"Fuck no!" she spat out.
What had he done wrong? She was glaring at him with murder in her eyes. OK, she hated him, but they were supposed to be civilized, correct? When someone says 'Let's go get something to eat' the other doesn't reply "Fuck no!" and look like that.
Her response stung. "Hey, language!" he told her right away.
"Hey, brain!" she shot back.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Luca wanted to know.
"If you had any, you wouldn't ask!" Christmas snapped.
It was going to be an awful ride. They would definitely fight all the way, especially without the kitten. He would say nothing more - for now at least.
They reached the car and Luca unlocked it. He sat in the driver's seat. She wouldn't expect him to open the door for her now, after what she had said, right? He saw her heading not to the passenger's seat, but to the back of the car. And then he heard the trunk opening.
What is she up to?
He jumped out of the car and went over.
"What are you doing?" he asked her, as she was holding her backpack and was walking away.
No response. He ran after her and grasped her hand. She abruptly stopped and spun around, trying to yank her hand free.
"Where are you going?" he asked again.
"Home. Let go of my hand!" she shouted.
"Keep your voice down! People in this building know Chloe and know who I am. Haven't you heard? I am supposed to take you home." He was careful not to hold her hand too tight.
"And I am going to the bus stop. I don't want anything from you!" she hissed in a lower, but still furious voice.
"I promised Chloe. You must come with me!" he said. Clearly she had misunderstood something and he now had to explain.
"No, I don't want to. Let go of me!" she said.
Something in these particular words fluttered past memories - bad memories - and he released her hand - instantly. Like it burned him.
She didn't walk away immediately, she just stood breathing heavily and finally said: "Why aren't you like this - 'Yes, ma'am!' - when Chloe tells you that I can join the team?"
"It's not the same. You don't understand," he said.
How could she? If she knew... What would she do?
Christmas turned around and walked away. Luca grabbed his hat from the car, the one he used to hide his face, and followed her from a safe distance. He was sure that she had no idea where she was heading. She probably hadn't been in the area before. Even he knew that the bus stop was not in the direction she was heading.
The sun had set, and he felt weird tailing a girl. He would look very suspicious, but it was dark and no-one was around. He felt he had to keep an eye on her.
Christmas stopped and looked around. She must have realized that she was lost. He hid close to a dark wall and watched. She checked her phone and soon she began heading in the right direction.
Why was he following her? Oh right. He had to make sure she reached home safely, as he promised Chloe. But did that mean that he had to follow her all the way? All the way to where? He couldn't get on a bus - people would notice. Why was that girl so stubborn?
Christmas found the bus stop and sat on the bench, all alone. Luca hid a short distance away behind a bush, and hoped not to get noticed. He had a chance to study her face. She was very sad. She was looking desperate.
Was it because of him? She seemed strong. He was hard on her because he thought that she could handle it. But apparently she couldn't.
She laid her head on the bus stop wall and closed her eyes. After a moment her whole body quivered and her face puckered. She covered her eyes with one hand and started crying.
No, no, no!
That wasn't him. He would never hurt someone that much. She was fucking crying.
Luca felt something stirring inside his stomach. What had he done? Business was business, but a kitten was a kitten, and a human was a human. Both are more important than business.
What had he done for his business? He treated her the worst possible way, even bullied another person, a person that did nothing wrong, under the slightest possibility that she could one day threaten his career. That's what tyrants do, huh?
Christmas kept crying and he couldn't do anything.
If he approached her, she would probably get madder than before. And what would he say to her?
She could have been crying for a million reasons - he didn't know her. But god knows why, he felt she was crying because of him.
And he was also certain that he would never apologize. It was his stupid pride, or his stubbornness, but he couldn't admit that he had done something wrong and he couldn't say sorry easily.
There was only one option. He would just sulk and give it a rest. He wasn't enjoying it. He never took any pleasure in it. It was something that was supposed to be done, against everyone else advocating that she was no threat and that he was out of his mind.
Yeah, he was crazy. He would do crazy things to protect his business, but hurting someone? No, that was out of the question. Especially her, with whom he saved the kitten that day. He owed her.
Christmas took a tissue, dried her eyes and blew her nose. She cooled her eyes with the back of her hands and she tried to calm down. A bus was approaching and she stood up. The bus stopped and she got in. She sat in a seat by the window and in a few seconds the bus drove off passing next to him.
For a very brief moment, their eyes met. Or maybe not. It didn't matter. He would never admit he was there.
Luca walked back to his car, slowly. The cool night breeze helped him think that it was a weird afternoon.
The only one lucky was the kitten. He found a home. Lucky was a suitable name indeed.
He enjoyed his time with Christmas. Seeing her worrying and fighting for the kitten, showing no hesitation to dig her hand into the car engine - it was a revelation. But then she hated him - again.
And now he lost her.
As he lost Kayla that evening as well.
Stumbling upon Kayla, or Andrea Hart as it turned out that her real name was, signaled the end of their… collaboration. He wouldn't be able to call her again.
For so long, she was a safe option, a comfort, an idea. Now, she'd become Dr Hart. It was weird. Their relationship would never be the same.
Even if he invited her, he doubted that she would accept. It was against the agency policy.
Noah would help him find someone new. But it would take time to trust a girl again.
With Andrea - how strange it sounded - they only discussed briefly in the examination room. She was afraid that a colleague would eavesdrop on them. They couldn't risk that.
So their deal ended unceremoniously, without explanations. What a pity… She was an escape.
His phone rang and it was Chloe. "Why is your car still parked downstairs?"
"I haven't left yet. I'm now getting into the car," he said.
"Is Noelle still with you?"
"No. She left running."
"I was expecting that. What did you say to make her leave?" she asked again.
"Nothing. I just told her to go get something to eat and she went crazy," he said, although now he understood a little bit more of her reaction. Who would want to go and eat with him?
"Oh Luca... Do you know where she went?"
"I was keeping an eye on her, because she seemed lost. She just went off on a bus."
"Were you following her?" she asked, surprised. "I guess we are lucky nobody called the police."
"Don't make it sound weird! Whatever, I'll be leaving in five minutes," he said.
"I'll text her. Just to let you know that your video has been uploaded, and it already has thousands of views," Chloe said happily. She knew that that story was good material. "Go get some sleep. You have an early start tomorrow.'
"Yes mum..." he said and hung up the phone.
He tossed the phone on the passenger seat—the seat she refused to take.
It looked empty.
He started the engine, but didn't move immediately. He looked at his hands on the steering wheel. He was gripping the wheel with all his strength.
I need to fix this…
He just didn't know how.