Needless to say, I had a pretty awesome birthday, except for the fact that Pierce had acted strangely that morning. Either way, Hugh didn't disappoint me. He took me to a really nice place for dinner. We had an exotic Japanese cuisine last night. It was my first time to try their authentic food other than the ramen noodles that I kept buying from the grocery.
I had my fair share of fresh salmon and sushi. Eating raw food wasn't really that bad. The unique flavors just blended well and I enjoyed it immensely. After we had dinner, Hugh took me to a pub. Surprisingly, it wasn't as crazy like last time. The people who went there were pretty chill. They played some jukebox music and you could see that they lined up a few tables while there was a huge bar at the farthest side of the pub.
The people who wanted to hang out at this place actually sat down with friends and were having actual conversations with each other over a glass of beer. Once again, Hugh had surprised me. I had a good time with my best friend. I had to do an eye roll at the fact that he still went ahead to introduce me to some guys. We had a little fun flirting that night. The beer kind of gave me the courage to socialize a bit. Yet, I didn't end up giving them my number or letting them take me home. I was still aware that it was a smart move to not give them any of my information.
I woke up the next morning to the constant ringing of my phone. I sleepily reached for it on my nightstand and when I saw the caller ID, it was an unregistered number. I was certain I didn't give away my phone number last night.
I answered anyway. "Hello?" My voice was still a little groggy from waking up.
"Get ready. I'm picking you up in an hour," a deep raspy voice ordered from the other line. I checked the time on my phone. It was way too early for me to take a call at this hour. It was a freaking Sunday morning. I usually took this day to sleep off until the afternoon.
"Wait, who is this?" I asked.
"It's Pierce. Hurry, I'll be waiting." He hung up as I was about to demand answers from him. First of all, how did he even acquire my number? He never asked for it. And of all days, why would he choose to pick me up on a Sunday? Work wasn't until tomorrow. I groaned at the thought of working today. It might be something important. I had an hour to get ready so I rolled off my bed and got up.
I went outside my room and noticed that Hugh wasn't awake yet. That meant there was no breakfast. I was too lazy to prepare anything so I just started getting ready. I took a shower and put on a navy blue drop waist dress that I paired with some black leggings. The sleeves just reached a little below my elbows and it had a white collar. The dress was comfortable for a lazy Sunday stroll.
I tied my hair into a high pony tail. I put on some cheek tint, powder and lip balm onto my face just so I wouldn't look pale. My phone rang as I was just finishing up.
"Hello?" I answered.
Pierce's smooth voice was on the other line, "I'm here."
"Okay, I'll be down in a bit." I grabbed my coat and purse. I went to check on Hugh to see if he was awake. I peeked into his room and saw that he was still sleeping soundly. I decided to leave him a note saying that I would be out for the day. I then left the note on the fridge, putting a magnet to hold it up.
I slipped on my black doll shoes and left the apartment. When I came down, Pierce's car was parked just up front. He was leaning on the passenger side of the car. His arms were folded and the muscles on his arms were visibly flexed from his position. He was wearing a grey sweater over his white polo shirt. He pulled the sleeves halfway which made him look hotter. He was even wearing jeans and a pair of sneakers. He looked really good in casual clothing.
He immediately noticed my presence as I came down from the steps.
"It's about time you got out. Get in." He opened the car door for me. I had no idea what he was up to today. This was really unusual since he never asked me to hang out with him beyond the office walls.
"Where are we going?" I asked him incredulously.
He looked irritated. "Just get in the car, Olive."
He wasn't answering my question so it was my turn to feel peeved. "No. I'm not letting you drag me around if you don't tell where we are going." I folded my arms, showing him that I wouldn't let him push me around.
Pierce was about to detonate and I was kind of scared that he would verbally assault me. He sighed loudly as he pinched the bridge of his nose to get his temper at bay. "We're just going to buy some furniture for my apartment. I need your help, okay? Just get in the car so we can leave."
