"Yeah, I remember you. The one that fell off the treadmill right?", I replied in a nonchalant tone.
Everyone's eyes were on me now and I signaled for them to be quiet then mouthed Calder's name before putting the phone on speaker.
"I was thinking we could hang out sometime", he says " you seem like a pretty chill guy".
I rolled my eyes. Calder had taken the bait and right on time too. No doubt he was only calling me because he believes I am Raymond St. Patrick son of the CEO of Compact Steel.
It was time to commence phase two: lure and ensnare
"Yeah, what did you have in mind?".
He laughs, "You're twenty right?".
Well actually I'm nineteen but...
"Yeah why?", my eyebrows furrowed together.
"A bunch of my business friends and I are hanging out tomorrow night, and you should come. There is nothing like building alliances with powerful people, you never know who's help you'll need when you take over your father's company".
Yeah right.
"Sounds like a promise of fun", I said instead "what are we talking here?".
He snickered, "Music, alcohol, ladies ... drugs".
I almost groaned. What am I getting myself into.
I pretended to be completely thrilled when I said; "Now that's what I'm talking about".
"Great then, I'll text you the details". Then the line went dead.
I glanced up at Conner, "Looks like we're back on".
He nodded obviously satisfied, "We can use this as our way in", he smirked, " but we will still need the software".
I nodded as I began to walk to the door, "I'm on it".
Alana rushed over to me before I could reach the door, "Where are you going?".
I looked from her to Conner. "I'm gonna go see Zadia. I believe we're in for a chat".
Then I opened the door but before I could leave I heard Alana ask, "what happens now?". And it was a good question.
What happens now?
Well, this is where phase two begins.
****************************
I knocked at Zadia's door. I was here less than five hours ago. What's hard to believe is that she used me last night.
No, not like that.
What I mean is that she manipulated me again only to get what she wanted again.
After a few seconds I knocked on her apartment door again.
"Coming", her voice sounded muffled from outside.
I heard the door unlock as she opened it she began to murmur, "Just leave it over there". Until the door opened further and she realized that it was me.
She paused. Apparently surprised that I was here. I noticed that she was in a robe and her hair was wet she probably just got out of the shower...
Focus Blake!
She cracked a smile. A genuinely happy one too from what I can tell, which only confused me further. We've been getting along well lately so why would she mess that up by taking the flash drive?
Nevertheless I intended to find that all out right now.
I walked pass her and came into the apartment, not awaiting her invitation.
"Zadia we need to talk".
"By all means come right in", she muttered sarcastically as she closed the door and turned to meet my face.
She lost her composure a bit when she met my serious expression. "What's this about? What happened?".
My eyes narrowed infinitesimally, "Don't play games with me Zadia I know you have it".
Her eyes widened and guilt washed across her face like a kid who got caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
I didn't conclude she was fully guilty until she glanced away from my stare and her eyes began to tear up.
She only says one thing next, "How did you know I have it?".
So she really did take it?
"Last night". I answer dryly.
Her eyes meets mine again and a single tear falls down her cheek. This wasn't even something to cry about. I don't know why she's being so extra emotional.
I still don't understand any of this though. Why did she even take the software in the first place it's not like it'll be of any use to her without the code and only Conner has the code. More importantly, how did she know I had it and what does she want with it?
My eyes hardened as I took in her disposition. "Why did you do it Za?".
She doesn't hesitate when she says, "To get your attention".
I ran a hand through my hair in utter frustration and confusion.
She wanted my attention. I still don't understand.
"There are other ways to get my attention you know?", I say a bit agitated.
She sighs before wrapping her hands around her body, "I know, I just didn't think you'd know it was missing".
I was stumped again. But this time I was angrier than anything else.
"I'm done with your games Zadia", I rolled my eyes, "Just give it back".
Her mouth opened and closed as if she couldn't believe that I'd just asked that but soon, her speechlessness turned into shock then quickly to rage.
"You want it back!", she shouted her nose flaring in anger, "fine Blake just take it and get out of my apartment".
She stomped off and returned mere seconds later, taking my hand and placing in my palm her engagement ring, the one I gave her. The same one I took back when we broke up. The same one that's supposed to be in a drawer back at my apartment.
What the hell was happening?
Before I could ask anything else I was being dragged out of the apartment by an outraged Zadia and soon enough the door was slammed ungracefully in my face.
I had never been more confused in my life.
I stood in the empty hallway with the ring clutched in my palm staring at the closed door for a good five minutes before I walked away.
It was only then I concluded that Zadia was definitely not the one who took the flash drive, and I owed her a huge apology.
As soon as she calms down and the possibility of her ripping my head off goes down by a few percentages.
