“What?” I hissed. He opened his car door and got out. He walked around and leaned on his car, crossing his arms.
“I don’t want you working there anymore,” he said simply as he looked at me.
“Well, you don’t control where I work,” I answered back. A thin line appeared where his lips were.
“I would like it if you quit there,” he said through his teeth.
“Are you asking me?” I asked, surprised at his behavior.
“Yes,” he said coldly.
“No, but thank you for asking.” I grinned and was about to leave.
“Addie,” he said more forcefully.
“What now?” I said exasperated.
“Tomorrow, tomorrow make sure you are free. That is our one date. Tomorrow you belong to me,” he said in a serious tone.
“But…”
“No buts, Addie. Tomorrow.”
Daimon stepped toward his car, got in and drove off. I realized how out of place he was in my neighborhood. I knew I should have fought harder to have a right to say on when we had our dates.
FIRST DATE
I woke up early and reached for my new phone, which now had a spot on my nightstand. Daimon still hadn’t called. I got up from bed and asked Sofia if she could cover for me because I had a ‘job interview.’ Daimon was a boss not everyone could deal with. She agreed without hesitation. I knew what she was thinking. She was getting herself mentally prepared to be part of our little restaurant life. The thing was, I wasn’t about to let her. She didn’t want me working at the bar anymore and thought I was getting a regular part-time job. I let her have her little delusion.
My phone chimed as I sat at the table having breakfast. I knew it was Daimon; I used the suspense sound on my iPhone and assigned it to him.
Daimon:Meet me in front of my building in an hour
I looked down at his text and cringed. Even his text was dry and cold. I finished breakfast and dressed. I took my time to get ready, Daimon was used to perfect women and I was far from being one. Once I was satisfied with my look, I left.
It was ten o’clock and the asshole wasn’t even here. I sat down on the cement stairs that led to his building. I watched as some workers huddled together, taking their cigarette break. Feeling melancholy, I was thinking I could have been one of them, had I continued with school. I picked up my iPhone and began playing around with it, just to distract myself. I had to admit I had really grown to like this phone. Maybe if I saved up enough money I could get one for Sofia.
“Why are you sitting on the ground?” Daimon hissed. I looked up at him, as I held my phone.
“Well, if you had benches, I would have sat on a bench instead,” I answered sarcastically. He put his hands on his hips and shook his head. He stood over me with his navy blue suit, light blue shirt and dark tie, casting his shadow down onto me.
“Up, Addie,” he ordered, but I continued to sit. “Addie,” he said again, but I kept looking at him, not moving an inch.
“If you want me to get up, you should ask nicely. Remember you’re hypothetically in love with me,” I whispered, grinning. Asshole! You’re at least going to treat me like a man should. He reached down, grabbed my hand and pulled me up.
“I see you dressed up for me. I really like the jean and t-shirt combo you have going on,” he said sarcastically. It hurt to know even when I made an effort it wasn’t good enough for him.
“You said meet you down here. You didn’t specify on what I should wear, master,” I bowed my head a little and yanked my hand away. He took two large steps, almost making me fall over.
“Must you be difficult the whole time we’re together?” he said in a hushed voice.
“If memory serves me correctly, which it usually does, a girlfriend is supposed to be a pain in the ass. I figure I should fit the part perfectly,” I said playfully, Daimon narrowed his eyes. It felt good getting under his skin.
“Follow me,” he hissed.
He barely spoke to me as he led me through the streets of Lower Manhattan. I wasn’t used to Daimon not talking to me. The boy I knew from high school would continuously attack me as much as he could to antagonize me, yet this version of Daimon didn’t.
He finally stopped and pulled a door open for me.
“In,” he said, nudging his head. I stood in front of the store and looked up at the sign.
We stood in front of Prada. I sighed, groaning inwardly. What choice did I have? I went inside and the salesclerk in the store scowled at me as her eyes ran up and down my outfit.
Daimon walked past me and called out to the woman. She rushed toward us the moment he appeared.
“Get her a black dress, one she can wear during the day,” he ordered. He looked around, no doubt for the man chair area.