Chapter 74 - Smart Kid (1/2)

Sitting in a corner booth, Xiu and Darren gave their order to the waitress. When the waitress left, Darren picked up the glass of water to take a sip and asked, ”Why do you keep looking at me?”

”I was wondering aren't you uncomfortable here?” Xiu asked curiously.

”Why would I be uncomfortable?” He retorted back as he traced the seam of the glass with his finger.

”You're getting all kinds of stares. Some even look like they're ready to eat you,” Xiu said as she pointed around at the women who had their eyes glued on Darren.

”You had the same look on Friday night when you got drunk.” Xiu choked on air at his words.

”Liar! When did I have such ideas?” Her voice turned sharp.

”But you don't even remember what happened that night. How can you say that I am lying?” he lowered his voice and added, ”Don't tell me you're lying about forgetting everything.”

Xiu was stumped for words. She neither could accept nor deny it. Both ways, she'd be in trouble.

”Anyway, I still think I didn't go that far.” Xiu tried to reason.

”How can you really forget? You called me handsome and you even wanted to come to my place for the night.” Darren had an inkling that she remembered that night very well. But to hide her mortification, she was feigning forgetfulness. He was testing the waters with her now.

”I used to think it's a miracle that you're single with those good looks and Greek God-like body. But now, I think it's no wonder that you're single.” Xiu glared at him hatefully for reminding her of those stupid antics that she did being all drunk. Could she just have a memory loss like other normal people?

”How can you say I am single?” Darren didn't even spare a glance around at any other woman even till now. He had gotten unnecessary attention from his teenage years, he had become accustomed to it by now.

”You're sitting here having dinner with your neighbor in a small diner. If you had a girlfriend, you'd have been having dinner with her instead.” Xiu replied matter-of-factly.

The waitress came back with their orders and left after placing it on the table.

”Don't assume things, it's also possible that my girlfriend isn't in town.” Darren made his point after waiting for the waitress to leave.

Xiu dug into her meal and spoke with a mouthful, ”I don't think so.” She seemed really certain with herself.

Darren shook his head at her in amus.e.m.e.nt. He watched her eating and asked, ”Did someone starve you or something? Eat slowly.” Taking a brief pause he added, ”Don't tell me that your boss did something again.”

Xiu slapped her chopsticks on the table. The reminder of Dylan irked her to no end. ”Don't talk about that little dum-dum! He exhausted me physically and mentally. I feel emotionally strained as well now! I ran around so much and then had to think of a million excuses for one lie. It was a tiring day.”

”Little dum-dum?” Darren laughed out as he said, ”That's a very unique name for your boss. That brings me to the point, what do my employees call me?”

”You're way better than him. I'm sure your employees won't you call you by names.” Xiu said and picked up steamed broccoli with her chopsticks.

”You know me as a friend, not as a boss. I might be worse than your CEO.” Darren spoke in a bright and serene manner. As Dylan often said, Darren had different personalities for different people. And as a boss, he was a completely different person as well.

”I still think you won't be as unreasonable as him. He's just too much!” Xiu insisted again. There was no way she was gonna accept that someone could be more unreasonable than Dylan. ”Although you have your own negative points, these points are still better than him.”