I'm not joking!

Friday 9:00 am ...

Jenna adjusted her dress feeling slightly annoyed as she sat across the table from her father, both of them waiting for Mr Cooper and his son to arrive. 

The restaurant exuded an opulent charm, but Jenna couldn't help feeling uncomfortable with the lavishness of the occasion. 

She felt like they were here for an engagement ceremony, she tried to broach the subject with her father, expressing her thoughts that all this extravagance wasn't necessary, but he seemed preoccupied with impressing the president and winning his favor.

As the president and his son finally arrived, Jenna's heart sank. She had hoped they wouldn't make it here, or probably even had an accident on their way here, anything to just get them out of her life, especially his son, Jeremy! She wouldn't mind.

Her father immediately switched into charm mode, engaging in conversation with the president while Jenna found herself forced into small talk with the president's son, Jeremy. Ofcourse she didn't want to but the burning glares her father occasionally passed her was enough to force her into it. She couldn't have been more disinterested in their discussions, but Jeremy seemed intent on getting her attention.

Soon, herself and Jeremy had no words to say again!

The breakfast conversation went on, but Jenna's mind drifted away from the words exchanged between the president and her father. She felt uneasy about the whole situation, her thoughts centering on how her father was more interested in impressing the president than considering her feelings.

After breakfast, the older men decided to take a stroll, leaving Jenna and Jeremy alone at the table. 

"Look, Jeremy," Jenna said firmly, immediately she was sure their fathers had left hearing reach.

"I'm not here to be won over or impressed!"

"Or to impress you or your dad!"

"You should know me by now, I don't care!"

"Well in my opinion that's exactly what we're here for!" Jeremy replied, she looked up at him and scoffed immediately he made that statement. What a jerk!

"This whole setup feels artificial, and I find it rather uncomfortable!" She continued angrily, rolling her eyes.

"And seriously, I need to be honest with you. Your constant attempts to get my attention are really off-putting" 

"I don't appreciate it, stop it please ."

Jeremy seemed taken aback by her bluntness, and his expression faltered. However, the surprised look on his face didn't last long as his lips slowly curved into a deep smirk.

"Stop being so high and mighty, Jenna. You can let your guards down now!" he said, his tone clearly derogatory and condescending. Her eyes went wide with anger immediately.

"You and I know you're not all that!"

"I just knew you can never change, still that same jerk!" she growled angrily.

"A jerk that you loved and obsessed over!" he interjected, staring deep into her dark brown eyes. She took her eyes off him and released an irritated hiss.

"You clearly are moving mad!" she growled as she picked up her bag, angrily pushed her chair, and stood up.

"I had you in the past, and I can assure you, I'll have you again if I very much desire it!" he said.

"In your imaginations, douchebag!" she slammed, walking away angrily. Jeremy slowly relaxed in his chair, a small smile on his lips as he watched her walk away.

As Jenna stormed out of the room, Nimi quickly stepped down from the car and caught up with her, but she was in no mood to be stopped. 

"Let's go!" she said sternly as she walked towards the car and pulled it open, he hurriedly caught up to her. 

"Jenna, wait! Your father instructed not to let you leave without him," he said firmly, Jenna's anger intensified as she turned back to look at him.

"Your Dad this, your Dad that! Why can't you do as I want for once!" she shot back, her eyes already glossy with tears.

Nimi hesitated, knowing how important her safety was, but he could see the frustration in her eyes, he released a deep sigh and gently held the door open for her.

"Alright!" he replied, reluctantly agreeing to her request, he closed the door behind her and got into the front seat.

"Your father won't be happy about this," he murmured feeling a little concerned on how her father would take his decision to listen to her.

"Take me somewhere far away and quiet," she said to him, pretending not hear what he had just said.

She reclined in her seat and her eyes went shut on its own, her mind was still racing with emotions from her encounter with Jeremy.    

Immediately Jenna and Nimi got to the park, he stepped out from the front seat and quickly held the door open for her. She gracefully walked inside the park, and he followed behind her, ever watchful.

Just as she settled into one bench with him standing at alert behind her, his phone began to ring, he brought it out.

She slowly looked up at him and their eyes met, he picked up the call and placed it on loud speaker.

Franco's voice at the other end of the phone was livid. 

"Nimi! How dare you allow that silly girl embarrass me like this!" They could literally feel the heat from his voice.

"After the instructions I gave, you still went ahead and defied me! If this arrangement goes wrong for me, I assure you I'll make your life a living hell!" He growled angrily.

 "I'm sorry, sir, but there was an emergency, and we had to leave quickly." Nimi replied calmly.

"What stupid emergency?! Is that what she told you?!" 

"No, I witnessed it myself, she had to leave urgent to talk to a client who was on the verge of leaving,"

"We tried looking for you, but you were nowhere to be found." He explained calmly, his voice clear and confident and Jenna could almost believe that's what exactly happened.

