adam laughed again and I cringed. A laugh of pity on himself.

"You don't know Ria." He began slowly, as if carefully picking his words.

I froze in a mid-swing and listened to his deep and sonorous voice that seemed to beat the rap song in the background even in a mild tone. I chose not to reply. "You don't know what it took me to stay in both my feet after what happened. I am thankful even though I turned into a what am now. Ruthless, cold businessman." He said slowly and I understood the effort he put into those words. He smirked coldly. He was no the Adam I knew. He was someone else now. A cold and distant haze that I couldn't understand.

"I know I shouldn't have asked that." I mumbled.

Adam's expression softened, and I could see a better part of the Adam I knew. His smirk turned into a playful one and I declared that this man was seriously bi-polar. Once he looked surprised, then angry, then cold, then painful and now playful? This guy should visit a psychiarist soon. 

"I am glad you are concerned about my psycological well-fare." He said, still smirking. I face palmed. Shit, I said that aloud. Adam chuckled and I felt like a boulder being lift off my shoulders.I hope he forgot about that question---

"Ria, I feel that I have to answer that question. Sooner or later, the time would come when I have to get that dead weight over my shoulders. I am over it but I admit, the scar hadn't healed yet." He warned, his face growing sober. "Adam, you don't have to---" I urged but Adam beat me to it.

 "I will answer that question of yours but as a fair play. You answer one of my question. Is that a deal?"

I thought over it. Adam is shrewd businessman and making a deal with him has its dangers. But that aside, it is as tempting as a red-velvet cake with chocolate frosting to take his offer. I wan't to know his little secret and I admit I have had sleepless nights thinking about that. What do I do? What do I do? 'Follow what your heart tells you.' Ace's voice rang in my head.

"Deal." Without thinking twice, I jumped up. I nearly felt to take back my words and puke in some deserted corner when I saw Adam's smirk widened as if his basketball fell in the hoop afterall. "Alright. This is my question." Adam said and repositioned himself on the high stool.