Page 16 of Her Cruel Bodyguard

Fabio isn’t setting me free. There is never any freedom in life when you cannot be with the one your heart genuinely longs for. You will always be bound by the shackles of a love you wished you could have.

“Gloria,” I click my tongue so she can stop flipping her hands repeatedly, dramatizing flapping wings.

“Paul is a catch,” she looks over her shoulder in Paul’s direction.

“Then catch him,” I shrug.

“Try to consider the idea of dating someone our age, the butterflies of young romance, the date nights, the fact that you both can talk about the same things and understand each other because you are from the same generation…” she continues.

“I don’t share your fantasies, Gloria. Do whatever floats your boat, and let me do whatever rocks my ship,” I lower my head. “You have my permission to catch him if you want; he is…” I lift my eyes and smile quickly at Paul as our eyes meet. “Nice.”

She scrunches her nose, “Nice?”

“He doesn’t exactly inspire my vocabulary choices, Gloria. You are the one consumed by him,” I clip as Paul closes the distance.

“Consumed by who?” Paul halts beside Gloria, and she grins coyly at him. “Hey, Gloria,” he smiles at her. “Hey, Girlfriend,” he reaches out and brushes my cheek softly with the back of his hand.

I plant my feet, fighting hard not to recoil because Fabio can see me from the rearview mirror, which I am certain he is doing. This shenanigan is beginning to slip into a crossing of boundaries.

“Paul,” I breathe, hold, and blow out.

Silence encircles us.

“Coffee or lecture?” Gloria holds her hands in a fist so we can choose, breaking the awkwardness.

“Both,” I slap her fists.

“I will meet you both in class,” she lowers her head. “Fabio will think the lovebirds needed their moment alone,” she winks, and I roll my eyes at her.

“Stop it, Gloria,” I laugh softly, a little sapped but not too drained not to find her winking funny. She shrugs and struts away. I will have to ask her later if she fancies Paul that way. And if she does, I will tell him. It will be a good way to get him to act appropriately within the boundaries of our charade.

Paul slips his fingers between mine to interlock our hands. “It’s been a week,” he exhales, leading me to the lecture hall.

“Paul,” I try to retrieve my hand, but he holds it tighter. “He can’t see us anymore,” I look behind me to confirm that the two-way door is obstructing the view.

“It’s just holding hands,” he shrugs.

“Well, we shouldn’t have to pretend to be dating when Fabio is not in the picture,” I try again to take back my hand but come short.

“Relax, Eva,” he halts and turns to me. “I don’t bite, and I think when we are comfortable in private, it will help us look more natural when we have to put on a show,” he lets go of my hand. “Like rehearsal and performance.”

I nod, disagreeing with what he is saying internally, but not in the mood to argue it out with him. When I find out from Gloria if she likes him, I will know what to do with him.

Gloria reappears with a tray and three cups of coffee. “I am saving us a seat,” she scampers in front of us.

I pick up my pace, and Paul keeps up. He holds out the door for me, and I step into the lecture hall. While I am still squinting to find Gloria, Paul points with his index finger in her direction. I motion to go to her, but he holds me back, his hand clasping around my wrist.

“You were saying he is no longer affected by our little display,” he drops his head. What if we take it a little bit further?”

“The lecturer will be here any minute,” I avert his question.

“Think about what going on a date with me would do to him; I mean, we have the street photography project submission coming up, we can do that together,” he lets go of my wrist. “Let me know your answer after the lecture,” he turns away and leaves.

While I don’t want to push Fabio too much just because he knows how to conceal his suffering, I also know I, too, am suffering, and he is the object of said suffering.

I don’t want to go on a date with Paul, but he might have a point.

CHAPTER EIGHT

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