"So has she handled that now?!"

"Yes sir she has, she stepped out to get coffee,"

"We really are sorry for the trouble we caused, I can assure you sir this isn't coming from a place of stubbornness on your daughters end!" He said and Franco heaved a sigh of relief, His eyes met with hers, and she looked away.

"It better not be!" Franco replied curtly as he ended the call.

Nimi gently pocketed his phone, crossed his hands behind his back and resumed staring into space.

 "You didn't have to lie for me" she said calmly, her eyes fixed on nothing in particular as she crossed her legs and sat forward.

Nimi nodded, a small smile forming on his lips.

"If your dad found out the real reason you left, he would have fired me,"

"So yeah, I didn't lie for you!" He replied and she nodded slowly.

"Fair enough!" She whispered.

"All the same thank you for covering up for me!" She finally said.

"Wow!" 

She looked up at him immediately, intentionally stopping herself from rolling her eyes.

"What's wow?!"

"Well I didn't think you'd be saying something like that to me this soon!" He replied, she scoffed as she uncrossed her legs, slowly tucked her hair behind her ear.

She quietly tapped the space beside herself and asked him to sit. 

"Don't make me do it Jenna, I don't find it appropriate," he replied immediately.

"I insist, "

Reluctantly, he sat down next to her, "I shouldn't be doing this!" He murmured and she laughed.

"But here you are, doing everything you shouldn't be doing!" She replied and he just smiled.

"I guessed I misjudged you," she said after sometime, as she sat back again and crossed her legs.

"I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you,"

"Is that supposed to be an apology?!" He asked turning to look at her.

"You wish!"

"Now that's very Jenna-like!" 

 "Look, I just want you to know, your father, he cares a lot,"

"Given his status, it's really not safe for you alone out there Jenna," 

"Yeah, I guess," Jenna replied, playing with the grass under her fingertips.

 "It's just that things have been tough lately, and I haven't been dealing with it well."

"But I've made up my mind to just accept this is how my life is and I really can't change that!" She said and he nodded slowly.

"Even if it doesn't seem like it, he's actually doing what's best for you!" He said it her and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, including forcing me to be good friends with my very jerky ex!" She blurted out without thinking and instantly regretted that she said, she really didn't have the intention of blurting out her secret to her bodyguard, something she had never even mentioned to her mother.

Surprised flickered through Nimi's eyes as she said that, he definitely didn't see that turn coming!

"Well now I understand the hate," he said and she nodded.

What's said is already said, she didn't even try to reiterate, she just let it be.

"Yeah," she replied, really not willing to go into the details of what happened between them.

"Hey, " he whispered as he moved closer to her,

"No matter what might have happened in the past between the both of you, try and not make it obvious,"

"Your stubbornness will make your father more keen and strict with you, " he said.

"Yeah, you're right," she whispered in reply as she swallowed hard.

She couldn't fathom what was going on but she just found her face magnetically pulling close to him as he moved closer to her too. 

Jenna's heart pounded loudly as she felt the warmth of his breath against her cheek.

This was only the third day she had spent with Nimi, and she couldn't deny the attraction even in the midst of all that anger. 

But they were worlds apart and she knew in her heart this wasn't going to lead anywhere, not with her Father in the picture.

As Nimi leaned in closer, a mix of emotions washed over him. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was wrong, but he found himself unable to resist the magnetic pull drawing them together.

His mission here was clear, and kissing her will change that dynamic, but it was funny to him how he felt ready to take that risk.

 Their lips met softly, and in that moment, time seemed to stand still.

But just as quickly as it had begun, Jenna broke off the kiss, her eyes wide with surprise. She cleared her throat nervously and noisily, trying to gather her thoughts, unsure of how to react or what to say. 

The atmosphere suddenly became thick, Nimi, sensing her unease, quickly apologized for his impulsive action. 

"I shouldn't have done that, It was inappropriate and uncalled for."

Jenna nodded, still catching her breath, and managed to find her voice. 

"It's okay, " she whispered not meeting his gaze.

"We should umm, we should leave!" She said her voice still trembling slightly as the thought of kissing her bodyguard resurfaced through her mind.

Nimi nodded, "Yeah we should!" He murmured, they should up immediately and headed for the chair.

Just few inches away from the bench, Jenna suddenly groaned in pain as she grabbed her arms and fell to the floor.

"What the hell!" Nimi muttered immediately as he bent to her level, she had been shot, he looked around but there wasn't anyone in sight, he quickly scooped her into his arms and ran back to the car.

"Hospital immediately!" He barked at the driver, whom immediately switched on the ignition and stepped on the gas.

His phone dinged in his pocket and he hurriedly brought it out and looked down at the message.

"This is a warning Nimi, just so you know I'm not joking! And my eyes are on you!"