Two Really Good Actors

She did not have to lie to him?

Doe licked her lips as she shot him a smirk. What was he up to?

For a second or two, she felt her built up walls shatter. She did not have to lie to him almost sounded as though he was insinuating that she had to open to him.

But she could not.

What she knew, the things about her life… It was best that it remained that way. The way that he knew nothing bout it. That way, she was sure she could still keep being around him without being haunted by the visage of that memory.

She smirked, shaking her head slowly. She nudged him once more.

"I think you are stalling." She frowned slightly. "Is that your delay tactic eh? You want to do this because you are scared I would beat you?" She teased him.

However, Isaac simply stared at her. He was not moved by her attempt in goading him. Rather, his eyes narrowed, the seriousness in his look shutting her up instantly.

She swallowed, tearing her gaze away from his bewitching but serious face as she focused on the road. Feet drawn in close, she hugged her knees, placed her head right at the knee caps and sniffed.

The silence between the two of them felt awkward. Even with the vehicles out there and the occasional shuffling of feet as passerbys walked past did not reduce the stark silence that ate at them.

Isaac on the other hand sniffed, shaking his head. He tried to smile but one look at the doughnut in his hand and the smile vanished. He was curious. very curious.

"Look, Doe. I appreciate you coming to see me everytime and i know that compared to me, you sorta have things better. But Doe, listen to me…"He said, patting her knee gently. "I don't want you to sell your body because you want to get me doughnuts." He said to her.

At this, Doe could not believe her ears. She wanted to burst out in laughter, her cheeks rippling with a large grin.

Fortunately for her, he could not see her face. Since she has partially buried it in her arms while staring at the road.

Was this her lucky day?

The tension in the air was dispelled suddenly as she turned to look at him. She twisted her lips to one side, scoffing his way.

"You really think I would sell my body to get you doughnuts? You think you are that special, Isaac?" She said to him.

"Well… you wouldn't be coming to play chess with me, if I wasn't." He laughed softly, looking aside. "But I do know for sure that you can't come across something like this that easily. I don't want it if that is what you are doing."

"Isaac!" Doe called sharply and nudged him once more. "It is the liberal world. If I want to sell my body to get you doughnuts, then it is not a crime. I can be a commercial sex worker for all I care. What matters is that I do have money to procure a 5 star snack for us to play chess over." She said, smiling over the last words.

If only he knew.

If only he knew that she was not a commercial sex worker. She had something else that did bring her the wealth she had but it was not something she could just be bragging about on the street.

The Feds were out to get her, to talk about her source of income would only mean she was fast tracking her path to jail.

That was not within the plans. She had to play it smart even though this meant that Issac had to believe her that she was a sex worker.

"Well… I mean, I know but I Care about you..,"

"What?" Doe cut in, laughing abruptly. "You care about me? When did that come out?"

"I am allowed to have my own feelings, Doe!" Isaac replied, looking butthurt now.

"You don't understand Isaac. You are a street bum. Just like me. We are at the lowest of the social heirachy. You cannot have feelings for me." Doe pointed out, picking out her words carefully. She laughed and clapped her hands. "You would imagine that you have feelings for me? Dismiss that thought. Eew!"

"Well, I never said I had feelings for you. I just care about the girl who's about to get a whopping for me." Issac replied, nonchalantly. "I should say you are the one developing feelings."

"What? No!" Doe refuted instantly, jerking to the side.

"Your reaction now just proved it. You want to live in denial but you coming out here to see me everyday is a proof of what your heart wants. That is why I care about you." Isaaac sniffed, taking one more bite of the doughnut. "Now, now, let's have a quick game. I should get moving as you know." He tried to smile to her.

Doe looked at him, before smiling. She shook her head, focusing back on the board in front of her.

Of the two of them, she was the one who knew how best to set the board. No matter how he did it or how many times she taught him, Isaac never got the arrangement right.

He would place the Queen where the King would be or replace the rooks with the Bishops. It was laughable, most times and sometimes, she would get pissed at him.

It did suck to be the only bright one of the two of them.

But what could she do?

She had to bear with it. Living that way because if she showed more about herself, then this smart ass of a bum would figure her out.

