Swift Attraction

Chapter Five

*MARCUS*

“That's him demanding too much” I blurted out in anger as I spoke to Nate.

“He says that's his final offer” Nate replied.

“Then tell him that we are no longer interested in purchasing his merchandise” I said to him.

“My boss says that if the terms are not amended, we would drop the whole deal and leave the merchandise” Nate said to the person on the other end of the phone and hung up.

“Imagine him coming to beg me to purchase his merchandise and he still tries to raise his price to compete with those who have been in the business for ages” I said to Nate.

“He is just being a greedy prick,” Nate replied.

We had just declined an offer from a new supplier who pleaded with me to purchase his merchandise and still tries to make his price compete with the top dogs. I know I was trying to reap him off but it is way better than him reaping me off; and he is in fact new in the business so he has to walk the growth process.

“Some people still do not understand that getting to talk to me is a privilege talk and an even bigger one is getting to strike a deal with me” I blurted out in anger as I dropped my glass of whiskey on the bar table.

I then put my earbuds back on and continued playing my music. One of my boys soon walks into the room and whispers something to Nate.

“Marco, I think there is a problem,” he said to me.

“What is it?” I asked. “Two of our boys on lookout just spotted another car tailing Lucy,” he replied.

I jumped up at that very instance.

“What? Where?” I yelled.

“They said she was spotted somewhere around her work place,” he replied.

“Nate, get the boys to kit up and meet me in the car. We leave in five minutes” I said and hurried out of the room.

Now in the car with Nate, I just kept on wondering whom that bastard may have been that had the guts to tail my Lucy. Someone has just decided to bite more than they can chew. I and Nate were in one car while three of my boys were in another car following us from behind.

“Yeah, where is she?” I said to the person on the other side of the phone.

“On no account should you lose her” I said to him in anger.

*LUCY*

Even after a stressful day at school, I still had to make it in time for work. Now that I am finally done, I felt like one who was beaten with sticks. Rita had just texted me that she was parked around the corner waiting for me. On stepping out of the shop, there was no trace of her car. I had to call her to know where she really was. She informed me that she had gone to a cafe nearby to get something for us to eat after she waited for a few minutes and I still didn't come out of the laundry shop where I worked. She asked me to wait for her and I obliged. I soon connected my earphones and started playing music from my phone. I felt a grip on my back and in reflex and self defense, I turned and gave the person a tight slap on their face.

“Ohh s**t!” I yelled on realizing that I had slapped Phillip, the one guy that I have always had a crush on since high school. “I'm super sorry”

“Nah, it's fine,” he replied.

“Reflex right?” We both chorused.

“Yeah, they have a mind of their own,” I added. I had both my hands in the pocket of my sweater.

“By the way, what are you doing out here all alone by this time in the cold of the night?” he asked me.

“Well I'm waiting for a friend of mine” I replied. Wait a sec, am I currently having a conversation with Phillip or am I night dreaming?

I was so lost looking at his eyes and his lip move as he spoke that I completely zoned out for a moment.

“Hello!” He said and snapped his hand simultaneously to jolt me back to reality.

“You zoned out for a moment there” he said to me with a smile on his face.

“Well I was saying that you are quite a singer if you'd ask me” he said to me.

“Please, don't flatter me” I said blushing.

“Look, I'm serious. I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but you have a really nice voice” he said to me.

I still found it hard to believe that Phillip wasn't just having a conversation with me but he was in fact flattering me. I could not help but blush continuously without stopping for quite a while.

“Well enough of that, what are you doing out here in the cold of the night yourself?” I asked.

“Well I was heading towards the cafe down the road to grab a bite but was interrupted by the voice of an angel on the way, and a slap on the face for the go” he said with a smile on his face.

“Ahhh, I'm really sorry about the slap thing” I said to him once more.

“No problem. I guess I would see you in school right?” He asked.

Yeah Phillip and I finished from the same high school and are currently schooling in the same college. Coincidence right?

“Funny story; I am also heading there myself” I said to him in a hurry.

“I thought you said you were waiting for a friend?” He asked.

“Yeah I was, but she is currently at the same cafe that's down the road to get something for both of us” I said in my defense.

“It's a date then?” He said with a smile on his face.

“Ohh I mean it's like a stroll or hiking date or something if you know what I mean” he hurriedly said in his defense.

I burst into laughter and indicated that there was no need for the explanation. It is funny how a stressful day became an overly joyous one. Just a few moments ago, I saw myself really tired and I just wanted to jump on a bed. And now I am filled with so much excitement that I don't even want this walk to end. But unfortunately, I could sense the end when I saw the cafe just a little distance away from where we were and Rita's car coming to a halt really close to us. She blared her honk a few times.

“I guess that's your cue?” He said holding both my hands.

Could this be it? Could this be the moment for my first kiss? The look in his eyes made me feel like he was about to engage me in a fierce kiss. Am I running mad? I mean I just recently started speaking to this guy and I am already thinking about him kissing me.

My phone beeped and when I looked, it was a message from Rita. “I see you babe” the message said with a smiling emoji and a few other emojis that I couldn't explain being attached to it. I smiled as I read the message and turned to look back at Rita in the car. She honked once again with a smile on her face.

“So I guess I'd see you tomorrow?” Phillip said.

“Sure thing,” I replied.

“How does eight tomorrow evening sound?” He asked.

Is this guy playing a prank on me or is this fate trying to play a quick one on me?

“Where?” I asked.

“Right here at this cafe,” he replied. Another message came into my phone and I told him to excuse me as I checked it.

The message was from an unknown number. The content of the message was: “you had better tell that son of a b***h to back the f**k away from you before I come tell him to do it myself. And I promise you my love, it wouldn't be a thing you would love seeing”. This message sent chills down my spine. Could this be Rita trying to prank me or something. I looked in the direction of her car to see her super engrossed in her food and moving her body to the rhythm of the music she was playing in her car. I still felt like she was the one trying to prank me. I felt like she was maybe trying to play ignorant with her recent actions. As I stared at her, another message came in saying “did you f*****g get the memo my love or should I come help you f**k that prick from his backside?” I could have sworn that I didn't see Rita holding her phone when this second message came in. I looked around and saw this two guys on black standing close to a car a few meters from where we stood. I immediately ran into the car not even giving Phillip a reply on whether I was in on his offer or not.