Chapter 7: Chapter 7

"What about Hottie Mckisser?" Tess suggests, looking up from her Wishlist.

"What? No. And don't call him that." I say but she stubbornly writes down his name.

"Well I can't call him Nathan after that steamy kiss you guys had last week. The ice was literally evaporating." She jokes and I swat her with my towel.

"Tess, come on. I'm not going on any dates yet." I say as I put on a hoodie and shorts and join her in her bed.

"Why not?" She whines.

"Because.." I begin as I snatch the paper from her.

"I have a wishlist of my own and I won't go on dates until its done." I say and cancel Nathans name off.

"Oh, come on! We've gone ice skating and rock-climbing already. And you've gotten two dates already. You have options and the opportunity! You've got option-tunities!"

"It doesn't count as dates if I haven't said yes." I say and give her a clever look.

"Is this about Hottie Mckisser?" She asks, wiggling her brows dramatically.

"No! It has nothing to do with him!" I technically laugh out the words cause of the funny looks she is giving me.

"Are you sure? I can't get that kiss out of my head. If I hadn't interrupted, you guys would have started--"

"We wouldn't!"

"Yeah right. I mean he had his tongue down your throat. And you...you naughty girl...." She wags a finger at me.

"You liked it." Tess concludes teasingly.

"Just like in his apartment, it was nothing more than a moment of weak--"

"Wait..what?! His apartment?" Tess exclaims, her eyes wide.

"Wait..when did you have the chance to go....." She trails off now as she calculates invincible numbers.

Within seconds, realisation dawns on her face and she gives an exaggerated gasp.

"Nooo!!!" She says and I cover my face with my hands.

That day we talked about your past... You were coming from his apartment!" She says, with a naughty smug look on her face.

"It wasn't anything like that." I try to persuade her but she is already scooching closer.

"But you kissed." She says with a cocky raise of her brow and I clamp shut.

"You sly fox."  She says and I resort to covering my face with a pillow.

"Was he good? Did you like it?"

"Okay, fine! Yes, yes and yes. We kissed in his apartment. It was amazing and I liked it. Happy?" I say, giggling.

"Only if you are, Kissee McGee." She teases and I throw the pillow at her.

"I didn't want to tell you because Nathan and I aren't exactly proud of it. It was just in the moment you know. Just like yesterday. I just want to keep enjoying my me time. And that's why I don't want to go on dates....yet." I say and she nods.

"Yeah, I get. But do you...like him? Did you feel anything?" She asks, getting serious.

"Not exactly. I don't know. I mean... I only get this urge or need to kiss him, or get any contact from him. But I'm just gonna tag it as lust because you gotta admit... He is pretty hot." I say and we both laugh.

"Well, whenever you're ready, the date list awaits." Tess says and just then her phone rings.

She takes one look at it and groans out loud.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"Take a wild guess."

"Another blocked caller?" I say and she flashes the unknown caller ID at me.

"Well, maybe its not him." I say with a shrug and she shoots me a look.

"Oh, really?" She says as she picks the call and puts it on speaker.

"Tess, please. You gotta let me talk to her. Lunar isn't picking my calls anymore. I can't live without her! Please! She's lost without me, do you hear me? You're forcing her to stay away from me and that's killing her! Its killing me! You can't--"

And Tess ends the call.

I'm staring at the phone, the desperation of Lucas's voice hanging in the air.

"That's the fourth time today." I say and she nods.

"And the 26th time this week." She says.

"God, if I had known blocking him would make it worse, I wouldn't have done it. I just got tired of all the calls..."

"The threatening messages..."

"The emotional blackmail..."

We both look at each other now.

"Lucas feels he needs someone to control, and bully. So he can feel superior and meaningful." I say and she sighs.

"But all he needs now..is help." She says and suddenly I feel guilty.

I should have told the counselling unit, but they would have made me tell my story and put me on the spotlight.

"Hey, come on. Don't let him get to you. He is just aggravated because he is realising you've let him go and he can't get you back this time." She says, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah... Yeah you're right. Its just Lucas. He'd eventually get over it."

Hopefully.

****

Nathan's P.O.V

The banging on my door interrupts my first spoon of the Chinese takeout I ordered and I run towards it.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming!" I say and just as I open the door, Lucas barges inside.

"She is not picking my calls, Nate. She is not fucking talking to me, what did you do!" He yells marching up towards me.

I grab him by the shoulders.

"Lucas. Calm the fuck down."

"Yeah, you would like that, wouldn't you?"

"Dude, what are you talking about? I didn't do anything."

