16

"What are your plans this weekend?" Kaden asked as they took their order and walked to the booth.

"I'm visiting an old friend. What about you?"

"I'll be going over to my mom's. It's her birthday weekend," he added as they sat down in front of the two. Not surprised to see that they were still arguing.

"All the best. Send her my regards," Ari said, already making a mental note to buy his mother a gift and let him deliver it to her. Why? She herself didn't know, but felt it was the right thing to do.

"Will do so," he spoke, taking a sip of his coffee. A comfortable silence descended upon them as they watched the two whisper-yell at each other.

"I'll burn you with this coffee," Kanti warned Nate, getting fed up with his nonsense.

"Why so rough, babe?" He asked, winking at her. Ari just smiled and turned back to Kaden, who turned his head away. She smiled when his ears turned bright pink, indicating that he was looking at her long before she looked at him.

"Do you maybe, uhm," she laughed nervously, "want to grab a few drinks Wednesday night?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" He asked, his stomach feeling weird. He watched her gaze cast down and decided not make her feel uncomfortable. "Why Wednesday?"

"Because Thursday I leave for my friend."

"So you want to go on a date with me before meeting your friend?"

"Yes," she said rather too quickly, "I'm asking you as a friend."

"Really?" He asked, watching her become flattered. "Just as a friend and nothing else?" She nodded her head. "Alright, I can live with that."

"Great. I'll come pick you up."

"Are you sure it's not a date?" He couldn't help ask and she groaned, making him laugh.

"So you know where I live?"

"I can ask around."

"You'll do no such thing."

"Why? You're scared I'll come every now and again?"

"Not just that. I'm afraid you'll get to see where I hide my pictures of you," he spoke seriously, making her believe for a second that he wasn't kidding.

"Ari, let's go," Kanti said, clearly unhappy as she got up and gave Kaden a hug. "Take her to Bunsi's," she whispered in Kaden's ear. "She'll like that."

Ari hadn't heard what Kanti said to Kaden as she got up and finished the remaining coffee in her cup before saying goodbye to the two guys.

He got up and held her hand, looking into her eyes. "Where's my hug?" She blushed at his question and felt her heart racing.

"I'm all sweaty and-" she started saying but got cut off when he wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly against his chest. She wrapped her arms around his back and breathed in his signature musky-woodsy scent.

"We'll keep in touch," he whispered as she pulled away. Too stunned to speak, she nodded and headed out.

"What was that about?" Nate cooed when he took a seat.

"Watch it," he deadpanned.

"So, what are you gonna wear on Wednesday? Are you gonna put on your khaki date pants?" Nate continued to tease while Kaden sat there, a look of dismay on his face. He knew Nate would never let him go easily.

"What about you and Kanti? You guys look rough."

"You could say that. She's a she-devil herself. Did you see when she hit my face with her coffee spoon?" Nate started to complain, making Kaden say a thankful prayer that he was now talking about himself and not taunting him about his 'date' with Ari.

---

"Should I ask him out on a double date for you?" Ari asked Kanti as they drove.

"No, why would you do that?" Kanti practically screamed.

"Because you guys would definitely make a great team."

"That guy disgusts me," she said, looking out the window. "Plus, he's the son of the guy I dated a few months ago." Ari just kept quiet as Kanti clearly didn't want to talk about it. She dropped Kanti at her own penthouse and continued to drive to her place when memories of the previous night came flooding back to her, making her hands became clammy around the steering wheel.

She parked her car and got out, walked into her house and set the keys on the kitchen counter. She barged into his bedroom upstairs and went straight for his closet, removing his clothes and throwing them on the floor.

After making sure all his clothes, suits and just above very other clothing items he had was discarded on the floor, she targeted his gadgets. She pulled his computer from the plug and opened the window, sending the computer flying outside and luckily landing in the pool outside. Next, she took his beddings and did the same, throwing them out the window and made them sink into the water.

"That should teach you," she said to herself and walked out of his room.

She went downstairs and stopped by the kitchen, a great idea coming to her mind. She smiled slyly as she grabbed a butcher knife and went through the back door to the garage and switched the lights on.