"See, it wasn't so hard to tell me." I smiled mockingly at him, getting inside the car. I looked up when I saw him ran a hand through his hair. He was clearly frustrated and I just chuckled to myself internally. The drive was quiet. Neither of us started to converse. The only sound that filled the air was the music coming from the radio. I knew he wasn't in a good mood so it was wise not to provoke him. Thus, I stayed quiet.
Eventually, we parked outside a well-known furniture depot. I was quite confused as to why he needed my help. He had a GPS to guide him around and he could go wherever he wanted without getting lost. He also had a nice car to carry all of his purchases. I also assumed that he had good taste in picking his own furniture for the apartment. What was I here for anyway?
After an hour of looking around, I finally had the answer to my question. He made me his human shopping cart. My arms were piled with a rug that was rolled into a log, fluffy pillows, bed sheet sets and other stuff that he needed. I didn't know how I had managed to carry all of them but my arms started to cramp up.
"Seriously? Can't we get a cart for all of your stuff? We don't even have to walk around here all day. You could get an interior designer that could do all the work." I huffed as I tried to stop all the things I held from falling.
He turned around and smirked. "Now where's the fun in that?"
My anger was starting to build up. Pierce continued to walk through the aisle, ignoring me. We were in the bedroom area. I felt rebellious so I decided to dump everything on the floor. I made my way to the nearest bed display and laid there for a few minutes. I didn't care if an employee would see me. I just wanted to rest for a short while. I closed my eyes as I started to drift off.
I didn't know how long I rested my eyes. When I realized that I wasn't on my own bed at home, I woke up. A set of hazel eyes greeted my sight, staring down at me. I got lost for a moment, still in a daze from my short nap. Those eyes made no move to get out of my face. Their owner leaned in with eyes closed as I felt soft lips brush onto the side of my mouth. Caught in a surprise, I kept my eyes open.
Then I felt it.
He was kissing me.
It was tender which oddly felt addicting... It took an entire three seconds when it finally registered that what he was doing to me was completely overstepping boundaries. I panicked and abruptly sat up. I accidentally bumped into Pierce's head making me cry out in pain.
"Ow, jeez!" I covered my face with my hand to try and ease the pain. "What the hell was that? Why are you creeping on my face?" I blabbered as I pretended that I hadn't felt it. I was embarrassed but mostly I was at a loss for words. It felt amazing.
I saw that he was also in pain, holding onto his nose from the impact. He then started to laugh heartily, finding amusement to the situation. It was in that moment I noticed that he was actually laughing. A real laugh, not forced.
As for me, I wasn't amused at all. When he noticed that I didn't react in any way, he stopped laughing and coughed, trying to hide his laughter. "I was about to wake you," he told me with a serious tone.
"Is invading my personal bubble necessary?" I snapped. I knew I was being cranky but I didn't care. Pierce dragging me out to do some shopping for him while he ordered me around on a Sunday was setting me off the edge. In addition, I hadn't eaten and I was starving.
However, the real issue here was that I just had my first kiss. He stole it!
I had dreamt of having my first kiss with the person I would marry, not in an accident of some sort and most especially not to my boss! I knew I was overreacting but it was a big deal for me. I liked the traditional way because that was how my parents were. Mom's first and only kiss was with my dad. I wanted that too.
"Are you hurt?" he asked without even answering my question. I just shook my head as he offered his hand so he could help me up from the bed. I shivered at his gentle touch when I took his hand. He then helped me pick up all the things that he had chosen for the apartment and proceeded to the counter. He paid for them along with the furniture he had ordered. They were scheduled to be delivered to his new apartment tomorrow morning since they wouldn't fit inside his car.
We loaded all our small purchases into his car. I didn't know what he had planned to do next but I was hoping that we could go and eat something.
"Hungry?" he asked as if reading my mind.
"Yes," I replied with flushed cheeks.
"Sorry it took a while. I had to get a lot of things for the apartment. I want to move in today instead of tomorrow." I nodded and got in his car. The drive was silent as usual but I could feel Pierce stealing glances at me.
"Are you in for some steak?" he asked after a couple of minutes. The word 'steak' made my stomach growl in approval. Pierce chuckled when he heard the sound. I blushed in embarrassment and looked away.
