Crazy is the Name of My Game

(15) I demand answers.

Erica Santos

Leonn Adams, wearing torn jeans and a black designer shirt, with his blonde hair falling in a carefree manner over his intense green eyes, looking yummy enough to compete with any Hollywood hotties I knew, was walking towards us with a small lopsided smile.

I was shocked.

No, shocked doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. It felt like my stomach suddenly crashed on the ground while my other insides twisted into an ugly triple knot. The entire restaurant was suddenly colder, the seat suddenly uncomfortable. As if the world I’ve carefully created since my arrival made a 180 degree turn.

It’s him! I mentally screamed. Mr. Black Cat, summoned from my personal hell.

He stopped a few feet away from us, staring at me as if I was a colorful clown sitting in the front row of an opera house. He narrowed his eyes as he thoroughly checked me out, and I wouldn’t be honest if I say it didn’t make me fidget.

He’s checking me out! I mentally squealed, but then I stopped myself when I realized what it implied.

Terrified out of my wits, I was almost as white as the table napkin I used to cover my mouth. My gaze dropped in an instant.

This is just impossible. How small can one town be?

Just when I thought everything was being wrapped up nicely the way I wanted it, this happened! What the heck’s wrong with my luck? Was Miss Fate not amused with my life anymore she had to spice it up? I could dance on one hand if she asked me to, just not to have him here with us.

I wiped my clammy hands on my skirt.

“Hey, mom. What’s up?” Leonn asked in monotonous voice.

I carefully peeked through my lashes, but he wasn’t looking at me anymore. His tone was directed to Winona in a casual manner, as if seeing his mother in this exclusive restaurant was a daily thing. Perhaps it was.

He didn’t recognize me, did he?

I sighed in relief.  I was just being paranoid. Right? This meant my secret was still safe.

Why do I feel disappointed?

“I have a date,” Winona answered with a tight-lipped smile, talking in a style that befitted those twenty years younger than her. It was pretty obvious she was up to something, and with the brief glance she gave me, it was easy to imagine what’s in her mind.

That made me temporarily snap out from my Pandora box of Black Cat fantasies.

Gah.

Winona A. She introduced herself as Winona A. I should have guessed that A stood for Adams. No wonder why I liked her face so much, she was the more mature version of her daughter, and no wonder why Len and Lee had so much nuttiness in them. It runs in the blood.

I was busy keeping my face blank as Winona chattered endlessly with her children.

Shoo, shoo! Go away! Be gone you otherworldly creatures! Let me drink my bottomless iced tea in peace!

Despite my prayers, there was really no chance of Leonn and Lee leaving the place (or me hiding or melting, both suits me fine) since their mother invited them to join us in our table. Winona probably decided that I was a hopeless case, the interview’s done, and it’s time for dinner.

Her treat.

It was a really, really, really tempting offer, but when Leonn sat directly in front of me, I had no choice but to back out. I didn’t understand my reaction, but it was a gut feeling I had to stay away from him. It was a contradiction – me wanting to know him yet avoiding him. I didn’t know what to make of that. I never experienced this before.