Chapter 45: In Love or Maybe Not?

< Shirley >
Dang it!
I stomped my foot on the accelerator for the umpteenth time. Why wouldn't the damn car start?
I spun my key and pressed the accelerator once again. The engine roared but the car wouldn't go forward. Huffing, I got out of the car and noticed some liquid substance leaking out from somewhere. When I walked closer, my eyes widened.
Someone fucking tampered with my car!
After this tiring day, all I wanted was to lay down on my bed. I still had a lot left on my plate. And now this! Just fucking great! Who would do such a thing? I was going to fucking kill them.
Forget that, I would get late for my martial arts class.
I could always call for a car from home but I hated my personal driver 'cause he was a pervert. A cab was out of the question as I didn't have any cash on me.
I huffed in annoyance. I checked my wristwatch. It was half-past seven. I needed to go to my jiu-jitsu class. I tapped my foot, getting frustrated. Maybe I could ask Dylan.
Making him agree was a task on its own. But never mind.
Without wasting any more time, I phoned him. He picked it up at the third ring.
"What do you want?" Dylan grunted.
I held back a chuckle. "I thought you blocked me already."
"I wish," he let out.
"Anyways, can you come to pick me up?"
"What am I, your chauffeur?" I could imagine him frowning.
"You usually leave your office at this time, right? So, just pick me up on the way."
"If you're trying to creep me out then congrats, I am totally creeped out," he remarked.
"Eh?" I was confused at his response.
"Cause you still stalk me, and I find it freakishly abnormal," he exclaimed dramatically.
"No, but I knew that much already. I didn't have to stalk you again." I grinned to myself.
"Consider yourself lucky since I was just leaving. Where are you, by the way?"
"Thank you so much. You are the best person alive on earth, no—not just earth, in this whole universe!"
"I'm flattered," Dylan said sarcastically. "Now just tell me the address without buttering me."
After I told him, I was waiting for him while leaning against one of the pillars of the parking lot. I was scrolling down my Instagram feed. Everything was quiet and calm until I heard a familiar voice.
"Shirley, what are you doing here?"
"Hi, Brian," I greeted.
"I thought you already left an hour ago," Brian responded.
"Yeah, I was just getting acquainted with my new colleagues." It was true. I chatted with them for an hour or so.
"Uh-huh, seems legit. But why are you waiting here?" he asked me.
I answered honestly, "Um, actually someone tampered with my car." He would think I was a freak who happened to be a criminal. Otherwise, why would anyone tamper with my car? Therefore, I created a mind-blowing impression on my boss.
"Oh, I see. Need a lift?" Brian offered with a smile. It was strange that he just ignored what I said.
"Thanks for offering, but I already asked someone else." I forced a smile, not wanting to offend him.
Brian seemed kind of disappointed. "That is perfectly fine. Well, who did you ask?" he inquired. "It is just plain curiosity, by the way," he added.
"Umm.."
I didn't know what to call Dylan. Calling him my trainer was weird. My friend was 'nah'. Addressing him as an acquaintance would be disregarding him completely. Calling him an eccentric person sounded nice.
How about your boyfriend? suggested the voice in the back of my head mischievously.
No way! Dylan would kill me if he got to know, I argued.
Then the husband is totally perfect! He would indeed make a great husband.
Shut it, you stupid subconscious.
"By your hesitation, I take it you don't want to tell. That is fine," Brain spoke up reluctantly. Before I could reply, he added, "You don't have to tell me his relationship with you. What is his name? I might know him." Why was he so curious about Dylan?
"Uh…" We were interrupted by the shrill ringing of my cell phone.
"I'm waiting outside. Come out," Dylan said and hung up immediately.
"Um, he is here. Mind if I tell you later? He is very impatient, you see. Goodnight, Brian." I hurried up outside to find a black Ashton Martin waiting for me on the other side of the street.
I crossed the street and got into the car. "Thanks for coming," I thanked Dylan while putting on the seat belt. He didn't reply. He was just drumming his fingers on the dashboard. When I glanced at him, he was staring outside the window, more like glaring. "What are you looking at?" I asked.
Dylan snapped out of his trance and looked at me. "N—nothing. Your ghost was staring at me."
"Oh. Wait, what?" I freaked out.
"Chill. Geez, I was kidding." He shook his head in disbelief. When he looked at me, I noticed a small bandage on his right cheek.
"What is that?" I pointed at his cheek.
"Oh, this. Don't remind me." He huffed. "It was a close call. A bullet went past me but it managed to scratch me though," he let out a dry chuckle.
No wonder I was getting those weird feelings. But I was glad that he was perfectly fine.
After starting to drive, Dylan asked, "Your home, right?" I nodded. "Guide the way."
After telling him the ways, I sank back into my seat due to exhaustion. He glanced at me through the rear mirror.
"You look professional today," he complimented.
"Really? Do I look better?" I fixed my gaze at him excitedly.
"Maybe you look more mature?" Hesitation was clear in his voice as he still wasn't used to giving me compliments.
"What about the other times?" I furrowed my brows.
"Sorta childish." My eyes went wide as a saucepan. It was no wonder he didn't glance at me twice before. I wasn't his type, to begin with. Should I keep my mature look from now on— "Childish but cute. And I prefer your cuteness more than your maturity," he added quickly.
Heat rushed to my cheeks and I turned away my gaze from him. He and his silly compliments—screw them.
I kept staring outside the window until we got stuck in a traffic jam for a while.
A question occurred in my mind while listening to the music. "Hey, Dylan, if someone asked you what I am to you, what would you answer?"
"I would say that I don't know that crazy lady."
I shot him a glare. "Dylan, I'm serious." He opened his mouth to say something but I mumbled, "No, my name isn't Serious. I'm Shirley."
