Chapter 26: 26
Sofia
Luckily, I found room in the front seats. There were so many people shielded under the canopy and everyone was trying to keep warm.
There was a particular boy who was sulking beside me. He had spilled all of his coffee on his woolen cardigan. I wondered who he had come with. I looked around for Charlene. Likewise, I expected to see her, but I didn't.
Why wasn't she here?
"Hey!" Eugene crossed the field, waving at me. His hair was already covered in snow, and he was wearing a sweatshirt underneath his jersey.
"Hey."
He beamed his childish smile at me. "Thanks for coming."
I nodded.
"Grey man!" The team coach yelled from the field.
"That's me. Talk to you later." He winked and ran along just as Charlene appeared next to me.
"I had looked around for you..."
"I was in the dorm," she sat down. "He invited you, right?" She cocked her head towards Eugene. The coach was specifically giving him instructions.
"Yeah. I owe him just this once," I replied.
"He likes you, and you don't have to be nonchalant about it." Charlene frowned.
Look who's talking, I thought to myself.
"I have no interest in him," I said flatly.
"Apparently." She sighed, turning away.
I wondered if I could tell her how I felt about our relationship. Both Aunt Layla and Eugene had urged me to, but it was more difficult than it seemed. I caught sight of Adrian on the field, he seemed so stiff from the chilly weather.
"Can he play like that?" I asked Charlene.
"He's the captain, he should," Charlene responded boastfully.
Soon the game began and, since I wasn't a fan of football, I was literally unimpressed with whatever was going on the field. Although my eyes were on Eugene, he dribbled quite well, more than the others.
There were times when players were fouled and other times when a free or penalty kick was granted. There were also loud cheers, which frequently jolted me out of my indifference. I was cold, and I kept my hands warm in my cardigan pockets.
Shortly after, Indigo scored a goal after losing both free and penalty kicks. It became even more challenging for the school team as they struggled to score their first goal in the game.
"We'll do better in the second half," Charlene assured when the first half of the game ended.
"I don't remember you as a sports enthusiast." I cocked my brows at her.
"Yeah, right. That's how relationships change a person." She smiled.
"Do you like Adrian that much?" I questioned her.
"Yes." She replied cutely.
I scoffed to myself, she truly liked him while I was feeling left out.
"Do you like me?" I blurted.
"Sure. You are my best friend." She didn't hesitate to say.
"So that's it..."
"That's what?"
"Nothing." I wanted it to end.
"Hey, girls..." Adrian came running towards us, panting profusely. He slumped next to Charlene and gulped down a bottle of water.
"Hi." Eugene walked to where I was seated and handed a bottle of water to me.
"I am not thirsty," I stated.
"I thought you might be, you were cheering for us..."
"She was hardly doing that." Charlene smiled.
"This damn weather makes my bones stiff!" Adrian cursed.
"It seems you are the only one being affected, Captain," I said, glaring at him.
Eugene was so calm, it was as if he hadn't stepped on the field at all.
"Well," he cleared his throat, half-hugging Charlene. "The second half will be sensational for us." He stated ostentatiously.
"It is obvious that individuals have leverage..." I counteracted.
"A leverage that can be defeated." He frowned.
"How are you doing?" Eugene asked before I could say anything.
"Pretty good..." I responded. "You did well out there," I added casually.
"Thanks, if we win the game, I'd like to treat you to pizza and coke." He said finally.
Georgina opened the door when I rang the doorbell. I was surprised to see my mum quite sober and very clean.
"Why are you here?"
Mrs. Carter's eyes were staring seriously at me. Her legs were quite swollen, and she was stretching them out on the sofa extension.
"I'm doing pretty well..." She answered, closing the door. I rolled my eyes and ambled to my room.
"How was the game?" Her loud voice asked from the living room.
"It was a defeat!" I yelled back.
"But you had a good time, didn't you?" She asked.
"You are here to have a good time, ain't you?" I walked back to the living room after keeping my backpack away.
"I'm not here to get drunk," she replied.
"Why are you here, then?" I crossed my arms.
"I heard your cousin kicked..."
"So you came running? I never knew you to be so fond of children." I frowned at her.
"Your legs must be tired, you should sit." She urged, but I insisted on standing.
"Just let her be." Mrs. Carter intervened. I agreed, though I knew she had mean intentions to say after that.
"You were ill, How are you now?"
"As you can see, I'm hale and hearty." I pouted.
"Let us have a good chat today, hmm?" My mum suggested, her eyes fully on me, but I had no intention of wasting my time speaking with her.
"I have school assignments," I said, leaving for my room.
Leo
"Sir, it's within such short notice, that your schedule has been planned for the day. And it's pretty difficult to summon the board members at such short notice..." Celine was saying while I was thinking of what to do.
"You have an important meeting with President Xi at noon today, sir..."
"I will speak to President Xi about a change of plans."
"But sir, it might come to him as a mark of dishonor and disloyalty to prior agreements and—"
"President Xi would not like to leave a class of kids stranded while he has coffee in a conference room, would he?"
"B-but, sir," she stuttered.
"Reach out to every member of the board, and we'll see how many of them will turn up at the sports arena. Understood?"
"Y-yes sir. Is President Cooper included, sir?" She asked.
