"You heard me". Damian replied.
"What are you talking about?". I asked, dabbing my face with my palm.
"That guy...what's his name again?".
"Trevor?".
"He seems quite unstable".Damian stated, staring out into the ocean.
"Why does everyone keep saying that about him, like he's capable of inflicting bodily harm?". I asked in bemusement.
"You may not realize it, Diana. But the look in his eyes betrays the words from his mouth. He might be a sociopath".
"It's hard to find truth in that". I replied as I saw him stifle a laugh.
"It's no surprise you'd think that. But if my hunch is valid, it means this is only the beginning. He's probably gonna make it into a matter even the police would be too confounded to get involved with". He revealed as he picked up a seashell.
I looked at him. Most times he seemed impressive. Almost too intellectual. Other times, I resented him.
I knew Trevor was smart, without a doubt. One thing I didn't know was the extent of his pettiness. And it wasn't something I was looking forward to.
I examined the look on Damian's face. He seemed disgruntled and ruffled. It bothered me.
"Why are you so concerned about me all of a sudden?". I questioned with arms crossed. He turned to look at me. His gaze lingered. It was a steady eye contact. But why couldn't I break off from it? Why did I feel drawn to it? Or was I drawn to him?
"I'm human Diana". He murmured. The sentence meant something deeper. I could feel it. He cleared his throat. "It's right to do what's right. You wouldn't know anything about that. And, in case you forgot, I'm also involved in this".
And just like that, he switched. He was right. I easily got ahead of myself. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
"If I hadn't fallen in love with Real Estate, I would have made an excellent lawyer or an attorney". He added.
'Just shut it! '. I thought to myself. I wasn't even sure why I was mad.
"Celebrity or not, You're entitled to your privacy and solitude. You're an adult too, which means you're in charge of your life".
"We live in a world where...people like him don't care about such things. I just wanna...
"...Run?". He asked.
I didn't say a word.
"You're right. We should run. Hold on". He said as he got up and ran to where his truck was parked. He came back with a cap in his hand. He handed it to me.
"Wear this, and ill tale you out on a tour of Wrightwood. Not as Chef Diana, but as Diana Rodriguez. No one will recognize you in this". He told me. I reached out to take it, and he held my arm and pulled me up, sending me falling into his arms.
It started as an initial shock. But as I remained in that position, it felt warm. Almost right. "I must be losing my senses". I murmured. He cleared his throat and I instantly jerked back.
I stared at the cap. It was plain black. Weirdly wide enough to take in my full hair. I looked up at him. "Sometimes Diana, it's better not to ask why..."
He started as he stepped closer. My heart thudded.
....and just go with the flow". His face was close now. I instinctively closed my eyes.
"Gosh! What were you thinking Diana?". He laughed.
"What?". I asked in embarrassment. My cheeks were red.
"Why did you close your eyes? You have such dirty thoughts. Come on Treasure, let's go".
"But I.....
I stopped as I watched him carry Treasure up and into his arms. Something seemed a bit too natural about it. It made me uneasy.
I ran a little to catch up to them and entered his car.
I couldn't believe I lost sight of what a stunning town Wrightwood was. The rays of the sun glistened on the concrete floors of the road as we drove. The inhabitants lived like one big family, though the town was larger than a village. Little kids rode bicycles around as the sounds of their innocent bliss filled the air.
"It's hard to believe you grew up here. You look at everything in awe as if you're a tourist". Damian stated humming to the tunes from the car radio.
"I guess it's been a while....more than a while". I smiled facing the direction of the sun.
"Don't smile like that". He objected.
"And what does that have to do with you?". I retorted.
"You didn't even ask where we're going". He replied
He did it again. He switched. I thought to myself.
"You said you were taking me on a tour of the town. I didn't see the need to". I replied sharply.
"Okay miss. Let's get on with it".
He drove and pulled up at a building with a red and green exterior. It had a rustic appearance and exuded the very nature of Wrightwood.
"This is the Evergreen Cafe and Racoon Salon. It's incredibly popular due to its big servings and reasonably priced delicious food. Plus, the welcoming aura and homey interior, make it perfect for both guests and locals". He stated.
"That sounds delightful. I'll just have to confirm if the food here is as good as you say it is. I am a Chef after all". I said as I adjusted my cap and got out of the car.
