Michelle breaths out, “Xander I don’t know if you know this, but we are in the middle of nowhere.” Michelle exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air.
“Thank you Michelle for stating the obvious but I know that. I am fully aware of that, we are in the middle of nowhere.” Xander retorts angrily.
“You know what I can’t really understand, is why the heck didn’t you put some fuel in the car before we hit the road.” Michelle asks.
“Well, I did tell Carlos to make sure there was fuel in the car, I guess he couldn’t do it since he fell ill this morning.” Xander explains, looking more frustrated than he could ever be. He is stranded with a woman he dislikes, in the middle of nowhere. Soon the day would get dark, and they wouldn’t be able to see a thing or find their way back.
“Oh my goodness, this is bad, this is bad, this is bad. I know I shouldn’t have come with you, argh, I shouldn’t have. ” Michelle utters, she opens her car door then gets down from the car.
“Where are you going.” Xander asks, also getting down from the car, staring after her.
“I don’t know. I just want to be really far away from you.” Michelle yelled walking as fast as she could.
“You do know that this is a bushy area right? and there could be snakes, scorpions, insects, name it. So yeah, good luck with getting far away from me.” Xander yells back. Michelle stops walking immediately, did she just hear him say, snakes and scorpions. She stood in the middle of the road, contemplating if she should go back to Xander or keep on getting away from him. She decided to go back, cause if she meets a snake or a scorpion on the way, there’s absolutely nothing she can do.
“Scared cat.” Xander mocks.
“I’m not scared, I just love to be on a safer side, that’s all.” Michelle replies him with the click of her tongue.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Define it in whatever way you choose, but the fact still stands. You are scared and you need a man like me to protect you.” Xander says cockily, his voice full of pride. Michelle snorts, “You know, it’s really funny, you think you’re a man. Please don’t deceive yourself Xander, we both know that you would run the minute, you see a snake.” Michelle retorts, Xander was about replying her when an old couple drove past them then stops and reverse back.
“Hi, good day to the both of you. I can see you have a little car problem. Can I be of any help?.” The old man in the driver sits shouts, just head poking out from his car window.
“There’s no problem, we are fine, you don’t need to worry.” Xander yells back, he hates getting help from strangers. To him, it felt likes a stain in his stainless proud self.
“What do you mean by, “we don’t need any help.* Xander your car has run out of fuel, with the situation right now, we would need all the help we can get.” Michelle whispers through gritted teeth, putting on a smile for the old man.
“No, we do not need help. I can take care of the situation, and by taking care, I mean I can call for help.” Xander whispered back.
“Are you sure, you don’t need any help, cause from my point of view, you look like, you need help.” The old man yells.
“Yes I’m sure, we do not need any help.” Xander replies him, already getting irritated by the man insistent behavior.
“Okay… if you say so, I and my wife will be on our way.” The man informs him, then start his car.
“Actually kind sir, please don’t listen to my husband, we do need help with our car, you see we ran out of fuel.” Michelle explains sweetly.
“What are you doing.” Xander whispers angrily.
“What do you think. See, you can go and call for help but for the main time, we are not sending this old man away.” Michelle says with a tone of finality, giving no room for argument.
“Fine.” Xander mutters, he takes a turn to the side of the car, opens the car door then takes out his briefcase, he opens the briefcase, takes out his phone then tries to on it only to find out the phone it’s off.
“Why aren’t you making that call, Xander.” Michelle asks boredly.
“The phone is dead.” Xander answers, staring at his feet. Nice work Xander, now she has a reason to make mockery of you. Xander thinks, his fist tightened.
“Ha! Oh my goodness, this is so funny. So the great Xander Collins, who wants to rescue me out of this situation, can’t do that, why? Because the great help he was solely banking on, is never coming.” Michelle mocks, laughing out.
Xander sighs, close the car door, pressed the car key, locking all the car doors. “And… What are you doing?.” She asks hands on her waist.
“What do you think?.” Xander questions, walking right past her. He crossed the road heading straight to the old man’s car, Michelle follows, closely behind.
“I guess, I will have to take you up on that help you offered.” Xander said to the old man, leaning on the car.
“Well.. I’m glad to help, hop in. This is my wife Marie and you can call me Lucas.” Lucas introduce, Xander ignores getting into the car.
“Sorry about my husband’s behavior Mr Lucas, we are supposed to be travelling out of the country for our honeymoon, and that’s why he is like this. And he is also shy, really shy. Well I’m Michelle and he is Xander. It’s nice meeting the both of you.” Michelle introduce, smiling sweetly at the both of them.
Michelle gets in the car, glares at Xander, getting comfortable on the car seat. “Pretender, liar.” Xander mutters under his breath. Michelle snorts.
“Take us to any nearby gas station, so I can buy a refill.” Xander requests.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, there’s no gas station around here or even miles away. I’ll advice the both of you spend the night at my house, which is not far from here then by tommorow you can be on your way.” Lucas advise, staring at them through the rearview mirror.
“I would have to decline that…”
“He means that, we would be glad to accept your offer.” Michelle cuts in, pinching Xander on his tights.
“That’s not what I want to say.” Xander gritted angrily.
“I know that.” Michelle whispers with a grin. Xander groans inwardly.
*********
“Uhm, I would love to ask a questions Marie, why is the room decorated like this.” Michelle asks, standing in the middle of the room Marie just brought her and Xander to, awkwardly.
“Ooh, about this. My daughter was supposed to come back home today but you see, she couldn’t. This romantic decorations was done by her boyfriend.” Mrs Marie explains, Michelle nods his head.
“Well, I’ll leave the both of you to it.” Marie grinned mischievously at the both of them walking out of the room.
“Okay, that’s strange. This room is strange.” Michelle comments.
“I will agree with you on that, I feel like I’ve been set up.” Xander said his fingers raking through his soft silky hair.
“Set up! Oh my God, we have actually been set up, we have been playing a script Written by your sister and my best friend.” Michelle exclaims, adding one plus one together. She could still remember how Melissa and Sophie has been behaving weirdly, acting really suspicious.
“What are you saying, Michelle.” Xander asks confused.
“What am I not saying, Xander. First of all, your sister convince me to sleep in your room, and paint your face. Secondly, the governor did not sign the documents all because of that same painting, and if I could remember clearly when I was watching a movie with your sister and Sophie, your sister had to excuse herself to make a call and it felt really suspicious, cause your sister does not ever gets up to go make a call.” She stops, pacing around the room.
“I must agree that you do have a valid point, so… can it be possible the governor is also in on this.” Xander asks, in deep thoughts.
“Yes of course, he is Xander. Look at it this way, the governor ask you to come for dinner tonight, your driver mysteriously gets ill, then the fuel in the car gets finished. Your phone, also ran out of battery and then to top it all, some old couple comes to our rescue then give us this romantically designed room. Your sister and my best friend wants us to fall in love.” She explained. Xander coughs out repeatedly, holding on to his chest, “The both of us, in love. That can never happen.”
“Yup, the same thought I had. So… what do you think about getting back at your sister and my best friend.” Michelle asks with a smirk.
“How?.” Xander asks, his hand placed under his chin, with a witty smile on his face.
“They pranked us, so I say let’s prank them back. I’ve got a wonderful plan.” Michelle says mischievously.
“Now, I’m liking the sound of that, partner.”
“Hmm, on a normal day, I would not agree with you on that but sure, we are partner at least till we get our revenge back on your sister and my best friend.” Michelle says.
“Fine by me, so…. Partner.” Xander asks, stretching forth his hand for a handshake.
“Sure, partner.” Michelle says, claiming his outstretched hand.