Dylan chuckled. "Hmm, let me think." He thought for a while whereas I stared at him intently. He bit his lips and answered, "I will literally say that I don't know you."
"Why?" I pouted.
"That will keep you away from danger."
I pouted at his reasoning. "Never mind." I looked outside the window, still pouting. "Hey, will you help me with the shifting?" I asked excitedly.
He rolled his eyes. "Get that idea out of your mind, woman."
"Aww, why not?" I whined.
"I am busy."
"Hey, Busy."
"Don't use my trick on me," he retorted.
"My friends are busy. Do you want me, a weak, fragile, powerless girl, to supervise the shifting all alone? What if someone kidnaps me?" I reasoned out. I knew I was being stubborn and unreasonable. But I wanted him to accompany me.
"Trust me, I couldn't care less." His eyes were fixated on the street, whereas my eyes were glued at him. "Stop staring. It's creepy."
"I won't. Not until you agree," I declared stubbornly. I inched closer while keeping my eyes on him.
"You are distracting me."
"I always knew I was attractive. Thank you."
"Anyone would be distracted if someone kept staring at them so openly, not to mention by a creep."
"Scratch the staring! Please, please, help me. Aren't you the sweetest? You are totally going to help me, right?" I insisted.
"I already gave you my answer."
"Pretty, please?"
"No."
"C'mon, don't leave me alone. Won't you assist me in shifting?"
"No."
"I will be shifting to my new apartment. Think about it. You are the first person I am inviting you over to my new home. Say yes, please," I exaggerated, trying to talk him out.
Dylan feigned a sigh. "When?"
"I asked you to say 'yes' and you're asking me when?" I scolded, and he just scoffed. That's when it hit me. "Really?" I squealed and jumped on my seat as he had agreed.
I kissed his cheek and threw my arms around his neck excitedly. "You are literally the best! I love you!" I exclaimed in delight.
"Woah, woah!" The car came to a sudden halt, making me lean forward along with him. "Control your movements, woman! You almost killed us both," he rebuked, shooting daggers at me.
"Oops." I bit my tongue mischievously. I looked into his grey eyes whereas he was glaring at me. I maintained my gaze, so did he. In the end, we both burst out laughing.
"I can't believe I am laughing when I could have died a few minutes ago due to your stupidity," Dylan said between his laughter. When we were done laughing, he eyed my arms around him.
I immediately retreated my hands back, being embarrassed.
"You are so silly." He chuckled and I giggled, slightly blushing. "That reminds me. You said something after 'you're the best', I didn't quite catch on. What was it again?" he asked me.
I tapped my index finger on my right cheek, jogging up my memory.
'You're literally the best! I love you!'
Why the heck did I say that? I obviously didn't love him. It must have been out of enthusiasm. Yes, that's it. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Whatever it was, doesn't matter to me," Dylan added and started the car again. Meanwhile, I diverted the topic until we reached my home safely.
"Eh? Why so early? I am not done talking," I whined, shaking his arms like a five-year-old kid. I was sharing my day at work today with him.
"You can tell me tomorrow during training," he reasoned out. I agreed and we both used goodnight to each other.
I kissed his cheek for the last time before getting out of the car, not before saying 'take care'. Blush rushed to my cheeks when I was alone.
What was wrong with me? These types of stuff never bothered me, let alone being flustered.
Geez, my arms and legs were killing me.
Finally, it was the day before the weekend, Friday.
Learning jiu-jitsu was killing me. I felt like all my muscles were being strained. It still hurts. But I had to attend the office and train with Dylan anyway, even though Dylan would cut me some slack nowadays. Mr. Evans said that I would get habituated with the strain and it would become an instinct.
I was sipping my favorite kit-kat shake in the cafeteria during lunchtime. I chomped on a french fry as I didn't feel like eating at all.
Suddenly, I heard my name being called. I turned around to find a black-haired girl, waving at me happily. I recognized her as a good friend of mine from high school. Her name was Zinnia.
"Oh, hey, Zinnia." I smiled at her. She took the seat in front of me with her tray of food.
We talked for a while and I got to know that she was recently proposed to by her boyfriend, Stark. They had been dating for six years now. I guess true love really did exist. Not that I still believed in it in my case.
"That is the power of love, darling. But how would you know? You would always taunt me about love and its side effects. Scratch that, you are still saying the same thing. I just hope you meet your true love soon so that you understand what love truly is," Zinnia explained.
"That is impossible," I let out nonchalantly. "How would I even understand if I am in love?"
"Are you experiencing love or what?" Zinnia arched an eyebrow mischievously.
"Just explain, dummy," I urged.
"Anyways, let's start. First of all, love feels unrealistic."
"Well, thanks for stating the obvious." I rolled my eyes and she glared at me.
"Okay, let's not get into my sappy love story since you already know it. You believe in science, right? I will explain the seven symptoms of love according to science. That is what I googled a few years ago when I was in love, and it didn't disappoint because they were all true."
I motioned her to continue.
"1. You feel a genuine rush or high whenever you think of him, 2. You can't get him out of your head. You always find yourself thinking of him, 3. You experience sleeplessness and loss of appetite, 4. Your heartbeat synchronizes. Like- your heartbeat becomes fast and it matches with him, that is, if he loves you as well, 5. You are more open to new ideas and activities. You want to try out new things, so that you can make him proud of you, 6. You start planning for the future out of nowhere."
This is bad. This is bad. Everything is turning out to be true. I couldn't be in love. Not with Dylan.
"Okay, stop this," I said, maintaining a calm posture.
"Oh, no, no. Listen to the final symptom." Zinnia smirked. "7. Your empathy towards him just keeps growing." She flashed me a wide smile.
Holy fucking shit!