The Interview

The saying, "Enemies were bound to meet on a narrow road" was not wrong. Damon had the knack for ruining her mood. 

"Ugh!" Nessa should have known that the only person capable of driving a Porsche through this neighborhood was Damon. It's no news that he flaunts his wealth- well, his parent's money- extravagantly

Just moments ago, she and Luke were having the time of their lives. She was sure they made some sort of connection- until that jerk arrived.

It didn't take long before Damon's lazy yet sexy gaze settled on them and with an infuriating smirk that tugged his lips to the side, he eased out of his car and walked over to them.

Well, he better play nice else Luke would not be his only sworn enemy, Nessa thought. 

"Fancy seeing you here, Red," Damon announced with the usual amused glint in his eyes. She wondered what was so funny? 

"Stop calling me that and this is my neighborhood, you know?" She glowered intensely at him, "How did you find me? Were you following me?"

"Of course not. I'm just looking for a babe who'll be my date tonight "

She gave him a forceful smile " Good luck with that and I seriously hope my name's not on your list?"

"Why wouldn't you be? You like me, that's enough qualification to be my date " He proclaimed proudly.

The arrogance of the guy, Nessa rolled her eyes towards heaven. 

Luke snorted mockingly beside her but Damon choose to ignore him, asking 

"So, what do you say? Be my date for the night?"

Does this guy ever give up? Nessa wondered. Would she need to split his coconut head into two before he understands she wasn't interested in him?

"No, thank you" Nessa rejected his offer briskly, "I have better things to do with Luke here," She said, looping her hand around Luke's arm.

Luke in question arched a brow at her gesture yet remained mum. He instead joined in the act as Damon eyed every of their movement

"Aren't we late already, babe?" He asked, throwing his arm around her shoulder which stunned her. He was playing along, giving Damon the impression that they were on a date.

Sigh, things she does to get rid of Damon.

So Nessa gasped dramatically, her hand on her chest "You're right, sweetie" She faced Damon, "I guess we'll see you at school then" She waved and left.

Once out of Damon's sight, both of them stared at each other for a second before bursting into loud laughter that attracted looks from passerby.

"Oh my God! Did you see the look on his face?" She bend over with laughter 

"I know, he was glaring daggers at me," Luke described, laughing to his heart's content. 

"I hate to admit it but you're a pretty good actor, you should venture into acting in the future" she complimented him yet he refused to take credit.

"No, it's you I have to thank for allowing me to put this unnurtured skill of mine into action and slapping the smile off Damon's face. I haven't had this much fun in a long time" Luke told her sincerely which made her face break into a smile.

"Aww, you're welcome and we should get going before my brother, Adrian begins to think dirty" She reminded him.

"I wouldn't mind him thinking we did those kinds of stuff," he said to her bewilderment. That unexpected comment made her blush and her heart rate increased.

"Follow me when you're ready" Nessa managed to say before she made a fool of herself. What kind of guy shamelessly flirts with a girl like him?

Luke followed after her and both engaged in discussion; making silly jokes at each other with him throwing suggestive comments now and then. Well, she survived Damon, she would surely survive Luke too.

Getting the required ingredients from the store, they returned home with smiling faces until Nessa was told that Jenny was back.

Her smile vanished, "Mom is back?!" She questioned Rex, the bringer of good news. 

"Oh no," 

Panicking, she turned to Luke  hurriedly, "Hey, I'm sorry but you have to leave now"

"Alright, wait, what?!" He was baffled at the sudden change in plans. Was her mom strict or a monster or something? He wondered.

She began to pull him to the door, "I know you're confused but I'll explain later. But right now, you have to leave- "

"Who's leaving?" Her mom's voice rang from behind causing her to freeze like ice cream.

Uh-oh, it was too late.

Nessa turned around with a sigh just as her mom released a squeal of delight, "OMG! You got a boyfriend!!"

 Oh boy. Here it goes. 

With lightning speed, her mother nudged her to the side with her hips, engulfing poor Luke who stood at attention in a bone-crushing hug.

Nessa facepalmed, this was so embarrassing.

"Mom, let go. He can't breathe because you're crushing his sternum and for Christ's sake he's not my boyfriend"  Nessa clarified.

Her mom released him with a hint of disappointment laced in her voice "He's not?"

The girl nodded a reply. Now, please let him go, she pleaded mentally. Her family must have the talent of embarrassing her. 

But Jenny's disappointed expression lasted only for a second because she turned to Nessa saying," Well, it doesn't matter cause he's staying for dinner"

"Dinner!!!" Everyone in the family shrieked in unison earning confused looks from Luke and a bewildered one from their mother.

"No thanks mom, Luke was Just leaving. Weren't you?" Nessa threw the question at him, giving him a secret eye signal which he failed to understand or purposely ignored. However, Nessa was ready for him.

"I'm not in a hu -" Luke was still saying when he felt a tight pinch at his thigh which made him rephrase his words, "Yes, I'm in a hurry to leave" 

"No, you're not leaving until dinner, I insist" Her mom got her way and he ended up staying for dinner 

"You're gonna regret this" Adrian told him, flopping down on a sofa after their mom went upstairs to change. 

"What's so bad about staying for dinner? If her cooking is that bad, I can live through it" Luke inquired curiously.

"She's not a bad cook Luke, in fact, she's the best at her field but the problem is the interview before the dinner" Nessa explained, easing the confusion on his face

"Interview?" He asked, surprised.

"You'll see." Nessa told him, "Ah, here she comes"

Her mom stepped into the living room with a note and pen in hand. She was dressed in a simple blouse with loose pants and an apron tied around her waist. 

"Okay, Luke " Her mom started "I'll ask you a few questions to get your preference"

"Sure" He answered, not knowing what he's in for.

"Alright, do you prefer spaghetti bolognese or creamy spaghetti Alfredo with shrimp"

"Urm…." he paused, scratching the side of his head reflectively before answering "Any will do"

"Make a choice" Jenny insisted as Adrian and Nessa gave out stifled chuckles. He just got himself into their mom's trap

"Spaghetti Alfredo then" he decided and she wrote it down

"Waffles or sandwiches? " Came the next question

"Sandwich" he was smart to give her a direct answer this time.

"Peanut butter sandwich or a cheese sandwich?"

"Peanut butter sandwich"

She pursed her lips "Do you like your egg fried, boiled, scrambled, or poached?"

"Boiled" he stated.

"Soft boiled or hard-boiled" Jenny inquired further.

"Hardboiled"

"Now to your drink preference: juices, coffee, tea, or yogurt?" She began another category.

"Juice" Luke answered.

Jenny listed "Orange juice, strawberry, lemon, lime - "

"I'll stick to lemonade," Luke interjected. The beads of sweat forming across his forehead were evidence of his exhaustion.

"Thanks for your time then," Her mom said, smiling softly at him, and left.

As soon as she left, Luke breathe in relief 

"Told you so" Nessa reminded him as soon as she saw his pitiful look while Adrian kept on simpering at his predicament. 

"No, it's not what you're thinking," he said leaving her confused 

"Then what?"

"I just realized how special your mom is"

Nessa was mystified, was this boy for real?

​​​​​​​​​​​