You Deserve It

Alice stared at Daniel in disbelief, "You...you really don't mind, Mr. Daniel?"

Obsessive about cleanness, Daniel never allowed anyone else to lay a finger on his belongings, nor would he allow himself to touch that of others.

"Of course I do, but what can I do about it? I have to put up with it. Got it?" he raised his voice in an effort to disguise his agitation. "Where were we? Oh, the eye contact practice. Keep on practicing. And I have another tip for you: When you are facing a large crowd, just remember to stare at the one you are familiar with, and then you'll feel less anxious."

"But what if there's no one I know?" Alice took a deep breath, but the anxiety lingered on.

"Don't worry. I'll be there in the crowd. You may just stare at me then," Daniel thought for a moment and said.

"That's a good idea," Alice nodded.

Daniel used to make her feel ill at ease, but now it seemed she was accustomed to his company.