Talk Of The Town ✔️

14

Anya laid her throbbing head against the frigid window. Noah locked the car and left to fetch her fallen handbag. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Another renowned actor held his lover's hand instead of his prominent girlfriend. They walked toward Sunset House, smiling.

She's been stupid. So stupid. Blind by fame and beauty, she couldn't spot the hidden beast beneath. The entertainment industry has a dark side. She forgot about it for a moment.

Anya pretended to be asleep when Noah arrived. Soon enough, he reversed the car. For the first time, she had no idea of the brand or colour except it had to be expensive. When he floored that pedal, sudden adrenaline coursed through her body.

"Don't fall asleep, please," he requested.

"Yes," she mumbled, her eyelashes moseying.

Her head still ached, and her brain ordered her to sleep. She blinked several times and inhaled deeper. Noah veered into the parking lot of an almost empty mall.

"I'll be back soon. Try to stay awake."

This time, she nodded. Turning the radio on, she listened to the mindless and enthusiastic chatter of the late-night presenter. She cracked stupid jokes under the name of humour. Yet, she couldn't be more imbecile than Anya agreeing to a dinner date with a renowned stranger.

Tears filled her eyes again.

"Have this," Noah said as soon as he entered the car with a tablet, two bottles of water and a small bucket. "It will make you vomit whatever he gave you. The pharmacy attendant is a good acquaintance. I will never put you in harm's way. Trust me."

She removed a white pill with a shaky hand, popped it in her mouth, and drank more than half of the bottle. Noah handed her the bucket and stepped out of the car without a word.

She sniffed and emptied the soothing water down her stomach. Nausea found its way. Her throat began itching, and tears blurred her vision. Her stomach muscles contracted, propelling her dinner through her oesophagus and out of her mouth. Anya coughed, vomiting all she had ingested knowingly and unknowingly.

Inhaling and exhaling through her mouth, she opened the second bottle. Gurgling and rinsing her mouth, she spat in the bucket. The car lost its original chemical scent and reeked of puke.

"Noah," she called out, knocking at the window.

He took the bucket without looking at her and left. Anya rolled her side of the window down. Exhaustion and weakness overtook her body.

Noah drove into the unknown, 'Gangsta' by Kehlani playing at a reasonable volume on the radio. Her bouncy curls lost their charm in the speeding breeze. She bit her inner cheeks, keeping her gaze outside. She couldn't dare to look at him as his exact words rang in her ears.

"Did you expect me to be happy that you are going on a dinner date with an actor in his early thirties or someone you've known for less than a day?"

He warned.

She acted stubbornly.

When Noah stopped the car, she blinked out of her reverie.

A picturesque view came into her sightline. They were at the start of a bridge overlooking the river Thames. Stars covered the black sky. A few apartments on the opposite side of the bridge had their lights on. A man with a work backpack, a bartender perhaps, walked home.

"It's almost midnight. Nobody will disturb us here."

"Why are we-"

"Whenever you are ready," he emphasized, exiting the car.