"Hey! Stop there!", the boy turned around to the source of the voice. A girl was trying to cross the road, apparently having a death wish as she was trying to cross the vibrant road, vehicles driving at speed. By the time he turned around, the girl had made it to the middle of the road, taking steps to reach the other side where the boy was standing, then stopping by another vehicle cutting past her.
She stopped and looked at the right side, the cars were at a distance so she took another step. When she was almost there, she saw a car speeding in her direction since she still hadn't reached the sidewalks. Acting out of instincts, her arms raised in the air, folding before her in a cross pattern. The driver slammed hard on the brakes, the tyres stopping with a screeching noise. After a few seconds of not feeling anything, she opened her eyes and saw the car just a few inches away from her.
"I made it", she smiled like a fool who just crossed the bridge of the knives.
"Sorry", she mouthed to the driver and quickly jumped towards the walkway.
"You dropped this in the restaurant", she reached out her hand to show the envelope to the boy who was staring at the girl who just made it out of the hell, alive.
"You risked your life because of a piece of paper which was dropped by a stranger?", the boy took the envelope from her, eyebrows forming into unmitigated disbelief.
"I didn't risk my life. The road just happened to be busy", shrugging her shoulder, she responded.
"That was funny. Be careful with crossing roads next time. And thank you so much for this", he smiled, indicating at the envelope.
"If it weren't of that line, I wouldn't have risked coming here leaving that thickhead behind", she pointed at the line on the backside of the envelope. Grim might have come out of the restroom, might searching for her as well. She needed to hurry back.
"Yes, this is for a talented author", the boy admitted fixing his glasses.
"He or she must be lucky to have a reader like you."
When Ellen heard the word 'author', she realized how she also wished to have readers who would appreciate her work, comment their theories about her story, wait impatiently for the updates but considering her non-serious attitude towards the book, it never got to happen. Having said that, her attitude couldn't be referred to as non-serious. She had a stomach to feed and for that, she was needed to work. Despite being a part-time writer, she had another side of her life to consider as well. If she really wanted to be a writer, a successful author, she was required to learn how to balance those two sides of her life without falling into one relatively more than the other one.
"It's she", the boy confirmed glancing at his wristwatch, making it look like he was getting late to be somewhere or for something.
"I should get going now", an angry face of grim appeared into her mind. She wished the boy to be still in the restroom.
"Should I drive you to the restaurant? I don't trust you not getting into an accident", the boy asked.
"No, it's okay. You stand here and watch. I'm gonna make it again", she chuckled and before the boy could disagree with her she stepped forward. Unlike the last time, she was on the other side in no time. She waved at the boy who was also smiling at her. Giving her thumbs up, he also waved his hand before sitting in the car. Ellen waved for the last time and sped up inside. When she reached their table, she saw annoyed-to-skies grim boringly looking at the half-filled glass of water on the table.
"When did you come out?", she asked walking towards his chair.
"Where were you?", getting up from the chair, grim posed a counter-question
"I--I went to use girls' restroom", why did she lie? She also didn't know the reason. Maybe because she thought grim would be mad at her for leaving the building without letting him know.
"Don't lie. I checked there", grim titled his head, expecting her to drop the act and spill out the truth. Ellen felt herself melting under his knifelike gaze.
"You checked girls' restroom!", she blurted out. Definitely, he didn't enter the girls' restroom. He could've if a girl didn't check for him and confirm that there was no one inside. He simply lied to her to have her speaking the truth. Poor easy-going little fawn falling for his lie. Better say lies.
"I went out for handing the envelope to a---", grim began to have a hard time seeing his little fawn's lips formed into a cute pout, so he decided to shut them off with his mouth.
How he wanted to shut them off with his lips, capture them, lick them, kiss them until the little fawn would be breathless.
However, he shut them up with his words.
"Don't leave again without informing", Ellen nodded like an obedient little fawn.
'What am I doing! I just nodded to him! Why would I inform him! He's not my dad! What this manipulative freak is doing with me?!', just as she was about to speak the waiter came with the bill.
"Thirty thousand dollars!", everybody who was sitting there turned their heads to look at the commotion which was more to be caused by the girl.
"How am I gonna pay for this f*king dollars deal? Huh?", the waiter was staring at the girl with wide opened mouth, well-dressed patrons whose dresses were matching the expensive sleek restaurant had also put their folks and wine glasses down, giving full attention to the girl.
"This is happening because of you scumbag! I asked you to leave! But your stubborn, proud of nothing as---", grim couldn't stand the girl, running her mouth disregarding where she was standing and people looking at them, anymore. Placing his hands on either of her shoulders, he pushed the girl back to the wall as their table was positioned near the wall and stood before her, blocking people's sight to look at her anymore.
"I dare you to say one more word, little fawn. Say it and you will be responsible for everything happening afterwards", he leaned his face closer to the girl who was trapped between his arms.