In Between April

CHAPTER 2

"Who are you?" The voice asked. He was dressed in fine fabrics, his shirt made from Egyptian cotton, his shoes, clearly from an expensive brand.

"What do you mean who are you?" April paused. "Your date of course."

"You don't look like her." He said, glaring at April, like she was an alien.

"This is the first time we are meeting so why would you say I don't look like myself." April was trying hard to just pretend but it wasn't working.

"I mean the picture, you look different from the picture I have of you." He chuckled "or I'm I dreaming?"

April hoped he would stop talking and stop staring but he didn't.

"Can you stop looking at the picture?" She asked.

He didn't immediately listen to her but he kept the picture down and made eye contact with the girl in front of him.

At that point, there was awkward silence.

"Well, we have to say something at least." He said, relaxing on his chair.

"Yea, that's how it's supposed to be, I guess." April had mixed feelings.

"So who are you?" Ryan asked again. "Really."

April knew there was no kind of lie she could tell this young man so he would believe she was Lily.

"And before you lie again. Her mother and mine are friends so she made me come on this date." Ryan quickly reminded her.

"I'm not a liar." April replied. She was already agitated and he was not helping matters

"Well, that's what all liars say."

"I'm not one." April was determined. She could see that this guy was determined to ruin her night. She's been on two different dates and all they wanted was to have April for a night which she didn't agree to, obviously but this was different.

"Yes. You've never been so close to a personality like me huh?" Ryan replied and April could sense arrogance. "Don't worry, I will give you an autograph before you leave."

"It seems you like to talk about yourself?" April asked.

Ryan, relaxing on his chair, smiled. "Of course. Who wouldn't talk about me." A smile appeared on his face.

"Wow, arrogant. I must say you don't seem like the selfless person the news paints you as."

"Hmm. It doesn't matter." Ryan responded. "Anyway, why do you go on dates for your friend?" He asked

"Well, she doesn't have the time to do this."

Ryan laughed. "That can't be true. Are you telling me that you do this for fun?"

"Well.." April didn't want to be honest but there was no need to lie. "She pays me."

"She pays you to go on dates for her?"

"Well, she's not ready for any commitment of any sort but her mother doesn't listen. She makes her go on dates so she could pick the "perfect" man for herself." April explained.

"Oh. So why don't you get a job instead of using humans to make money?"

"What do you mean by that? I'm not using humans to make money. I don't do that." April felt vulnerable at this point.

"Well, that's what you're doing." Ryan repeated.

"You're so insensitive, Mr. Ryan. You should learn how to talk to people."

Ryan laughed. "Well, the truth is bitter."

"This is no truth, this is just you being rude and insensitive. Arrogant in every sense."

Mr Ryan gazed in surprise that someone could call him arrogant to his face.

"Well, if you must know, I am doing this because I desperately need the money. I do." April explained not caring what he thought

"Well, that's what you would say. You look desperate."

April wasn't intending to stay and watch a stranger insult her without knowing her story. This was the first date she went to that didn't go as planned.

"Well, I won't stay here while you insult me. You can have this date on your own." She picked up her purse.

Ryan laughed. This was exactly what he wanted. He wasn't interested in the date after all if not because his grandfather forced him to go.

His grandfather, Mr. Ray Wilson was an old fashioned man who believed that only a married man can become responsible but Ryan had tried to change that mentality but he's bent on getting Ryan a wife before he'll take over the company.

"Get Married first, then I will hand the company over to you." That was the condition his grandfather had given to him.

Ryan had maintained that marriage was not for everyone, especially himself. He was not ready for the responsibility and commitment involved in marriage and the fact that his model girlfriend was not ready to get married.

As he sat and watched April take her bag and is about to leave the restaurant, he had a quick idea.

"Okay wait. I apologize for what I said." Ryan said casually.

April was not listening, she had already made up her mind to leave.

"I said that I'm sorry." Ryan said again. "I apologized." He repeated and that was when April stopped.

"No need to apologize, we aren't even saying anything reasonable here, so let me just leave."

"Well, I have an offer you'd definitely love." He said, his handsome face lining closer.

"Keep it to yourself." April said.

"I promise you will like it." He said, blinking. "It involves money, lots of money.

April went back to sit. "Go on. You have just 5 seconds to say what you have to.

Ryan didn't like that she was being like this but he needed her help as much as she was desperate for the money he was about to offer her.

"Alright. So my grandfather is an old fashioned man who believes that only married men are responsible men. So he had said he would give me the company only when I get married. So currently, my hands are tied because he is getting old and I would want him to retire and then the only way for that to happen is by getting married. Do you understand?"

"Yes. I do but how does this involve me."

"Well, my girlfriend is not ready to get married yet and I don't want to pressure her.." Ryan stopped.

"OK." April was still waiting for him to finish what he wanted to say.

"Well, I want you to get married to me."

April opened her mouth to say something but then shut up. She was trying to understand what the he was trying to say.

"Excuse me? Marry you?"

"Yeah. I will pay you. Handsomely. Deal or no deal?"

"So we'll get to do everything that couples do?"

"Not really.. This is kind of a lie so I will take you to my grandfather and after that we will get married in a court and sign a contract." Ryan said and when April was not replying he said to her. "Don't worry, you get to keep leaving your normal life, after all, only my close family members will be aware that we are married."

"Errmm.. can I think about it?" April asked, knowing well she needs the money.

"No, it's either deal or no deal."

April knew that whatever Ryan would pay her would be greater than what she has been paid for years working as a tutor. She needed the money for her father's hospital bills and her siblings too.

"You don't need to think too much, you need the money, so take my offer.

"Don't think I need this more than you, you know no one can put up with your arrogant character and your big mouth." April responded.

Ryan hated the fact that she was right. Many ladies would crush at first when they'd met but as time went by and discovered how arrogant he was, they left him after spending his money and getting exhausted of his boring ways.

"So?" He asked, staring at her, praying that she would answer. It was only a crazy man that would go around asking women he didn't know to marry him.

"Alright but.." April stopped talking. "You have to explain the terms to me in English before I can sign the papers.

"Good!" Ryan was so excited, not because April accepted to marry him but because the company would very soon be handed to him.

It has always been his dream to finally inherit his father's company but had always been given conditions, especially by his grandfather who became his father when his own Dad died in an accident.

"Let's go see my grandfather."

"Today?"

"Yes, right now. The faster the better. I need him to finally see the woman I would get married to. I need this whole thing to be believable.

"It is a beautiful night and you don't look bad either." He said, staring at my beaded red silk dress. It was one of the most expensive dresses I had. He stared at me for a while and then said "We'll just make do with what we have."

I don't look bad either. I cursed under my breathe, who was he to say something like that to me? I was dealing with one hell of an arrogant fellow. Who else if not Mr. Perfect who expects everyone to bow down to his feet.