Kurv fixed her eyes on Elr.
"Thanks." She repeated, trying to lay emphasis on what she had just said earlier.
She paused. Her smile faded as she pierced her gaze, watching for his next reply. If it was a surprise expression or something similar, then he was DEFINITELY the one who credited her earlier.
The sender's account info was asterisked and the name didn't look normal at all.
"Oh.. Hey." Elr replied or said? Either way then.
Something in Kurv snapped. This guy--
`God, I hate him already!`
Elr walked on ahead like she was suddenly invincible again, he headed straight to their table, picked up his tablet from his seat and walked away.
No. Not this time.
Kurv followed him.
"You're not walking away without giving me an answer!" Her eyebrows twitched. Her heels clicking sharply as she paced down the stairs swiftly behind Elr.
`I really don't want to talk to her` Elr prayed as he increased his pace. His phone vibrated. `No. I'll take that later. Right now, I need to escape--`
Kurv stood there, right in front of his car. She didn't have much time to guess, but judging from his vibe and colour match, the blue jacuzzi HAD to be his.
She folded her arms, watching him as he stepped closer.
Elr froze midway. How did she?..
`Hmph, that's right. You're not leaving here without giving me an answer.`
Tch.
***
I looked disdainfully at him.
"Elr, you'd better fess up and accept my gratitude, or you're not leaving here in one piece." I glared at him.
He looked surprised, scared maybe. Like, ''How did I get here before him?"
Well, I didn't get all those scholarships on mere good grades. My physique was also one of my major talents.
We locked eyes for a moment, stubbornly holding onto our pride. I stood my ground and he stood his. He wouldn't take another step closer and I wasn't stepping away from the only entrance to the car.
Let's see who gets tired first.
---
"Ms. Daynes.. please--" Elr muttered under his breadth.
"No."
"Can you just.."
"I said, I will not go!"
Kurv's eyes snapped up once she realised.
"It WAS you after all,"
"..."
He'd given himself away without even knowing it.
"You.. Perv. How'd you know my last name?!"
She blurted, loud enough for passers to tilt their heads and pretend like they'd seen or heard nothing.
"This whole time, you were silent so, we never had any formal intro--"
" Jesus. I don't have time for this." Elr tried to sidestep her and open the door, but she blocked him the second he tried to reach out for the door.
"Fine. Anything for you to let me go?" He pinched the bridge of his nose, almost accepting defeat.
"Admit it!"
Elr flinched. That was impossible. He'd do anything.. But that? Coming clean was like a nightmare to him.
`I'ld rather eat a bag of worms.`
He let out a soft chuckle.
"W-what's so funny?" Kurv arched an eyebrow.
"That's not even my car."
He took out his keys and pressed the button. The silver car right next to them beeped.
Kurv phased.
On instinct, she sprinted towards it and blocked the entrance.
"Ha! Gotcha." Elr smugged and inserted the keys into the blue jacuzzi, opening the door, he waved teasingly at Kurv. "Ciao!"
"You.."
Without sparing another word, he upped into the car, started the engine and zoomed off.
'So.. how did it go?' Al's voice echoed over the speaker right when he was a few meters away from the restaurant premises.
"Intensifyingly annoying," Elr replied sharply, his voice low but laced with irritation. Not from anyone, but for the fact that he wasn't able to come up with any accessory ideas for the fashion Fest, which is due to be held in the next two weeks.
'Oh, don't tell me you flunked this one too.' That was Kath over the speaker. Elr flinched, then rolled his eyes.
'Don't you roll your eyes at me.'
Tch.
He sighed. "Maybe, if you guys quit strangling me with dirty tricks and setups, I'll be less stubborn and get married at my own timing."
'You've been saying that for years now.'
'He'll turn 32 next month, right?' Al asked.
'Right. A virgin at Thirty-two. So sad.' Kath added with a flair.
"You guys-- are impossible."
"You're the one being impossible. Even Wyatt.. Sweet young Wyatt already has a family and you?..'
"Hmph. Call me whatever you like. I don't care."
'Hey.. should we tell him?...'
Elr's ears perked. What were they up to now? He jammed the brake and leaned back. `I hate being caught up in traffic!`
He facepalmed, "Today's just not my day."
'Leo, I figured you knew Elr's password. Mind telling me?' Al snickered.
'Won't tell. Not until you figure out what he needed all those A/c details for.'
'He's especially secretive about things, but I think he wanted to pay for someone without letting them know.'
'Leon, that was basically a very easy guess.'
'Now that I've, said it.. You know the rules.. te-he'
'But who exactly were you paying for?' Kath screamed in excitement, crossing her fingers that Elr has finally found a love interest.
"Ha! Got you."
Kurv peeped up from the back seat, giving Elr a startling scare.
"So it WAS you!" She screamed at him.
Elr went blank. There was no denying it now, but he still wouldn't admit it.
The traffic light had gone down to green but Elr's car wasn't moving. He closed his eyes, pressed his eyelids, hoping he was just seeing and hearing things.
His eyes shot up straight at the wind mirror. Her reflection was still there, eyes boring into his. Pressing for an immediate answer.
`You can't be serious.`