8 Seven....

***

(Flashback)

Daniel came interrupting their conversation at the coffee shop. Immediately, their girlish talk was suspended as they now paid attention to the tall guy with dark locks and piercing green eyes.

"Hey," He pronounced kissing Clara on the cheeks in greeting before sitting next to her. "Oh, hey Clarissa, didn't see you there." Clarissa rolled her eyes at his joke and faked a smile which he returned with an amused look.

"How did you find me?" Clara asked him and he smiled at her.

He said, "I always know where you are sweetheart." She gave him a cheeky smile and he leaned down to lock their lips in a kiss which he didn't fail to lengthen fully aware of the third party seated across them.

Clarissa's eyes darted to the hands that gripped her cousin's waist and she frowned. On impulse, her eyes found his that was surprisingly already staring at her and she looked away immediately.

"Is something wrong?" Clara asked. Daniel's eyes found Clara's, "Perfect, Everything is perfect." He said and smiled.

"I think it's my cue to leave." Clarissa said.

"But we've barely hung out." Clara whined and once again, Clarissa's eyes found his but still stood nevertheless.

"Look emm...I really have to go. I just came up with an idea for my project. I'll give Nick a phonecall so we can start and I'll leave you two to it."

"Sure, sure go ahead, I'll just keep myself busy then." Clara said looking at Daniel who gave her a smile in return. Not as genuine as usual but at least helped him round up their conversation.

Daniel couldn't quite put his finger on her behavior today. What he saw in her expression couldn't be real. It couldn't be jealousy, right?

No!- He mentally scolded convincing himself that all he wanted was Clara and him together and no one in between.

(Ends...)

___$

"Someone requests to see you sir," Cynthia said and Daniel motioned for her to let him in.

"Henry?"

"In the flesh," Daniel stood to embrace his friend patting his back. "How have you been Daniel? It's been a while since I last saw you."

"I've been okay, just too busy to worry about everything." Daniel took a seat and Henry followed suit sitting across him.

"I heard. Is she pretty?" Henry asked, a smirk growing on this face.

"She's human,"

"Just human you say?" Daniel cracked a smile. "Surely she's more than that. I would say that she's beautiful judging from what I saw the other day." Henry told him.

"You saw her already?"

"Yap, at the mall the other day. She was so engrossed in her conversation with Austin that she didn't notice me on time. I'm quite surprised she hasn't mentioned me yet."

"Why? Are you trying to pull a stunt old man?" Daniel asked, his face forming a slight frown one could barely notice.

"Would you be jealous if I did so?" Henry retorted before giving him a smile, a thought buzzing in.

"Have you fucked her yet Isaiah?" Daniel couldn't help but laugh shaking his head. He should have known.

"You never change, Prize. Why would you care if I haven't fucked my wife?"

"So it's a no?"

"So much for civilization. Now you get it, don't push it." Daniel rolled his eyes.

Henry smirked. "Because you are scared of what I would say next, are you afraid of a little challenge Isaiah?"

Daniel sighed. "Did you come back from Paris just to know about why I haven't fucked my wife Henry? Don't you think you're a little over inquisitive?" Daniel raised a brow at his friend who just chuckled.

"I know who you are Isaiah, I'm worried that you get the lamest ideas about women." Henry continued and that was just what he needed.

"You did not just say that!"

"Oh yes, yes I did." Henry answered.

The reason why he came, to make Daniel forget his ex and he swore he already foresaw this was going to work.

"I accept this challenge of yours then, 3 weeks?"

"That's like a century, you only need a week?" Daniel scoffed in disagreement but Henry insisted. "Surely since you claim to be experienced you might need little-"

"Deal, a week and I'll prove it to you that you suck at this game."

---

"Daniel you asked to see me?" Clarissa shut the door almost immediately.

"Certainly, get your things, we are going for lunch." Daniel told her.

"Lunch, at 12? I normally have lunch by 2, I can have lunch when I'm done with printing-"

"Oh, that can wait because I'm starving and I'm thinking of leaving for lunch now. Plus, you would be kind enough to accompany me, won't you?" He inquired gently coming to stand in front of her. He raised a brow when she wouldn't answer him. It was then she gave a sigh in defeat and said; "Sure, why not."

But then he did the unexpected, he pulled the band held her hair in a tight bun and tossed it on the table.

"What was that for?"

He shrugged. "Making sure you looked okay." He told her. "Now, let's go before we get caught."

___

This wasn't what they planned, they were skipping work for the rest of the day. She frowned when she discovered that lunch was just an excuse to get her to have the rest of her day to himself.

"How many more times will I have to skip work?" She tried to act like it bothered her but that wasn't the problem. The problem was sitting few inches away from her.

"C'mon, I practically own that place and you're married to me so we can skip work anytime you want."

Wait, something definitely is wrong here! She sighed and rolled her eyes,

"Daniel your mother really doesn't like me, you said so yourself. I have to impress her and when she hears of me skipping work, she's going to say I'm incompetent."

"Oh really, why the need to impress her when you only have to impress me? And I honestly have no problem with you skipping work to have lunch with me."

This was definitely too much for her to take in. Since when did he have this corky attitude?

"You seem like the person that never have a problem!"

"You can say anything you want." He told her then he said nothing else. She couldn't help but wonder if he was bound on creating something between them or was she over thinking things, surely she was over thinking. Still, she couldn't be more happy.

"Why are you smiling at me?" She froze. Was she smiling? She hadn't noticed.

Shit!

"Huh! No I'm not!" She looked away purposely hiding her flushed cheeks.

"If you ask me, I would say you are smitten by my words, or you got lost. Tell me Rissa, I'm very handsome right?" He flashed her a breathtaking smile and she swore her breath hitched in her throat.

Damn yes!

She scoffed. "Corky much are you?"

"Admit it!"

"Admit shit Daniel, you've been clearly deceived, who tell you these things?"

"Girls, many girls," He emphasized and once again, she scoffed.

"You're incredible!" She averted her gaze and he recalled he had seen that emotion in her eyes before.

"Someone's jealous," He chimed playfully before bursting out in laughter.

"You think I'm jealous?" She retorted with mixed emotions. He just annoys the hell out of her, makes her want to-arrrghhh!

"I never said so, you tell me." She turned away for the last time never bothering to reply him.

Stupid emotions!

And she didn't expect, he was driving into the parking lot of an expensive restaurant in Canada.