"You look cute when you blush," he then added.
I was probably a tomato now. This feeling was foreign to me. I had never been complimented in such a way that would make me conscious about myself. I was a bit of an anti-social back when I was in high school so people never really noticed me except for Hugh. I kept silent as I trained my eyes on the sight outside my window.
"Talk to me, Olive. You've been quite grouchy today."
"I just couldn't figure you out," I told him honesty, sighing in exasperation.
Pierce furrowed his eyebrows together. "Why would you think that?"
"This is weird, okay? Don't think for a second that I forgot what you just did in there," I huffed.
"Did what?" He smirked, ignoring my internal pain.
Ughhh... He made me want to tear my hair out in frustration. I didn't answer him. I sighed and turned my attention back to the road.
"It's not like you haven't done it." There was smugness in his tone.
I still didn't answer him. This was so embarrassing! He didn't need to know that I knew nothing about physical contact. I looked outside my window when I noticed that we had already parked in front of a restaurant. It was the perfect time to bail. I manually unlocked my door as I tried to get a hold of the handle but Pierce just locked it again.
"You've never been kissed?" he asked softly.
I turned to look him in the eye. "Why are you even asking me this?" I asked him, maneuvering myself off the topic. "Let me out, I'm starving."
"It's a yes-or-no question. Why are you being difficult?" he retorted.
"Yes. I mean no? Can we just...go?" I babbled, hurriedly getting out of the car. I could feel that Pierce wanted to prod about the kiss but decided against it when I ran out the car.
We entered the restaurant and I could already smell the grilled steaks permeating my nostrils. A waitress sat us at a booth and gave us a menu for us to decide on our orders.
"I will be back in a few minutes to take your order," she said as she chewed her gum obnoxiously. I scanned the menu and set my eye on the tenderloin steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. Pierce decided on having a porterhouse steak with the same side dish. The waitress came back to serve us water while she took our orders. When she left again, I felt uncomfortable. The spotlight was on me again.
I took a sip on my water and looked around the restaurant. It had a country home feel to it. The lights were dimmed in an incandescent lighting and the walls were decorated with random vintage artifacts. My eyes scanned the whole place, avoiding eye contact with Pierce. But alas, I couldn't avoid him as he broke the silence between us.
"How long have you known Hugh?" he asked. I was glad that he had dropped the subject about the kiss.
I smiled. "Around nine years ago. We were in high school together. I never thought he'd stick around when..." I paused as I almost mentioned my parents to Pierce. It was still a touchy subject and I wasn't really comfortable sharing it with him.
"Forget it." I smiled. "We've known each other for nine years," I restated.
"You can tell me anything. Well, if you want to that is." He smiled reassuringly. I debated whether it would be best to talk about it. Some people had told me that talking and sharing all the good memories made them cope easier. I had never talked about my parents with other people except for Gran, Hugh and Wilson.
The waitress came back with our food and asked if we needed anything else. When Pierce brushed her off, he looked back at me as he waited for me to speak up. He was being patient and understanding. I knew that his intention was good. He just wanted to listen. In some way, he was interested to hear my story.
"My parents," I started off, but I was having difficulty to continue, "they loved to take trips during the summer. Back then, I stayed with my Gran when they celebrated their wedding anniversary in Hawaii. It was also the first time that they wanted me out from our annual family summer holiday." I chuckled at how corny my dad had called it. "I guess they wanted to be alone for a change. It was also a huge trip so I understood that they couldn't afford to bring me with them. They were on their way home when a bus suddenly lost its breaks, swerving through the road and directly hitting my parents' cab head on. It was probably the worst timing of all time." I looked down at my food, but my hunger had dissipated.
"I'm sorry. I never should have asked." He placed his hand on top of mine.
"It's okay, I'm okay." I lifted my hand away and used it to wave him off. "Hugh was there and he took care of me. He had helped me in so many ways when I couldn't bring myself to conquer them on my own. Also your father, he had also helped a lot with all my struggles." I gave him a sad smile while I tried to cut off a piece from my steak. I forced myself to eat since I didn't want to pass out from hunger.
