Chapter 11

Irene's POV

I couldn't stop the rosy blush on my cheeks. His words got to me. I kept replaying his words in my head.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I don't think I've ever stopped thinking about you since our encounter at the bar."

He knew how to get to a woman. His confidence proved it. The way he talked and took pride in his appearance showed how he was. He couldn't take rides from women, it was comical.

I shook my head briefly, trying to get ready for my next class.

I may have lied a little to Eugene about my presence here. I just never imagined he'd get a job here and now I felt confused. If I were to tell him the truth, he'd be so disappointed and I might lose a good friend. And if he were to find out on his own, his trust in me would be lost. He'd always second guess whatever I said if he ever forgave me.

I walked quietly to my next class, waiting for the day to be over so I could get home.

********

A couple of hours later and I was home, preparing for a date with Eugene. I didn't know where he was taking me so I opted for something casual.

As sat in front of my dressing mirror contemplating which of the dresses in my hands was better, my roommate walked in without knocking like it was her room. One of the reasons I needed to get my place.

"Are you going out Renee?" She stood just by the door, her hands still on the knob

"For heaven's sake! My name is Irene. We've been roommates for six months and you still can't get my name right." I watched her through my mirror, still not knowing what dress to pick.

"Right. You still didn't answer my question though, are you going out?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Wow, you haven't gone out in a while and I was beginning to wonder if something happened. You have a boyfriend, right? I haven't seen him around here lately. Is he okay?"

"He's fine, he just has something going on at the moment. We might not see him for some time."

"This is the first time you aren't hungover, are you okay?" I added coyly, taking a break from my mirror to stare at her. Her small face was complimented with little green eyes, a straight nose, and thin lips. I've heard her numerous times during her drunken state talking about how she hated her lips. I felt she was crazy with her drop-dead gorgeous body that had almost all her one-night stands knocking on her door every morning.

"Very funny," she gave a sarcastic laugh. "I'm not daft, I know you broke up with your boyfriend and you just said that to get back at me for bringing him up." She was the one with the smirk now

"Nice one Sophia, that was a low blow." I knew otherwise though

"Says who? You? You started it."

"The red looks better on you by the way." She pointed at the red dress in my hand before exiting my room, leaving the door open behind her.

I faced my mirror in annoyance and a little bit of pride as I changed into the red dress. I didn't know she noticed me around our apartment. It did look good on me like Sophie said, it hid my slightly bulging tummy.

I took a glance at the clock and realized I had a few minutes to spare. My makeup was on point and it wasn't smudged.

Slightly bending over to get my shoes on, a quiet knock ran through the house. Sophia went to get it before I could, showing me her tongue on her way. I never knew she could be childish.

Hush voices were all I could pick before Sophie swept to the side and Eugene came into view. His large frame makes the room look even smaller than it was. His eyes roamed the room before falling on me and that's when I realized I looked like a creep.

Slowly, I pulled myself out of the corner, my entire body came into his line of view and I cursed myself internally for looking so stupid.

"Hey." My voice was meek

"You look good."

The smile on my face immediately dropped. That didn't feel like a compliment. Most guys would tell their dates that they looked beautiful but not Eugene, he was just so weird. I felt hurt as I spent over an hour getting my makeup done. I battled with the thoughts of what dress to put on for minutes and that was all I could get from him.

I tried not to take it too personally. He already mentioned he had social issues. How a guy like him had such was a mystery to me. He just looked so perfect.

"You too," I breathed softly. "Shall we go?"

"Of course," he cracked a smile before turning to Sophie saying, "it was nice meeting you. Hopefully, we'll meet again." She blushed pitifully at this statement. It was strange seeing her this way. Boys cute lines had little to no effect on her, at least that's what she said but this wasn't the case.

We left in one of his cars which I recall seeing at his place. He had quite a collection of them.

"So tell me about yourself," I said to break the awkward silence in the car which we were in for what felt like half an hour. The wind flew in and swept his hair in his face. He rose his hand to swipe it back with one hand still on the wheels. I had to take a deep breath and turned my gaze to look out at the glowing moon before taking a glance at him again.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything."

"Well," he paused before continuing, "I paint but you already know that." This caused me to give him 'the look', letting him know I was serious.

"Alright, I'm sorry. I told you I wanted to change my day and I'm going to do just that." I didn't get what he meant and he spoke again before I could get him to elaborate

"I'm an only child, my mom is my only living relative that I know of and that's it." He shrugged his shoulders, taking a glance at me before setting his eyes on the road again

"What about you? How's your family?"

