"It is"
"Why do we need security? "
"Didn't want to take any chances. Now, if you'll ever stop asking questions, we can get going " clearly Hadyan
Hadyan pulls Kiran into one of the Escalades, laughing. Once inside the Escalade, she study the tinted windows and the fully stocked bar. Suddenly, Hadyan's expression grows dark. He's staring at her necklace.
"What the hell, Lea? Where did you get that? "
"What, my necklace? " he nods
"Uh… my grandma gave it to me "
"Why would your grandma have it? "
"It's a family heirloom " he reaches for her necklace, but she smacks his hand away.
"What are you doing? Stop "
"Fanculo! "
Why is the swearing-in Italian?
"Hadyan… calm down. There's no need to yell out curse words in Italian "
"You understood that? " he goes deathly still, his face pale.
"What's your last name? "
Okay, he's officially scaring me.
"… Why, what's yours? "
"I'm asking questions. You're giving answers. Do you understand? " she nodded dumbly, scared at the sudden change in his tone.
"Hadyan, you're freaking me out "
"Sorry, Lea. It's just … " Hadyan's words trail off as she notices the gun tucked into his waistband.
"Wait. Why are you packing a gun? "
"Because it's part of the rules "
"Of the school? "
"No. My family " Hadyan rubs his face, anxiety seeping through his usually fool-proof demeanour.
"Lea, I need you to trust me. Can you do that? "
"Of course, I trust you " Hadyan visibly relaxes, his whole body loosening up.
"I won't let anything happen to you. Not again " Kiran take a beat, pondering her past interactions.
"Why? "
"What? "
"Why are you so invested in my safety ? "
"Because … I feel responsible for you " he's keeping something from her, but she pushes aside her doubts for now.
"Okay then. Let's go "
"There's my farm girl. First stop, food "
From inside the Escalade, she watches the guards clear out the store. " They're gonna make sure no one else is inside while we are "
"That sounds… Awesome. I get the whole place to myself? "
"Yes. Which means you can shop until you drop. Now, go stock up. Make me proud!"
***
She heads into the store, traversing down the aisles with glee.
Choice, choices. So may choices. I should pick… pizza, chips and soda. Comfort food, all the way. Who needs protein when you have pizza?
She piles frozen pizza after frozen pizza into her cart. " you could feed a third world country with that much food. She whips around. Nixon's standing behind her, laughing at the pile you've already collected.
"If my food options are limited to tofu, then I'm gonna need all this food "
"Well, you can share some with my security if they get hungry on the way back "
He waves at the plethora of guards lining the store.
"Hadyan… who are you? "
"I could ask you the same question " he leans down, cupping her face.
"You have beautiful eyes "
"Oh, um… I wish they were blue "
"Blue is boring "
"Are you calling yourself boring? "
"Compared to you, I am "
Hadyan's Guard says, " Hey, Hadyan. The guys are getting antsy "
Hadyan jerks back immediately, nodding at his guard. He shakes his head, as though he's shaking off some spell.
"Let's go. You've already got enough food to not starve between classes "
"It's your fault I even need this food "
"What do you mean? "
"My key card, you ass! "
"Stop being difficult. You have two key cards! "
"Huh. Are you high? Dito tried to steal my card the night you guys planned to drug me. I just thought you didn't want me back at the restaurant with you "
"Holy. I think I know what happened. Dito, the rat bastard. He did this " he leans toward her, apology written all over his face.
"Lea, I told you before. I would never do that to you. Don't you believe me? "
"I'd rather not talk about this right now "
"Lea, please "
"I'm sorry, Hadyan. Let's just go " shaking her head, she collects her items and head to the register
The grocer says, " that will be $100 and 80 cents " Lea starts to search through her wad of cash, but Hadyan stops her.
"I got this "
"Let's go half and half. Dutch, as they say "
"Fine. So long as you let me pay when we go on an actual date "
"Don't get ahead of yourself there "
When her groceries are all packed up, Hadyan helps her back into the Escalade.
"Just so you know, I'll make sure Dito pays for that night "
"Hadyan. Can we just ignore Dito? "
"No. Not after what he did "
"I just want to forget about the night, Hadyan "
"I'm sorry that happened to you, Lea. More than I can say "
He reaches over with a trembling hand and laces his fingers into hers. " Thank you, Hadyan. I appreciate it "
"Don't mention it, Lea " he smiles at her. She smiles back. He struggled to say something, opening and closing his mouth several times.
"Yes? "
"I need to tell you something important "
***
Hadyan has just told her that he needs to tell her something important. Lea waits for him to speak, thrown by his nervous expression.
"I..I, uh, really care about you. More than anyone I've ever cared about in my life "
Lea froze in shock, her mind feeling. She has at a complete loss for words. " Lea? Earth to Lea " she just stare at him, still dumbfounded.
"Are you going to say anything? "
"Um… Really "
"Yeah. What about you? "
"... same "
For the first time, Hadrian's cheeks flush crimson. Flustered, he quickly looks away.
Maybe I should change the subject.
"Let me at least pay you back for the groceries "
"What? No. I would never accept your money. Ever "
"Why not? "
"It's no good to me "
"Is that because … you think I'm beneath you? "
"Ha! One day, I'd like you to be "
"Be serious, Hadyan "
"Lea. Just drop it, okay? The two of them fall into an uneasy silence. It stretches on. She watches as the Escalade takes a winding exit off a highway ramp, her mind a million miles away.
This is unbearable. I need to break the silence. " So, uh. Where are we going, again? "
"The mall "
"Which mall? "
"The only mall that we can go to " just as he says that, the Escalade pulls up in front of a massive duplex.
They both head into the mall. When she passes the sliding doors, Hadyan grabs at her hands. She pulls her hand out of his grip and swats him away. Hadyan's face falls.
"My hands are sweaty "
"Right. Sure. Let's just go " as she walked past the food court, she notices Hadyan's security detail following her. Hadyan notices her staring at his guards.
"Taken a fancy to them? "
"Hadyan… we don't need security to shop "
"I need security to do everything, my naive little farm girl. And when you're with me, you do, too " he's smiling, but his tone is firm. Seconds later, she notices the row of shops Hadyan is leading her to.
Prada, Versace, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior. I can't afford these!
"Do they have a secondhand store here or something "
"A secondhand store? Secondhand? You're asking about a freaking used clothing store?
"Okay. You can stop repeating it now "
"Just out of curiosity, where would you want to go? "
"Um.. a department store. Something like Target. It was the only store my grandma ever liked "
"Sorry, Lea. But even if your grandma came back to life in Target, I wouldn't take you there "
Still chuckling to himself, Hadyan guides her toward the Prada store. She catches a glimpse of an exquisite, silk-embroidered white gown in the window.
"Um… this is too fancy "
"I'll take fancy over secondhand any day "
"I guess… "
"Don't fuss, Lea just sit back and enjoy the ride " she follows Hadyan into the Prada store, gazing at the offerings on display.
"Don't tell me. Do you prefer the grocery store? "
"This is amazing "
"You are amazing "
"Where should we start? "
"Let's get you some clothes " Hadyan leads her to the rack section, but her eyes are instinctively drawn to the silk dress on display. Hadyan notices what she has stared at and grins.
"You'd look like a supermodel wearing that dress. Do you want it? "