Dark Secrets

Chapter 2

      Twenty minutes later I was sitting at a table in the bar with Nikita opposite me. I had bought her a white wine, and she sipped it slowly while keeping eye contact with me.

"So," she said, "Tell me about Jasmine."

Jasmine? Why was she so interested in a girl she had seen me with? Was this the only reason she wanted to have a drink with me?

I took a mouthful of beer. "There's not much to tell. We met while I was having lunch and she asked directions to Jones and Richards, so I walked her to our building."

"Did she tell you anything about herself?"

"Only that she just moved here from Adelaide."

"Nothing else?

"Not really. Nikita, why are you so interested in Jasmine? I hardly know her."

"Call me Nikki. I suppose I'm just curious. I've never seen you with a girl before."

What? Did this mean Nikita had been watching me these past three months? I decided to be daring.

"So Nikki, what's your status? Do you have a boyfriend?"

She averted her eyes from mine and looked down at her drink. "Up until a month ago yes, but we had a big break up. It was messy."

"Oh, sorry to hear that. Break ups can be tough. How long were you together?"

"About a year, but let's not talk about me. I'm more interested in this Jasmine chick. Did you realise she has the hots for you?"

I stared at Nikita in surprise. "What? I don't think so."

"Oh yes," she continued, "I saw the way she was looking at you as you walked into the building."

Could Nikita be right? No, of course not. How could a beautiful girl who could have her pick of men in the city be interested in a geek like me? Aloud I said, "I think you're mistaken. She never said anything to indicate she was interested in me."

Nikita gave me a smile. "You'll see I'm right. If she gets that job, which she probably will on her looks alone, you'll be having lunch with her in the park every day."

Wait! I never mentioned to Nikita that I usually had lunch in the park. I could have been having it in a café or a coffee shop.

"How did you know I have lunch in the park?"

"I know more about you than you think, Josh Campbell, but getting back to what I was saying. Jasmine has the hots for you, but you need to beware of her."

"What do you mean?"

"I just have a vibe that something's not right about her."

I stared at her wondering for just a moment if she was jealous. Maybe she wanted me herself. No, that didn't seem likely. She had ignored me for three months. She must have overheard me telling one of the other staff that I often have lunch in the park. She wasn't interested in me, was she?

Finally I managed to speak. "Well Nikki it doesn't matter anyway. I'll probably never see her again."

"Don't be so sure." She stood up. "I have to go. Thanks for the drink, see you at work tomorrow, Josh." She walked to the door and was gone.

"Bye," I called after her.

I slowly finished my beer while a hundred thoughts were swirling around in my head. Nikita was basically warning me about Jasmine, but why? Could she actually be jealous of Jasmine?