Chapter 9
1167 Words
Raven
The private brunch with Raoul's colleagues is today and I dressed wearing a sundress since there's no work today, I don't need to wear my corporate attire.
Apparently his colleagues also brought their spouses.
"I'm surprised, still. Raven Buenavente and Raoul Elijah. Who would've thought?" Elise smirked.
"I mean how could you handle someone as 'instense' as Rao?" Another girl asked.
I smirked at that question. "Oh, he smiles when no one's looking, I swear." I winked and the girls laughed while the boys tease Raoul.
"Lies," Raoul rebutted.
I leaned closer towards him with mock sweetness. "You smiled at my dog the time you went to my parents' house. Don't think I didn't see." I whispered.
For the first time in front of people, Raoul Elijah actually laughs. A short, low laugh that maked me freeze for a bit. I saw how his guy friends smirked while looking at Rao but didn't bother to tease him more.
I smiled at his colleagues until brunch ended.
Tonight is also the set day just for the two of us. It in our contract. 1 date night a week. We decided to go watch and movie and have dinner at a rooftop. As we both entered the mall, paparazzi, of course, not so uncommon bombarded us. Rao became alert that he contacted someone for out protection and went inside a cinema.
"Remind me next time to rent your whole mall." Rao joked.
I smiled at that. "I should've thought about that sooner. I didn't quite remember that the media goes crazy when Raoul Elijah is out with a girl."
He raised his brow. "Or more like the so-called untouchable Raven Buenaventura started dating again after a dreading divorce?"
I glared at him. "Untouchable? You're the one who's untouchable." I scoffed.
"Then we might just be the perfect fit."
"What did you-"
"Shh... movie's starting." He started eating his popcorn.
We finished the rom-com movie that I decided to watch with him. The moment we went out of the cinema, stores are closed and no person in sight.
"You cleared the entire mall?" He asked while looking around.
I shrugged. "It's my mall." I answered, simply.
"Let's walk around.." I smiled at him.
He raised his brow. "Inside your dead mall?"
"What? It has been a while since I walked around without people watching." I shrugged and walked first and still felt him follow me.
The mall looked like a dreamscape. Dim lights, no music. No crowd. No cameras. Just the silence. I saw he walked faster just to be beside me while walking, his hands are in his pockets, posture easy.
"You didn't have to clear the place just for me, Raven."
"I didn't."
"No?"
I smirked. "I did it for the fake boyfriend I'm contractually obligated to entertain once a week."
He now faced me and somehow we both stopped walking. I looked at him and saw amusement attached in his face.
"That's your rule may I remind, yes?"
I chuckled at what he said. "Strictly for show," I added.
"Right. Of course." He said, plainly.
We continued walking until we both reached a glass railing that's overlooking the lower level. I leaned against it and he copied me. Our shoulders close.
"Did you enjoy the movie?" I asked, still looking out.
"Hard to focus when someone keeps on brushing their arm to mine." He joked and I chuckled.
"You were on my side of the seat."
"Liar." I saw him smirked a bit.
Silence came in between us.
"We're really committing to this fake thing," He murmured.
"We are," I whispered. "At least we're very convincing."
He didn't answer that.
"Almost... too convincing."
I looked at him, confused but he stared straight. Something about the way he said it... low, careful, and almost testing.
"We're still pretending, Raoul." I reminded him.
"Of course," he answered quickly. Too quickly.
I cleared my throat. "Good." I whispered. "You may act freely now that no one's around to see us pretending so well." I didn't know why and for God knows why am I so in pain when I said that. It has been almost just a month since we agreed to this thing.
We're both just silent. Just standing here while leaning on a glass railing.
Not touching anymore.
Not admitting.
Not breaking any rules.
But, it felt exactly like it is something that I'm not supposed to feel.
"Let's go?" Rao asked and I nodded. Before I walked continuosly he held my hand and this time, I held on.
For our last itinerary for our date night, he brought me in a private rooftop restaurant. Our car ride had been real quiet but not the awkward kind. At least for me.
We're thirty floors abobe the city and I adored the city lights. A table set for two and no servers. Just one discreet staff who poured us wine and then vanished into thin air.
"You really went out for a fake date." I joked just to lighten up the air between us.
"Says who kicked her customers out of the mall." He rebutted and I looked at him with my brow raised. "You keep saying fake like you're trying to remind yourself," he added and I froze at that.
Food came and I still haven't answered his last statement. What does he mean by that? I pouted and just started eating not minding what he said but I know it will not leave my mind one bit!
"You okay?" He spoke.
I looked at him. "I'm fine."
He looked at me with those eyes that I don't want to see at this moment. "Liar."
"You also have a habit of calling me a liar." I pointed out but he didn't answer. "Don't do that."
"Do what?" He asked.
"Look at me like that."
He blinked once. "I'm not doing anything."
"Exactly." I whispered.
The tension snapped like a thread pulled too tight. I suddenly wanna go home. The tension between us became different especially from the time he started working in my company!
"You work full time in my company... how about yours?" I asked.
"My firm is fine. I have someone as my right hand and consider it like a merger because the moment I applied to your company, my firm is also one with B-R-E." He smirked. "So, don't worry."
Another silence.
I sighed and put down my utensils because I can't keep up with the tension anymore. I looked at him and I saw that he noticed that. He set down his fork. Carefully.
"Rave-"
"This is a date, Raoul." I said, calmly. "You should at least pretend to flirt with me. That's the agreement, right?"
He looked at me. Eyes dark. He leaned forward, voice low.
"You want me to flirt with you?"
"If you're capable." I threatened.
I thought of baiting him or at least I thought I was baiting him but then suddenly I forgot who I was dealing with.
- Writer
