I didn't know why but I suddenly had the urge to ask, "Do you like me, Neil?"
I can hear my heartbeat through my head. Since I was too exhausted from all the dancing, I was catching my breath.
Neil's face was too close to me as he carries me by his arms.
Why did I ask that?
Maybe because Neil confuses me. Sometimes, I feel like he cares for me. But oftentimes, we'd argue. He always annoys me. And he'd shut me off. However appaling he may be, I'm having these weird feelings of familiarity with him. I feel protective of him. I feel-
"You said you won't take advantage of me, Danni. Then why are you asking me that?" he replied with a question. And his eyes were glued to me with this heated passionate warmth that pierces my entire body. I'm melting in his arms.
"Wha- I just asked. I'm not going to- I don't mean any-" I was stuttering because he's making me feel nervous. Is he teasing me again?
"How about you, do you like me, Danni?" he asked again.
Do- Do I like, Neil?
Maybe, I am a little stupid because from the embarassment of the question he just asked, I pushed him off me aggressively.
We both fell on the ground.
He fell on top of me. Pinning me to the floor. This position is even closer than a while ago. I feel his heart throbbing through his chest as it presses on top of me. All while his arms are pinned above my head. I felt him trying to move his knees on my side but as he does so, every sliding from our cloths was making me squirm a little. Sh*t. I couldn't hold in my weird reactions. What is wrong with me??? This is Neil! The menace you hate!
From this position, he suddenly traced my hair to be tucked to the back of my nape. I feel his fingers fiddling slowly on my hair ends. Then he whispered, "Danni, ever since we were young, I have always-"
"Hey! Who's there?!" a guard suddenly opened the door and Neil propped up. I did too.
"You two! Kids these days are really! Get out of here!" he yelled and we both immediately ran out.
As we were both catching our breaths after running away, I called for him "Wait Neil! I can't run anymore!"
He turned and walked closer to me as I loom down catching my breath.
I gulped and waited for when I can finally hear what he has to say "You were saying something before we got caught by the guard, right? What was that?"
He looked at me endearingly. He smiles as he reaches his hands to my eyes and suddenly flicked my forehead to say "You always bring trouble. I have always hated you."
I gloomed down. Is that really it?
"What? Are you disappointed? Why? Do you like me?" Neil asked eagerly.
"No. I have always hated you too! D*mbass!" I pushed his shoulders away. Tsk. What did I even expect anyway?
"I see. I knew you're just playing me again like a toy." he says as he walked faster than I did.
He brought me home then left quietly. After that, we never talked to each other again. Then after graduation, I never saw him again.
I just came to realize that...
He really did hate me.
Since he just left and disappeared like that.
Without even saying a word.
--------------------------------
"Move this here, Neil." Danni ordered.
I hired her as a part timer. But why is she ordering me around like she's my boss? Whatever. Her ideas all makes sense anyways. I'm an entrepeneur, so I am open to suggestions.
But d*rn it. Is she doing this on purpose? Why is she only ordering me around? Why won't she let my staff do the heavy tasks too? She just asked them to write down details from our menu.
My back is killing me!
"Hurry up, will you?! It's almost opening time!" she yells and I hear my staff giggling on the sides.
I walked up to her and wiped my sweat off then said, "Hey! Are you doing this on purpose? Ordering me around with the hard tasks? What about you? Why don't you lift a finger?"
"Okay, boss. I'll help you out. You could've just said so." then she removed her polo. It revealed her undershirt and began lifting chairs. She tied her hair up and you can see sweat building up on her nape as she works. The light as it gleams over her moist skin. Ah- this- it's-
As I stood watching her, I slapped my face hard and said, "No. No. Forget it. Wear your uniform already. This goes here and those go there right? I'll do it. Just go at the back. Go! Go!"
"What?!" she exclaimed.
I raised my tone for firmness, "Change into your uniform!"
She stepped back and gulped. I hope the point came across as she answered reluctantly, "Yes, boss."
Sigh. What am I getting myself into?
I have a lot of things in my life to fix.
Danni- she's not my priority right now.
After following her instructions from the restaurant layout, to the menu, I noticed our sales have gone higher after just two weeks. And the rotting merchandise have started moving up sales too. She's pretty clever.
"Danni, come with me for a drive." I called her as she was serving during her shift.
"Hm? Why?" she asked.
"Have a look at my other businesses." I asked her.
She turned to me with this mischievous look and said, "Hmm your sales have gone up didn't they?"
There she goes again. So confident and full of herself. But yes. I guess, credit is due.
"Yes. Thank you so much for helping. You did very well." I told her.
She looked weird as she suddenly began tapping her toes at her back and twisting her body while she twirls her hair on one finger. What is this behavior?
Then she said with her voice at a higher pitch than usual, "Do- don't mention it. I was being paid to work anyways. You did well too." she also began tapping both her index fingers together. Again, what is this behavior? Did she suddenly regress to elementary?
