✓16 - There's A Thief In My Secret!

I sighed, glancing at my prim reflection in the mirror with a sort of nervous distaste.

The cuffs felt tight, the collars too flayed, and did I ever mention that this has been my tenth choice combination this evening?

Who knew dressing for a date could be so hard?

"For heaven's sake! Pick a combo already," Carter cussed at me from the closet. "It's four fifteen, you undersized bozo. The kid's been waiting for thirty minutes now!!"

I hurried over to the window ledge; taking a peek out. Below, Freddie leaned over his Cadillac, anxiously consulting his watch every second then directed his gaze toward the entrance expectantly.

I drew the curtains close, turning back to the enormous clothe piles littered all over the place. None fitted the occasion. "Have you ever been on a date?" I asked.

"Once," he hummed, with his nose buried in a romance novel. His first few shirt buttons were popped open due to the heat. "But that was a lifetime ago."

"How did it go? What did you wear?" I queried further with an impatient hush.

He snapped the pages shut then drew up his white knees, wrapping both arms around it. "It went well how I remember it. But in your case, you don't look so sure about this. You wish to back off even now."

I sighed heavily, slipping the blue crisp shirt off. "I don't know what to do at this point. I want to make a nice impression on him, nothing too eager."

"I think you should start by being eager. You never know the kind of person he is. He may love your personality even more, a"

I nodded wistfully, then held up a black coat I'd worn ages ago. "Will this do?"

He gasped then snatched it. "Goodness Carlie, where do you think he'll take you to? A press conference??"

"Very funny," I commented dryly then stashed it back. "I'll go with it. Not that he'll ever mind."

I tiptoed downstairs, feeling a bit heady as my left palm encircled the doorknob. My heartbeat heaved, my breath hitched and my cheeks burned. I pushed the door forward, stepping onto the porch.

Freddie met me halfway, his black curls swirled as the wind filtered through it. It made him look enchanting. Taking his coat off, he leaned down for a peck. "Glad you could make it. Come on, let's go."

I dipped into the car, breathing in a discomfiting haze of lemons. I was very much allergic to it but bringing myself to telling him was like scoring a point to set this whole date downhill. I needed to make it work, even though a part of me wasn't even onto this.

For the first few minutes, I looked around the car. It was probably a couple of years old but it still looked brand new. It was clean and the black leather interior bare. If I guessed correctly, the car had never been used often.

"I didn't know you had this," I patted the dashboard.

His lips curled into a brief cryptic smile. "There's still a lot you don't know about me"

His demeanor was cold as we drove by the dotty streets with edible - looking frost lining the household lawns and fairly - cut curbs. Downtown was scanty and the Chip-vines parking lot which was just opposite the post office was half-filled than it'd ever been.

I expelled a sigh of hope, the car coming to a quick halt. It felt a bit better to know that the restaurant wasn't crowded. I might have agreed on coming out but I still couldn't bring myself to face the scorn, the merciless whispers. One big step forward and it could all be over.

Freddie ambled out, crossing over to the other side. He yanked the door open, extending a hand which I took somewhat reluctantly. How could he be so calm? He appeared nonchalant enough to even drape his right arm over my neck.

And then began the turmoil. His lemony cologne was so breezy and enthralling but not enough to keep me from noting the frenzied whispers as we traipsed past the doorway. An older woman with a bulk figure hurried out, her movements too hasty for her age. The gloom began setting in as Freddie steered me toward the farthest booth.

I felt stripped off. The cursive glances at us appalling.

"What would you like to have?" his deep velvety voice would have been a melody if matched with a beaming face but he looked pained, distant. He didn't in any way look like the guy I'd met a few good days ago.

I sincerely began to wonder if all this was ever right.

"A lemon drop," I replied, pushing all stale thoughts to the back of my mind.

He nodded then disappeared into the kitchen.

I instantly became aware of his stare first, then his presence. It felt like a peek of the rainbow up in the clear blue sky after a tumultuous year of continuous rainfall. He stood at the other side of the room, his eyes fixed on me. He was handsome, a portrait carefully crafted with a charcoal pencil, each stroke perfect, each line deliberate. Only when he did move was I convinced that he really was there. Then came the pull, it was dreamless and rendered me breathless. He reached me now, his stare so intent that I just had to turn; flushed.

"Um, hi Charlie."

Drenched in guilt, I tried to look anywhere else but his eyes. Darn, why does he always appear everywhere?

"Hey Carl," he drawled, retrieving a white envelope from his breast pocket. He placed it on the table, looking at me over once more. "Are you okay?"

"Why do you always ask me that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. You always look so sad,"

"I'm fine," I said tiredly. "I really am."

He nodded then gestured to the envelope. "It's for Fred. Tell him it came in about an hour ago. It's sealed if you wanna check."

I pulled the envelope closer. The writing on it was scrawny but still readable.

To Freddie.

I looked up at Charlie. "No worries. I trust you."

He smiled at that. "I'll see you around."

With him gone, my breathing returned to normal.

"What did I miss?" Freddie came round the table with a tray. He set it down then sat across from me. "Was someone here just now?"

I waved the envelope. "Charlie happened to drop by. He said I should give you this."

He tore the seal away, pulling the darkened letter halfway out. I watched him skimmed through it; his features hardened. He finally thrust the letter back in. "This is bad, I was hoping to spend the afternoon with you."

"What? What's wrong??" it came out weaker than I'd expected.

"I've got urgent work to attend to" he gave me an apologetic smile. "It's important. Mind if I drop you off? I'm so sorry."

At that very moment, I realized how much my heart wanted this to happen.

"Don't be."

*-*-*-"-

"What! He left you right on the spot?!" Carter's shriek was deafening, girly even. It reminded me of my very own sister.

The one and only Sidney.

"Yeah, that's what happened." I wriggled out of my jeans, before taking off my boots. "He had to get through with some work."

"Work my foot. Who knew he'd be such a downer."

I shrugged. "Who knew,"

"Seriously, don't go back to that jerk. No genuine guy flops a first date."

"Look who's quick to conclude. You sound like you know it all. Did you ever have a proper date without having to spread your cheesy legs?"

He grinned smugly. "Hardly. But I lived for those rough moments."

I wrinkled my nose. "No wonder why I thought you dirty."

"Hey, hey sex is good. Especially when you're doing it with a perfectionist. You know, the guy who gets every move right. I'm really looking forward to how yours would turn out. With Charlie of course."

"Oh god," I felt my cheeks flame up as I flipped over on my side, with my face the other way. "No more, please. You're too rotten."

"Rotten? Oh no. I'm decayed."