Chapter 43 - dinner date

“What are you doing out here” Giovanni O’Connell questioned as he took gentle steps towards Sierra. The brunette couldn’t quite comprehend if his question was genuine or if he was just being oblivious. She had just caught him a few minutes ago locking lips with Wren and he was here standing before her like that didn’t happen.

If he wanted to play it like that, then Sierra Eleanor Clifford had no trouble playing along.

The brunette took several deep breaths before putting on a fake smile and replying to his question.

“You were taking too long so I came out to look for you. I was starting to get bored” her voice was firm as she spoke.

“Oh”

“Yeah. And when I didn’t see you out here I began to panic. But it’s okay now” she added, snarling her arms around Giovanni’s who could only nod in acknowledgement of her statement.

“And Wren, is she okay?” Sierra could sense that her question made Giovanni uncomfortable because she felt the young man tense.

“Uh… yeah…she’s okay. We didn’t talk much” he replied nervously.

Of course, you didn’t talk much. Your tongue was buried in her throat. Sierra thought to her.

The young girl was furious at the ease at which he lied. Although, she wasn’t sure if she wanted him to tell her what went down. Seeing is one thing and hearing it from the man you love is another.

“Oh, that’s weird. She looked pretty vibrant to me” Sierra pressed o, and when Giovanni didn’t reply, the brunette changed the subject.

“Well, then. Shall we return to the mansion? I’m pretty tired” she asked already leading Giovanni to where he parked his car.

The ride back to the Watford mansion was a quiet one. So quiet that it made Giovanni O’Connell feel like his thoughts could be heard, which is why he kept stealing glances in Sierra’s direction, whereas the brunette looked calm and collected.

At least on the outside.

She knew what she was doing. She didn’t want the young man to know that she had caught him. She was going to get back at him. And her silence was because she was cooking up the perfect plan.

She was going to hit him where it hurt the most.

And Sierra Eleanor Clifford knew just what to do.

*******

The following morning, Wren Austin woke to the chirping of birds and the buzzing of her alarm. The blonde reluctantly got out of bed and got into her bathroom. It was ten a.m. when the brunette walked out of her apartment and headed to the supermarket.

The cab pulled up to the mall of Craigsburg and the blonde quickly rushed in and grabbed a few groceries. Wren Austin was so busy trying to balance the paper bag of groceries in her hand that she didn’t see the silhouette standing before her.

She lifted her head a little too late and in consequence, bumped into Giovanni O’Connell and simultaneously dropped her groceries to the floor.

The blonde wasn't quite sure if bumping into Giovanni or her groceries that were now running off was the cause of her frustration.

“Oh, Hi Wren” but as she heard his voice, she realized that his presence was the cause of her frustration.

She was upset with him for bringing Sierra to the pub, barely a few hours after he had promised her that nothing was going on between them. Then, he kissed her without her consent.

She may have been into it, but still, it happened without her consent.

“Hi” she replied with a stoic expression and slowly dropped to the ground to pick up her things.

“What are you doing here?” Giovanni O’Connell questioned as he followed suit.

Wren Austin looked up to the young man with a frown on her face. “What am I doing at the mall” sarcasm was evident in her voice. Wren Austin was back to her feet and was trying to balance the paperback so it doesn’t fall off.

“Oh, right” Giovanni uttered nervously as his hands made their way to his hair.

“Oh, Wren” the blonde heard the voice of the last person she wanted to see. Of course, she would be with him. She had become his shadow, and Wren Austin couldn’t help but roll her eyes as she watched the brunette get closer to them.

“Oh, yeah. Sierra’s here too” Giovanni explained just as Sierra joined them.

“I wasn’t sure if you were the one. Fancy seeing you around here” Sierra said with a smile on her face as she folded her arms.

“Yeah” came Wren’s reply.

Silence crept in between them. While Giovanni looked at Wren, Sierra wore a fake smile on her face and repeatedly nodded, while Wren’s gaze shifted from Giovanni to Sierra. When the awkwardness became too much for Wren, she spoke up.

“It was nice running into you two, but I have to go now” Wren Austin was about to walk past them when Sierra firmly grabbed her arm.

“Sorry” she apologises, letting go of Wren’s arm. “I was wondering, are you busy tonight? Nana Denise is making Chou Faci for dinner. I’m sure she’ll love to have you” Sierra spoke up.

“Sierra, I don’t think it’s a great ide-“

“Come on Gio. It will be fun to have her around” Sierra said with a pout as she snarled her arm around Giovanni’s arms and rested her head on his shoulder.

Wren Austin felt a sharp pang of jealousy. She stared at the scene before her with anger. It didn’t bother her that Giovanni allows her to call him Gio, but what bothered her was the familiarity she had with Giovanni’s family.

That made her jealous. And made another part of her insecure.

And she was gradually starting to doubt what he said.

“I wish I could, Sierra. But I have work tonight” she replied, mentally disgusted at the fact that she referred to ‘sleeping with men’ as a job.

“Oh? Where do you work” the brunette pressed on.

Wren Austin frowned. Now, it wasn’t that she took pride in what she did, but she just assumed that the brunette knew, given how the entire town seemed to be interested in her day-to-day life.

More so, she had never had to tell anyone what she did for ‘work’. Wren stared at the brunette with confusion on her face, but when she saw a little smirk appear on Sierra’s face, Wren Austin understood the game she was playing.

And suddenly, Wren Austin’s evening was cleared.

Offering Sierra the biggest and kindest smile she could muster, Wren said; “Sure. I’ll be there” and with that, she walked away.

 

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