Avoid

Chapter 21

    Hayley said her goodbyes she was going to sleep off her hangover.
     I was on my way to meet Danny at a nice little Italian restaurant round the corner. I'd seen it a few times and didn't really have an excuse to go so I was looking forward to it. Danny was stood waiting for me outside in his dark blue jeans and blue T-shirt, his smile was warm and friendly.
   "Hey! You look gorgeous as usual."
"Hi, thank you, you too." I gave him a friendly hug.
    "Let's go get some food then." He offered me his arm.

  We ordered two medium pizzas and chips.
The conversation was easy he told me about what he's doing at uni that he used to live in Cornwall before coming here. He told me he sometimes goes to the gym at crazy o'clock like a certain somebody else as it's quiet then.
  "I actually want to ask your advise about someone, Li..." Danny was talking but I missed the last bit.
       The door chimed and I glanced across. I had to look again, what the hell was Mateo doing here!
He was wearing black jeans and a black T-shirt that hugged his muscular body. I dropped my chip looking down for it on my lap.  Next thing I know is Mateo slid into the booth next to me, now I was sandwiched between two men. Great!
  "Teo what you doing here mate?" Danny asked him looking as confused as me.
    "I was walking past and saw you guys so thought I'd come say hello." He said simply while grabbing a slice of pizza.
    "Well hello, but you ain't stealing our food pal." Danny chuckled.
    "Yeah Mateo this is our food." I said staring him straight in the eye.

    He just seemed to find this all rather amusing. He had a mouth full of pizza with a big smirk on his face.
   "Well you've said hello now so you can go." I said nudging him with my elbow.
    "Well I'm quite hungry, you two are never gonna finish all this."
Now Danny started to look a little annoyed.
    "Mate if there's left overs I'm sure Lacey will bring them back for you."
  "Well I'm here now so it saves the bother." He shrugged.
   "Is that your ex Danny." He pointed towards a girl with long blonde hair.
   "Oh shit." Danny moaned.
"Sorry about this but she's.. well she's a bit of.. she still doesn't get I don't want to be with her anymore. I best go over before she joins our table."
Mateo laughed "Too late...."

   "Danny fancy seeing you here." She slid in next to him putting her hand on his leg.
This didn't give me the jealous feeling but I felt stupid because Mateo was here. It was only a casual friendly meeting but he didn't know that.
  "You going to buy me a drink?" She asked.
  "Yeah come on and I'll walk you back to your table." I could tell he just wanted shut of her. He mouthed 'Going to get her to leave'.

He left Mateo and me alone at the table. So I turned in my seat to face him.
  "Mateo why are you here?"
  "I told you I was passing and saw you guys."
"Sure you did."
   He offered me a chip, the cheeky bugger there not even his. I don't know what reaction he's after this time but he's not getting it. So instead I thought I may as well just speak to him casually.
   "I saw the picture you did for Georgie this morning. It was amazing!"
He looked down as if embarrassed slightly.
   "Um. Thanks. It's nothing."
"No it really was your talented I'd love to see more."
     He shifted in his seat. I could tell he was uncomfortable with my compliment but he truly was. His drawing was so detailed and looked so real.
  "Hmm, maybe sometime."
"Maybeee?"

   He nodded but then after a few minutes he looked deep in thought. Being curious I had to ask.
   "What are you thinking about?"
    He turned to look at me running his hand through his hair, "You really wanna know?"
  "Yes Mateo that's why I asked."
    He leaned in to whisper in my ear. He smelt so good and his hot breath on my skin made me burn for him.
    "This morning.. the way your back curves. Your ass in them red knickers, knowing full well that's what's under that skirt of yours right now."
I squeaked blushing staring down at my lap. Really a squeak?? Of all things to come from my mouth it had to be that. Wow how I embarrass myself. Am I glad I asked? Yes I am.
  "Well that was the last thing I thought you was going to say."

    Just then Danny was approaching back to the table looking a little ticked off. He sat down looking back and fourth between us. Am I missing something? Danny was now focused on Mateo.
    "Sorry about that couldn't get rid of her. She said the funniest thing you know."
   "What's that?" I asked.
  He still had his full attention on Mateo who was just sat looking at his phone now.
  "That someone told her I'd be here, and that I still had a thing for her. This is complete utter shit though."
    Mateo then looked up smirking. It was now my turn looking between the both of them. Danny was glaring at Mateo, please tell me they aren't gonna argue or worse fight. Maybe I should leave.
   "Oh that's weird." I said quietly.
"Yeah weird I wonder who it could have been any ideas Mateo?"
   "I did see her earlier now you mention it."
   "What the fuck man?? What's your game. Can't you go fuck around with Lucy or your next mission."
   "Ok I think I'm gonna go. This has nothing to do with me." Putting my hands up.
     I stood up stuck in between them both. I said excuse me but they were too busy back and fourth at each other. I have no choice but to scoot over one of them. Danny was leaning on the table with his forearms looking tense while Mateo sat slouched back with his legs open with a look like I really don't give an actual flying fuck attitude plastered on his face towards Danny.

  Looks like it's going to have to be Mateo..
I slid over his lap and heard the pause as I glided over him. He quickly wrapped an arm around my waist.
"Where you going Lace?"
      I removed his arm shaking my head ignoring him and walked towards the door to leave. What is wrong with him? I had reached the door when I just caught Danny say 'Teo is this because of Lacey?'. I didn't want to know the answer because he's so hot and cold it messes with my head. All he's done is make it clear that he doesn't have girlfriends and he warns me to stay away yet here he is intervening.

     I walked down the street my mind wondering, I'm not going to let him mess with my head. I need a distraction maybe I should ask Damien the guy from uni if he wants to go out tomorrow night. Yes I'll text him now. He replied straight away and said he'd come pick me up at eight, so I text him my address.
Hopefully this date will go a lot better since he will have no ties to Mateo.
       My phone pinged it was Danny saying sorry about how things went, it wasn't his fault so I text him saying it's fine and not to worry. He'd also asked if I would ring him later as he needed to ask me something. I said I would or tomorrow.
     It's probably best I don't go out with someone Mateo knows anyway as he will find a way to piss me off somehow.

   "Stink! Wait up." Mateo shouted down the street.
Great, here comes Mr Twenty Moods.
He jogged to me.
   "Them little legs walk fast.... Lace look at me."
     I shook my head no. He jumped in front of me holding my shoulders to stop me. His piercing eyes staring down at me.
   "Please Mateo why are you fucking with me?"
   I was shocked at my own choice of words.
He bit down on the side of his lip, then run a hand over his face. His hand came back to my shoulder.
  "Believe me you'd know if I was fucking with you." He grinned wickedly.

   I groaned pissed off that he was joking with me, I just wanted a straight answer from him. What's so hard about giving me a straight answer? I pushed past him and stormed off.
   As soon as I got back I went straight to my room.