"Then why isn't Lunar talking to me! She broke up with me last week and I thought she fucking bluffing but she didn't reach out to me. Ever again!" He yells.

"And you think I'm the reason she isn't talking to you? Lucas, you hit her. You cheated on her. Over and over. She would eventually get tired." I say but he is busy pacing up and down.

"I know, I know! God!"

He stops pacing now and turns to me.

"Well, now you have your chance. Shouldn't you be running after her?"

"What do you mean?"

"We had a deal right? And she is single now. Willingly. So she's all yours."

I stare at him in disbelief.

"I can't believe you Lucas. She is a human being. A girl, not a commodity." I say to him and he frowns at me.

"But you like her."

"Yeah, I always have. But I'm not going to rush after her when she needs time to be herself. I want her to pick me out of her will, and not---"

"Not what I did." He concludes and I want to tell him that's not what I was going to say.

But it doesn't matter.

He is right.

"I know I'm a fuck up, okay? I was terrible to her but I just never thought she'd realise it." He says and heads for the door.

"Anyway, I knew you liked her and I just messed it up. I'm sorry. I'm going to get drunk." He says plainly and walks out, closing the door behind him.

I sigh as I drop to a sitting position on my sofa.

I always hated that deal..

And the more years that pass, the more I realise it was stupid.

But that was highschool, when Lucas blackmailed me into it....and I always tried to convince myself that I didn't have a choice.

And now its already too late.

Which is why I have to pretend like it doesn't exist.

Which is why I have to stop kissing her, or wanting to be around her....

If I can help it.

****

Lunar's P.O.V

"I mean beef tenderloin, steak...those are all unhealthy calories. That's why I picked this restaurant. They have all the healthy salads....."

Henry (from literature department) keeps talking but I've decided to just maintain eye contact and not listen anymore.

Unhealthy calories?

That's what I get for accepting to go on a date with a fancy, rich, literature obsessed gym freak.

"And that's just the half of it. Junkfood like pizza, burgers, barbecued meat, are all tasty poisons that just keep multiplying fat in the body...."

Oh, God.

This is what I get when I let Tess convince me to explore my 'option-tunities'

Tess, if I live through this, I'll strangle you.

"When I started gyming--"

"Okay, Henry. I get it. I do." I say as politely as I can with a bright smile.

"Sorry I asked why there wasn't any steak on the menu, beef is my weakness I guess. So, thank you for that insightful information." I say and he smiles proudly.

"You're welcome. Enjoy your salad, its a great source of protein." He says and I nod.

"I bet it is."

Forty minutes of me choking down the salad and I still feel like I might throw up.

Even though I've been taking each spoon with a sip of wine.

"Wow,...you might want to slow down on the wine." He says and I pour the last of it in my glass.

"I'm fine, thank you. Are we getting anything for dessert?"

Please.

I would order and pay for my dessert...but it would just be disrespectful to him.

And I just want to respect his choice of food.

He looks at me for a while through his brown eyes.

"They don't serve desserts here, Lunar. That's why we came here, for a nice, clean dinner." He says and continues eating.

"Of course." I say.

"But don't worry, by the time we get to the theatre for the opera, you'll forget all about--"

I blink.

"I'm sorry, did you say opera?"

"Yeah." He says and I cringe inwardly.

"I...I dont recall that being part of the plan." I say, maintaining my smile.

"I know. I wanted to surprise you. Its the first time Madamé Flèur is in the city and--"

Okay. That's it.

"I can't go." I say simply and Henry blinks at me.

"You..why not?" He asks and I sigh.

"Listen, Henry I'm going to come clean here cause you're a really great guy. I'm not a health fanatic. I eat salads occasionally but I'm not a freak for them, especially when they're served as both appetizer and main course. I really like meat. I love stuffed crust pizza, steak with barbecue sauce, hot wings, cheese burgers, falafels, raviolis..."

The more words I speak, the more his smile disappears.

"And I had to literally choke down the salad with the wine. I really don't mean any offense but  I feel like a herbivore. I've only been to opera once and its not my thing. I'm not a fan of listening to a lady sing vocals without any musical instrument. I don't know who Madamé Fleur is, and its just going to be painful for both of us when we get there and I end up dozing off."

Henry sits back now.

"Wow...I.. I'm sorry. I didn't know--"

"You shouldn't be sorry. Those are the kind of things you like, its just that I don't like them. But I love the restaurant and I liked spending time with you, I really hope you enjoy the opera and I'm sorry for everything." I say and I get my purse and get up.

He shrugs, looking at me.

"Its fine, really. Thanks for being honest with me."