*****************"
"... So yeah, Zadia doesn't have it". I said as I relayed the events of what had happened earlier to Conner back at our apartment.
I still hate saying 'our' apartment.
"Forget about Zadia for a while", Conner interrupted, "anyways I was thinking, you're going to the McKnight & Co. headquarters tomorrow for that excursion with Mrs. Shane".
My eyes narrowed suspiciously at him as he continued.
"If you can break into the company's mainframe while you're there then we won't need the software anymore since the software was initially so we could break into the company's mainframe in the first place".
I nodded, "I have to admit, that's a great plan. There's just one thing".
"What's that?".
"I'm not a freaking hacker!"
"You won't need to do any actual hacking the program will run by itself once you insert this flash drive in the McKnight servers".
He holds up a flash drive in front of my eyes and I snatch it from his hands staring at it.
"And what if I get caught?".
He snorted as if the idea of me getting caught was utterly ridiculous.
"It's nice you have such faith in my capabilities", I retorted as I got up from the couch and walked to my room.
************
Morning came a bit too quickly the next day. I was meeting up with the others on campus when it started. My phone began to blow up with messages. I parked my Camaro in the parking lot.
"What the hell?", I muttered as I pulled it from my pocket.
Messages were coming in nonstop, not only that but all my social media notifications seemed to be on a rampage.
I barely managed to turn off my notifications before I checked the first few messages.
My fingers tightened around the iPhone in my hands. The first thing that caught my attention was the pictures of Zadia and I leaving the bar last night. They were everywhere.
I guess the cats out if the bag on that one.
But that begs the question, how did those reporters know where Zadia and I were going to be that night especially when we agreed to keep our so called 'relationship' out of the media.
This whole hanging out with Zadia thing is only supposed to last a couple weeks and then and then I could ditch her as my mom agreed.
The difference though is that this time I am not going to fall for Zadia's manipulation and I definitely won't be falling for her again.
Wait a minute... Heather.
I began to think back to what we discussed at dinner the other night and it all began to make sense.
Of course she must be behind this!
I angrily found her name in my contact list and dialed her putting the phone to my ear. It was on the first ring when there was a knock at my car window causing me to jump.
Luckily it was just Mrs. Shane who was signaling to the bus that I hadn't seen arrive. It was already six thirty a.m. and we we're driving into the next city to visit McKnight & Co. Headquarters.
Just then my phone lit up with a text from Dexter.
Dexter: I heard you and Zadia are officially back together. If you screw this up I'll screw you over.
Shit! I must've stared at that text for a whole minute. This can't be happening again.
Not that its true but how the hell did he find out already. One thing's for sure. I'm doomed.
Without much thought I quickly texted Zadia. Not that I expected her to answer me but I assumed she'd have answers.
Blake to Zadia: Why does everyone think we're back together??
Putting my phone away I grabbed my keys and my backpack then exited the car following my business Professor over to the bus at the other end of the parking lot where everyone was already waiting.
And by everyone of course I meant the five students, two teachers and the driver.
My heart was beating a mile a minute and none of that was nervousness for this trip.
You might be wondering why I am not feeling nervous about going to Calder's Company Headquarters but that's only because we started texting last night and I know for a fact that he won't be there and I won't have to worry about running into him today.
If I was going to get through today I needed to put all this Zadia and Dexter stuff out of my mind until after this trip.
And that's exactly what I did. Relaxing into my seat I closed my eyes and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
I'm not sure how long I slept for but when I woke up I couldn't fall asleep again so I just stared outside the window. Everyone was spaced out in the bus. I was sitting relatively near to the front but that didn't stop me from feeling the eyes staring at me from behind.
It's been annoying me for the past hour.
When I finally got irritated enough I snapped my head around and my disgruntled classmates all looked away hurriedly as if they hadn't just been staring at me.
"What!", I practically whisper yelled.
"It's nothing", one of them muttered, quickly shoving something into their bag.
My eyes narrowed at the article and I got up from my seat and grabbed the bag from him to see what was inside.
My eyes narrowed at the magazine I was now holding. On the cover was Zadia in all her eloquence and beside her was me.
People were really taking this whole damn thing out of proportion.
And when did this dude even have time to buy this magazine. Must've been during one of the bathroom stops we made at those last two gas stations.
My face was shielded by my arms in the photo so you couldn't exactly tell it was me but the headlines apparently begged to differ.
'Blake Bennett And Zadia Winter engaged? Again'
Before I could obsess any further the bus came to a stop.
I could see glimpses of the huge building from inside the bus but there was no mistaking that this was the place.
I shoved the magazine and bag back at the guy who's name I don't know and bolted for the exit. I was so sick of these rumors I need to put them out of my head.
If I was eager for anything, it was to get phase two underway. But I definitely didn't account for what would happen next.