"I'm an orphan, my mom died while giving birth to my brother who passed away with her and my dad disappeared three days later, living me in the hands of a nurse at the hospital after he claimed he needed some fresh air." My voice suddenly went strain like I was gasping for air.

"She waited for about a minute, then it turned two and then an hour passed, then two, five, and then-" I cut myself off, realizing we were at our destination. It was a restaurant, an expensive-looking restaurant. And if I've learned anything from dating, it was to always offer to pay half the bills. It would help in making you look independent and there was a possibility you could be out with a moron who would take you up on your offer. But how could I offer to pay anything that could be on their list? I could bet even their water was expensive.

I suddenly felt I should have picked out the place.

"Are you coming?" He was already out of the car and was waiting for me.

I simply nodded, not caring if he could see it. I was out of the car in seconds with him leading the way. We were shown our seats and in minutes we were ordering which was the tricky part.

Eugene ordered the most expensive thing on the menu while I was having a hard time. What I could afford was the salad which was the cheapest. It was a little over my budget but I could squeeze it in. It was better than humiliating myself.

"I'll have a sal-"

"She'll have the same thing I'm having," he smiled at the waiter who took note and left

I suddenly felt like barfing. Sweat was dripping down my neck into my gown. I was sure I looked constipated. He was beginning to look at me weirdly while I cried internally.

"So, should we continue our convo from the car?"

"What?" I was confused

"You were telling me about your family," he explained and understanding dawned on me

"That," my tongue clicked. "I don't feel like talking about it anymore, it might ruin my mood. Let's just say he left and never came back."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he apologized and I hated it. I hated apologies and it makes me snap. Flashback to when he apologized at the exhibit and I behaved so rudely, giving a dump excuse. I wasn't so sure he fell for it. Not wanting a recap of what happened, I just accepted it with a nod and a fake smile.

We fell silent again and I didn't feel like breaking it this time so I kept shut. Our meals came sooner than I expected to which Eugene devoured, my mind started to wonder when I saw how he acted with his food. Was he like that with his women?

"I'm sorry, I eat like a pig." He had an embarrassed look on his face

"It's fine, I like a man who knows how to handle his meat." I felt like hitting myself for the sexual innuendo I dropped. A sincere laugh bubble from him but his next comment was what caught me off guard.

"I'm sorry but I don't do children." A mysterious glint was in his eyes and I wasn't sure I liked it.

"Excuse me?" My voice was low and scratchy like someone was choking me

"You heard me, I'm not into children." He took a sip of his wine before putting it back

"I'm not a child," I was suddenly defensive

"Really? Then how do you explain your eighteen years of age and your sleeping arrangements?"

"Sleeping arrangements?" I was clueless

"Answer me this." His voice turned business-like. "Aren't you a student?"

I didn't know how he found out but I wasn't liking how this date was turning. I was hoping to get the chance to tell him on our way back. "Yes." My voice was calm and quiet, very unlike me

"Are you eighteen?" He looked to be dreading my answer and I wondered why. His hands tapped away on the table, a sign that he was anxious.

"I'm twenty-one," I finally answered and the emotions that lined his face were so many I couldn't pinpoint just one as they disappeared as soon as they came.

"Why did you lie to me?" He asked after minutes of silence. I couldn't bring myself to touch the food again but when I recalled we were paying for it and knowing I might never get to eat this kind of food again, I stuffed them down my throat.

"Not everything I said was a lie. I am a psychologist, just an aspiring one and I was never a therapist. I just take psychology classes at Harward."

"I still don't see why you lied."

"Well, from my years of studying people, I read you as the type who wouldn't take a woman seriously if she wasn't of the working class. I guess I had a crush on you even though I had only seen you a few times." I was ashamed of myself

"I just never thought of you working at Harward, it never occurred to me otherwise I would have-"

"You would have done what?!" His eyes spite fire like he was holding the urge to hurt me. "Formulated another lie?" His voice was dangerously low

"I'm sorry, I just wanted to impress you," I took a moment before responding

"I guess I am a child." I took my bag and left, not bothering to pay half of the meal any longer. I couldn't even pay a quarter. I rushed out of the building like it was closing on me. The sight of the door had me breathing in relief.

My feet touched the outside world and that's when the tears fell. I felt the shame crushing me from the inside. I was so stupid.