Money Trail

Chapter 15: Fish

Chapter 15: Fish

 “Nice to meet you, Alan.” Ilia smiled, holding out her hand for him to shake it.

“Alin.” he corrected. “With an 'I'.” To her surprise, instead of him shaking her hand, he kissed it.

“Oh, my bad.” Ilia smiled. “Al-in.”

He smiled at her over-pronunciation of his name. “So, are you ready to tell me what is bothering you?”

“Well, you are such a gentleman.” Ilia leaned back on the rail, facing away from the Falls. “I had a fight with a friend of mine.”

“A friend or a friend?” he asked knowingly.

“He's just a friend.” Ilia laughed. “He seems to think I have...daddy issues.” she grimaced at the words.

“Well, do you?” Alin asked kindly.

“Of course not!” Ilia protested immediately. “I'm a nice, normal person. Daddy issues are for crazy people. I'm not crazy.”

“Not necessarily.” Alin chuckled a bit. “Many people have mental issues stemming from their father or how they were raised.”

“I don't have daddy issues.” Ilia growled through her teeth. “I'm normal.” and celibate she couldn't help but add silently. Normal people didn't take vows of celibacy.

She shook her head, trying to shake off the traitorous thoughts. “It doesn't matter anyway. I'm not going to forgive him for saying it.”

“Why not?” Alin asked. “If there's no truth to what he says, why should it bother you?”

“I...uh..” Ilia opened and closed her mouth but no sound came out. He was making logical sense, damn him. “Who asked you anyway?” she finally blurted, transferring her anger to him. “What are you, a shrink?”

“No.” he seemed unaffected by her anger. “Just observant.”

“If you're not a doctor, then I don't have to believe your stupid diagnosis.” she turned away from him, looking back at the Falls.

“Of course not.” he said calmly. “However, blatantly ignoring the truth for no other reason than you don't want to hear it is even more stupid.”

Ilia turned to yell at him, just because Dallas didn't take the bait didn't mean she couldn't yell at other people for being stupid, but he was already walking away.

Ilia growled, wondering if it would be worth it to yell at him anyway and make a big scene.

Before she could make a decision, however, she saw Dallas walking towards her, holding two cups. Behind him, Josh and Warren already held theirs, they were talking to each other carefully not looking at Dallas and Ilia.

“I hope you like lemonade.” he said, holding out the styrofoam cup.

Ilia was about to snap that lemonade was a summer drink and he needed to go get something hot but she found she just didn't have the energy to yell at him anymore. So she just took it with, “It's fine.”

“Who was that guy you were talking to?” Dallas asked.

Ilia thought over the words for a minute but could find no trace of jealousy in them, just curiosity. “Just a guy.” she turned back to the Falls and leaned down against the rail again.

“Are you alright?” Dallas asked, a bit concerned. Where had all that fiery, self righteous anger gone to?

“Yeah, I guess.” she pouted, turning the cup in her hands without drinking from it.