Chapter 18: Trade

Trade

• • • • •

I'm scared. Will he be the man of the nightmare that I had last time? Where he did atrocious things to me? 

I closed my eyes and waited for his pervert hand to touch my skin. My whole body was trembling, making it difficult to move my hands, and leaving me with no choice but to wait for what's to happen next but nothing happened. 

I didn't feel anything.

Is he making fun of me? Is he waiting for me to open my eyes and then, let me witness how he'd mercilessly touch me? O my gosh, I hope he isn't that type of person.

I tried to peek and opened my eyes widely when I saw the phone in his hand. Oh, god. The phone probably slipped out of my t-shirt, the reason how he got it without touching my skin. Thank God. 

His grip on me suddenly loosened so, I freed my hand and reached for the phone but his reflexes were too fast. 

He outstretched his hand above his head away from me. I don't want to just give up therefore, I stretched my hand too. Meters away and I could've reached my phone but my weight was dragging me down to the side, and suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the room.

"Frickking fuck! Why did you let go of me?" I shouted at him. I shouldn't have cuss but I can't help it. I'm now rubbing my ass because of the pain I felt from falling down on the couch. He was holding me just a while ago!

Did he do it on purpose? To laugh at me? Well, maybe. He's a devil. I'm just quite thankful that my head didn't hit the tiled floor.

He quickly got up and offered me a hand. I took it and dusted myself off. I was about to face him but he held my shoulders and made me sit down on the sofa while staring at me earnestly. With his soft and apologetic voice, he spoke, "Sorry." 

I was stunned at him. Did he just say sorry? I mean, he knows how to say sorry? He doesn't want to laugh at me? And he even helped me. 

It's so hard to understand him.

At first, he'll do weird things then the next thing he will do is do something that you don't expect him to do. There are also times that he's surly then he'll be nice and then he would turn back to his old self again. It's an endless cycle. Does he have a bipolar disorder? Or maybe he has—

Ah, probably mood swings. He is worse than any woman. So confusing.

I looked at him. His expression and the way he apologized seemed sincere. Besides, it was my fault that I fell down so I guess I'll forgive him. "It's o—."

"But still, I won't give you the phone." What the—I gave him a poker face.

Here we go again. 

"Okay." Was all I said. I don't want to argue with him anymore. He is sooo stubborn and I really don't like this side of him. 

He raised his eyebrow and looked a bit surprised. I also did the same thing to him but he just smirked at me and left. I didn't even bother asking him where he'll go. I don't care where he is going and I don't want to know. 

I laid down on the floor and rolled.

Ugh. What now?

What if Ate July will call me? nana? Josh? Oh right, I haven't called Josh yet. I wonder if he is doing well at school without me. I'm a bit worried that all he'd do is just flirt with someone. There are a lot of handsome boys at school and knowing him, he wouldn't let his chance pass. But on the other hand, he is also one of the handsome boys and a bit obsessed with his pretty face so,

he is probably flirting with himself. 

I should not worry about him. What I should be focusing on right now is how I can retrieve my phone from the devil so I can call Josh.

I just stopped rolling when my forehead hit the coffee table. "Ouch, cupcakes!" I wailed. I sat down and rubbed where it hurts. Wait.

Cupcakes? That's it! I should bake them and use them to trade with my phone. I know that he wouldn't say no.

With a big smile plastered on my face, I marched to the kitchen and inhaled. I just hope that there are still enough ingredients.

• • • •

"Done!" I chirped. Twelve beautifully baked cupcakes were placed on the plate. They look and smell lovely. 

I turned around and placed the cupcakes on the table when I noticed a silhouette in front of me. "What the—" 

Shit. My body stiffened for a moment and recovered when the man in front of me was just Neal. Where did he come from? And...is that, a bib on his shirt?

He was sitting in front of me, his eyes on the cupcakes and his hands on the table. I squinted my eyes at the cloth that was hanging on the front of his tee and frowned in dismay when it was just a face towel. 

He would really look cute if it really was a bib.

"Let's eat." He said as he reached for the cupcakes but I pulled it away from his reach. "Who says that these are yours? These are only mine and mine alone. There's nothing for you." I stick my tongue out at him and did a funny face.

Ugh, now I'm becoming more like ate July.

He sighed and asked, "What is it?" I smiled at him. He knows that this isn't for free. I held out my hand at him.

"I'll give you all of these cupcakes in exchange for my phone." 

"It's on my mini office desk." 

"Thank you!" I placed the cupcakes in front of him and ran upstairs, into the room. I looked at the table but it wasn't there. I also searched the drawers and cabinets but I didn't see my phone. Crap.

I quickly ran downstairs and into the dining room but Neal wasn't there anymore. I also didn't see any cupcakes on the table. With gritted teeth, I went outside the garden to search for him but still, he was nowhere to be found.

This only means one thing.

"He tricked me!"