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Falling For The Playboy • 10 •
EVATherefore I Am by Billie Eillish flowed softly from the Bluetooth speakers, giving the room a somewhat chill and badass vibe as Laura took care of my makeup. When I'd first rejected her offer to apply my makeup, insisting that I didn't need one, she had given me a look of disappointment saying, "Your gown deserves better than the treatment you're giving it, Eva. ". I'd rolled my eyes, telling her that I hadn't wanted to wear the gown in the first place but then I'd stared at the gown, then at my face in the mirror, and I had silently gone and sat on the chair by my dresser, watching as she readied her tools with a satisfied nod. I mean, no one said I wasn't pretty, but my untouched face was way too undeserving of the gown. That, I knew.The gown —my gown, was a masterpiece. It would be considered simple to most, underrated even, but it was more to me, much much more. I hadn't worn a gown like that before. In fact, I couldn't remember th
Falling For The Playboy • 11 •
EVAHis warm, brown eyes darted between mine in surprise, roving over my body and then climbing back up to ogle my face. "It's really you? "He couldn't believe I was here. The feeling was mutual.I nodded, my throat clogged with emotions. The need to blink was strong, but I fought it because I feared that if I did, he would disappear.His brows dove down. "You look different. "His words seemed to slur slightly. And now that I took note of it, my surprise on seeing him was quickly replaced by worry.I ignored his comment, wanting to ask him if he was okay instead, but before I could get the words out, he lunged at me and engulfed me in a tight hug. Almost immediately, my hands came up to wrap around him. I'd missed him. I closed my eyes, inhaling his familiar scent......... but it was all wrong. He smelled of beer and a cologne too strong to be associated with him.A minute went by, then two, three, four and just when I started to think he had fallen asleep on me, he pulled away abru
Falling For The Playboy • 12 •
EVA.Where are you? The text from Axel popped into my phone and I didn't even pretend to ignore it.At home. Why? We're supposed to pick Omar up. Did you forget? Oh.I have to remind you that we're picking your best friend up today? Really, Eva? I thought he was the one that got drunk.I narrowed my eyes at the screen. So he was back to his usual infuriating self. I should have known that the last night version of him wouldn't last long.I thought I was going alone.When he'd said 'we' yesterday, I hadn't thought he meant it literally. I was shocked he was even helping at all.You thought wrong. The bubbles showed that he was still typing. In curiosity, I clicked on his profile. He had one new post. He was dressed as he had to the party so he'd definitely taken the pictures last night but the house in the background was different. Maybe he'd snapped them at his house. I squinted, pinching on the picture, trying to zoom in so I could see the house clearly, but it was all blurry. I
Falling For The Playboy • 13 •
EVA "He is sitting right here and he isn't deaf. " he shot back. Omar cocked his brow, looking between the two of us and then slowly, deliberately slowly, he turned back to his food, eating in silence. A fine act. If Axel didn't leave, then he wasn't talking to me. I schooled my features before turning to Axel, shrugging as if to say 'well, you heard him'.His mouth fell open in shock. "I cannot believe you. You're sending me out? " I shrugged again. He looked completely floored. He probably wasn't used to not having his way. "Wow. " he blinked, before getting up and storming out of the room. "By the way, you're paying for my breakfast. " Omar shouted after him and I swear I could literally hear the slew of curse words Axel threw at him. I laughed lightly.The truth was, I wasn't really comfortable hashing stuff out and while Omar had seen that part of me several times already, he knew that I still hated doing it, and I could never when we had company.So when he'd asked Axel to
Falling For The Playboy • 14 •
EVA"Hey! We never got to talk about how you met Omar. " I stilled, my spoon of ice cream stopping halfway to my mouth. I lifted my head and saw Axel watching me expectantly. He just wasn't going to let it go, was he?Sighing, I shoved the ice cream into my mouth, contemplating on the best way to answer him.I could lie and tell him that we met at my old school back in Lagos, but that would only attract more questions, which meant cooking up more lies. I wasn't a very good liar. Why not just go with the truth? I asked myself."We met at the orphanage. But he wasn't raised there like me. He got—" I stopped, realizing I was saying too much, then tried again. "He came in when he was like.... fourteeen and I was twelve at the time. I've known him five years. ""What orphanage? " He frowned. "What other orphanage would I be talking about, Axel? " I looked down at the tub of ice cream in front of me. My stomach wouldn't welcome food, that's why I'd opted for it."You grew up at an orphan
Falling For The Playboy • 15 •
