Real or pretense

She called him again and again and still did not get his attention, so she snapped her fingers in his face and called out to him again before he came to, with a startled expression on his face.

"What!? What did you say?"

"Oh my God! Where did you go to!? You were lost in your thoughts, what's up with that?"

"Oh, nothing. What were you saying?" He asked with an unusually bright smile just to convinced her that everything was fine.

"No seriously Mike, that doesn't look like nothing to me. You were having this fierce facial expression, it was scary. What was that all about? Are you okay? You can talk to me you know?"

"C'mon Abby, don't exaggerate. I'm good, honestly. I was just thinking about business. While you were gone, I got a phone call from my supplier about not meeting up with delivery as scheduled" he lied with a straight face.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah seriously... Stop stressing. So what were you saying?" He asked faking attentiveness before switching back to thinking mode again.

'C'mon Mike control your emotions man... How could I have been that obvious? Am I already going bonkers for Abby?' He thought to himself before forcing his concentration back to the present.

"I said we should go to the ice cream place next door, it's my treat this time"

"You're kidding right?" He asked her unbelievably

"No I'm not, I want to treat you" she replied seriously with a smile

"You think I'm not capable?" He couldn't help but ask her seriously, even when he knew deep down it wasn't necessary.

Although the stone-faced bastard was rude, he exudes wealth and power. He looked like a charismatic, cocksure gangster who had lordly disdain towards the rest of the world.

Whoever you are when you first laid eyes on him, you would want to filter your words before addressing him. Mike does not want Abby to think he is less of a man when compared to Mr. Stone-face.

"No now! How could you think that? Of course, I know you're Mr. Mike Capable. I just want to treat you, no biggie okay?" She said jokingly when she saw he was beginning to take offense with her peace offering.

''Hmmn...understandable, but today is my treat, we are still celebrating your birthday remember? how about we pick some other day for you to treat me instead?" He asked creating the perfect excuse to see her again.

"Okay, but I don't know when that's going to be cos I'm going to be very busy in the coming weeks with work and school stuff"

The truth was she wanted to limit the number of times they go out together now that she has a boyfriend and especially when they all think he was still in love with her.

"Too busy to eat even?" He asked a little sadly, even though he tried to mask his emotion, Abby could still see through him and immediately felt bad about wanting to limit their contact together.

'Could dad and Dupe be right? is he in love with me?' She wondered. 'Now how was I supposed to answer him?... I can't just cut him off like that right?... Especially when he's been nothing but a good friend to me.'

Even though he has neither violated nor done anything wrong to make her want to cut off her friendship with him, she would still want to limit the number of times they meet.

Abby was confused now more than ever. She really wish her dad and the rest were all wrong about Mike being in love with her. She didn't want their friendship affected because of that.

"Never too busy to eat of course. Mike don't be silly! Okay, call me when you're free for lunch...and if I'm free then I'll treat you. How about that?"

"Good enough for me," he said and finally had a genuine smile on his face. They left the restaurant for the ice cream place next store. While taking their ice cream, Abby had the chance to truly watch Mike and finally got the reason why she couldn't be with Mike.

It's either he was passive or just pretending to be. In the few times, they went on a date together, she had never heard him do or say anything out of line. He had never disagreed with her on anything. Whatever she said or wanted goes with him.

She once though to herself during one of their dates 'why must he agree with everything I say? It's either he doesn't have a mind of his own or he's trying too hard to please me.'

Mike obviously doesn't look like a passive guy, but he wanted her to believe he was. To what end though?