A Bad Influence On Me

We arrive at Lexis town at dusk and my stomach grumble when Andrew pays for the taxi fares. Hearing my stomach growling, he chuckles a little.

"Let's find something to eat first before we went to the plaza." He held my hand and heading to the zebra crossing. Waiting for the traffic light for pedestrians turns green and we can cross the road safely.

When I looked at him, he smiles at me widely. He really had a gentle smile and I was mesmerized by it.

Oh, Sha Sha…you can't fall in love with him! I always remind myself that I can't fall for him as he…had so many women back at his home. While me, I'm probably just his entertainment. Maybe a doll for him to play dress up.

And I don't know what has been possessed me to allow him to do as he likes to me. I trust him blindly and even follow him to this town. I…defy my father's rules.

"Do you like Italian food?" he asked, making me flinch my body a little before I turn my head to my side. He was waiting for my answer. I then peek at the restaurant behind him, it looks like an Italian restaurant.

"I…I never eat out," I said while lowered my head a little. A bit embarrassed. True, I never eat out with my friend as I never had a friend, to begin with.

At my workplace, I always eat my bento that my mom prepares for me and I always eat at home after work. My father never really order any food from outside. I am lame and I lead the life of a hundred years lady.

I know he was shocked. But, I never expect him to suddenly hug me. Is he…pitying to me again?

"From now on, let's eat outside together. My treat," he said and pull my head from his broad chest. I look at him with creased on my forehead.

"Are…are you pitying me?" I mutter it slowly while my eyes were a little bit red. Maybe I don't like someone pitying me. It feels like-

"No. I just want you to experience eating many delicious foods with me. Because I..want to eat all delicious food with you." he replies casually and brings me to the restaurant behind us. I was startled. I want to be mad at him, but I guess…I can never be mad at him when he's honest with me.

When the waitress gives us the menu book, I was a bit lost. I don't know what to order and it has so many pages. I keep on flipping the page while looking at the name of every menu. Every meal here is quite pricey!

"You know..I love this one. It's mild and not spicy. It has a sour taste but only at the beginning. The more you dig in, the more delicious it be. Wanna try it out?" Andrew show me one menu on the second page before he then shows a few other options that according to him is delicious.

After some time, I decide to choose what he recommends at me. And as he said earlier, the food is really delicious. We talked about a few other dishes and he even explains to me how it made. I bet he also knows how to cook too.

Just seeing how talkative he is, I guess he really not pitying me. Maybe he just wants someone to eat with him? I don't know, I can't figure him out at all.

When I want to pay for the food, once again I was late as he already paid it. He said to me that he wants to go ask the lady at the counter about the direction to the plaza but he actually went to clear the bills.

"Don't feel burden by it. I am a man, of course, I should treat you," he said as I guess he saw how I pouted when we walk out of the restaurant.

I did not say anything as we both walk to the plaza. It's not far from the restaurant earlier and when we enter the plaza, my eyes brighten like stars. There are so many shops from various brands and it's a bit crowded with people too.

"Sha Sha.." Andrew call me before he held my hand again. "hold my hands so that you'll not get lost later." He smiles and slowly walked following my pace. I want to see this beautiful place that I never been to before.

"They have many branded stores here which Tallis city doesn't have and um..we're a bit late now."

I gasp and walk a bit faster. "Sorry," I said.

"I don't really mind if you want to spend your night here, but I'm afraid that your father will kill me if I didn't send you home before midnight." He jokes while mentioning my father.

"Next time, I'll ask for your father's permission and bring you here again, okay?"

I don't know what to reply to him. I know my father will never allow it but…I also want it to be real. I want to go here again. I want to explore another place. And I want to….open up a little bit.

"Alright, we're here," Andrew said and I look at the signage of the place he brings me. It's in the french language and I can't pronounce it. But I know it's a beauty center. Or maybe a treatment center? Hmm…I should learn some french.

"Bonsoir, maître Andrew..que puis-je-"

"Shh.." Andrew put his finger on his lips and I walk to his side. I didn't understand what the girl said earlier since she talks in some french language and I wonder why did Andrew signaling her to silent?

"Um, please get this girl a proper treatment. Remove her unnecessary hair and groom her well. Explain to her as well on how to use a basic skincare product. If possible I want it to be done in one and half an hour. Is that okay?" Andrew said in English which then the girl look at her teams before she nods her head.

"Of course, ma-. I mean, sir." the girl correcting her word before she looks at me. Okay, I'm shy as why the girl looks at me with such a smile on her face? It's like she's looking at someone important and is it possible that she's thinking I'm Andrew's girlfriend? No way, right?

"Okay...I leave her to you then." Andrew looks at me afterward, "go with them. I'll be right back shortly." I pull his sleeve. Shaking my head. I'm afraid of staying with a person who I don't really know and at another place which I unfamiliar with.

"Don't worry. It won't be long. I promise you." He could sense my worries, isn't he? As I want to say something, he held my hands again and put it on his chest. "Trust me."

I finally nod my head. I know I'm easy to listen to him whenever he does that. It's like..his charm to calm me down. And it always works on me. "Hurry back," I said and he let go of my hand after touch my bang a little.

After he's gone, I walk to the room which the lady from earlier lead me to. Inside the room, there are five more girls who preparing a lot of stuff on their tray. I was a bit confused. What did they want to do to me? Why they preparing a lot of things that I don't even know the name of each of them.

"Miss, can you take off your clothes first? And wear this towel please." The lady from earlier hands me a soft towel and show me the changing room which is also inside the large room I'm in. I took the towel from her and change into it.

Like getting an electric shock, I was so stiff when other people touch my skin and I keep jolting my body. While they do their job, the lady whom I believe is the team leader explaining to me how to take proper care of my body and what should I do and don't.

Seriously I never paid attention to it but today I got to learn something new. Something I never know of. After one and half an hour, just like Andrew promised me, he returns back with a lot of paper bag in his hand.

"Wow..look at you..you're blinding me." He teased me before he said again, "Let's go home now." He put all the paper bag he brought at my side and went to the counter. Swipe his card again!

"Um….Andrew," I call his name as I lift up my hands which had a paper bag filled with so many skincare products. "How much is this? I'll pay-"

"Nope! Not now. We're in a hurry now before we missed the last taxi." He said and put it back his card inside his wallet and take all the paper bags beside me including the one on my hands.

"Let's go." He held my hand gently with his left hand and we run to the taxi stand. Maybe it's our luck as we arrived, the taxi who just stop at the stand agree to send us back to Tallis city. It took two hours and mostly the taxi driver refuses to go there. It's like a dead city at night.

Andrew agrees to pay the driver triple from the actual amount and that's a miracle we get a ride back to our city tonight.

"Hahh….hahaha.." We both laughed before he takes a closer look at my face. We both tired from running and rush to the taxi stand but it's quite a fun thing we do today. I've crossed so many rules in just a few hours I was with him today. He really is a bad influence on me. But, I don't think I hate it though.

"See? You're just as beautiful as I thought you'll be."