Lauren Hart
“L. A. U. R. E. N”
“That’s how her name is spelled. Now pronounce.”
I was not even over with our interaction that had happened an hour ago and now, grandma was determined to teach Mr. Peterson- how to pronounce my name.
Stupid Lauren!
Why didn’t I pull back? Why I felt like kissing him? Oh, how dumb of me! Why would I pull away when I had always dreamt of kissing his lips?
“Lauren, snap out of your dreamland. He finds you annoying, not attractive. Stop fantasizing about him. Not good for your mental health.” I mentally scolded myself.
My subconscious mind scoffed back at me. “As if you think any different of him. You find him annoying as well as attractive.”
“Ugh! He’s annoyingly attractive!” I shut my subconscious mind with my reply.
A whirlwind of thoughts was already taking over my mind and grandma here wanted him to pronounce my name.
For god’s sake, don’t try to kill me, grandma! I groaned mentally.
I sneaked a glance at him and found him completely uninterested in the topic. His clenched fists and hard face was the proof.
“Come on, say it! It’s not that hard.” Grandma insisted. At this moment I wanted Ryan to be with us for distraction but grandma had sent him in the room to study.
“Why are you so persistent grandma?” He snapped.
“Just say it.” My eyes turned wide at her stern reply. Whoa! She was in no mood to listen to anyone.
“Fine! Lauren. Happy now?”
It’s not that tingles shot in my body or my heart picked up race or butterflies erupted in my stomach when he pronounced my name but my heart did skip a beat. And it felt different. Strange. Maybe because I hadn’t heard him say my name ever before?
“See, was that hard?” Grandma then turned to me. “Now your turn. I hope you know the spelling?”
I didn’t want to delay the process as I knew she wouldn’t give up until she gets what she wanted. So, without thinking twice I said it.
“Sean.” I didn’t meet his eyes, I couldn’t. I felt like I had crossed an unknown threshold which, for once, was off-limit.
“Well done. Now I want you two to stick to it, get that?” Grandma’s firm and deathly order had me nodding my head without hesitation.
“As your wish is now fulfilled, I’ll take my leave. Have to check some papers.” He stood up from the couch but before he could leave grandma spoke up again.
“Okay, fine. And listen, today I’m going out for grocery shopping.”
“You don’t have to do it. There are people I’ve appointed to do the work.” He replied.
“I know, but I want to go out and explore. Grocery shopping is just an excuse.” Came her reply.
“Okay, if that’s what you want. I’ll ask my driver to bring you to the supermarket.” He stated.
“Okay. And oh, Lauren and Ryan are accompanying me. You can join us as well if you want to.”
Wait, what? Me? Grocery shopping? She hadn’t asked me about it. I was confused.
“I’m sorry but I don’t do grocery shopping, grandma. I better stay at home.”
“If that’s what you want.” Grandma nodded her head and he walked upstairs to his study and I kept gaping at him. Why didn’t he protest? How could he let me go out with her when he knew it was risky?
“I’m not going to hear a no from you, Lauren,” She said sternly. And I gulped while looking at her hard eyes.
“Okay. Umm, Excuse me, grandma.” I ran after him and before he could shut the door of his study room I stepped in and shut the door.
“What the hell? What are you doing, Miss Hart?”
“Miss Hart? Are we again back at Miss and Mister?” I frowned.
“Yes, we are. The first name thing is just for grandma to listen.” He replied nonchalantly and sauntered to his throne.
“What difference will it make?” I asked as I padded near to his desk.
“Grandma will be pleased and we’ll stay professionals, that’s all.” He opened the file and picked up a pen. “Now tell me what are you here for?”
“Oh yeah, about that…I can’t go out with grandma alone. And she wouldn’t listen to me if I deny.”
“Why don’t you want to go?”
I groaned. “Have you forgot that I lied to my friends that I have flu and I’m resting at home? What if I unknowingly bump into them? And my housemate? I lied to her that I’m on a business trip, what if she catches me here?”
He momentarily looked at me. “What do you want for me? Grandma won’t listen to me either.”
“Well, in that case…you’ll have to join us. I won’t be able to have my eyes everywhere.” I stated confidently.
“You won’t let me have peace, will you?” He scowled, slumping back on the chair.
“My peace is also disturbed, in case you don’t know,” I stated, accusingly. He must know I too was suffering.
“Fine! I’ll accompany you.”
“Lauren, Ryan, let’s get going.” Grandma chirped in excitement as she slipped sunglasses over her eyes.
“Yeah, let’s go.” It wasn’t me who said that. It was him-who I didn’t know what to call anymore-descending the stairs like a king, but wearing a casual outfit. Looking drool-worthy and sexy as always.
“You are coming with us? But you said you don’t do grocery shopping. What changed now?” Grandma asked, looking between me and him. I had no idea why she was looking at me.
“I thought it’d be better if I spend more and more time with you.” He casually shrugged his shoulder and picked up Ryan in his arms. “Let’s go.”