One thing the cafe wasn't, was sparse. It was crowded, but it wasn't noisy. Everyone was seated. It's just that there were lots of seats. Barely enough room to walk. I could barely see the entire room because of the cap I wore, but I liked it anyways. Damian was right. It had a homey aura to it. It seemed oddly comfortable.
I noticed Damian watching a certain table. "What are you doing?". I whispered to him.
"The couple over there look like they're gonna be leaving anytime soon". He replied.
"How do you know that?".
"Just watch".
A few seconds later, they were ready to leave. As soon as they got up, Damian held my hand and steered me through the seated crowd. He carried Treasure too.
"I told you". He said as he sat down. He looked at me.
"What do you think about this place? I know it's nothing compared to your classy restaurants".
"I'll just say...it feels like a Wrightwood restaurant". I replied with a smile.
I turned to see an old lady walking up to us. "Hello, Damian!".She greeted me with a smile.
"Good Afternoon Mrs.Rogers. How have you been?".
"I'm as great as I'll ever be". She said as they both laughed.
She turned to me.
"Hello Dear. You must be Damian's girlfriend". She smiled.
"What? No!". I retorted.
"We're not like that Mrs. Rogers". Damian added.
"Oh. If you say so. But I can barely see your face dear".
"Well, it's.....
"She gets shy in front of strangers. She prefers not to make any eye contact". Damian stated with a grin.
I shot him a deadly look.
The lady seemed disappointed but still managed a smile. "What would you guys like to have today? You can pick from the menu on your table".
I picked it up and scanned it. It didn't take quite long to make my judgment. The portions were outrageous, the dishes lacked authenticity and the menu was archaic.
"I see you're famous for your Monte Cristo. I'll have that please". I said to her as I handed her the menu. She seemed surprised. She turned to Damian.
"Is she a Princess or something? Why does she speak like that? She even made Monte Cristo sound fancy". She asked as her eyes widened.
"Pardon her, Mrs. Rogers. She's not from these parts".
"Oh I see. That explains a lot. And what will you be having dear?".
"I'll have pie a la mode".
"Okay. I'll be right back". She said as she turned to leave. I watched her leave then I turned to Damian.
"Why are you having Dessert for lunch? You should have a proper meal". I said with a serious look. One thing that was no joke to me, was food. My philosophy was that it should be eaten in propriety.
"I don't eat proper meals, Diana. I never did".
The tone of his voice made the answer seem like it was from a deep-rooted pain.
"Our food is here". He said with a smile. But it wasn't a genuine one.
I took out a bite from the Monte Cristo and I was impressed. The sandwich had the perfect ratio of ham and cheese to bread. Its taste was a bit plain for me but it was good enough for me to eat.
I watched Damian eat. There was something so enticing about the manner with which he chewed his food. I watched closely as he scooped out some ice cream and put it in his mouth. I watched every moment until he swallowed it.
"Anything wrong Diana?".
"Huh? What?".
I came back to my senses.
"You barely touched your food".
"What do you mean? I'm eating". I said as I picked up my sandwich and took a huge bite out of it.
"You seem to love my lips so much".
I almost choked. I started coughing and he handed me a glass of water.
I saw him laugh. It was a real laugh this time. He had a bright smile. The type that could make you smile just by looking at it.
Unfortunately, it lasted for only a brief moment.
"Are you done eating Diana?".
"Yes".
"I knew it. There's no way you would've been able to finish that. Let's go. We still have some sights to see".
I was utterly baffled as I sat in the car. I was beginning to feel weird around him and I didn't like it. I got a phone call. It was Roberto.
"Hello, Roberto".
"Diana. We've been worried sick. Why didn't you pick up?".
"I just..needed some time alone".
"Okay. I understand. I just want you to know that we're always here for you okay? Fernando and I will be working tirelessly to make sure things don't get out of hand here.
We're also looking for ways to take down the video. All you have to do is to remember the plan we discussed. Get him to fall for you, sign that contract and leave Wrightwood. Before things get out of control.
Okay Diana?".
I was hesitant to reply. I had to concentrate on what was important. And Robert reminded me of that.
"Okay Roberto. I'll be sure to do that. Call you later". I said as I hung up.
"Don't you have any female friends?". Damian inquired.
"Hmm...it seems I don't ".
"Interesting". He commented.
"We're here". Damian announced.
I turned to look at the building.
"What the...".