As soon as Sara and Madison saw Arthur and his appearance, their mouths dropped a little in shock. He really did look good, much more so than the three boys in front of them.
And the boys felt inferior too, especially Cesar, who noticed Emily's smile when she looked at Arthur. Anger was steaming inside him, and he wanted to let go. He clearly didn't feel inferior, but that feeling was all too familiar because of jealousy.
"Don't even have money to come with a uber?" Cesar asked with a mocking tone. He clearly meant that Arthur was poor, but in a softer way.
"Things are tough these days. I had to eat couscous and beans just to save money to come!" Arthur approached the table and spoke without even looking at Cesar. His gaze was on the girls. "Hello girls, good night!"
"Good night..." Sara and Madison spoke at the same time, while Emily just kept smiling at Arthur. She was amused at how Arthur was responding to Cesar.
"Looks like there's no place to sit, huh... what a pity!" Arthur sighed when he saw that there were no seats left.
"You also don't have to sit down. If you want you can go for a walk, we'll eat!" Cesar spoke with a fire in his eyes as he told Arthur to leave.
"Oh, if you're going to eat, then I might be so kind as to go get your lunch. What about?" Arthur finally met Cesar's eyes as he spoke. Emily was confused and was waiting to see what would happen. The other girls were shocked, because everything was so weird.
"What a great employee! Looks like you were born to work for others... well, here, you can order our snacks." Cesar spoke as he took a card out of his wallet, clearly to show himself to Emily, who didn't even look at him a second time.
"Right, right! What will you want?"
"A complete snack with fries and milkshake."
"Just a milkshake..."
After everyone had said what they wanted, Arthur nodded and said:
"There are a lot of things, I think I need someone to go with me!" Arthur finally looked at Emily again. She understood and stood up with a smile, walking past Madison to his side.
"Let's go!" She spoke as she walked beside Arthur.
Cesar immediately stood up at the sight of that, but when Arthur walked past him, his hand came down on Cesar's shoulder and forced him to sit down again. It wasn't a slap, but a soft landing that if Arthur had put in more force, it would have broken Cesar's shoulder.
"It only needs one person." His voice was calm, unlike the servile tone he'd spoken in a few moments ago.
Cesar was startled by that, clearly shocked by Arthur's strength. 'How did he push me so easily? It was the position, that was it for sure! There's no way he could be stronger than me!!' He even looked at his arm that showed his trained muscles just to comfort himself.
After they pulled away for a bit, Emily couldn't help but laugh a little.
"What is it?" Arthur asked while smiling at her too.
"Are you really going to pretend?" She asked as she tried to stop laughing.
"Slander, Defamation! I just arrived, haven't you seen? I've never lied in my life!" Arthur put his hand on his chest and spoke unfairly.
That got some more laughs from Emily, which Cesar would have been enjoying if it weren't for the hatred in his heart for Arthur. After all, Emily was emotionless or expressionless when she talked about him, without even talking to him. But when she was with Arthur, she was all smiles.
"Hey, I have an idea!..." One of the guys Cesar brought with him saw his anger and recounted a plan in his mind. He spoke quietly and unobtrusively.
Sara and Madison were still at a loss for what was going on, not knowing how to react. And the idiots in front of them looked like they couldn't even make a conversation.
***
Back to Emily and Arthur.
They had just arrived in front of the counter when Arthur's name was called out by coincidence.
The employee who came from inside the establishment delivered the milkshakes and went back inside.
Arthur handed over the receipt and gave Emily's milkshake to her and took his own. After that, he walked away calmly, leaving Emily standing behind him.
He turned around and spoke to her: "Aren't you coming?"
"Aren't you going to order the snacks?" She asked with a slightly awkward expression.
"And why would I ask? They've got legs and arms, although I think they're missing a head... and I'm not employed by anyone either!" Arthur spoke as he walked over to her and pulled her out of line. He noticed that the guys behind her were starting to get brave enough to do some stupid heartthrob act.
Emily was still half in disbelief, not noticing, or not consciously caring, that Arthur was holding her hand: "But you said you'd ask. I think they will be upset. Not to mention that you have Cesar's card!"
"Are you afraid of upseting him?" Arthur asked as he looked into Emily's eyes, but soon looked away.