"Send him an invitation. Any other things can wait." I rose from my seat.
"All right sir."
"I'll be in Tony's department," I said, walking out.
At Tony's office, he was idly swirling his swivel chair, talking to someone on the phone.
"Oh, I'll call you later...." He was startled to see me and quickly hung up.
"Is that the Desi girl?" I took my seat in front of him.
"Ah, not that one..."
"Who then? You haven't fucked this one, I guess."
"But she's definitely into me...it's only a matter of time." He smirked.
"Asshole," I swore at him, then suddenly someone came to my mind, Ariadne. "I have a deal for you."
"What's that?" He grinned.
"I want you to hook up with Ariadne..."
"Fuck!" He cursed aloud. "Leo?" Then he burst into a fit of laughter. I only stared at him all through.
"Are you serious?" He asked in between.
"I am."
"Damn! Did you take what I said seriously?" He stared unbelievably at me.
"I need you to get Ariadne distracted and have her show interest—"
"Dude? I could never hook up with your girl." He frowned.
"She's not my girl."
"But she's insane about you...I bet she doesn't know I exist. Moreover, that was just a compliment."
"That's your job...to make her realize you exist, and you think she's hot and that way, I'd be free from her."
"I'm not doing that." He was shaking his head profusely.
"You are the only one who can help me out. I mean...I don't love her, she's wasting her time with me. And here you are—"
"I'm a total playboy, Leo, and you know that. I have never been in any serious relationship with a woman, and you are here, telling me to commit...why the hell are we talking about this at work?"
"I am not telling you to commit, Tony..."
He gasped.
"You want me to have a fling with Ariadne? When did you become so selfish?"
"It's the best I can be to bring things to order..."
"I can't believe you just said that." He tapped on his desk nervously.
"Can you help me out? I know what Ariadne needs, and it's the love of a man, his attention. You know better, she won't get this stuff from me, I don't have the slightest attraction to her..." I hoped I was making sense at the very least.
"You think I'm in love with her? Hell no!"
"I'm not either, it's a pity I feel for her."
"You are the real asshole here." He chuckled. "Pity, hahaha..."
"What do you say, Tony?"
He stared at me for a moment.
"We don't have a rapport...Ariande and I..." He laughed.
"Create one...it's a process, become her friend, text her every day, you know these things more than I do, dude."
"It's not every day, that's e-stalking..." He corrected.
"Whatever, just do it. You are the man, Tony."
He laughed again.
"Are you sure it's right?"
"Now, you care about right or wrong, huh?"
"I don't know...it's weird thinking I might fuck her..."
"It becomes normal if she lets you," I answered nonchalantly.
"What happened to this guy?" He fixed his gaze on me.
"Stop that, Tony. You look creepy." I adjusted my seat.
"Well, wouldn't she find it absurd...me making a pass at her?"
"Of course, she would. You have to change her notion, all right? She's bugging me."
"What happened between you guys in NY? I know something happened." He squinted his eyes at me.
"Nothing worthy of recollection or report." Was all I could say. I couldn't tell Tony the truth.
How should I even say it?
That Ariadne rapped me... a full-grown man like me.
That's crazy... I'll just be the laughingstock in the situation.
"Really?" His gaze was that of suspicion.
"Yeah," I assured him. "Do we have a deal?"
"I want five million." He reclined in his chair.
"I'll make it ten if you win her heart in two weeks..."
"Man, you are damn serious about this! Deal!" He agreed.
"Let's shake on it." I extended a hand just as Celine walked in.
"Pardon my interruption, sir. I have reached out to the board members like you ordered, and only five of them have availed themselves for the occasion." She reported.
"Good. Five is the perfect crowd. Shall we?"
"Of course sir."
"Good luck, Tony, I have to run along now." I rose from my chair.
"Is there a special event I am unaware of?" He went around his desk.
"Nah, I am just going to be a tour guide."
Layla
While I went through the survey that Amanda had sent, I received a call from Mr. Varny. He had successfully completed his task.
It was such great news, that I abandoned my work and asked him to meet with me right away. Coincidentally, Henry drove in shortly after. He wanted to make lunch for me and Nathan, so we whiled away time cooking in the kitchen.
"I need you to be careful." He said solemnly, slicing the green peppers.
"Sure. I'm certain he underestimates me a lot, and that is one of the advantages I have over him." I responded, pulling out the cheese from the freezer.
He slightly nodded.
"I also need you to keep me abreast of everything...it's quite important to me."
"I will."
He beamed a smile.
"Isn't it time for you to pick Nathan up from school?" He glanced at his wristwatch.
"Sorry, I forgot to tell you...his class has a sporty excursion. The bus will take him home."
"Oh cool. I bet he'll have lots to tell me when he returns." Henry flashed his perfect set of white teeth.
"I bet he'd be genuinely grateful for such an aromatic and delicious lunch." I smiled at him.
"Do you think we still don't suit?" He asked, gently dropping the knife on the counter.
"I don't have an answer," I turned on the faucet to wash some zucchini. "Yet."
He nodded approvingly.
"A month." He whispered, touching my face.
"A month." I breathed.
"I promise to make us suit."
The look in his eyes expressed more than the words of his mouth could ever express. Henry was the sort of man who had in real possession the tenderness most women craved.
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