3 Chapter 3 - I'm Not Afraid

Risha groggily rubbed her eyes. The darkened circles under her eyes made it apparent that of the lack of sleep she was having. As she glanced over at the clock reading 11:37 A.M, she immediately widened her eyes in realization. It was 37 minutes past the scheduled time for the so called date.

"Ah, it seems like I'm late." Risha murmured to herself. She speedily whipped out her phone and texted Donovan, telling him that she'll be arriving later than expected.

Both of her hands covered her face as her shoulders slumped down. Fatigue was taking a huge toll on her body. She knows that overexerting herself isn't healthy for her, but she can't help with the fact that she's a huge workaholic. Lately, it seems as though she's losing touch from reality. Her mind keeps on wandering and she can't focus on anything.

Feeling a phone buzz, Risha glanced down at her phone and saw that Donovan had already responded with a thumbs up.

[No worries, I don't mind the wait~]

[Since you don't mind, give me another thirty.]

After replying, Risha turned her phone off and lazily put it on the nightstand. Reluctantly, she slid off her bed and started to get ready for the day.

Attire is very important to Risha; she enjoys working on her appearance and knows that she is a little above average in terms of her looks. She still sticks with formal wear since she has to maintain her professional business image. It was a small hobby that soon grew and gave her more confidence. It's like a mask she puts on as a facade to allow for her to step out of her comfort zone.

Risha has never been the sociable type. She considers herself as an introvert, as staying indoors alone allows for her to relax and gain more energy. It's not like she struggles to be social, but rather that she prefers to not involve herself in other people.

When she finished dressing, Risha grabbed her bag and phone and began to make her way towards the door of her flat. Opening the door, she was greeted by a smiling face. Instinctively, her hands almost slammed the door shut on a certain brown haired individual.

"...You've been waiting here?"

"Well uh, I wanted to surprise you by giving you a ride but you turned out to be just a little teensy bit late." Donovan replied.

Risha could tell that he was a little irritated. She didn't blame him, though. What she did was give a bad first impression.

"I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, Mr. Donovan. It appears that I woke up too soon."

"I see, don't worry about it at all." There was a slight pause before he jumped in again, "Wait. Wait. You overslept?"

A chuckle slipped past his lips, "I thought that you were in the middle of something important."

She nodded, agreeing along. "Ah, yes. I was in the middle of an important dream."

"Was that supposed to be a joke?" He stared at her confusingly.

"Does my face say it's a joke?"

Risha's eyebrow couldn't help but twitch when she saw Donovan staring intently at her face. Does she really look that scary?

She swears that she has a fairly decent sense of humor, but it appears that this man's intelligence is that of another level. Jaque and Risha always liked to embark in battles of sarcasm, so she, of course, habitually throws out sarcastic remarks every so often.

After awkwardly standing at the door for a couple of seconds, Risha finally interjected. "Are you done staring at me?"

"Uhm, yes! Ah! Sorry!" Donovan was flustered, "Let's go, shall we?" He stepped aside to allow for Risha to walk through. Risha locked the door behind her and followed Donovan as he lead the way.

As they walked side by side to the car, Risha was contemplating something. There was a suspicion that there was more than it seems to this man. How did a man like this climb his way up this far? Something is definitely hidden behind him. To be honest, Risha didn't think too much of it as it is not her business to stick her nose in other people's secrets. There was a foreboding feeling in the pit of Risha's stomach.