The waitress appeared with our orders and we enjoyed the meal. I was having good time with Chloe and Duke but I wished Enzo was here, too. His work was obviously much more important than me, what am I wishing for?
"That's non-vegetarian."
Duke nearly shouted making me come out of my thoughts as I saw Chloe was taking a slice of pizza kept in the center of the table.
"Yeah, I ordered non-vegetarian pizzas. Is it not good?"
I asked seeing Chloe conflicting in her mind as she placed back the slice.
"No, it's good but I was just warning her."
Duke said simply.
"Warning?"
I didn't know, what they were talking about.
"Yep I am a vegan and meat doesn't suit my body. I am allergic to non-vegetarian food."
She told me and I nodded, taking in the situation. But how come Duke know about it?
"How come you know about it? I mean we have always dined together, I wasn't aware of that, so how do you know it?"
I asked Duke and his face turned pale. Of course, he wouldn't blush. But why was he nervous, was he trying to hide something? Emotion. God! These made men could they ever face themselves?
"That day when you asked us what we would like to have and we decided to eat Chinese, that day Chloe told me in car on our way that how she's allergic to meat and loves Chinese food."
He told me and I was pretty much sure that wasn't the only conversation they two had, when they were alone. I just nodded and ate my pizza quietly not wanting to embarrass Chloe or Duke, further.
"I would be back in a minute."
Duke said as went toward the restroom.
"umm..so I suppose I was the dumb one that couldn't understand the things going on between you two."
I teased Chloe, once Duke was gone.
"Nothing is going on. It was just a simple conversation, Valerie."
She said.
"Okay okay. I get it."
I said, filling my mouth with pizza. And that was the last bite, I could take. I needed to go to restroom. I had to pee too bad.
"Excuse for a moment."
I told to Chloe and hurried towards ladies' restroom.
It was an open restaurant without particular roof, on the corner of the street. The male and female washrooms were adjacent to each other on the back of the restaurant. There were there garbage bags around the washroom. They should keep a check on sanitation too, it was stinking. My wish for eating in street, brought me here and now I was unable to take in the unhygienic conditions, there. I went inside, anyway. It wasn't that bad from inside. I relieved myself and when done, I decided I would never go to restaurants with bad sanitation.
As I came outside, I saw a talk man standing on the corner, in front of make washroom. I knew it was Duke despite the darkness only a few rays from lampposts were coming but there wasn't any source of light there. I could only see the figure. Why was he standing there like a ghost?
"Duke, what are you doing there?"
I asked but he didn't respond.
"Are you on phone? Are you talking to Enzo?"
I questioned because didn't respond to anyone when he was talking to Enzo. But there wasn't any reply. God! This man is being scary right now. He didn't utter a word but was coming toward me. I stayed quiet until I discovered what a foolish I was. Well, I knew that before but now I could tell that with a stamp of my idiocy. How could I mistake, Alantino with Duke? No chance in hell, he was gonna spare me. No one could save me now.
"Al.. Alantino?"
I knew he was Alantino, I couldn't understand why I was asking again. But then I was petrified to death. When would I overcome this weakness of mine of being frightened easily?
"Yes babe. I know you missed me, right?"
He said with his devilish grin. Oh god! What was I gonna do now. I could only wish there was Duke still in the washroom.
"No, I didn't miss you. You should let me live alone, now. I have nothing to do with you."
I spat on his face, but the confidence in my tone was deliberately low than I intended it to be.
"That's the only problem, love. I would have even considered you to let live alone but since you don't live alone and prefer to seek shelter from that pain in ass, Enzo then could I let my wife be alone with some other guy? Don't you think others will talk behind our back?"
He said and I could just cringe at his tone, his grin, his smell and his presence near me.
"That's nothing to do with you Alantino and I am well aware of whatever I'm doing, you don't have to tell me with whom to live with and whom not. And I really don't care what you or others think of me."
I simply told him, not intending anything.
"That's daring enough of you to say that babe."
He said touching my lips and I moved back. He chuckled his disgusting chuckle.
"You can't take me with you, you know that, right?"
I said as a warning. He knew Enzo wouldn't let him take the person who was handling one of the most important businesses of him.
"Well, I can. But I'm not here to take you with me. I just wanted to see you sweet heart. And as I'm done, I'll be taking my leave now."
He said with a smirk and something was really wrong here. He was Alantino, how could he be so calm, even after finding me alone without any protection. He could have easily kidnapped me. What was he saying?
"I don't get it. What's the trap?"
I asked him as his words were so confusing.
"There's no trap babe, J cane here to check on you and I'll be leaving now as I'm done."
He said in an obvious tone, that I wanted to believe him but couldn't. Why would he do that?
"You are up for something really bad Alantino. Why wouldn't you kidnap me, even after finding me alone?"
I asked as I couldn't get what he was thinking. But he was much more scary when he acted like this.
"Come on. I am getting late. It's no fun to play easy. I'll see you later."
He said and vanished in the darkness. What the hell just happened. Was he really, Alantino or I was having a bad dream? I stood there quietly for few minutes not able to capitulate the incident.
"Valerie....?"
A noise came from behind and turned to find Duke.
"What the heck, what's taking you so long?"
He asked and I was still not recovered from the sickening incident.
"I.. I am done. Let's go."
I said simply. I wanted to think on it nicely before I tell this to anyone. I know Alantino wasn't dumb. There was something big going on his head for sure, I needed to find that out before he could harm us in the best way possible.
Duke saw me with a questioning face but didn't comment as I walked towards the car.
"Does something happen? You are acting weird since you came from restroom."
Chloe said placing a handing on my shoulder. This was a gesture she usually did to make me feel better. And I liked it, it felt soothing.
"yeah, I'm good. I just ate too much, I guess."
I said, dramatically placing a hand on my stomach. I hate lying to her but I couldn't tell the truth either. I needed to think hard about everything the conversation Alantino and I had and in what possible manners could he plan on big attack.
"Oh! Stomach upset."
She laughed as if relieved but then went silent again as she said,
"You should really take care of food you consume, don't go on filling your small pouch with junk... "
She kept giving me lecture on what amount of what food to have and calories, proteins, vitamins and I don't have count on what other health measures she mentioned. She could be over sweet sometimes, like a mother but I was glad to have her. I simply kept my head over shoulder and relaxed and fell silent obviously guessing how her lecture on my health was boring me. I closed my eyes and let go the thoughts from my head for few moments as Duke drove us to Rexivo. I felt the rhythm of the song playing on the device and it was so relaxing. I wished, I too had a simple, normal life, where I would have fallen in love with a charming guy and he would pay me the equal amount of love and respect I deserved. Everything would have been perfect if I wasn't born in this world.