TEACH ME NOT 2 HATE LOVE

35

🧑Nik Anthony POV🧑

So, Mother keeps pestering me about going on a date with this nice young lady named Ashley, whom she met earlier today. Of course, I told her no more than a thousand times. But you know how my mother gets when she wants something.

In the end, I had no choice but to agree to go on the date. Just to get her off my back and out of my ears, too. It's one date, after all. Nothing more.

Mother even chose the place I should take the young lady. Gold&Rose. It is one of the top ten restaurant bars in Orion City.

Ah, the sooner this is done, the sooner I can go home.

As I walked into Gold & Rose—soft romantic music playing, couples dancing—my eyes detected Tajea dancing with some prince charming. What the hell?

Am I seeing well? Someone, please pinch me. This can't be real. This could never be real. It must be someone who looks like her. Her twin or something.

Anger filled me up like a tank as I made my way over to where Tajea was with that. That. Damn it.

Our eyes never left each other. None of us seemed pleased. But what is she upset about? She's the one all over this prick, dancing to romantic music.

And here I was, worried about her all day. Overeating, that something was seriously wrong with her. I even called her friend to go be with her since I knew she wouldn't want me to comfort her. But it turns out she's fine in every sense of the word.

Anyway, she pulled away from the guy and made her way to the table, where Regina sat next to a man. He was about my age, or probably a little older. Her date, I presumed.

Is this a double date? I don't like this one bit.

Tajea's date tried to sit next to her, but I accidentally pushed him aside and took that chair instead. OK. I did it on purpose. I forced him to go sit on another chair.

Unfortunately, this table has six chairs. That's strange. All the other tables have two or four chairs. But that's not relevant right now.

"I see you are feeling better. So better that you are on a date with the first scum. I mean the first guy who asked you out. I expected better from you." I addressed Tajea. And not nicely, either. But I got no response from her, like she's been doing all day. This just makes me more and more upset.

Regina's boyfriend inquired who I was. And when she told him, he was looking at me oddly, and I didn't like it.

"Mr. Phoenix, it's a pleasure meeting you here, sir." Regina's guy friend spoke weirdly. He reached out a hand to me, which I accepted and shook out of courtesy. "Forgive my manners. I'm Tyrone Moroni, founder of Moroni's Technologies. And I would love to make a business proposal to you."

"I'm sure it will be great, but talk with my secretaries and let them set up an appointment." I rudely dismissed him.

Who has the time to deal with business right now? There is a more pressing matter at hand here. Tajea is here with some guy. This is unacceptable.

Who is this guy, by the way? Where did he come from? I knew she wasn't dating anyone, so why is she here with someone? When did she even find the time to meet someone for them to even ask her out on a date?

Ahhh! I can't take this. The unknown is driving me crazy.

Tyrone seemed a bit dispirited, disappointed, and insulted. Now I'm feeling a bit bad for ruining such a seemingly good man mode with my rotten mode. It's all Tajea's fault. She's messing up my energy. Sigh. I've got to make this right.

"Tell you what, how about we have a meeting tomorrow at my office? Ten a.m.," I said. "Is that alright with you?"

"That would be awesome," he said, excited again. He bounced back quickly. "You won't be disappointed, I promise you, sir."

I nodded with a half-baked smile. We exchanged numbers, and that's the end of that. Now back to what's really important here. Tajea.

"So, who's your date?" I inquired.

But instead of Tajea answering, her dance partner did the honors. "My name is Arthur Riley, and—"

"No one asked you, Prince of Persia." I bit the guy's head off. It's wrong of me, but jealousy is an ugly thing. It makes you do crazy things, I tell you. "I was talking to Tajea. So do me a favor. Shut up and get lost."

"Alright! I've had enough of this crap!" Tajea hollered, drawing everyone's attention. The music stopped playing. "One day! Just one day is all I want from the drama. A day to be at peace. But no. You people couldn't even grant me that. And you! This is all your fault, Mr. Jackass!" She blamed me. What have I done? "If you just let me be today, Regina wouldn't have dragged me here. This guy, Arty, Art. Whatever his name is, he wouldn't be annoying me with his constant blabbering. None of this would have happened. I'd be at home sleeping. But no, you just had to be concerned about me."

"And what's so wrong with that?" I yelled at her. But really, I've never felt so happy in my whole life. My Tajea is back. "If anything happened to you, little Nik would be devastated."

"Well, if you were so damn concerned, then why annoy the hell out of me all day today? Messing up the floor like a toddler; sticking close to me like a baby scorpion."

"Because I don't like being ignored," I responded. At least not by her.

"Well, consider me ignoring you right now," she pouted.

"You can't do that," I snarled.

"Said who?" she screamed.

While Tajea and I bickered back and forth, Regina, her boyfriend, and that guy I really hate right now left. I guess our childish quarrel is very disruptive and embarrassing. But who cares what people think at this moment? I was actually enjoying myself. Strange.

"Don't you dare ignore me again? Do you hear me, woman? I won't tolerate it!"

"Can someone please get me something strong to drink right now?" Tajea demanded. "I need to get rid of this terrible headache."

Without hesitation, a few waitresses came with drinks, serving not only her but also me. And we drink past midnight. By then, most people had already left.

"I don't know what was up with you today," I said, feeling a bit off. OK. I'm drunk and sitting on clouds. "But please don't do it again. I don't like it."

"I won't make any promises," she replied as she gulped down her liquor. Man, she can drink.

"So did you have fun on your date with Arty?" Please say no.

"Oh, that wasn't a date. It's a disaster. I didn't even want to be here," she complained.

"And how about right now?" I looked into those wild, yet attractive, eyes of hers. All sorts of emotions are surging through me. It must be the alcohol.

"It's not so bad." She laughed aloud. "Thanks to the liquor."

That's a little disappointing.

Would it be so bad if we were more than boss and worker? That is what I wanted to ask, and more. But I couldn't. This was nice. Let's not ruin it. "Let's go home now. I think we have enough to drink for one night."

"I agree. But you're not driving in your condition. I'll call us a cab." The woman could barely reach for her phone in her purse—that's how buzzed she was.

And I didn't argue about not driving. I simply agreed. Besides, I can just have someone pick up my car in the morning.