Psychotic Maniac

Chapter 9

Dressed in suit, the soft fabric shirt was a dark chocolate color under his black coat reminded Estella of the very first encounter they had. That morning, Edward informed her about their trip to Montclair, telling her to be ready at three in the afternoon.

The sun was high, weather semi-clear and perfect for a long drive. With her jacket hanging on her arm, she rested in passenger seat, adjusting her dress neatly to avoid any creases.

"What were you doing that night, Edward?" She asked thinking about the terrace meeting they had.

He shifted looking suprised. "Hello to you, too "

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude." She said, embarrassed. "I just remember our first meeting."

Edward held the steering wheel, driving the car smoothly. "What about our first meeting?"

"Anything you feel like telling." She answered.

Edward let out a light laugh."It was really important."

"Yeah, I got that from your suit." She said. "You look great in it."

"You don't look yourself very bad." He smiled and she noticed a small dimple on his right cheek. "But some people find me a little intimidating."

"I didn't think that."

"Then what did you think?" He was now looking at her, his big eyes under thick lashes were curious.

Thinking about that Estella couldn't pinpoint in a word. And what exact word? What if he thought she was trying to impress him with a tacky name?

"You still haven't answered my question?" She diverted the topic.

"Well, " he didn't push further as he clicked his tongue, vision glued back on the road. "I was paying my client a visit. Some employee had messed up their annual report. I was called to fix it up."

"That was me," she said, diving in the past.

"I know," he told her. "And the lawsuit. Good move, by the way."

"I'm glad too," she said. "Never feel sorry for something you didn't do."

"Indeed, " Edward focused on driving and as the silence prevailed further, he turned on the radio.

Montclair was forty-five minutes away and most of the time, they chatted about their ideas related to work and later drifted to stories about highschool and friends. Edward was mostly the listener.

Montclair was under the grey sky, winds fast and breezy that made Estella shiver when she stepped down the car. She was wearing a full neck, full sleeves peach coloured blouse with a black pant. She argued if she should bring her jacket or not as Edward pulled over nearby a cafe.

"Cool weather!" He stepped down as well and put sunglasses, opposing the overcast day. "Coffee?"

"I'd kill for some right now."

Turns out they'd arrived way before the appointment with their new investor was fixed. Having a lot of time in their hands, Estella and Edward decided to stroll around a kid's park for a while before they go and grab a quick meal.

"So what about you? How was your highschool life like?" She asked, continuing the conversation they were having back in the car.

"Boring." He replied. "So hard to fit in for a introvert like me."

"What about your friends?." She laughed. "Mine was a bunch. The best to be specific."

"I didn't like any of my friends." He answered. "Although I did indulge with them in almoste everything to experiment my social life. Be it car races, or parties, sports, or even group projects, but at the end of the day, I enjoyed my own company." He paused and sighed.