15 “I find you annoying, Summer,”

If the drive to the restaurant was uncomfortable, then the drive from the restaurant to Andrew's apartment was nerve-racking.

"…"

"…"

Summer's remaining hope for the evening was to end the date on a civilized note. That her time with Andrew would not cause her inconveniencies in her workplace for the days to come.

That was now, a faraway dream.

"Take a right here," Andrew instructed.

She gave a signal and made an abrupt right-hand turn into the intersection.

"…Sorry about that," she said when he murmured something to himself.

"You should be more focused on the road while you're driving,"

'Yes dad,' she thought to herself cynically.

"Park in that empty space over there,"

"Okay!" She said with more enthusiasm than she had meant to show.

Summer breathed easier now that this date and this Monday were coming to an end. She parked with a smile while she imagined herself slipping under her bed sheets and feeling the softness of her pillowcase beneath her cheeks.

But the man who had already unbuckled his seatbelt was not moving out.

"…Er…Thank you for dinner," she said politely while pretending to check the traffic, hoping that it would be his cue to leave.

"Do you find me annoying," he wondered with a serious tone.

Blue eyes found two probing reddish-brown ones.

"I don't,"

"What do you think about me then,"

Summer felt heat spreading in her cheeks, she didn't know what the interrogation was all about all of a sudden, "…I respect you as a colleague,"

He mumbled something under his breath then took a hold of Summer's hand and snatched it up, by the time her brain caught up with his actions, her hand was pressed against his cheek.

"...!"

His eyes were intense while she became a statue, she felt the roughness of his stubble that always grew by the end of the working day though he'd shave every morning, and she also felt the corner of his lips pressed against the palm of her hand.

"How about this? What do you think about me now?"

Summer's heart was already beating faster, but in her head, it was because his sudden move startled her, and she didn't know how to deal with him.

She composed herself and gave him an exasperated look while she pulled her hand away from his face, "I think you're being a bit overbearing,"

Andrew surprised her once more when he threw his head back and started laughing heartily.

"…haah…okay, aren't you curious?" he said once he was done laughing.

The look on Summer's face wasn't one of curiosity, so Andrew took a deep breath and opted back into his serious mode.

"Don't you want to know what I think about you?" He asked.

"Not really,"

"...Is there something else you want to ask me then? Anything at all?"

There was, "...Why did you order seafood if you don't like it?" That question was drilling a hole in her brain.

"I was told by someone I trust that I'd change my mind once I tried it over there,"

'WHY DIDN'T YOU TRY IT THEN!' She screamed in her head.

"I find you annoying, Summer," he said, startling her once more.

She stared at him without a word.

He arched an eyebrow, "Aren't you surprised?"

"Well, not really," she answered honestly, "It makes more sense that way,"

Something flashed behind his eyes then, but it was too quick for Summer to put a name on it, he raised one hand and held it mid-air, "Let me correct myself and explain,"

She shook her head, "You really don't have to, it's fine,"

"It's not fine. I don't find you annoying as a person. It's how your surroundings treated you at first that annoyed me,"

Summer who was a bit more interested in what he had to say unbuckled her seat belt and turned her body towards him.

His eyes were on her body, "Would you like a cup of coff-"

"No, please continue,"

Andrew nodded, not offended by the sudden rush, and a bit happy that she declined his invitation.

He fought with a smile, "It took me three years to become a Team Leader in Hosek Holding, I had to prove myself and earn everyone's respect, I could've chosen to be appointed one immediately by getting the recommendations that colleagues of ours only dream of… but I chose not to," he paused, "While you… you waltzed your way into the company and was appointed a Team Leader on the spot, how do you think that made me feel?"

Summer felt a jolt of heat in her head. She was about to say something, but he was faster.

"You're talented, you're hardworking, and you're smart. I saw that too when projects started rolling your team's way. But instead of feeling better about it, it rubbed me the wrong way once more... I thought to myself that while your looks might've earned you the position I had to fight for, it should at least come in the way of your professional life… I thought that you'll be dating your way up soon and tried to give you a nudge in that direction,"

Summer's curiosity morphed into anger as she glared at him with animosity now.

"I'm not done yet... I've recently come to understand that it might've been me who got so hung up on your looks... Many things contributed to that epiphany," he cleared his throat and looked uncomfortable, "What I wanted to say to you before I leave is that I was very upset with Carol for asking me out on the group chat,"

The sudden jump he made between subjects took Summer off guard once more.

"But you sent that flower arrangement…"

"It was the only way to save face, for both of our sakes. Otherwise, it would've looked suspicious,"

She was about to ask what he meant by that, but she stopped when he looked at his ostentatious bronze wristwatch and frowned. He looked at her face once more with his usual expression.

"Now, do you see what I mean by a self-fulfilling prophecy?"

She frowned, "I honestly don't,"

He seemed to be breathing all the air in the car all of a sudden as his chest puffed, then he sighed it all away, "You're a handful, let me show you how things are then,"

Summer flinched when he grabbed her hand that was on her lap once more, he brought it to his face slowly this time while he held Summer's gaze. She half imagined that he'll press it on his cheek again, but instead, he pressed his lips on her inner wrist and kept it there.

A few minutes ticked by like that.

He was the one to release her hand without her pulling it away. She held her wrist with the other hand that was still on her lap and squeezed over it, trying to stop the sensation that kept flowing the wrong way.

He smiled victoriously, "That's how things are between us right now, do you get it now?"

She didn't appreciate any of it, not his actions that got her feeling things she didn't want to feel, nor his words that kept on doubting her IQ level. She closed her eyes feeling that if she didn't, she'll end up saying something she might regret, "Good night, Andrew,"

"I suppose you don't want to talk about the prophecy upstairs,"

She squeezed her closed eyes hard, "You suppose right,"

She opened her eyes when she heard the door opening, he went out and closed it a bit too rough for her liking, but then Gabe did that as well, so she didn't take it personally.

"Haaah..."

The date with Andrew was bizarre, but it wasn't why she couldn't get herself to start the car right away. 'Why was it that I got appointed as a Team Leader right away?'

Summer had no idea how dangerous this very question will prove to be down the road.