5| Nice to meet y*u.

Awakening on the bed, Daniel glanced. He had no idea how he managed to get to his room, and remove his shoes?

Definitely, he knew he wasn't capable of taking off his shoes properly, even when he was sober, more or less in his tipsy state.

The last he could recall was gulping down his seventeenth jug of beer at Jonas weekend party. Of course, Jonas would not fail to make him loose a bet and have to jug down tens of beer.

He had lost a bet on a football match, and his payment was to jug down fifteen pegs, but he had gone all the way to seventeen.

"Damn it, I was drunk again."

Daniel said to himself, as he rose from the bed with a compelling push to pee. On standing, he felt an intense, acute pain crack through his forehead. He placed his palms on his head and stepped into the adjacent toilet - to relieve himself.

When he got out, the headache seemed to have faded, but he still felt lethargic and parched. He perceived that all these, was just a replace of last night drinking, but he thought he should be used to the hangover now but; he wasn't.

Getting used to alcohol probably wasn't his kind of thing, as every hangover always felt like the very first.

Due to his parched throat, he walked out of his room in a desperate hunt for water.

On nearing the kitchen, he heard the juicy voice of a female and her voice was full of melodies, and definitely quite lovely. Shit! He had actually forgotten that he was married yesterday, and she was in his house with him.

Her name was Aderinsola, but he heard majority refer to her as Derin. His mom also preferred calling her Derin. At least, that was what she called her all the times she had talked to him about becoming a responsible adult.

He took a peek inside and noticed she had busied herself with cooking. From afar, he'd guessed she was a splendid cook, and the aroma emitting from what she was cooking up, assured him of her superb talent in cooking. However, she seemed to be enjoying what she was doing, and that is the most important goal of all.

She seems to be happy with this, unlike him. He did not hate her, but that doesn't mean he liked her. Yes, he despised the fact that she was the one he was forced to settle down with. No, that's an understatement; he was to spend the rest of his ever after together with her.

Lake thought being married would improve his lifestyle and probably make him more matured minded. He was well aware of his lifestyle, and he knew he was immature, but that wasn't sufficient reason to marry him a bride.

"You're awake?" Derin exclaimed on seeing him at the doorway, and her voice drew him out of his thoughts.

He looked forward and saw that she was standing in his front.

His eyes danced over the epitome of beauty in his presence.

She was no doubt a beautiful work of creation. Would he begin from the natural glow of her light caramel skin, or the gorgeous mirrors of her light brown almond eyes, and coupled up with her delicate pink lips which seemed rosy enough to be tasted.

Geez Daniel, get a hold of yourself!

She's beautiful, yes. She's sexy and hot, yes. She's adorable, double yes. However, he just can't like her as he has determined to keep away from her, in such a way she'll be forced to leave the marriage, and spare him from doing that.

At least, no fault will be filled against him if she, the bride chooses, decides to call it quits. Now this was his mission.

"Um, are you still there?" She questioned, snapping him out of his thoughts, but he only walked past her, and then into the kitchen to pick up a glass.

Derin sighed, "Was he trying to ignore her?"

Still, no jumping into conclusions.

She smiled as she picked up a jar of lukewarm water, and offered to pour some out for him. Daniel glared at her, and she instantly got the message that he wasn't interest in the water, or her concern.

He strode past her and walked to the water dispenser; filling the glass up himself.

Did he just turn down her water? If he didn't want hers, he could have said so.

"You could've said no," Derin said as she pursed her face into a frown, but he only gulped down the water in the glass, quite slowly, and annoying. He literally opted to sip the water with so much slurp.

Definitely, he was trying to get on her nerves.

"Aren't you aware that I don't drink contaminated water?" He said, and Derin mentally heard a glass crack.

Jesus, when did lukewarm bottled water turn into contaminated? The water was so damn pure.

"Or, you failed to know this because you're ignorant," he said, and she popped her eyes open in shock, "and maybe dumb too."

Her whole world froze as she stared at him in disbelief. He called her ignorant, and dumb?

"Yeah, thought so," He said before waltzing out of the kitchen, leaving Derin who remained rooted to the floor, still stomped at his words.

He thought she was dumb? Is that the very first impression he had of her? What had she done to make him have such impression about her?

Tears had found way to her eyes, but she blinked them back. She wasn't a weakling to break under his false words, and she is definitely not a dumb person. He's just stupid, and he's a capital Jerk.

Throughout the day, Daniel remained in his room as he stood clear of the living room, the kitchen and anywhere else she could be in. He wasn't avoiding her. It's just that he choose not to see her. Fortunately, he had a whole week off work, enforced on him by his very own father. Well, luckily for him, Derin didn't seem the kind of girl who'll give him a lot of issues, as she stayed away from his chamber, and him.

She could have kept this the whole day, but seeing that the arrogant man hadn't come down to eat a thing, caused her to mumble up the courage she had left to serve him dinner, or else he might just starve to death, all because he disliked his housemate.

She had given her word to Karen; his mother that she'll try all her best for him and a promise is a promise, even though her son is the greatest asshole she'd ever met.

She strolled to his room with the tray of meal on her palms. She slightly pushed the door open, and glanced in; he was on the only chair in the room and on his lap was a red laptop, which he seemed to have all his focus on.

