Banter

Chapter Eighty-Two – Banter.
The door to the restaurant opened and Ken walked out. He was dressed plainly with a hoodie that made it hard to know it was him. “Is he hiding from paparazzi?” Arya asked.
Kane nodded. “Yes, sometimes he gets more attention from the media than Damien does. It’s because Ken entertains the media more.”
It should be true as Arya noticed that Damien walked around more freely with her than she expected since he was the CEO.
Perhaps leaving Ken to handle the media was Damien’s way of reducing the attention that comes to him.
Ken rushed towards them and before Arya could lock the door to the backseat, he opened it and hopped in.
Kane began driving immediately.
“Damn it! Why did you rush in so fast!” Arya glared at him.
He was shocked to see her and rested on the door. “Damien’s wife? What ever are you doing here?”
Damien’s wife? Was that her name now? And that was her line. What was he doing in the back seat with her? He had just jumped in without even looking.
“Well, I was on my way to see my husband before you begged for a ride. Since we are picking you up, please be in your best behavior.” Arya said with a huff.
Since it had come down to this, if she started provoking him first, maybe he would back off and let her breathe.
But she saw him smirk. “You are going to see your husband? To distract him? What can you do for him there?”
Arya wasn’t hurt by that because she already accepted she was only going there to hand him his snacks and support him.
It was basically to pass time so she didn’t have to do anything important there. Also, given that Damien had feelings for her, being visited by her would improve his mood.
“You wouldn’t know what a loved one visit will do for you. Have you had a girlfriend before?” she raised a brow.
Kane glanced at Arya through the side mirror and smirked but he wiped it off before Ken would see him.
Ken frowned. “That’s no problem because I’d don’t care if I don’t get a girlfriend as long as she’s nothing like you.”
“How’d she be anything as good as me? Birds of a feather flock together! I bet she’d be horrible like your taste is.” Arya snapped back.
Kane reached out to play some music to calm the atmosphere but decided against it. It was more entertaining for them to banter till he got to the company.
Though he felt sorry for Arya, because she might not know that Ken was really good at arguing and would argue with her till he finally gets his point across.
A loud guffaw erupted from Ken and he shook his head. “I have horrible taste? Yes, you may say so. Riel Nightingale is a bad taste, compared to you, even Jennifer Thompson.”
Arya pursed her lips. Was he mentioning ladies he had dated? Those were all top stars and models. Was he being serious?
“Then you are the problem, aren’t you? Jennifer Thompson is currently married meaning you weren’t the one for her.” Arya replied, she didn’t feel very excited talking about it.
Jennifer Thompson was one of her favorite celebrities. To think Ken had dated her, or that she let herself date Ken. It annoyed Arya so much.
“Oh please, we only broke up because it was a long distance relationship. We were already going strong for five years before dissolving it.” Ken smirked.
Five years? Arya never heard the name of the man Jennifer had dated, all she heard was that the celebrity had broken up a five year relationship.
Months later, she announced her marriage and fans assumed it was the same boyfriend, that they made up.
If Ken was really saying the truth then, Jennifer Thompson’s marriage was just she trying to forget him, right?
Ken smirked, seeing her troubled expression. “But then, you and Damien didn’t even date so how’d do I expect you to know what’s a relationship is. You’re just a teenager.”
Was he really pulling the teenager card? Her birthday was soon, very soon. But that would barely change a thing.
Arya didn’t think she was young for anything, at least not young enough to make big things happen. Damien had taken over the company when he was in his mid teens.
And he shouldn’t forget it was that teenager his best friend married. If being a teenager was that bad then Damien shouldn’t have married her.
“You are just talking a lot of nonsense at the same time. Honestly, my head can’t keep up with the gibberish.” Arya sighed, looking away from him.
He was tiring and had soon drained her from her resolve.
“Hey, that’s my line. You’re the one whose gibberish my head can’t keep up with. Do you even have a job apart from being a student? Just causing trouble everywhere.” Ken went on.
Arya exhaled, taking it in. She did have a job but her florist shop would have to wait till Debby was over.
She didn’t want Debby blowing it up. That was her mother’s property so it was important to keep it alive.
Ken kept on ranting about more things but Arya shut her ears to it. She should have ignored him from the onset.
Kane smiled, seeing that she had finally gotten tired while Ken just warmed up. The banter had turned to a scolding. That was how every banter with Ken ended. He usually won.
“We are here!” Kane raised his voice so Ken would hear him and quit talking for a millisecond. “At the company!”
Arya took her bag and lunchbox and stomped off, she turned to Kane and made a small bow. “Thank you for driving me.”
When Ken alighted the car, she immediately turned around and marched off. That man needed a leash on his neck.
As she walked past the door, after greeting the bodyguards, she noticed some workers stopping to look at her.
While some walked ahead afterwards, the receptionist kept their eyes on her. She wondered if it was because she looked really good that day.
She smiled and walked to one of them. “Please, I’m here to meet Sir Damien.”
Just then it occurred to her that she should have made a prior engagement with them before seeing Damien.
She was just a regular person that walked in, she didn’t expect them to just let her in.
“I can give it to him for you.” Ken spoke behind her.
She frowned at him. “I came all the way to deliver it, I will do it myself. Thank you.” She spoke politely since someone was before them. Ken quietly left her.
“I’d show you the way then.” The receptionist said.
Arya was stunned she willingly let her without prior notice. “Maybe Damien had a free schedule today.” She thought.
“Thank you very much.” She said to the lady as she directed her to the CEO’s office. Her plan had gone perfectly.