My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 30: It's a date?

Without waiting on him to invite me to sit, I did it anyway and sit before him with a smile he couldn't resist. He is so astounded to see me here that he couldn't say much, he must have been curious as to why I am in the city when I should be at school. Moreover, this is a business cafe, only business people come here, so why would I be here? Good question, he wanted a date so he gets an unexpected one in the middle of the day so now when I tell him that it is, he would have to merge with Mr. Rider's company because that was his deal.

I even dressed up for this, I am not in my regular jeans and t-shirt but a white cocktail knee-length dress with strap slippers and my hair pulled in a bun.

"So, what um, brings you to the city?" He asks placing his coffee down and focusing his eyes on me.

"I don't know, just a feeling to come here. You know?" He nods in understanding.

"Are you here alone? Do you want a coffee?"

"Yes I am and coffee would be great," I smile at him, this is so awkward for me, "So um, how have you been? I haven't seen you since we were at the restaurant?"

He chuckles, "I have been good how are you? And how is Josh doing?"

He has the audacity to ask about Josh, when he threatened him to not merge with Mr. Rider's company unless we had a date, "Josh and I are great, we are just on a little break, things are complicated between us."

"Oh, you two aren't together-?"

"At the time, yes, but we will be back together soon," this was also a part of my plan with Abby and Declan. Lockwood would more likely believe we were on a date knowing Josh and I aren't together at the time.

He waves the waitress over, "Get this lovely lady a cup of hot coffee," he tells the lady and smiles at me, "How are you and school?"

"It's fine and I got into college."

"Really? That's wonderful, which college did you get into?"

I don't feel comfortable telling him about Stanford because I haven't talked with Abby, Declan, and Josh about it. I asked my mom to keep it between us until I am ready to tell them I am sure they are going to be mad. I was going to tell Josh about it yesterday then we fought and I didn't want to anymore, but it wouldn't hurt anyone to let Lockwood know about it because we won't see each other again and he won't bring it up to anyone.

"I got into Standford."

"Oh, but Josh wants to go to NYU how did that work out for both of you?"

"I didn't tell him about it, at least for now."

"Oh, so you're keeping secrets from him?" He smiles like it's a good thing.

"I wouldn't say secrets, I am just not ready to let him know," the waitress places a cup of coffee before me and I take it up and starts to sip on it and to tell you the truth a very obnoxious feeling rise inside my stomach, making me feel sick. I couldn't bear the smell nor taste, I place the cup back on the table scooting it away from me. What's up with me?

"Uh-huh, so-"

"Tell me more about yourself?" I ask him before he could ask about anything I don't feel comfortable talking about. Minutes go by and we both stand to leave.

Lockwood suggests we go for a walk.

We both exited the cafe after he placed cash on the table then started walking.

I look around to see if Declan and Abby were anywhere in sight and they weren't, but the car was still there parked.

"What are you looking for?" Questioned Lockwood.

"I am just looking around since it's been a while since I been into the city," we cross the stoplight to the other side. I need to make this more like a date, It isn't long enough until I see an ice-cream man standing over at the side. "Can we get ice cream?" I ask while we walk towards the ice-cream man.

He chuckles and pulls out his wallet, "Sure, choose which flavor you want," I smile at him and walk over to the cart and look at three different favors.

"All three," I watch as he scoops it ups on a cone then hands it to me. I watch as Lockwood's hands cash to the man and I look over at him. "You're not getting one?"

"I am not a fan of ice cream."

"Come on it's just one," I push.

"Fine, okay," he smiles.

We walk over towards a park chair and sit, we talked about his business and college for at least thirty minutes. This was surely a date, I look over at him knowing that I have completed my mission and now he doesn't have a choice but merge with Mr. Rider.

"I had a great time," I tell him standing up and he's doing the same.

"I should say the same maybe we can do this again?"

I raise an eyebrow and chuckle at him, "I thought you only wanted one date." I watch as his mouth slowly opens and closes unable to utter anything, he looks at me as if he wasn't expecting me to say that. "Didn't you threatened Josh that if you don't have a date with me you won't do the merge?"

"It's a date?" He mutters out.

"Yup and now you got to do the merge," I grin at him.

"But we didn't even-"

"I know, but now you have to merge right? Right..." I give him my hand to shake and he looks down at him, "It's to make sure you'll do the merge come on, you got what you wanted, a date right?"

He sighs and shakes my hand, "I should've known, I guess you were lying when you said you were here alone?"

"Yup," I turn around and see Declan and Abby walking towards us, then hides behind a post when they see us staring over at them. I sigh and take my phone from my pocket and dialed Abby's phone. At the first ring, she answers.

"Why were you looking you want to blow our cover?" she asks.

"It's over he's merging with your dad, now come get me," I tell her then hang up looking back over at Lockwood, "I had a good time on our first and final date, nice doing business with you," I turn and walk away while he looks after me as if he couldn't believe that happened.

***

The next day of school and Abby parks her car in the parking lot then we exit and start walking towards the steps. It's another day and Josh and I haven't talked. I've been avoiding his messages and calls, I don't want to hear him apologize over the phone I want to see him in person. Yesterday he didn't show up to school because of how 'depressed he was'. Did you hear me emphasize? Because I did. I was devastated! Even though I didn't show it, I was astounded by what he did to me and blamed on me.

Abby and I walk through the door attracting eyes from the students while some glare at me. Ugh, what did they hear now, "Abby?" I say turning to look at her and she sighs.

"I don't know what-"

"She moved on pretty fast," I hear one of the students say and I confusedly look over at them curious as to why they say that, I open my mouth to ask but they walk away.

"Ladies!" I hear a familiar voice yell, we turn and look behind us seeing Declan jogging our way. "Have you seen what's been circling the school?" He asks and I shake my head. "A picture of you sitting with Mr. Lockwood," he shows me on his phone. A picture with Lockwood and I smiling at each other.

My eyes widen. How did they get that? Or how did Rebecca get that!?

Speaking of the devil. I roll my eyes, walking towards us in perfect line is the bitch and her poppets. She stops before us with her hands on her hips. "You are a bad girl Annabelle. I never knew you had it in you. You are such a badass for moving on so quickly from one hotty to another-"

"Annabelle!" I whip my head around seeing Josh storming over to me holding his phone up showing me something on it, "You weren't going to tell me about this!"

He saw it.