"Okay, let's just go." I told her as I scratch my nape from her behavior.
While driving, she opened up a conversation to ask me, "What degree did you finish?"
"Oh. I did not go to college." I answered.
From my peripheral views, I can see her facing me with her mouth dropping again. I reached to her chin to close it up and laughed. Then said, "Hey, you're salivating again. That's gross."
While holding on her chin, she asked "Why? What happened? But you we're valedictorian for both elementary and high school. You would've nailed college!"
I turned to smile at her sudden flattery and just answered "I worked immediately. My mom and dad separated. After a few months, my dad had me fly to where he was working. My brother stayed with mom."
"You- I didn't know those happened. Why didn't you tell me?" she said in a gloomy tone.
"Well, we aren't particulary close, Danni." I told her.
"We weren't?" she asked and as I stopped the car at an intersection stoplight, I looked at her. She was facing me with these honest eyes on her question.
She thinks we were close?
How did she really think of me before?
"Well. I thought you hate me?" I chuckled.
She turned to face forward and said, "Oh yeah. I do. I hated you and still kind of hate you now. It's because you're annoying."
"Yeah. I knew that." I smiled and just continued driving. I recall her words and my chest tightened a little.
["I will never like you."]
This is a business trip. I should focus.
"But. If I knew you were going through that trouble, I would probably not hate you anymore and help you out in your troubled times." she said and I quickly gave her a glance.
We met eyes. *thump*
Sh*t. I immediately averted her gaze.
Focus, Neil. You are driving.
I hear my heartbeat through my head.
"Then what did you do in a foreign country? How was your life there? Why did you decide to go back?" she just continued asking.
Somehow, I felt at ease in indulging her the details so I did. I narrated, "Being abroad with Dad, I worked immediately. In a foreign country, you can earn money as long as you aren't picky with your job. I've tried bus driving, janitor work, serving tables, gardening, and many more. I was able to save up just enough. When I'm old enough, I asked permission from Dad for me to go visit Mom at first. But upon seeing my brother... and with my savings, I realized that I may finally have a shot for a more successful life here. So I came back to try and be someone."
"But I'm not there yet. I don't actually know what I'm doing really. With no degree to support you, I just recently realized how people are quick to judge your capabilities." I ended with a chuckle.
"You did all those jobs? But you're Neil. The menace. The guy who's always somehow better than me. And you humbly took those jobs and did not even study college?" Danni says. I don't know how to react to that. Is she insulting me, pitying me or empathizing with me? I'm not really sure. But I'm not the sensitive type so I just remained quiet and brushed it off.
"I'm still trying to be better. Though, lately... it's really making me exhausted. I don't know. Burnout, maybe?" I said.
We finally arrived my laundry house so our conversation halted. She was taking some notes down and she kept hiding them from me. I got a little annoyed so I teased her by grabbing her handkerchief and placing it on a running machine. She needed to wait before she could get it back. Her face after was too funny.
Afterwards, I brought her to the international goods store. She kept on eyeing some treats that we sell. She's like a cat. Feisty but easy to appease with treats. I used it to lure her around the store and funnily, she was indeed following especially when I told her I'd give her some.
Then I showed her around the cite where the carwash with a cafe on the side is being renovated. She kept on walking past an ongoing carwash. And everytime she does, my men would need to stop spraying soap and water so that they won't wet her. It's disrupting the operations so I grabbed the hose and just sprayed a little water on her. She yelled and ran to grab my hair. It hurt a little.
As we drive back, she seemed exhausted. So I asked her, "Were you tired? Do you want me to drive you straight home instead? I'll just bring your things later."
"No. I'm fine. Let's go back to the coffee shop." she said. So I did.
Upon arriving the shop, some girls suddenly stepped to welcome us. I think they're from our high school?
"If it isn't Neil and Danni. So we we're right, all along." one girl says.
Then the other followed, "Look at them now." and laughed with her friends.
I'm sensing a weird vibe. What is happening?
"Hey Danni, why are you so snobby? Won't you greet us?" one girl somehow had this mocking tone.
She brushed them off and answered, "Why would I greet a lowlife like you, huh?"
Wait. This is bad for business. So I tried to intervene, "Hi. Have you ordered yet? Since you're friends from our high school, have any drink each on the house." I said in my most welcoming face.
"My my. Thank you, Neil. You're really such a great guy. Don't you agree, Danni?" the other girl chuckles and her friends followed.
"Why don't you b*tches leave instead?!" Danni raises her tone and I stopped her by pressing her shoulder firmly. Why is she being like this? This is bad for business. Don't cause a commotion.
"It's fine, Neil. Surely Danni won't want to repeat what happened during Prom Night would she?" she says.
What happened that night?
(to be continued)