EVAI flinched at the word. I never referred to myself as an orphan and it was quite stupid that I reacted that way whenever people called me that because that, in fact, was exactly what I was. I had the documents to prove it, but the truth was, I couldn't term myself that. Not when I knew my parents were alive somewhere in this world. Sure, they could be dead; life wasn't guaranteed. But I didn't believe that."I've only met Mrs Lawson once, but I'm assuming she and her husband are nice people. " He said again, dragging my eyes back to him."Why? " I asked absently."They adopted you. " He said, matter of fact."Well, there's that. " I laughed. Why was I laughing? I frowned."There's also the fact that they built the school pool and furnished the gym to death, voluntarily, of course. " His eyes lit up. "Have you had the chance to go in there yet? "I shook my head. I didn't even know the school had a gym, but I knew about the pool. Zoe took regular swims there after school. I saw her
Falling For The Playboy • 16 •
EVA"Bitch, I'm going to fucking kill you." I ducked before the launched item could hit its target —my head and glanced around surreptitiously, noticing that a few people had turned our way in curiosity. Oh, for God's sake. Not again. "Where the hell did you go? " Picking up the launched item —a fry, I gave Laura a 'really' look for being so dramatic. She wasn't even that angry. She just couldn't open her mouth without calling the attention of everyone in her vicinity.I chewed on the fry, stifling a grin as she narrowed her eyes at me. Deciding I didn't want to push her any further and have her draw more eyes to us, I said, "I had an issue that I needed to take care of. " Abi glanced at me then. She'd seen me come home but she didn't know I hadn't come straight from the party.Shit. I totally forgot.Her brows rose and I held my breath, waiting for her to say something. When she simply resumed eating, I took that to mean she wasn't going to out me. I exhaled. Thank God."What 'i
Falling For The Playboy • 17 •
EVA Jesus, he had grey eyes. Not brown like every other dark-skinned guy at this school. Grey. And how startlingly cold they were.Starting to feel prickly under his intense gaze, I looked away, rubbing my palms together under the table to rid the cold I was suddenly feeling. With my head still lowered, I peeked at him out of the corner of my eye and to my greatest relief, he wasn't looking at me anymore. He was now making patterns with his food on his plate. How weird."Who is that guy? " I asked before I could stop myself."Who? " "The one sitting on the same side as Alexander. " Laura shook her head when she saw who I was talking about. "That's Vaughn. He's a total creep. And I don't mean that lightly. " That much I could tell. "Does anyone even have traditional names here? " I squinted and she chuckled."They do. We just prefer to go by our English names. Since, you know, they're easier to pronounce. "I nodded. That was true, I guess. And I wasn't one to talk. I went by my E
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Falling For The Playboy 40
EVA Legs and more legs. They were all I could see. couldnt they see that I was struggling? Didn't they see me get shoved into the water? Why weren't they trying to help me? I struggled to move in the water, go far enough to touch one of the legs when suddenly, hands slid under my arms and lifted me out of the water. Immediately I breached the surface, I dragged in air though my nose which caused me to cough since my lungs were filled with water. I coughed and coughed more water out of my lungs, while an unfamiliar hand patted at my back softly, probably to help with the coughing. When I could finally breathe well again, I looked around through watering eyes, taking in the face of the person that had his arms around me. It took me less than ten seconds to realise it was Dare. So he was the one that had pulled me out of the water. I was a little bit disappointed that it wasn't Axel, to be honest. It would have started a conversation between us whether we liked it or not and maybe
Falling For The Playboy • 39 •
EVA "Wait, whose party is this?"Today was the long awaited day for the party and it wasn't until Laura's car was pulling into the driveway of a huge, beautiful house that I realised I never asked who was hosting the party. All I knew was that there was a party and I was attending."Henri." She wiggled her brows. Her shades were parked high on her head just on top of her hair-do and I couldn't help but admire it.I had long natural hair, but mine were nowhere as curly as Laura's and I knew that it had to do with her other half. She rarely wore wigs and never made braids. She usually went around with her natural hair and styled it more often than people even went to the salon.I thought it was really cool.When her words registered in my head, I blinked. "Henri?""Yes.""Why didn't you tell me?" I snapped."What difference would it have made?" She snapped back. "What does the host have to do with your going?"Pausing, I grudgingly admitted to myself that what she was saying was true.
