The Blind/Gangster

Chapter Eight

Eunice Mariano

We sat at a six-seater table in the cafeteria. Dovan sat on my right, while Zulius, Mollie, and Nixon sat together in front of us, respectively. Everybody is not making any unnecessary movement and noise, we are all keeping quiet because of Dovan and Zulius.

"I'm confused," said Justin, breaking the silence, looking at us one-by-one, and sitting in the vacant seat beside me. "What is happening here? And why do I feel chills in my spine?"

"Flirting. That's what is happening here," Zulius answered. He clenched his hand so hard that it started to tremble due to his anger towards his friend.

"That was fast. I didn't even know you two had a thing with each other." Justin said while laughing. I turned to him and gave him a death glare. Because of that, he stopped laughing.

"Yeah right. They only met a few days ago, and now he's lurking around her." Zulius said.

I sighed and looked at Zulius. "Maybe a courtship stage won't hurt." I said and looked at Dovan's hand holding mine.

"This is good," Mollie said while nodding at us. "Especially with Eunice's current condition, she will need someone who will take her to school and take her home. Also, about some bullies that pick on her, I say it is a good thing to keep her safe." Mollie explained, with a stutter and nervousness in her voice and actions. Zulius smirked, Mollie saw it and made her look down in sadness.

"Dovan is so far from being the kind of man who protects his loved ones. I have seen him with many girls and women, and he makes them all fall hard in love with him, and when they do, he leaves them all alone and moves on to another girl that sparks his interests. It has been years now, and I know you haven't changed, Dovan," Zulius explains.

"Yeah. But you forgot the other details, Zulius." Nixon said. "You two fought over and over again about one girl you liked at the same time." He added and continued eating his meal.

"I could change if I wanted to," Dovan said, looking down at his food.

"I have heard that many times, Dovan. You never change, you can never change, because that is not who you are." Nixon said.

"Eunice, get away from Dovan, he is not who he says he is, he is a dangerous man, he will put your life more in danger. If I were you, I would list." Says Zulius and held my hand. I looked at his hand as he squeezed mine.

I sighed, looked at Zulius and was about to say something, but a punch was thrown at his face and he fell to the ground. A lot of people gasped about what had happened. I turned to Dovan and saw how furious he was.

"Dovan!" Nixon shouted, as he stood and walked to Dovan to stop him from doing anything else.

"Zulius," Mollie whispered, and helped Zulius to get up from the ground.

"Eunice is not yours anymore, Zulius, you let her know that long ago when you left her. You and I both know that she is no longer interested in you, so stop this nonsense. Ruining me will do you no good. Eunice will be mine, whether you like it or not. Stop now, or I will not hold back the next time I have the chance to punch you." Dovan said, while breathing heavily.

I looked at Dovan, and I immediately smirked because of his daringness to say something like that in front of me, his gang mates, my cousins, and all the people inside this cafeteria. His pretentious act is just as good as the truth. And then I saw an opening for myself.

"What is happening?" I asked.

"Nothing." Dovan answered, held my hand, and pulled me to stand. "We need to go." He said and pulled me away. We walked out of the cafeteria, holding hands, until he started squeezing my hand so hard that I too had to squeeze his hand back.

"When are you going to let me go?" I asked him while walking. He stopped and looked at me, furrowing his brow with anger.

"Let you go? Eunice, knock knock, you are blind."

"I know. That's why I need you to let me go." I said,while pulling my hand away from him, while giving him a dead look in the eye.

"You are not pulling away from me." He said, fighting me by holding my hand tight even though I tried twisting it.

"Why?"

"I punched the face of my friend just to support this lie. So, you are coming with me."

"I do not care if you kill your friend, or if your friend kills you. I would be delighted if both of you stayed away from me."

"Oh yeah?" He asked and then continued pulling me to the parking lot where his car was parked.

"Dovan!" I shouted at him.

"Get inside." Dovan ordered. He opened the shotgun seat door, and pushed me inside. I tried to get out but again it was locked from the outside.

"Why does this seem familiar?" I asked, remembering what my mother did to drag me here, and then sighed. "This is kidnapping." I said.

"No." Dovan answered and put the seatbelt on me.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Into the mall." He answered while putting his seatbelt on. I looked at him confused and in awe of the absurdity of his actions.

"What?"

"I need something there." He answered and smiled at me. I crossed my arms. "Just relax. You don't really believe what Zulius just said about me, do you?"

"That depends. Because the first step is to love you, but I can't even like you now, so," I answered. He laughed and started driving off.

