10 Angel

Andrea looked at the laptop screen Bryan was pointing at. She had to lean sideways so she moved her chair and was right next to Bryan's chair.

Now Andrea was on the right of Bryan. Bryan used his right arm to point at the details on the screen.

He spoke for a time before resting his arm back on the table. He felt like he had prepared all this for nothing.

"How is it?"

"It's great." Andrea barely spoke some words as she had not been paying much attention on the screen. Bryan knew that too.

"Did you like the inner padding and the borders?" Bryan spoke as he turned towards her.

"It's great." She spoke as she turned a little red.

"Did you even listen?"

"Sorry."

"Doesn't matter." Bryan took her left hand and this time explained the things again to her.

[Again. How does this always happen.] She thought as her hand had ended up in his hand.

He used her finger as a pointer to show her the details and she did pay attention this time.

Bryan quietened down but did not release her hand but he did not hold it tightly as before.

It was a choice Andrea had to make. She could take it back if she wanted but she did not.

As their hands were under the table and comfortably together Bryan spoke.

"Satisfied right?"

"Yeah. I had expected a very basic website. This is a little too good."

"It's alright."

"I didn't think it would be this good. I thought it would be a simple blog. You even added this password authentication. How much do I have to pay for this."

[Fuck! I need the money but I can't scam her or can I.]

"Hey, when did money come between us." Bryan said as he tightened his hand. She blushed at his comment.

"But, you are doing this for the money, right." She said.

[I do need it, the system is greedy as fuc k.]

"Not gonna lie. I do need the money for my startup. We hardly know each other otherwise I would have told you more."

With her hand still in Bryan's, she said, "After doing this, you want to say I would have told you more." She pointed to her hand.

"Oh, why are you still holding my hand." Bryan said like he had forgotten all about it.

She did not like what she had heard and pinched his hand before taking it back.

She looked up at Bryan's face which was a little higher because of the height difference even when sitting next to each other.

"Do you need investors?" She said.

"Are you rich?"

"I am not rich."

"Only a rich person would say that."

"It's that I… my sister is an artist and she has about 10,000$ in savings."

[Did she fall for my charm? Am I in?]

"You do look like an angel" Bryan paused as he saw her reaction before adding, "Investor, angel investor."

"My sister will be the investor. Not me, I am just a student." Andrea said.

"Alright then. When are we meeting your sister."

"Never. I mean why do we need to meet her. The money is just lying in our joint account. I can give it to you."

"What if I run away with the money?" Bryan felt a little guilty.

"Don't worry, I know you won't."  

She opened her phone to give him the money. It was a lot faster than Bryan thought as she asked the PayPal account and transferred him the 10k. 

Bryan stood up to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"Running before you change your mind." She pulled herself up and stood up.

"Don't worry, I don't know why but I feel like I can trust you."

"Ofcourse, you can trust me."

As they decided to go back, but not before having a coffee together. It wasn't official or anything but they did look like a couple to anyone walking by.

Eddie was one of the people who saw them on the table together. He had gone from dorm to dorm to find better weed but come back empty handed. Feeling tired and hungry, he came to the food stand. He could not believe his eyes as he saw Andrea and Bryan together at the same table. They were laughing like no one else existed. He felt a little jealous of Bryan but he knew he would not be able to date Andrea because of his sister.

[Didn't Betty say that Andrea won't be dating any of the losers in our batch?] He thought as he walked up behind them.

"Bryan? Andrea?"

Andrea and Bryan looked back at the same time and said, "Eddie."

They looked at Eddie's face but he wasn't looking back as his eyes were fixed on their hand. Andrea realised and took back her hand and Bryan gave Eddie a sharp look.

Eddie had the 'I am sorry' look as he tried to help Bryan.

"You guys look good together."

Andrea just blushed and didn't say anything but Bryan replied, "We know."

Andrea tried to create a little distance between them feeling a little shy. This was the first time she had acted so boldly.

[I gave him 10k.] She thought as she realised what she had done. There was nothing she could now. 

[Why does it feel so good with him. Something is different.] She thought. It was the gene potion that gave her this feeling. Humans at the end of the day were animals and Bryan was the leader of the pack physically because of the system.

Eddie sat down and the three completed their food before heading back to the dorms. 

They were passing by the ground when the ball whizzed past Eddie's head going towards Andrea. 

Andrea closed her eyes and raised her arms in self defense. Fortunately, Bryan was quicker as he stopped the ball before it could hit her. 

He looked at the guys to see how it was hit this way. He could only see them laughing. Extreme anger welled up inside but Bryan controlled it. He didn't want to scare off Andrea so he didn't do anything.

"Why are you guys standing?" Bryan said, asking them both to move.

Eddie saw what had happened and felt that Bryan was definitely strong to catch the ball like that.

They reached the girls dorm. 

Andrea looked at Bryan.

"This is it. That's my room." She pointed to a window on the first floor.

Bryan would have had no problem going in if not for Eddie who had followed them. 

"I will come next time. Anyway, I feel really bad for taking you money so why don't I give you an interest payment." Bryan leaned down and kissed her lips for a second before she could even react. 

[My first kiss. He just took it.] Andrea thought.

Eddie was even more shocked at the development. He expected Andrea to hit him back but she just smiled and ran away.

[Is there something I don't know about? Is this how dating works] Eddie thought.

"See you tomorrow." Bryan said as he walked back after he saw Andrea going in.

"How did you guys?"

"We met in the library and now we are here. She is also investing in my project so I like her more." Bryan threw the bait.

"Investing. You never told me?" Eddie.

"I didn't expect you to be interested."

"Why would I not be interested. I want to show my old man that I am do things on my own. You don't know how my dad dotes on my cousin more than me. I am treated like I was adopted child." Eddie exaggerated his miseries.

"Are you sure? ." Bryan said.

"Ofcourse, I do want to invest. Isn't it just money. I have some savings."

"I meant are you sure that you are not adopted."

"Fuck you. You are just like Betty."

"I am kidding."

"Anyway, why do you need the money?"

"There are lot of things but for now, it's something secret."

Eddie did not seem impressed by the cryptic answer. Bryan could not tell him about bitcoin. What if his actions lead to a butterfly effect. It was better to be as secretive as possible.

"Is it legal?" Eddie asked.