From here, she could guess that he was typing into the system, and sincerely, he seemed like a pretty fast typist from the way his fingers danced over the keyboard, effortlessly.

Her eyes instantly shot to the fact that he was only clad in a short brown knickers that only stopped midway to his knee, exposing his firm and airy legs. His physic was strong, and quite daunting. Her eyes danced to his slightly airy chest which was built up, and also seemed quite muscular.

God really took his time in carving his goodness, and boy, did he make him into perfection.

If only God had removed his jerky attitude, and probably made him less arrogant.

Gosh, why do the prettiest boys have to be so off-attitude, and why did she get married to one.

She sighed before walking in, and he instantly noticed her.

"Geez Derin, can't you knock before entering?" he complained in a pissed off tone, and she smiled as hearing her own name from his lips was so golden, but his expression now was nowhere cute.

"I'm-" She began but was cut short by Daniel, who didn't give her a chance to reply.

"Don't you know what proper curtsy is?" he sought, but then laughed almost instantly, "Oh, pardon me miss, I forgot you lack proper manners," he said as he looked at her, waiting for a comeback, but she remained quiet.

He wanted her to break, he wanted her to become helpless, he wanted to see her weakness, but she isn't giving him such opportunity. She wasn't going to let her waterfalls lose, though they threatened to break through her eyes. She would not be weak, and so, she blinked back the tears.

"Listen, I just brought you dinner, cause' you haven't come down all day," She spluttered out.

Daniel stared at her for a while, before he chuckled and mimicked her exact words. After mocking her with his short abuse of words, he returned to the screen of his laptop.

Shithole!

Derin hissed to herself as she rolled her eyes. "Patience Derin, patience. He is not worth your anger." She hummed.

She straightened up, and walked to the table beside him, placed the tray on it, and left without saying another word, or even sparing him another glance.

As soon as he heard the door bang close, he looked up from the screen.

She actually refrained from responding, despite what he said.

His eyes went to the meal on the table, before glancing back at the door.

Derin ate her meal in the living room, as she kept herself busy with the telesarays playing in the TV. She was comfortable; having crossed her legs and eating with her pace. There was nothing more refreshing than getting to do what pleases her, and keeps her happy. However, she was careful not to disturb the bag of shit upstairs.

After a moment, she was done with her meal of meat broth and bread. She then proceeded to the kitchen to clean the greasy, unwashed plates accumulated in the sink.

"If I continue this way, I may just be called his maid, not that I want to be called his wife but, it'll stink to be called a maid."

"Derin!" she shook as her own name echoed throughout the house; he was awake and from the vigor in his voice, she could tell that she was up for another round of tongue lashing, if she doesn't respond in time.

Who knows what name he'll call her next?

"Yes!" answered Derin, as she walked out of the kitchen only to be met with Daniel's angry glare on her, as he sat on a couch.

"What'd fuck kept you?" he asked, his voice a bit wacky, and she smiled softly. "Why are you smiling? Are you teasing me?" he rolled out, causing the smile on her face disappear as she kept her face straight.

"I was clearing the dishes but, I wasn't teasing you," she stammered out, even though she'd tried to arrange herself to be more assertive but, it didn't work.

"I was clearing the dishes, but I wasn't teasing you," Dan mocked her, repeating her exact words. Derin rolled her eyes at his childish attitude, but her heart seemed to admire the way her own words resounded from his lips.

"Come on, quit thinking about his lips Derin," she reprimanded her thoughts, but darn, it's tough not to desire or want someone as hot as Daniel.

"I'm heading out," Came his voice, that brought her out of her thoughts and she nodded absentmindedly. "If you could, kindly clear the dishes in my room," he included, finally tearing her out of her delusions of him.

"Clear the dishes in my room. So that's what he thinks of me, a maid."

Derin thought while her eyes darted over him and saw he was clad in a black turtleneck shirt, over blue pants and a black boot on his feet. He also had his hair, perfectly combed backward and he could pass as a supermodel "male model".

Daniel walked to the center table, picked up a bunch of car keys before, making for the door but he was halted by a warm grip on his arm. He looked down on the hand, before looking up to the owner of the hand, Derin. His eyes were bloodshot and held an intense glare that could burn anyone or anything down.

Derin swallowed hard. "Wrong move Derin, wrong move," she repeated to herself, and instantly withdrew her hand.

Dan's glare was hard on her, and she felt like melting away under that glare. "But what'd heck? You shouldn't fear him, he's just a guy and he's your husband," and with this she looked up at his face.

Yes, maybe "husband" sounds more, weird.

"Where are you heading to?"

"Work," he spoke sharply as he turned to leave.

"Hey, this isn't way to treat anyone, most especially your wife," she glowered. "You're being an asshole. Why?" she thrust the question to him, knowing well that he did not like her one bit, but it's tough having to be around someone who doesn't want to speak to you.

"Look bitch, I'm running late," he replied, not answering her question but, was already out the door before she could even get his words in.

"Dan!" she hooted at him, but her words only trailed off after him, as he was in his car and reversing out of the yard. "Jerk! I suppose I will be alone, tonight again."

Well, she had to get used to this, right?

Actually, staying alone can be fun. At least there'll be some peace, and being surrounded by her won company would be priceless.