"Is that so?" He asked himself. I just shook my head and kept my head facing forward. Nobody talked at all throughout our trip. A few minutes later, we arrived in the parking lot of the mall. He opened the door for me and held my hand while we walked inside. We stopped at a boutique, he let me sit on a sofa, while he browsed through the women's garment collection. He picked up all the different kinds of black dresses and garments, the ladies then took everything out for him while they followed him through. After one long walk, he stood in front of me, gently held my hand to make me stand, then he shadow dressed me with all the clothes. One-by-one until he saw a few that were great for my body.

"This one." He said and gave me the dress. It was an offshoulder dress and an above-the-knee balloon skirt. I looked at it and looked at Dovan. He looked at me for a second.

"What do I do with this?" I asked.

"Oh. I'm sorry, you are going to wear it." he answered without sarcasm.

"Oh." I responded.

"This way, ma'am." The lady said and led the way. But everything to me is just as confusing, so I didn't follow her through and just stayed where I stood.

"Ah. Miss, she's blind."

"Apologies, Mr. Montiverdi," the lady said, and walked to me. She held my hand to guide me to the dressing room. I didn't want to go with her, but she pulled me and forced me inside the dressing room. "Let me help you with that." She said and was about to undress me.

"No," I said and pushed her away. "I think I can manage. Thank you."

"Are you sure, ma'am?"

"Yes. Of course."

"I'm scared to die today, please, let me help you."

"Oh? I am going to kill you if you do not step back." I threatened her and grabbed her neck.

"Please don't." She begged, so I let go of her.

"Get out." I said, and she ran out. I then stripped naked and got into the dress Dovan picked. "Did someone die?" I asked, looking at myself in the mirror.

"Are you done?" Dovan asked.

"Yeah." I answered and the ladies in waiting opened the curtains, so I turned around and saw how Dovan was in awe. "I could kill wearing this dress. I'm sure blood splatters would look so good in it." I said and looked at Dovan, but he was not saying anything, he was just staring at me. "Excuse me miss, may I know if Mr. Montiverdi still with us?"

"Yes ma'am. Mr. Montiverdi is still with us, he is just adoring you so much," the lady answered while laughing and giggling.

"Dovan!" I shouted and he flinched.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you could be this beautiful," he said, and cleared his throat.

"And I am too blind to see," I said. I turned around to look at myself in the mirror.

"This will make the whole look perfect," said Dovan, holding a pair of black heels. He stopped behind me, touched my arm, walked in front of me, stooped down and helped me into the shoe. I gasped at his touch. "Perfect." He whispers. He stood, stepped back, and looked at me from head to toe. I looked at him, watching his every move, and I couldn't help but feel mesmerized by his masculinity. I tried keeping myself together, shaking my head and breathing deeply.

"Are we done?" I asked.

"Yeah. Sorry. I can't take my eyes off of you." He says as he pulls me out of the boutique.

"Where are you taking me now?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

"You need a contact lens." He answered, and we stopped at an eyewear shop.

"Why?"

"Because your eyes are dead."

"So?"

"I want you to look like you are not dead, or someone who could be my girlfriend, but disrespectful,"

"What can I help you with?" A lady asked.

"Can I get a brown contact lens please?" Dovan asked.

"Why? What are you even doing? What is this? And what are you planning to do?" I asked. Dovan ignored me, and just waited for the lady to come back with a contact lens.

"Can you please put it on her?" Dovan asked.

"What? Are you mad? Are you trying to ruin my eyes?"

"They are already broken. Stop whining and let her put it on you." He said and held me tight.

"No." I stand firm.

"Yes."

"No. I will do it myself."

"You can't, you cannot see."

"I know. But I can't just let other people touch my eyes."

"They are experts, don't worry about it," he said in a calm voice that made me calm down. I looked at him in the eyes and saw how sincere he was. "Come on," he said, and guided me to sit down.

"Don't let go of me," I asked. He smiled and nodded.

"Okay."

I faced the lady, she gently opened my eyes with a tool, then put the contacts in.

"There. Beautiful." Dovan said, looking at my eyes. "You can become my girlfriend now."

"That is not entirely up to you."

"Today is my engagement party."

"And? Congratulations."

"I don't want your gratitude. I want you to help me get away from it."

"Why? Is she not up to your taste?"

"Let's say, she's not."

"And then what?"

"What do you mean?"

"Afterwards. What will happen after this girlfriend pretends?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders and stood up. I stood up and followed him. "You are not sure?"

"I didn't think about that much."

"Okay. Let me think this through for you." I said and stopped him from walking. "Your mother will force us to live on one roof. My life will be ruined, then she will find out about this whole pretend sh*t and fake relytionsh*t, then we have to break up and separate. As for Zulius and Mollie, they will both develop their feelings towards each other," I said elaborately.

"That's funny, you are funny, but if that were to happen, then it would be fun." Dovan said and scornfully smiled at me.

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