Who are you?

Cordelia

'You're leaving so soon?' Spencer asked as if she couldn't breathe without me.

'Yes. But you guys enjoy the dinner since it has already been paid for.' She rolled her eyes at my taunt.

Stacy nudged me. 'What was that?'

'Let's go. I'll explain on the way.' I whispered.

We left our supposed friends to have dinner which my enemy had paid for. Still amazed by the way Jackson had smoothly found a way back into my life I forgot to pay attention to the path in front of me and stumbled on the sidewalk. 'Ouch!'

'Delia, are you okay?' Stacy asked in concern.

I closed my eyes and cursed inside. Why did I have to see him again? 'What do I do Stacy? How do I avoid him?'

'Both of us know Jackson Carter can be a nuisance when he wants to be. There's no avoiding him.'

'Stacy!'

She sighed. As someone who's been a witness to our hate story, she said something that pinged and felt deep at the same time. 'You were not able to resist him then, you will not be able to this time as well.' It's not like I lacked willpower but she was somewhere right. I had tried so damn hard to stay away from him back then when we were in college but he managed to make himself a part of my life, a remote filthy part that I had started worshipping inside. Thankfully he didn't know or maybe he did which is why he could take advantage of the whole situation and manipulate me so well. 'By the way, how are things with your grandfather?' Stacy asked.

'Grim.'

'Then become a grim reaper.'

I turned to her. 'What do you mean?'

'Make someone else his target to secure you from the situation.'

'Only if it was so easy.'

'Nothing is difficult. I used to loathe going to acting classes but now…..'

I raised a brow with a smug smile on my face. 'And now?'

'I'm kind of enjoying them.' This was the first time she'd said something like that.

'Any particular reason for your joy?'

'Well, there is. You might meet him soon if things are steady between us.'

My mouth fell open. 'You! Lady! Have not told me you're dating someone!'

'Sheesh!' Stacy put a finger on her lips to make me stop shouting. 'It's still in the early stage so….you know.'

I shook my head. 'Nope, I don't. You have to tell me all about it right now.'

'Should we go to our usual place then?' She asked, her eyes sparkling with mischief. I nodded vigorously.

'Let's go!'

Her driver dropped us at our favorite bar, the one we used to come to during our college days. To confess it, we were here even when we were in our school once. The thought of those times put a smile on my face. 'Hey, Delia. Long time no see girl.' The bartender greeted me. Yup, we drank to the point where even the staff here knew we were the two girls they were not allowed to serve liquor after a certain point. What to say, we'd once broken their very expensive new arrival alcohol batch. Thirty bottles were reduced to a million pieces and booze was to be cleaned by the staff. Thankfully, I had still access to my father's money at that time, and paying for the loss was no big deal. This reminded me to be careful today. There was no more money to waste.

'Hey.' I said in a low voice and the bartender looked at me as if his celebrity friend had refused to recognize him at a social event.

'Are you feeling okay? Need a drink to lift your mood.' He smiled and I knew he was going to sell me something expensive.

'Not really. A beer would be fine.' He tilted his head in disappointment.

'Give us whatever there's new.' Stacy told him. I turned to her to say no but she nodded her head to ask me to brush off the money worry.

After a few drinks, I was on cloud nine. I was on clouds because the blue drink had kicked off all my senses and I could feel the heat on my cheeks. To cool myself I needed another drink. 'Wow! This is great, whatever this is.' I said.

The bartender smirked. Stacy was already on the verge of passing out. 'Delia, I love this drink. Let's take a bottle home. I'll share it with my mum, she needs to calm the fuck down!' I looked at her and then both of us laughed our asses off. Her mom was dead serious about everything, I think she needed this drink.

Another hour passed and the bartender said, 'Do you guys want more?'

I nodded. 'Who wo….uldn't waaant morrrre?' I slurred. He chuckled and poured me another drink. I rubbed my hands and picked up the glass but before my lips could touch its rim someone took it from me. 'Stacy! Why would you…..' I stopped. It was not Stacy. But who was he? I blinked. 'Who are you? Give me my drink back!'

'Are you drunk to the point that you've forgotten me?' His glare turned to the bartender. 'I wonder what strong element is in it.'