"Goodbye, Henry." I say and peck him on the cheek before leaving.

It doesn't take me up to a minute to remember Henry drove me here.

I'd have to walk a distance before I can get a cab.

Ay-yai-yai

I really have to stop delaying and get my car.

Within five minutes, I've gotten far but not far enough, and the heels aren't helping.

"Oh, God. I'm going to need a new pair of feet." I groan out loud when car headlights flash from behind me and slows to a cruise at my side.

"Lunar?" Comes Nathan's voice and I turn to his familiar Nissan.

"Nathan." I say with way more relief than I intended.

He stops his car now and opens the passenger door.

"Get in." He says and he doesn't have to tell me twice.

The minute I'm in, the aroma of beef and tomato sauce greets me like a lost love.

Nathan is looking me over as I take off my heels.

"What?"

"Y..you just look really good." He says and I remember now that I'm wearing a tight, waist high, knee length skirt with a slit far up the front that my thighs are peeking through the opening as I sit down.

Plus a sleeveless, turtle neck shirt and heels.

"Yeah... I, I just left a not-so-disastrous date." I say as he starts the car then turns to me.

"A date." He says, his brows shooting up ever slightly.

"Its nothing to write home about believe me. I should have done my research before going out with Henry." I say and Nathan chuckles.

"Literature Henry?" He says and I nod.

"He's not bad."

"Yeah, if you like eating greens everyday with 30 bottles of water and going to the theatre to watch Madamé Fleur." I say and Nathan is full on laughing now.

His voice has always been deep, but his laughter booms out a deep, baritone.

The car echoing with his masculine tremor.

"You make him sound like a nerd." He says, his laughter dying down.

"But he is. Just a very classy one. And he was really nice. I just lost interest after having salad for both appetizer and main course." I say and Nathan turns to me briefly.

"I'm sorry about that." He says and I shrug.

"Its fine. I'm just starving. God, I would kill for real food now." I say and he parks.

"Why did we stop?" I ask as he reaches for the back seat.

He surfaces now with a takeaway plastic and the logo of the restaurant he cooks for in front.

"Well, I'm not going to drop you off hungry. You wanted real food didn't you?" He says as he hands me the pack and I open it and bring out the Styrofoam plate.

"Oh, God it smells so nice. What is it?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs and Parmesan cheese. I already had a batch on fire when we started closing up." He says as I take my first spoon.

"You made this? My taste buds are dancing." I say with my mouth partially full and Nathan chuckles.

"Thanks..I guess." He says, watching me.

I should feel shy that he parked just to let me eat as he watches me, but after that day at his apartment...shyness is the last thing on my mind.

I'm halfway done when I realise something.

"Oh, my goodness. Where you going to have this, for dinner?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Not necessarily. I already have food at my apartment. I was just going to refrigerate it till I needed it." He says and hands me a bottle of water.

After I'm done, Nathan starts the car again.

"Hey, thanks for the food. I don't know how you manage to have one when I need it." I say and he smiles.

"No biggie. And just for safety sake, you should probably not walk around at night dressed...."

He looks at me again.

"....like that."

His last words flatter me in a way I didn't expect and I try not to let the heat get to my cheeks.

"Yeah, its not every time I'd be lucky to run into you." I say as I turn to him and our eyes meet.

Nathan looks back at the road as we drive into campus.

"Well, we're here." He says when we finally get to my dorm.

Somehow, I always dread going back when I'm with him, and when I look at him, the same feelings mirror in his eyes.

"I..uh, I guess this is it." I say and he nods.

The silence in the car builds that need to want him again.

But I grab my heels and purse anyway, and just as I put my hand on the handle...

"Lunar..."

"Yes?" I turn to him now, only to find his face close...

Breathing heavy...

Eyes dark...

I let the feelings stirring inside me push my closer to him.

Craving his kisses.

"Why did you have to dress like this?" He groans, his lips brushing slightly against mine and I wait patiently.

But Nathan pulls back a little instead and looks at me now.

"We...we can't. Not anymore. You need--"

"Time. I know. Its just hard to not want this..." I say and he shuts his eyes tightly.

"Its hard for me too, Lunar. But its better." He says and opens them. They're still dark and when he leans in again, I wait for his lips on mine.

But he plants them on my cheek instead.

And then he moves away.

I sigh regretfully now, but I nod.

"Sure..." I say and open the door.

On second thought....

I turn to Nathan.

"Well, if you ever want to..."

...take me out on a date...

But his look is back to being normal...

Serious...

Uninterested...

"Never mind. Goodnight Nathan."