LIES

Chapter 8

He holds my hand and we step out of the elevator, his hand in mine sends this weird tingling feeling in my arms. I look forward to how beautifully this rooftop is decorated with lanterns on the fences, there is a table in the centre which is adorned with rose petals around a bottle of wine and the sun had almost disappeared which makes the whole view astounding.

The manager accompanies us to the table

"Here ma'am" I sit in front of Liam and smile at the manager

"thankyou," I say, he smiles which is his job and disappears somewhere while I was looking at Liam.

"This place is incredible Liam," I tell him looking around and still recovering from the shock

I may be crazy but it's still unsettling going on a date with your boss who is also your friend.

"Is something wrong?" He asks with a frown. He also looks kinda worried so thank god it's not only me

"No....No everything is good," I say grinning which makes his frown go away

"What do you wanna order?"

We ordered pasta and quesadilla first we were both silent but then I asked him about his family so he told me that he was born here, he is his parents only child, his father died when he was 13 years old and after that, he was always busy with his books and school so he didn't have many friends until college when he became friends with John and Luke who introduced him to the rest of their group.

"And you live with your mom"

"No....she doesn't live with me"

"What about you?"

"I grew up in Hamets, my parents also grew up there" he frowns for a second but continue to ask me

"So you plan on going back there"

"I don't know.... maybe," I say and he pauses for a moment like he is trying to remember something. When he doesn't say anything I ask him "What happened?" he looks up at me and asks

"By any chance do you know Krits Carter?"

I think I have heard this name before but I am not sure that I have ever come across any Carter in Hamets

"Nope, I don't think so why?"

"Oh nothing she is just an old relative"

He all of a sudden looks worried so I ask him again

"Are you alright?"

"Yaa I am fine" he tries to smile slightly

"Are you sure?"

"Yes just some old memories, So tell me how's college going?" he is trying to change the subject and I don't want to make him uncomfortable by asking questions, although I am curious what is his relation with Krits  Carter who is apparently from Hamets.

"I have not been on campus in days but I am trying to study at home but I will be getting my diploma at the end of this month and my college life will finally be over"

"Great, Then you can solely focus on your job," he says

"What are you implying? that I don't pay attention now?" I ask jokingly

"No....No that was not what I was.....Just kidding"

"I was kidding too" I laugh and he looks somewhat embarrassed its so fun when he is shy

"I am just no good at dates" he laughs with embarrassment

"Relax Liam you are doing great," I tell him

"You were right I need a new teacher Luke will be fired"

"I told you" I shrug and finish my pasta

"Maybe you can be my new teacher," he says grinning at me with a flirty look which makes me blush

"Yeah pleasure is all mine," I say with false confidence and we laugh

We finish the rest of the dinner and I listen to him describing his worst dates and I laugh so hard that I can't breathe. 

He stops his car in my apartment driveway and leans in toward me, my adrenaline rushes for a second but he was just taking out my seatbelt which is a relief as well as disappointment.

"Thank you," I say

"Not again" he rolls his eyes and looks at me

"Is this on your to-do list to thank me at least 100 times a week"

"Yes 50 more to go"

I open the door to get out but he stops me and turns around "This was the best date of my life"

and when I think about it yes it was mine too because  I usually don't have much fun on my dates.

I look him in the eye and reply "Mine too"

He leans in and presses his lips against mine tenderly and I kiss him back. It is a brief and sweet kiss he pulls away our heads almost touching.

" To be frank, I thought it would be awkward to go out with you but it wasn't at all and I would love to take you out on dates like these"

he sounds so optimistic which makes me smile but I don't know what to say to this we have become close in such a short time but I am not cut out to go on expensive dates like these and besides that, he is my boss and I care about him and our friendship. Something in me tells me that getting into it will mess it up.

"I love spending time with you Liam but....."

"Oh now there is a but," he says and looks away

"No, it's just you are my boss Liam and I don't want to ruin our friendship in any way"

"Okay,"

I shouldn't have said yes for this date I knew it now he looks sad because of me and I don't like it a bit

"I am so sorry Liam I just.....I just mess things up I am not used to this I have never been in a serious relationship before I shouldn't have......I am sorry"

"Rhea I have thought about it before asking you out but we can work it out and I promise it will not affect your job I know your job is important to you" he looks at me and then adds

"It's your decision you don't have to say yes just because I am your boss" his words set me at ease somewhat that my job is secure and a pang of guilt hits me because I am thinking about my job, not about his feelings or mine which is selfish of me but I can't help it this job is too important for me

"I don't want to rush anything Liam," I say and he smiles

" I just want us to know each other first," he says it so warmly that my heart melts

"Okay then see you tomorrow at work," I say and get out of his car

I can't sleep thinking about how this will work. Liam is sweet, charming and so generous my low self-esteem doesn't allow me to accept that he likes me but I like him I know I do. Just when I was about to sleep thinking about our date I suddenly remember where I heard this name Krits. She was our neighbour who lived alone with her sister, she was a cruel lady and nobody liked to be around her. Was she Carter? Why was Liam so worried while mentioning her name? Is there a connection? I know I am thinking out loud for no reason but what possible connection could she have with Liam? But then I remember her surname she was Martin. Krits Martin who was the most cold-hearted person I knew back then.