Falling For The Playboy • 38 •
Pushing my shoulders back, I took a step towards them. "The school principal told me that a teen magazine would love to feature me." A surprised look passed between them. "She said they're very responsible and reputable, those exact words, and that I would not have anything to worry about. She said she's also going to call you and let you know after I do."I studied their reactions closely, searching for the slightest sign that showed that this was a bad idea, but nothing about them was giving off that energy. They just looked surprised, but not that surprised."If the principal says that they're responsible, then they probably are." Mr Lawson commented. "I'll discuss with her and do my own research on them before concluding, of course."I nodded, a huge part of me already wanting to be up in my room, carrying out my plan. Although for it to be called a plan, it had to have a chance of succeeding. I didn't know if this one did."The important question is, would you be comfortable with
Falling For The Playboy • 37 •
EVA"What if he's mute?"The conversation drifted to me. I had not been paying attention for the most part of it—mainly because my thoughts were all over the place—and Laura being Laura, didn't necessarily require an audience for her to speak. She could very well speak to herself, so the fact that we were there was a plus for her."I doubt that he is." Abi said and her speaking, coupled with the 'he' in the sentence, piqued my interest enough for me to forget about my issues at the moment and listen to them talk.I really really wanted to know who that he was.Laura shrugged. "Well, I've never heard him speak.""Just because you've never heard him speak doesn't mean that he cannot speak."Laura rolled her eyes so hard, I thought they were going to fall off her head. "I get that you don't go to parties, so you wouldn't know, but Abi, he has never uttered a single word. Not one. Who knows? Maybe that's why he doesn't even let girls near him. And I totally feel him because that would be
Falling For The Playboy • 36 •
EVA Was he pissed? The Axel I knew would have brought up the—eh, near kiss immediately. But the Axel I knew was also walking away from me right now as if he couldn't bear another minute in my presence. Maybe he'd changed. Of course he had. I'd told him that we were strictly going to be friends, none of those uncomfortable talks about feelings—on his side, of course—, no near kisses—this, we were both to blame—and none of those close proximities either. He'd even stopped flirting with me. I wasn't sure that I liked this new version of Axel. He was... boring. When we walked out into the open and our class buildings came into view again, he turned to me sharply. If I had not been watching him, I would have walked into him. "Thank you for your time today. You were..." He trailed off, his eyes over my shoulder. "It was really helpful." Then he turned back around and walked in that leisurely stride to the car park where his car was. I blinked in rapid successions, staring at his re
Falling For The Playboy • 35 •
EVA The sound of a phone ringing filled the air. Axel and I flied apart like our skins were on fire and our eyes jumped around like we were searching for the nearest pool of water to immerse ourselves into—which was crazy because I couldn't swim.I never got the chance to learn how. We were both desperately trying not to look at each other, while trying to catch a glimpse of each other, to see how the other person was taking it. Even though I wasn't looking directly at him, he was in my line of sight so it was easy for me to see his reaction. He was shuffling from one foot to the other. I, however, was doing everything I possibly could to not die on the spot. What the hell was my problem? It was like I became suddenly possessed when I was in the presence of him. I did things that I wouldn't usually even dream about doing—e.g the two near kisses—and even though I was still unsure whether it was a good or bad thing, I was positive that he was changing me. Somehow. The phone had s
Falling For The Playboy • 34 •
EVA He gave his bag to me, which I dropped on the seat next to me—but not before giving him a glare, which, surprisingly, made the corners of his mouth twitch in amusement—then he gave me a stop watch. I stared at it, then at him. "I'll need you to time me as I run." He explained. "Thats actually why I needed you to come along." And here, I thought he just needed my presence, I thought sarcastically. Okay, maybe not that sarcastically. "I don't know how to use it." "I'll show you. Here." He leaned down to explain how it worked. Pressed the start button, stop, and clear. I was paying attention to what he was saying. I really was, but his masculine scent was also assaulting my senses and it was suddenly too much for me. "I understand." I said, and took watch back from him, anxious for him to leave already. He nodded and stepped back. There was a wiry fence separating the seats from the track and field, but there was also an opening to allow people pass. He walked past it and onto
Falling For The Playboy • 33 •
EVA Today, Abi had one of those classes that took an extra hour after normal school time to conclude, which meant that we weren't going to be picked up until then. In other words, I wasn't leaving the school anytime soon. Thanks to them, I now had an extra hour to overthink what the Principal had told me to death.I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that a magazine wanted me for a model.Me!That was the part that I was finding hard to believe.I didn't want to go and wait out there where the other students waited for their parents/drivers to come pick them up. With my face on the cover of the magazine, I suddenly felt too exposed. Like everyone was looking at me. Of course, it was all just in my head, but I couldn't shake the feeling.I couldn't get out of my own head.So I decided to go back to class, hoping that it was cleared out by now. What I didn't expect, however, was for Axel to be in class. My class. Not his.What was he even doing here?Narrowing my eyes at him, I
Falling For The Playboy • 32 •
EVA Before I could take another step, he took the stairs two at a time and was already standing in front of me. My heart slammed against my ribcage. There was no way to run forward and if I tried to run back, he could easily stop me by gripping my arm. Not that he had ever laid his hands on me but I wouldn't put it past him. I could shout and have people within earshot come help me, but I didn't want other people to be involved. Besides, he could easily just run and then I would have to explain why I shouted when there was absolutely nothing wrong with me. You're not the same person you were before, Eva. If this was Axel, I would cock a brow and ask him to get out of my way. So why couldn't I do that now? Well, there were many reasons. One, Axel wasn't psychotic. Two, he would never threaten or hurt me. Three, he wasn't deranged. Dexter was guilty of all three things I had mentioned and I knew that if he could get away with it, he would have physically hurt me. Doesn't mat