"Do you want the right answer or the wrong answer?" Emily soon noticed Arthur's behavior and teased him.
"Whichever one you want..." Arthur looked at her as he smiled.
That smile of his stirred Emily, sending shivers she didn't even know she could get from a smile.
"I'll do as you please then!" She came closer to him and said lightly, "Not at all!"
Noticing their proximity, Arthur did nothing but move closer. He also looked at her with an amused expression: "Would this lady be hitting on this kind and honest gentleman?"
"Silly!..." Emily patted his shoulder lightly. This made her involuntarily feel his muscles and remember the scene in her bedroom. Her face immediately turned red as thoughts raced through her mind. 'His muscles were so defined and he didn't even make an effort to show himself...'
Arthur's voice snapped her out of her daze: "Do you want to see him even more upset?"
Emily felt that nothing good was going to come, but still happily agreed.
***
After a few awkward minutes had passed at the table with the girls, with none of the boys trying to take the initiative, and Cesar clearly uninterested in anyone other than Emily.
'Damn Arthur! Just wait a moment and you'll see what it's like to be humiliated in public!!' Malicious thoughts raced through his mind to complement the plan his colleague had given him.
A voice that pleased him very much sounded, but she seemed distant and indifferent to him. Even though she was talking to him, it was more like she didn't want to.
"Your card." Emily placed the card on the table without directing an additional glance at Cesar. In fact, it looked like she hadn't even looked at him before that. "Can you guys walk me to the bathroom, girls?" She asked with a smile, already reaching for Sara.
"Of course!" Sara and Madison continued with their sync and got up to accompany her.
"B-but what about us?" One of Cesar's classmates was nudged by him, and realized he had to be the one to ask.
"It will only be a few moments, you can wait for the snack to come..." Emily spoke without turning around. 'Arthur is being a little cruel... but I like it...' Her cheeks flushed again, without her realizing that it was becoming a natural reaction to the thought of him.
"Alright, we'll wait a little bit. Don't delay or we may end up getting lost!" Cesar came up with the nicest smile he could muster right now. With the clothes he wore and the way he acted, he actually looked very handsome. But that clearly did nothing to the object of his affection, who had her back to him. 'At least I can see her ass…' His eyes ran wild with clear desire.
After the girls walked away apologetically, he looked at his classmates with obvious anger.
"Get out!" grunted Cesar. He felt his looks and temper were being smeared by the people around him. His plan today was to make every person have a couple so he could have Emily and have fun with her. Who knows, in the end he might capture her heart and body.
But all he saw in these two good-for-nothings he brought in was that not even a proper conversation could begin.
These kids clearly weren't going to leave their moving piggy bank that easy.
"Don't do it yet. And the plan I told you?? The execution an-"
"Disappear before I mess up!" Cesar's eyes seemed to emit a sharp gleam, but that only seemed because he was angry. But since he was in a public place, he kept his voice low, having to focus his angry intent with his eyes.
The two boys didn't dare stay with him anymore. And they even went home because they knew this daddy's boy could get stressed and messed up.
"Idiot piggy bank!"
"I'd like to see all that courage if he didn't have the money and fight us!"
The boys complained as they kicked rocks along the way.
One of the boys noticed what the other said and continued with a defeated smile: "Even if it was against ten of us, I think he'd still get out without too much trouble. Have you forgotten?"
"Ah...true..." The other boy admitted defeat.
***
Sitting on a bench away from the food court at the mall, Arthur was calmly sipping his milkshake. Emily's milkshake was beside him and he was just waiting for them.
'Did that idiot really think I was going to buy things for him? And he even gave me the card? Looks like he's got shit in his head!' Arthur sighed at the thought of Cesar's stupidity or whoever that guy was.
If he was alone or in the mood for a little verbal or physical aggression, this guy could be considered a bit beaten today. But his only intention here was to try to have fun and he didn't want to be angry with so many beauties around him.
As he was lost in his thoughts, a small, white figure immediately threw herself into his arms, talking loudly in a cute, childlike voice.
"My hero!!!"
___
Author's Note: This chapter took so long because I just wanted to blow my head off so I could get rid of this hellish creative block :)