Without a word we then went to the huge garage where he had his huge collection of cars parked. Suddenly, a black BMW beeped and I gasped slightly, averting my eyes from the car; I didn’t want to look at it as it was the same car-
“Yep, it’s the same car you scrapped.” I jumped when the devil whispered in my ears and walked past me.
I knew he had his car already repaired, still, I couldn’t stop the lava of my anger from bubbling. The car appeared perfect; not a single damage and he had made a fuss about it. He threatened me for the car that had not a single mark on it now. Cruel!
I didn’t care if it was my fault in the first place. What all mattered to me was the car and the owner screwed my life pretty well. I shouldn’t have touched his car.
“Sit grandma.” He opened the front door of the car for her.
“Oh, I’ll sit at the back with Ryan. Lauren, you join him in the front seat.” She said and slipped in the back seat. I glanced at him to find him grimacing. I too was simmering, so without giving him another glance I slipped in the front seat and squeaked when the door banged loudly then he sat on the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut. Cranky!
“Your car seems perfect,” I whispered sarcastically. I knew he understood what I meant that’s why a smirk formed on his lips.
“What did you think? I won’t get my car repaired?” He too whispered. I almost retorted loudly but I remembered we weren’t alone. My eyes flicked at the backseat where grandma was busy showing something to Ryan on her phone.
“You threatened me for nothing!” I whispered angrily.
“And now I’m bearing the fruit for threatening you.” He muttered under his breath but I heard it.
The whole ride I kept scowling and grimacing. He parked the car at the parking lot of the supermarket then we went inside after grabbing a cart. Strolling between the aisles, grandma picked up eggs, milk cartons, butter, cheese, some sauces, seasonings, and many other items she wanted. I and Ryan were helping her pick up things but the might Sean Peterson was just following us, doing nothing but scrolling his phone. I and Ryan were striding forward with the cart while the other two were following us.
“Lauren, I want Doritos.” Ryan jumped when he found the rack of snacks. The packets of Doritos were placed on the higher shelf, out of the reach of him.
“Okay, buddy you’ll get it but before that, you have to pay for it.” I joked.
“Huh? But I don’t have money.” His face dropped.
“Not money buddy. A kiss would do.” I bent down and pointed at my cheek. He happily obliged and I tossed two packets in the cart. Till now, my boss had done no assistance in shopping. I hoped at least he must have been keeping an eye on the surrounding. But I couldn’t trust him on it so I had my eyes trained everywhere.
We were strolling in the toiletries section when my eyes landed on someone I hadn’t seen in the last three years. Cody, my ex-boyfriend with whom my relationship lasted for only a week. I didn’t want to face him; I didn’t want him to see me as I had done something to him for which he was after my flesh and blood for a few days back then, but I had no idea about his current state of mind.
I wasn’t scared of him. Nope, rather, I was on alert as he might create a scene here, in public, if he catches me.
So, before he could notice me, I turned abruptly, coming face to face with grandma and Mr. Peterson. “Grandma…I…I saw something in the other aisle. I’ll just pick it up.” I ran away from there, leaving them confused, and hid at the end of the rack. My breathing was ragged. Biting my lower lip, I peeked left and then right, and I sighed in relief when I found the coast clear.
“Thank goodness, he is gone,” I mumbled. I was about to head back when I again saw him coming in my direction. Shit! I somehow managed to slip away and hid behind another rack. I was trying to take a look at him when someone tapped my shoulder, making me squeak loudly.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I turned with a lighting fast speed when I heard Mr. Peterson’s voice.
“God, it’s you! You scared me.” I rubbed my chest to slow down my racing heart.
“You said you wanted to pick up something but what are you doing here hiding like a thief?” He asked irritatedly. I didn’t want to tell him why and from whom I was hiding and I was about to come up with a fake answer when I found Cody coming in the direction we were standing in. I squeaked again and grabbing Mr. Peterson’s arms, I forced him to stand in front of me to hide.
“What the heck you think you are doing?” He stepped back, slapping my hands away.
I was getting uneasy as I was on the verge of being caught by Cody and the only idea I could find was to slip away again, but before I could do it this time, my wrist was caught by none other than Sean Peterson.
“What’s happening?! Tell me now!” His voice was ice-cold and stern and I had no other option but to tell him.
“I…I’m hiding from him.” I stuttered, peeking glances at Cody who was busy putting items in his cart.
“Who is he and why are you hiding from him?” His grip tightened on my wrist as he too peeked over his shoulder to look at Cody.
“Just help me hide, please.” I pleaded, flicking my eyes between Cody and him.
“First answer my question.” He ordered firmly.
“I…I…” I sighed. I knew he wouldn’t let it go until I tell him everything. “He is…my ex,” I mumbled softly, and as soon as those words slipped off my tongue, his grasp loosened on the wrist, and gradually, he released my hand. He avoided looking into my eyes. He then again gave a quick glance to Cody before facing me.
