Melanie and Jacob stared at the puck fly away in shock. Jacob turned to look at her to see that she was examining her wrists.
'I did not use much strength, did I? She thought unable to comprehend what had happened. The puck had smacked right into the man's face who had just entered the floor. She ran to him to apologize for her grave mistake while Jacob came behind her.
"I am so sorry sir. It was a mistake." She apologized and looked at the small scratch that had appeared on his perfectly chiseled face. She took a look at him secretly. He was handsome, no denial in that. He had the rugged looks which could lure any woman to him. He had the sexiest eyes she had ever seen. It was hazel in color with specks of green. His dark brown hair was styled neatly which complemented his professional attire.
"Done with checking me out?" The man asked, his voice laced with irritation. His words broke Melanie's reverie. She had to crane her neck to look at him. He was too tall around six or so.
"How tall are you?" She blurted out without thinking.
"What?" Adrian raised an eyebrow at her question.
"I apologize on behalf of my friend. We are extremely sorry. I hope you are okay." Jacob stepped forward, trying to soothe the situation.
"People should not play if they don't know how to," Adrian commented rubbing his nose. It was throbbing like hell.
"Excuse me. Until we play, how can we learn to play?" Melanie argued back finding the man's words absurd.
"Miss, I am not stopping you from playing. At least don't go around throwing things at people."
"We apologize, sir. It was unintentional." Jacob spoke again only to be completely ignored.
"I was not throwing things. It was just an accident."
"People who walk around in this area must be warned beforehand. Why don't I see any board that states 'Accident prone area. Step in at your own risk.'? I am going to make a complaint to the management. How can they be so careless?" Adrian muttered not so softly.
"How dare you?" Melanie fumed. "It was your mistake. You should have looked around before walking in like you own this place. It was your mistake that the puck smacked you in the face." She gave him a sarcastic smile.
All this while, Steve was standing beside Adrian enjoying the hilarious fight going on before him. It was the first time he was seeing his friend all riled up due to a woman.
"Wait a minute. I know you." Adrian suddenly said making the three people gawk at him. It was no wonder he found the woman to be familiar and a nuisance,
"Aren't you that woman who ran in front of my car a few days ago?"
"What are you even talking about?" Melanie was utterly confused. She did not remember doing anything of that sort. She had completely forgotten the incident that took place on the road that night.
"Don't try yo act ignorant lady. Don't you remember that you asked me whiskey and I gave you money?" He intentionally left out the part where she had slapped him. Nobody knew what had happened except for the three people who were present at the scene, and he did not wish anybody else to know about it either.
"Are you delusional? You are fine, aren't you or is there something wrong with your brain?" Melanie looked at him in concern.
"You think I am crazy?" Adrian seethed. 'How dare this woman call him crazy?"
"Your words sure indicate that." Melanie then turned to glance at Steve whose attention was fixed on her now. " You. Get this man checked up. He might be having problems in his head."
"And you Mister. I hope you get well soon."
Before Melanie could leave, Adrian grasped her wrist though not too tight. "You must be sick of living."
"And you must be living sick. I hope you find a good doctor who can cure your illness."
Adrian took a step forward enraged by her words. However, he was stopped by Steve who had come in between them.
"Wow..wow..wow. Calm down both of you. Lady, aren't you the one who is wrong here?"
"I apologized already."
"And you." He pointed at his friend. "Can't you just accept the apology and end this matter? We are starting to have an audience." True to his words a small crowd was starting to accumulate hearing the commotion.
"Okay fine. You Mister. Keep this woman in control. Some day someone might shoot her for her nasty personality." Adrian glared at Melanie while he spoke to Jacob.
"I don't want anyone to keep me in control. I am perfectly fine as I am." Melanie shouted as Jacob dragged her away from the terrifying man. He took a sigh of relief when he noticed that they were nowhere near the man. He had been nervous the entire time Melanie was arguing with him. He looked like a devil reincarnated on the earth.
'How did she not find the man intimidating?' He pondered taking a glance at the woman who was still throwing profanities. He was also surprised by Melanie's behavior. it was the first time for him to see a calm and composed Melanie to lose her cool. He suddenly found her to be very attractive.
Melanie was still in the midst of cursing when she realized where she was and who was with her. She closed her eyes in embarrassment. It was the first time she had spoken in such a manner.
Unable to face her colleague, she turned away from him. Jacob realized that Melani was embarrassed. To ease the situation, he praised her. "You did good out there."
"Do you think so? Didn't I overstep a little? You must be thinking me to be a lunatic now." She faced him as she spoke, her eyes darting around in shame.
"Not at all. In fact, I found you to be very alluring. It's okay. It's not like you will be meeting him in the future." He consoled her.
"Let's leave. I have dinner reservations at seven." He said and the couple left the arcade.
On the other side, Steve could not stop chuckling. This was the most entertaining day of his life. For the first time, he witnessed Adrian's mindblowing arguing skills. Though he had seen it at work, this one was different. It looked more like a bickering between a couple than an argument.
"The nerve of that woman." Adrian gritted his teeth making Steve laugh out loud.
"Laugh as much as you want right now. Wait till I give you orders to work overtime. Then you will be crying buckets and I will be laughing." Adrain gave him a devilish smirk.
"That's not fair. How is my mistake that you got hit by a puck? It was not like I could foresee the scenario for me to stop it."
"At least you could have taken the hit for me. What kind of a friend are you?" You couldn't even take a blow for me." Adrian walked away as Steve's jaw dropped in shock.
"What do you mean? You wanted me to sacrifice myself in order to save you?" Steve questioned still dumbfounded.
"Isn't that what friends do?"
"Then, would you have taken the hit for me if you were in my place?"
"I just did."
Steve stood rooted to his spot after listening to him. 'Was the puck aiming at me? No that's not possible. It flew in Ade's direction. This man is playing with me.'
"You are lying." He declared.
"Whatever makes you sleep." Adrian deadpanned.
"You like to tease me, ain't you?"
"That I do."
"I hate you."
"How many times are you going to confess in a day? Come let's start the game."
Unable to retaliate, Steve could only go along with his wishes.