Chapter 32: Chapter 32

The cold prickled my skin and I tilted my head and gazed at the sky. A lone star twinkled and the sky turned a darker shade of blue, the clouds started to darken and blended into the night.

It was 6 and I would be lying if I said that I regretted what I did just a moment ago. I stared back at the small fancy restaurant. The food tasted bland anyway and the atmosphere in there was so bleak and sophisticated, I could’ve hurled myself.

Not to mention the level of idiocy that short and chubby manager has. Fucking idiots roaming the Earth and contaminating the human race with their low IQ.

At least we had a good time in the ring before hitting this place.

“How about some McDonald’s huh? You seem like you could do with some food in your system after all that bickering and yelling in there.” Adam offered his jacket and I shook my head even though my knees were quiver lightly at the cold.

Dammit, Mother Nature! Are you trying to freeze me to my death? It must be for yelling at that guy, though I can’t see what I did wrong except for getting Adam and I kicked out and ruining his ideal perfect date with me.

Yeah, maybe I was a bitch for that last one.

Okay, I got us kicked out. There, I admitted it. But he had it coming. He was an ass-hat; a grade-A jerk. I sighed, rubbing the side of my face, sucking up my ego and turned to Adam. “I’m sorry for getting us kicked out,” I muttered at him. Surprisingly, he laughed. As in full out, knee slapping, hunched body, laugh.

I glared at him, “What?” I snapped. Didn’t he know that it took a huge chunk of my ego to apologize? And now look at him, laughing like some retarded chimp.

“Sorry, it’s just that- His face- Oh Lord-” I cracked a smile when he brought up the manager’s flustered expression that was filled with rage and embarrassment.

“Yeah, that was funny,” I managed to choke out, I joining him. So there we were, two blacklisted teenagers laughing in front of the restaurant they were kicked out of. We must have looked like hobos.

“Come on,” he jerked his head, gesturing to the parking lot, still offering me his jacket which I politely declined.

It was cold as hell and I won’t let him freeze to death just because the dude decided to be a gentleman.

Adam wasn’t having any of it though. Apparently, he was dead set on getting me to wear his jacket. He slung his arm across my shoulder, settling his jacket on me and keeping his arm there. I smiled despite myself and murmured a small thank you.

We got in the car and he immediately turned the heater on making me sigh in content. The drive to McD’s wasn’t long since it was pretty much spreaded all over town and there was one sitting right on the corner of the road.

Adam turned off the engine and got out of the car, not even giving me time to reach for the handle. He opened my door for me and helped me out even though we both knew I didn’t need the help. Well, it wasn’t like I was wearing any heels anyways.

I accepted the offer though, just to make up for getting us kicked out of that restaurant and ruining his perfectly planned date.

Lucky for us, we didn’t overdress but even if we did overdress, I didn’t think I would have found it in me to walk back to the car because honestly? My stomach was being a raging bitch, almost as bitchy as Mother Nature was.

Yep, you guessed it folks. It’s almost that time of the month, I can feel it. And for all of you guys who are asking yourself silently on how I know, I just do. Girls are wonder women when it comes to that time of the month. Our instincts are almost as on point as a mother ’s.

I clasped Adam’s wrist, practically dragging his ass all the way to the counter because he was walking too slow.

I may or may not be in love with the guy, but when it came to food, all guys could get lost. Ice cream, chocolate and basically food beats everything. That included my date, my future boyfriend and future husband.

Watch it. I said nothing about Adam being all of them. Keep your imaginations on a leash.

When we finally arrived in front of the counter, the woman serving us raised her head and greeted us with a smile. She was a red head, shorter than me by a mere inch, silvery grey eyes, a straight nose and sharp cheekbones.

I can’t deny the fact that she was the epitome of gorgeous and when she so much as glanced at Adam in that way, I unconsciously clenched my hand tightly, momentarily forgetting that one of them was clutching Adam’s wrist. He visibly smirked at my obvious uncomfortable state.

I nearly smacked my own forehead in public, thinking my actions over. He was going to think that I’m a clingy bitch now. Ugh. Stupid overwhelming jealousy shit.

I remembered how I swore to myself that I would not let any of the guys that would be stuck with me experience the feeling of being tied down to me or feel that being with me was a chore. I wanted to be someone they lean on, their rock, the person that they can come to anytime regardless of what the topic was about.

They could ask me about the female’s menstruation cycle and I would probably still answer them without missing a beat. I’m an open girl and I am completely shameless.

I quickly loosened my hold and smiled at her kindly, relaxing my posture and forcing myself to snap out of it.

“Can I have a big mac, a large coke, a medium fries and spicy chicken bites please?” I kept my voice neutral, the smile remaining in place and she turned to me to return the smile.

What? I’m hungry. That skating session can do wonders to a girl’s appetite.

“Of course,” she looked up, smiling at Adam. “And for the gentleman..?”