I scratched my head. 'What are you saying?'

He said sharply, 'That it's time to go home.'

'I don't go home with strangers.' I pouted. But I guess no one was there to listen to my word for the guy took both of me and Stacy outside. Stacy's driver came running towards us.

'Ma'am! Are you okay?' He sounded more worried about losing his job for letting his boss's daughter get drunk than about her condition. 'I'll take her home. Do you want me to drop you as well Miss Rosette?'

I was about to say yes when the guy who'd brought me out firmly said, 'No! I'll drop her home.'

The driver deliberated for a microsecond and then with a nod he left me there. What the hell! Did no one care about me? I stomped my foot and winced as it had hit the sidewalk outside the restaurant earlier.

'Are you hurt somewhere?' The guy asked and moved closer to me. I hated that everything was blurred, I wanted to see his face. If the driver hadn't come to us first I wouldn't have recognized him as well.

When I stumbled again, the guy carried me in his arms to his car and sat me in the backseat. 'You cannot kidnap me!' I shouted.

'Breaking news, I already have.' He said normally and motioned for his driver to drive. After the car started moving he asked, 'Where do you live?'

'Why wwwould I teeeell yoooou?' I was still slurring.

'Then I'll take you to my home.' My eyes widened. Hell! I searched for my phone but it was nowhere to be seen. Where did it go? 'Looking for this?' The guy flashed a phone in front of me.

'My phone! Give ittt baack.'

'Where do you live Cordelia?' He asked. I was surprised he knew my name.

'Whoo aree youuu?' The effect of the drink was at its prime now I guess because after that what I blabbered and what I did I had no control over it. But one thing I was sure of this guy felt familiar. My eyelids felt heavy and soon I was asleep.

Tring, Tring, Tring. I turned in bed. The curtains were open. Did I open them? I tried to open my eyes and it was only after the third try that I could manage to do that. I plopped on my shoulders and my head felt heavy so I slumped back. 'Argh! Why is it hurting so much?'

A voice replied, 'Hangover hurts, Darling. Here have some medicine, you'll feel fine.'

I shot up from bed and looked at the guy standing by the foot of my bed holding a tray with a glass of water and some medicine on it. 'Jackson Carter! What the hell are you doing in my house?' I looked around to make sure I was in my house. Who knows if I was somewhere else? I breathed in relief that I was indeed in my house. I threw away the sheets in an instant and went to stand in front of him. 'Answer me!'

'I brought you home last night.' He said and my heart fell. He was the guy! He was the one who stopped us from drinking. Shit!

'How did you know where my house was?'

'You told me last night.'

'I was drunk. You took advantage of me.'

He lifted his upper lip in annoyance and said, 'I took advantage of you? How exactly?'

'You…..you! You!'

'Go on tell me.'

I stomped my foot. 'I didn't know it was you. You took advantage of the fact that I was drunk. Who knows what you did to me?'

He scoffed. 'I wouldn't touch you when you're sober forget about doing it while you're drunk and unconscious.'

'You did kiss me yesterday.'

'I had to make sure your friends believed my story.'

'You didn't take my permission.'

He stared at me and then said, 'Fine, I will make sure to take your permission next time. Happy?'

'Happy for what? That you manipulated your way into my house! Get out of here Jackson!'

He sighed and placed the tray on the side table. Taking his jacket he propped it over his shoulder and looked at me again. 'Take the medicine. It'll help with your headache.'

'Since when do you care about me?'

'Never before but I have to now since we're about to get married.'

I rolled my eyes. 'Listen, Mr. Carter, we are never getting married to each other.'

He smiled and said, 'I managed to know where you live, I'm sure soon I'll convince you to marry me.'

'Why do you even want to marry me?' I asked in frustration.

In a serious tone, he said, 'Did you think I would let you go after what you did to me back then?'

I took a deep breath. 'As far as I know, we were even after that day. You have no right to come back into my life!'

He stepped forward and took my face in his right hand. 'If someone has any right over you, that is me. You know it, I know it. The rest of the world will know it too. See you soon Cordelia.' He stayed not a second more in my house, leaving me fuming over his audacity.