Chapter 99: Chapter 99

After the girls' picnic was over, they went back to the apartment building. None of them said anything about the meeting with Dakar, but Avril knew they were just waiting to get back to the apartment. Surprisingly, the girls said nothing still even when they returned to the apartment. They continued the rest of the day normally.

The next day, Avril had to rush to the coffee shop to begin her shift after being ten minutes late.

“I'm so sorry, ma'am. I woke up a little bit late after having nightmares so I'm here ten minutes late,” she apologized to her boss.

“Oh, it's fine. Just grab your notepad and take the orders while I return to the kitchen now,” the kind woman replied. Avril smiled sweetly at her and did as she was told.

She took orders for a few customers, and was going to a private booth to take the customers order. She reached the booth but looked down at her notepad and ticked off the previous customer's order before taking the present customer's own. As she looked back up, her eyes caught sight of the red highlights first, before looking at his stoic face. He wasn't smiling, but he looked like he was a million dollar model on a billion dollar fashion magazine.

“Prince Dakar,” she heard herself calling gently. He looked up from the menu at her. First at her face, then down her body to her legs before moving back up.

“It's Dakar, here,” he replied calmly and dropped the menu.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“What everyone else is doing.” He gestured to the people around.

“I'm sorry. What may I serve you, please?”

Dakar smirked sideways as he looked at her. She on the other hand was turning to jelly under the look of those eyes.

“I'll have a regular cappuccino, a cornetto with vanilla and water. Thank you.”

Avril nodded and wrote it down. She turned to go but paused. She looked at his hair, then his chest, then his green eyes that were tinted with little red. She exhaled, then walked away from the booth.

She returned six minutes later with his order then laid it down for him. He grumbled a thank you before taking a quick sip of his cappuccino.

She walked to the rest of the customers and did not look his way until he was done. Her shift was almost over when she saw him signalling for the waiter. He had used two hours to have breakfast?

She however, went there gracefully and took his payment. As she turned to leave, he held her hand causing her to turn back and look at him.

“Avril,” he called and held her hand firmly like he was afraid to let her go all of a sudden. She looked back at him and saw that same look of pain and regret he usually had whenever they had a serious fight back at the island.

“Do you want me to help you with something else?” she asked in a voice that was breaking down. She realized she was almost crying. Dakar gulped down and softly released her arm.

“I'm sorry,” he apologized for the umpteenth time then got on his feet. He turned and left without a word. Avril watched him leave through the glass doors before she forced her legs to drop off what she was carrying at the counter.

“Something wrong, my love?” the sweet lady asked. Avril looked at her with tear filled eyes.

“That man leaving is my...,” she didn't even know what to call him. The woman looked through the glass and saw Dakar crossing the street to his packed car. She looked back at Avril and smiled.

“What does your heart want right now, child?”

Avril didn't answer, but she knew what her heart wanted.

“If it doesn't hurt you or anyone in anyway, then do what your heart wants.” She smiled and squeezed Avril's hand then left to the coffee machine. Avril took a deep breath. She turned around and saw Dakar starting his orange Ferrari across the street. She first of all took three steps, then five hurried steps, then broke into a run out of the shop. The car had started and was driving away. She ran ahead.

“Dakar!” she screamed and kept running, tearing through the wind after the car that was zooming off. People began to stare but she didn't care.

“Dakar!” she screamed again and was very close to having an emotional breakdown. But the car screeched to an abrupt stop five blocks from her. It hurriedly packed by the roadside, and the door was yanked open from the inside. Dakar stepped out fast, and seeing it was truly Avril after him—he broke into a humanly run towards her.

“Avril,” he called and they crashed into each other in a tight embrace. She was already crying as she wound her arms around his shoulders and he carried her up from the ground like she was weightless.

“Dakaar,” she cried into his neck.

“Avril,” he called and buried his face in her hair, tightly holding her to his body.

“I'm sorry,” she cried out.

“I'm sorry too. I'm most sorry.”

He gently dropped her to the ground and she sniffed and tried to wipe her tears. But he clasped her face in his palms and wiped them with his thumbs instead.

“I love you so much, Avril. That's one thing that can never change no matter who I am. I can't stop loving you.”

“I love you, Dakar. I love you more than my heart can even take.”

Prince Dakar felt his heart thumping hard enough to rip out of his healed chest. He hugged her to himself, and she snuggled into him, both of them fully forgetting that they were in public.

Dakar broke the hug and smiled at her.

“Do you want me to get you something? Coffee, maybe?”

“Yes. But not from my shop.”

“There's another coffee shop nearby—”

“Cook for me, Dakar. I want you to cook for me.”

He smiled and held her hand.

“Come then.”

He walked her to the car and helped her sit in. He entered too and closed the door. That was when the eyes of the public finally decided to face their business. A few people who had recorded the emotional breakdown of the couple had already started finding ways to post or send it to friends on social media.

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