We were silent for a few minutes, enjoying the comfortable silence. I just gave Pierce a piece of myself and I felt naked in front of him. It was as if he would be able to see right through me which I wasn't ready to show him.
"Do you love him?" he asked cautiously.
Without internally analyzing his question, I answered him honestly. "Of course, I do. He's everything to me." I smiled.
His face fell and I could see that he was gripping his fork a bit too tightly. The reaction he gave confused me. His jaw clenched as if trying to calm himself.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"Fine." He gave me a tight-lipped smile then went on to continue eating his food.
Somehow, I felt like my answer to his question was a complete mistake. I didn't think he could tell that Hugh was gay. I couldn't take back what I said about Hugh though. I love him but not as a lover, rather he was family. Why would I even care about what Pierce thought? It was impossible for him to like me.
After our hearty meal, Pierce was back to being distant and a jerk. I expected that he would take me back home since his mood had tremendously changed for the worse. I didn't presume that he would still want me to help him. I had never been to his new apartment but I had seen pictures of the place online. The place was spacious which gave a great view of the city.
Pierce parked the car in the basement. We had to take two trips just to transfer all of the things he had bought. When he opened the door to his apartment, there were already boxes and some fixtures that needed to be assembled. I looked around and saw that the walls were white which was accentuated with some black paint on the cabinets, shelves and the island bar that was made with granite. The place was still practically empty but Pierce had already started buying the stuff he needed for the place.
We put all of the items to the side of the receiving area. I plopped down onto his new couch while Pierce disappeared somewhere. He emerged from the room a few minutes later, now wearing a shirt and grey sweatpants. I gulped suddenly feeling nervous that I was alone with him in his apartment.
I stood from my position as I was about to grab my purse so I could leave. But then, Pierce wasn't done with me yet. "Can I get some help over here?" He pointed with his thumb directing it to an empty room. I sighed but still followed behind him. As I entered which I assumed was his room, all I could see was a king size bed and his closet.
"I need you to prepare the sheets and pillows while I move the bed."
He didn't even say please. He was back to ordering me around. I huffed and quietly did what he had asked for me to do. Time ran faster while I was moving things around the penthouse and before I knew it the time showed that it was already seven in the evening. The sun had started to set and I needed to get back home. We had finished arranging his bedroom and receiving area. We spent hours on assembling some tables and shelves but we managed to get them done on time.
I really needed to get home. When I finished unboxing some of his things, I grabbed my purse so I could head off. I went back to Pierce's bedroom. He was installing some curtains and I could see his abdominal area—because his shirt lifted—from this point of view. I blushed at the sight and looked away. I tried to wash away all the thoughts I had just came up with. When I looked back, Pierce had already noticed my presence.
"I think I should head out," I said shyly.
"Stay." The way he had said it made my insides flutter. He still wanted my company? Or he was probably not done ordering me around. I guess the latter was closer to the truth.
"Sorry, I can't. I'll help some other time. Right now, I have to go."
He was now towering over me which gave me a bit of a fright since I didn't notice him approach me. His eyes were dark and I could feel some irritation radiating from him.
"Stay... for dinner." His face softened and from the way his eyes were expressing, I think he was pleading.
"That won't be necessary. Thanks for the offer." I smiled. I really didn't want to keep him. He had already treated me to lunch and I didn't want him offering me dinner as well.
He grabbed my hand and I felt the electricity ran all over my arm. "It's just dinner," he whispered huskily.
My insides were out of control. I felt the heat on my face which indicated that I was blushing. His words hypnotized me that I couldn't say no to his offer.
"Okay," I told him in defeat.
"Are you sure he won't mind?" Why would he even ask that? Oh, right. He still didn't know that Hugh was gay. I should probably tell him about Hugh's gender preference.
"He won't. He's actually—"
I was cut off by him. "Great! Let me get started in the kitchen." He walked out of the room and darted to the kitchen. I groaned when he didn't listen what I was about to say. Pierce had assumed that Hugh and I were together. Hugh's theory was right.
Was he jealous? It couldn't be, far from it.