Falling For The Playboy

EVA

Omar grabbed my hand before I could walk out, turning me around and pulling my body into his, hugging me tight. He placed his chin atop my head, muttering something under his breath.

“I’m sorry I’m being an ass. ”

The anger left me in a breath and I hugged him back. I couldn’t stay mad at him. The longest I had, was a day. And what a horrible day it had been. “Maybe Axel was right about giving you a verbal ass-beating. ”

“Axel. That’s his name? ”

My face went hot. Thankfully, he couldn’t see it right now. I nodded.

“I don’t like him. ” but I could hear the smile in his voice.

“Really? I couldn’t tell with all the arguing. ”

“Still a smartass. I’m glad that didn’t change. ”

At the word ‘change’, I tensed and he felt it because he released me, sighing. I took several steps away from him, folding my arms.

“I could blame everything I said on the hangover, but I would be lying. And you don’t like it when I lie to you. I’m also not sure hangovers do that to people. ”

I didn’t know why but I felt the need to explain myself. “The party last night, was a one time thing. I just wanted to know what it felt like to, you know, just be….” I trailed off, searching for the right word.

“Free? ” he supplied.

“Yeah. ” I nodded. “You should know that I didn’t go alone. I went with my friend. She–”

“You have friends now? ”

I shook my head sharply. “Just the one. And she’s actually my foster sister’s best friend. She’s just really easy to be around. ”

His brows shot up. “You have a foster sister? ”

“Two. ” I paused. “Do you have siblings? ”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Yes. She’s still in primary school, but she’s great company sometimes. ”

“My foster sisters are twins. ”

He pushed his built shoulders off the wall, going back to sit on the bed and he waved me over with a flick of his wrist. “Tell me more. ”

I did. We talked for almost an hour. Me, telling him how nice my foster parents were, how good Abi and Laura were to me, how Zoe was, about the school in general and the advert. He was truly happy for me, joking here and there and then giving me shit about Axel.

“You didn’t even talk about him once. ” he narrowed his eyes. “I think you deliberately avoided bringing him up. ”

“I didn’t. ” I did. But why bring him up unnecessarily?

“Okay, tell me one thing about him. ”

I gave him a blank look. “Like what? ”

“He goes to your school, right? ”

I nodded.

“He seems like a player. ”

“I know he seems like that type of person, but he’s really not. ” I surprised myself by rising up to his defense.

He eyed me. “Why are you defending him? ”

“I’m not. I’m simply saying the truth. ”

But was it? My mind wandered to the first time I met him in the boutique bathroom with that girl. Then in the cafeteria with those girls around him. There were also the comments on his pictures on Instagram.

Why was I defending him?

Omar saw the look of conflict on my face and he shook his head, laughing. Just then, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen before swiping.

“What’s the name of this hotel? ” he mouthed to me. I shook my head at him, telling him I didn’t know. Then I saw the card on the tray carrying his food and I picked it up, showing it to him. The Wells Carlton. He nodded, relaying it to the caller.

“Okay. I’ll wait for you outside. ” he spoke into the phone before ending the call.

“Do you need to start leaving? ” I asked and he nodded.

“I’ll definitely see you more. ” he tossed his phone to me before collecting his shoes and shoving his feet into them. “Your contact, please. ” he grinned.

I giggled, saving it into his phone as Eva before handing it back to him. Before we walked back down, I stopped him.

“Omar, I know that you’re an adult and you can do what you want or go where you want without necessarily letting anyone know, but please, I’m begging you, don’t do that to your foster parents. Do I need to remind you of what happened last time? ” he opened his mouth to argue but I talked over him. “You can’t keep making decisions about your life without thinking about the people that love you. It hurts, Omar. ”

He sighed, dragged his hand down his face, looked at me, then sighed again. “Okay. I hear you. ”

When we got outside, I immediately spotted Axel’s car parked right in the middle of the parking lot. A white Benz drove in with startling speed, parking roughly. Was that Omar’s ride?

I glanced at him warily. He scratched his close cropped hair, looking slightly ashamed.

“Listen, I know that I said some mean things that you are definitely going to overthink later, which is why I want you to know that I didn’t mean them. I was just lashing out. ” he started. “I want you to know that I’m very proud of who you are now. You’ve come a long way from the girl you were six months ago and I’m proud of you. So proud. You did peek out of your shell, Eva, now I want you to strut like you own the motherfucking place. Okay? ”

I smiled, feeling emotional as hell.

“You need to show them that you’re strong. Promise me you’ll do that. ”

“I promise. ”

“And don’t let the mean people make you change. ” he tapped my nose, before pulling me in for a quick hug. “I love you, Eva. ”

I swallowed. It was so hard saying those words back. But I did. For him.

“I love you, Omar. ” I whispered.

He pulled away and I watched him disappear into the car. Sighing, I walked over to where Axel’s car was parked and got in. He had the engine running and the AC was on.

He glared at me, placing his phone in the center console, before driving out of the hotel.

“I’ve been un-fucking-believably nice to you, Eva. Don’t you think? ”

I glanced at him. He was staring straight ahead, seemingly focused on driving and he didn’t sound angry.

“You have. ” I agreed and he nodded.

“So I’m assuming I wouldn’t be asking too much when I say we go to an eatery before I drop you off? Cause I’m really fucking hungry right now. ”

My breath caught. “You wouldn’t. ”

He grinned at me, all cool and collected. “Great then. ”

And that was how I ended up going on a not-date with Axel Arthur.