That she was more than just a chess genius.

And that was not allowed to happen.

After arranging the board, she looked to him, a half smile, inviting him to play. Isaac chose black and she played first.

She played an opening C4. He reciprocated with the same. Then, she activated the Queen's Gambit move.

And as always, Isaac fell for it. Soon she was controlling the entire center of the board, forcing him to scramble at the sides.

A quick move, she had his queen pinned using a rook. Isaac grimaced, castling quickly. But it was too late, she swooped in with her Queen to capture his.

A few more moves and Doe had mated him. Checkmate.

She smiled ruefully to him, smirking as she lifted her chin forward.

"Ah… I did not see that coming." Isaac groaned.

"Haha!" Doe giggled. "You should always use your Knights to try a counter for the Queen's gambit. I could bypass that though but the Knights should slow me down. Or you can try the traditional way of…"

"Okay, okay, Doe. Don't lecture me to death, Miss Genius!" Isaac laughed, putting his hands up in surrender.

"So, tell me, who is the genius here? Say it again!" Doe demanded, smiling as she shut her eyes in anticipation.

"You are the genius, Doe. I'd be damned if I try to share the spotlight with you." He laughed.

Then she joined, after opening her eyes.

She folded her legs into a lotus position as she watched him arrange the pieces into the board. She desperately wanted to know what the time said but she could not do anything with her phone.

To bring her phone would only cause more suspicion from Isaac. She had barely escaped the last time.

Even with this resolve, her mind churned at her. She had told Amber she would get back to her. But now, she was sorta free and uneasy.

What if Amber was in actual danger and not one of those emotional turmoil she often was in? And she has delayed to get back to her?

How heartless could she be? She had to get out of here, without raising any suspicion.

RING!!

RINGGGGGG!!!

Isaac looked up now, squinting.

"Seems somebody left his phone nearby. Do you see any phone around?" He asked her now.

Shocked, Doe could only shake her head. The phone ringing was right from her pocket.

And it did not take Isaac long enough to find out.

"The ringtone is coming from you pocket. You want to pick the call or what?" He said, cocking his head at her.

"U-uh… y-yes…." She stammered.

"Even bums can have phones." Isaac laughed. "The problem is if the phone is really expensive."

Indeed, that was the problem.

Doe was using an IPhone. One of the latest versions. If she dared bring that now, Isaac would have more questions to ask.

Unfortunately, the ring did not stop.

What if it was Amber? What if Amber was really in trouble and she did not pick could mean the a lot of bad things for her only friend?

Her heart sank in self guilt while her fingers trembled digging nervously into her pocket.

And just like her guess, it was Amber.

"Hello. Hi."

"You said you were going to call me back. Why did you not…" Amber yelled out.

BEEP!

Doe cut the call instantly.

From the tone of Amber she could tell that she was not in a bad situation. Amber was only reacting this way like all the times when she had not called her back.

However, she had to deal with Isaac now.

"An IPhone 13. Sweet. Commercial sex work?" He smiled at her.

"Uh… yes." She laughed nervously.

"If you started pimping, you won't be dressed like this. You'd need to dress sexy to attract high paying clients. This means that with your current fashion sense, you can't attract a client enough to buy one." He said.

"I saved up." Doe shrugged. "I did."

"Stop lying, Doe. I know how this thing works. Your story does not add up. What are you hiding?" Isaac queried.

At this point, Doe squeezed her face.

This was already getting troublesome now. It was time to play the defensive card and hightail out of here.

"And since when is my life your business?" She yelled. "You don't get a say in what happens in my life and you should learn your boundaries, Isaac. My life is not your business. Ugh. I'm getting out of here. It's like my coming to play with you has gotten something into your head. Ew! Fuck you, Isaac!" She raved, standing up instantly and walking away. "No, really. Fuck you."

Doe hurried so fast, in a fit of rage that she failed to notice the black SUV that parked up next to Isaac.

Out of the SUV came out a man in blue. A two piece suited man with a sad smile on his face.

"Hey… Acting like a bum is your new fetish? Get a life. Your old man has been heavy on my head." The man said, placing hands on his waist as he stared bitterly at Isaac.