7 #2
Aleixandre tried not to laugh, but before anyone else spoke, the food saved the day.
Two dishes I had never seen before were put in front of me.
One was a bowl with noodles and chunks of something that looked like meat.
The other one had several fairly thick yellowish slices, each with a dollop of cream in the center.
Hoping that we were done talking about the event, I took my chopsticks and picked up one of those slices.
I sensed Adrik staring but didn’t meet his eyes. It was time to eat, to enjoy, to fill my belly without having to listen to Aegan’s insufferable voice . . .
“When you aren’t up for something, make sure not to say ‘maybe,’” he said to me just as I was about to put the slice in my mouth, “because you’re keeping the possibility open.”
A malicious smirk appeared on his handsomely demonic face.
I saw that wild, defiant gleam once more in his half-lidded eyes.
He was mocking without saying a fucking word, but I wouldn’t hold back.
Already worked up, I had a spectacular response up my sleeve that would shut him up, but first I quickly ate the slice.
Needless to say, it all backfired on me because the words wouldn’t come out. When he noticed, he looked amused, and he seized the moment to speak.
“I’m sure the dress will look beautiful on you at the event.”
Upon hearing that, a cataclysm erupted in my mouth and throat.
Everything and everyone disappeared around me.
The taste of that slice I’d devoured hit me like a nuclear bomb.
I felt the spice, the burn, and then a hot steam rise to my nose, stinging viciously.
My whole face changed. With my mouth open, my eyes wild, and my face about to turn red, all I could think was What the hell is this?
Why is it so fucking spicy? I need water, like, right now!
“Oh, Jude, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” I heard Artie ask me.
“Water!” I shouted.
Spotting it on the table, I grabbed the glass like it was the last one on Earth and chugged. But my mouth was still on fire! So, I lunged for Artie’s glass, knocking the utensils to the floor, and downed the second glass, unaware that the others were watching me.
All I could hear were voices arguing rapidly around me.
“Did she order spicy food?” Aleixandre asked.
“I think so . . .” Artie replied with concern. “But why the hell did she eat it like that if she knew it was spicy?”
“I don’t think she knew!”
“I told her not to order it.” Aegan said.
“You weren’t exactly specific!” Artie sounded scared.
“So, you’re blaming me then?” Aegan asked.
“You could’ve told her!”
“Look, watch your mouth, Artemis,” Aegan warned.
“She could die!”
“So what? You’ going to sue me?” Aegan’s voice made it clear he found this funny.
“Just shut up. You aren’t helping at all.”
Aleixandre cut in before Aegan could comment again. “Bring some milk, please! It neutralizes the spice!”
In my frenzy, I went after all the water glasses on the table, creating a complete mess.
I knew what I was doing, but I was trying not to die from the spice-induced fire in my throat, so I didn’t give a damn.
My eyes were watering, my nose was itching, and my tongue felt like it was being tortured.
Desperate, I gurgled and spat out water to cleanse my taste buds.
Dishes fell and chairs were dragged back.
I heard Aegan telling me to stop, Artie trying to help me, and Aleixandre asking for the milk to be brought, like, now . . .
I snatched the milk from the waiter’s hand like a caveman snatching a piece of meat from another caveman.
I didn’t breathe as I downed it. Gradually, the burning sensation started to fade.
It wasn’t as fast as I expected, but the milk was certainly doing the trick.
The convulsions in my chest subsided, and the pounding started to slow at last.
The fire was going out.
I finally let out a loud gasp and fell back into my chair.
The world came back into focus as I scanned the room.
There was stunned silence. The brothers were standing around the table, looking at me, dumbfounded.
The waiter blinked in bewilderment. People at the other tables looked on, startled.
Artie stood next to me with her hands over her mouth and her eyebrows arched, looking scared.
Oh, fuck . . .
I’d just made a complete fool of myself.
Which wasn’t anything new.
“Excuse me,” said Adrik, breaking the silence and addressing some imaginary waiter. “Can I have a cup of chlorine with a few drops of acid?”
To tell you the truth, I could’ve used that combo myself.
Dinner was ruined, of course. My plan to screw Aegan over, ruined.
He paid for the smashed plates and glasses and then ordered takeout. Then Aleixandre left, and the four of us who’d arrived together drove back to the apartment without saying a word.
What had I learned from that dinner?
That I shouldn’t order food just because it has a cool name.
That Aegan needed to control everything.
That Aleixandre was basically a clone of his older brother.
And that Adrik was impossible to read.
As soon as Aegan parked in front of the building, Adrik opened the door, jumped out, and headed straight to his car and drove off. He didn’t even say goodbye.
Artie, though, was rather friendly.
“See ya, Aegan,” she said. When he didn’t answer, she went into our apartment.
I wasn’t planning on saying goodbye. I was about to hop out of the car and follow Artie when Aegan touched my elbow.
“Wait a minute?” he asked.
“Look, I didn’t know the food was that spicy, okay?” I rushed to clarify. I wouldn’t be blamed. And it was spicy; I wasn’t overreacting.
“It’s not that . . .” He stopped me, squinting.
I settled back into the seat, looking forward to hearing what crap he’d come up with.
We were alone with nobody else around, no Artie or his brothers.
I waited for him to stop pretending, so I could get a glimpse of the real Aegan, the one I knew was inside rather than the persona he put on.
I didn’t get what I wanted.
“I want to go out with you,” he finally said. “As you know, it’ll only be for ninety days. And there are a few rules you should follow. There aren’t too many, but they are all important so . . .”
“Don’t upset the alpha male that is obviously in you?” I butted in with a raised eyebrow.
“We can be balanced,” he corrected me. I let out an absurd laugh, without a hint of amusement.
Rules? As if he could just make people follow his guidelines? I couldn’t help but get worked up at his words, and that little spark in me grew into a fire, promising to burn him to the ground.
“What if I don’t give a shit about balance?” I challenged.
“Then we wouldn’t get along.”
“We already don’t get along,” I blurted out bluntly. “I don’t buy your little gentleman act. You’re faking it.”
I glimpsed a malicious yet mysterious smile. The smile could’ve said, Oops, you’ve got me! or Hmm, do you really think so? but I wasn’t sure. I waited for him to say something, but he didn’t, which proved I was right. It was all for show. Now the question was why.