I must have been drowning in jealousy because I could’ve sworn she batted her eyelashes one time too much. I felt my eye twitch and I immediately smacked it, earning a concerned glance from Adam and a frown from the red head.

I smiled, “I’m fine, sorry. I thought there was something in my eye,” I made up while chiding myself inside.

Great, now they won’t only consider you as a possessive, jealous bitch but you’ve also entered the nut job category.

Somehow, through all that, I managed to keep my smile intact.

I don’t know why I’m so affected by the minor details right now. It was as if figuring that I was attracted to Adam switched something on inside me and considering that I almost contemplated on tearing all that poor girl’s hair off her scalp, it was not something good.

Adam took over, whipping his wallet out and took out some cash to pay for the food. My hand itched to take them all and shove it into his pocket just to whip out my own cash.

As you can tell by now, I’m not normal. I’m being difficult. Cue internal groan here, now I feel bad for Adam.

I reached out to take the tray filled with food but it was gently slapped away. Adam leaned over to take it and carry it over to one of the empty tables. I huffed out an annoyed breath. He’s not allowing me to do anything, dammit.

‘And he’s making you fall harder for him with the sweet gestures.’ That too.

I groaned mentally, realizing what I just admitted for the second time that night. I took a seat across Adam and took the burger from the tray, unwrapping it and stabbed the drink’s plastic lid with a straw. I took a long sip, letting the soda prick the insides of my mouth and relishing the feel of it trickle down my throat.

I looked up, sinking my teeth into the burger and took a bite. Adam was staring at me with his eyebrows furrowed and a fry sticking out of his mouth while he chewed on it slowly, deep in thought.

“What?” I asked once I swallowed down the food and downed it with some more soda. He shook his head at me and an amused smirk appeared. It was the mischievous kind that makes you question yourself and regret ever starting the conversation in the first place.

“Someone got jealous,” he teased and I could feel a blush coming up, causing me to avert my eyes elsewhere. Anywhere but his dimple decorated face.

“I was not jealous.” I muttered in a weak attempt to defend myself. I was embarrassed because first, he wasn’t even my boyfriend. Hell, I’m not even sure he likes me in that way. I’m plain old Case while he’s him.

Go figure.

I’m the girl that’s always been living in the dark while he practically owns the spotlight. He’s the Golden Boy while I’m Dumbo. Not the cute one either.

“You know my mother received another envelope with a bunch of money again last night.” He announced aloud, cutting my train of thoughts short.

I can feel my heartbeat escalate and I quirked an eyebrow, trying to come off nonchalant about it.

“Oh?”

He nodded in apprehension, unaware of my attempts at trying to even out my breathing. I’m terrible at acting.

“Yeah, it’s been going great since the money started coming in but I can’t stop worrying on where it came from and more than that, who it came from.”

I started thinking frantically. He found out. Shit, he found out. He knows it’s me. He won’t let me fight anymore. Or worse, he won’t accept any of the money anymore.

Suddenly, just like that, a fry flew and hit me on the forehead snapping me out of the silent anxiety attack.

“Stop staring off like that, it creeps me out, you freak!” He teased with a playful tone and surprisingly, I didn’t even feel offended by the name calling. After all, I did introduce myself as a freak when we first met.

“Jerk,” I decided to play the ‘who gets the last insult’ game. “Bitch.”

“Man-whore.”

“Hoe.”

“Dickhead.”

“Ass-hat.”

“Fucktard.”

“Imbecile.”

I fake gasped at that one and he pursed his lips, trying to hold in a laugh.

“Child molester!” I cried out in fake horror and he couldn’t seem to take it anymore. He bursted out into a round of laughter, making me join him in a guffawing mess and tears started to escape at how hard I was laughing.

“Okay, you win.” He backed off and I smirked triumphantly. Beat that, you assholes. He muttered something as his eyes roamed my face, drinking in every detail of my features. My face was flushed from laughing so hard and my probably rosy cheeks ached at how wild my smile was.

“Cassandra Johnson, I think I might have fallen for you.”

And just like that my world froze and everything stilled. I choked on my drink, trying to soak in what he just stated. Did he just confess his feelings for me?

What?

I stared at him long and hard with wide eyes.

“Come again?”

He sucked in a breath before repeating his statement, making my heartbeat kick up a few notches.

I gaped at him, my mouth opening and closing like a dying koi.

When I finally conjured up a decent sentence and was about to voice it aloud, someone cut me to it and made my whole body go rigid.

No. Not now. Not today; anytime but today.

You can’t do this, I muttered mentally towards the Fates but I realized too late that the Fates were as cruel as the sense of the word goes. I turned around to face the familiar scowl that was etched on his annoying face.

“Ah, the annoying little Ms. Fighter,” his gruff voice greeted as I got out of my seat and turned, gritting my teeth and prepared myself for a fight as I faced a very familiar sexist guy.

This guy has no shame, I thought, staring at the eyes of my opponent from the previous fight in the competition.

Well fuck, I thought when Adam decided to answer him for me.

“Who the fuck are you?”