“And may I know why are you hiding from him?” He asked rather calmly, crossing his arms across his chest. Goodness, he was acting as if we had free time to chat.
“Uh, I…I…may or may not have bashed the front of his motorbike,” I mumbled as my cheeks began to heat up in embarrassment.
“What?!” Why did you do that? Who in the right state of mind does that?” He gaped at me. My eyebrows furrowed. Was he implying that I had mental issues? My nose flared as I riled up.
“Mr. Peterson.” I gritted, glaring at him. “There’s always two sides of a story. Don’t blame me for what I did as I don’t regret doing it. He called me ‘mindless’ and ‘not a girlfriend material’ in my face, in the presence of his friends, so I bashed his bike before his eyes.” And then I ran away that’s why he was after my blood. Obviously, I didn’t mention the last sentence.
With furrowed eyebrows, twisted lips, and narrowed eyes he kept weirdly staring at me for quite long then he shook his head.
“You’re crazy, you know that? You really can’t stay normal, not even for a while.”
His true confession about me brought a slow grin to my lips. What’s true is true!
“Life is too short to stay normal. Be crazy and enjoy every second of your life.” By now I was grinning like a fool.
He huffed. “Great, now you’re back at your annoying self.”
I don’t know why but my grin didn’t falter. I didn’t feel upset as to why he called me crazy and annoying-in fact for the first time I didn’t feel disturbed by being called so. It felt like he was praising me and I felt proud.
I was flying in the air of proudness and had wanted to thank him but before I could do that, I found my face pressed against a rigid yet soft surface.
And again, I lost the capability to breathe as my face was pressed against his shoulder with his one hand around my waist and another one at the back of my head. I tried to back away but his grip tightened more. “Stay still!” His breath fanned my cheek.
“W…what…a…are you doing?” Words refused to come out of my mouth. Why I always get paralyzed under his touch? And why the hell he was doing it again?
“You asked me to help you hide, that’s what I’m doing. Now, stay still, he’s coming over here.”
Oxygen cylinder!
I was in dire need of an oxygen cylinder as my lungs gave up to supply oxygen. My breath hitched at his words and my heart pumped up.
He was helping me! Me! And I was pressed against his body for the second time.
I felt my face heating up and I pursed my lips for them not to stretch into a smile. My body parts and my senses were no more under my will. They were working on their own accordance. My hands involuntarily raised to his chest and curled into a fist, gripping his t-shirt. My eyes couldn’t remain open for long, forcing my eyelids to drop, and when I completely lost the vision then my nose came to work. I took a sharp intake of breath, inhaling his musky scent, losing myself in the fragrance, and it was only when the fragrance hit my sense- I came back to life. Reality hit me with a baseball bat.
My eyes shot open, my hand uncurled, lungs again lost their functioning, and I panicked.
Silly me! I should have been concerning about my organs that were losing their functioning, instead, I was taking advantage of the intimate position. God, what was I doing?
Panicked, I wiggled under his hold but he whisper-yelled at me. “Can’t you for once do what I say or you want me to expose you to him?”
I wanted to say: Expose me, at least, I won’t end up dead!
I didn’t listen to him and kept wiggling but as if he wanted me dead, he held me tightly. It was only after a few minutes he let go of me and I, without looking at him scurried away to look for an oxygen cylinder in the supermarket.
I hope they had compact oxygen cylinders for emergency purposes.
Sean Peterson
Shit! Shit! Shit!
Not again!
I mentally groaned. Why did I help her? And above all why did I hug her? She was playing with my mind. I shouldn’t have listened to grandma to come and look for her. I should have stayed away from her. She had brought nothing but trouble to me.
I gripped my hair in exasperation and marched in the opposite direction from her.
I was looking for grandma when I found that woman’s ex filling his cart with stuff. My hands automatically curled in a fist.
How dare he call her mindless!
She’s crazy, yes; annoying, yes but mindless? No! A big No! I had been working with her for the last four years and I knew how sharp-minded she was. Though in the real world she acted stupidly which I got to know recently, when it comes to working, she was flawless, attentive, and intelligent.
It’s good that she had bashed his motorbike, he deserved it. In fact, she should have also hit him where it hurts the most as that would have been an additional punishment.
I again groaned when I realized that I was thinking about her. Goodness, Sean, her life is none of your business. Stop freaking thinking about her! I chided myself.
I walked away from them and when I approached grandma I saw Miss Hart standing there, with her. How did she reach there so fast?
“Sean, Lauren, let’s go to the fruits section,” Grandma said as she began dragging the cart forward. I quickly lifted Ryan in my arms and said,
“Grandma, you go to the fruits section with Lau-” I stopped abruptly.
“I’ll take Ryan to the toys section,” I continued, avoiding her eyes with all my might.
“Why? He already has a room full of toys. You are spoiling him.” She chided.
“Grandma he’s a kid and no amount of toys are enough for him.” I reasoned out and before she could argue back I slipped away from there.
The main reason for me to bring Ryan to the toy section alone was to maintain a good amount of distance from her.