FALLEN (NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON)

2.

"I'm finishing my PhD."

"What do you study?"  I ask, my interest ahs clearly peaked.  I must admit to be alittle impressed.

"Comparative Literature."

"Where?"

"King's College in London."

"When are you graduating?"

"End of the term in May."

"Why would you take on my book if you have your hands full with graduation?"

For the first time, he actually turns his head to consider the response he is going to answer me. My questions were all coldly asked and he responded the same, just as quickly. He looks at me a second and returns his attention to the road.

"Like I said to you yesterday-"

"We haven't talked about anything yesterday. You were too busy ignoring and insulting me." I let out in the heat of the moment and regret adding fuel to the fire instantly.  It just immediately confused me.

He gives me a hard look and I quickly look away being maybe a bit scared to feel his cold wrath again 

"We talked on the phone last night."

I frown and he gazes at me just in time to notice my not so subtle reaction of surprise.

"I don't remember anything about last night..."

He looks at me again furtively and I think I catch him smirk.  It lightens the air in the car.  I seem to relax as well.  It changes the mood drastically.

"I don't know if I'm glad about that or not." He says and I frown. What could he have said to me that he would want me to forget? "Anyway, I think your story is good and I really like your way of writing. I... It spoke to me. I don't want anyone working on it except me."

"Possessive much?"  I let out with an arrogance I didn't know I had.  I feel kind of sorry to act so immaturaly with him.  It's not me at all.  But I calm myself by thinking it's truly justified.

"I just don't want anyone to crush the fundamental essence of the story."

Ouch! I replied coldly to his compliment and he came back to me with the sweetest comment about something I wrote, something I created. Yet again, I crushed the glimpse of kindness he was showing me as he responded very coldly.

"So what is this brunch about?" I ask, agreeing to give him a chance.

"I want to convince you to work together on your story to share it with the world." He says and looks over my shoulder before making a wide turn right.

"The world?  That's a bit ambitious!"  I giggle lightly, faking half of it, to lighten the mood between us.  "Why don't we just start by getting to know each other?" I suggest as I would prefer seeing him as a potential friend than the arrogant jerk he is known as in my phone.

"I'm a hard shell to crack." He only responds and it lights up something in me. I take that as a challenge. I will crack his shell one day and I won't stop until he does if he wants to work with me.

"Let's just begin by telling me your birthday." I smile at him and he looks at me with a 'really!?' look.

"It's November 17th." He answers and looks at me puzzled as I don't ask anything, waiting for him to question me back. Which he doesn't.

"You can be polite and ask me mine, you know..." I see him roll his eyes and I'm slightly amused that we share the same habit even if it is considered bad.