CHAPTUH 9
The green eyed monster
If looks could kill Chad Dickson would've already got away with murder. The idea that one of his most important operatives had been kissed by a teenager made his stomach churn in a uncomfortable fashion. The only consolation to the story was knowing that Blaise walked away injured. This murderous glare did not come unnoticed by the recipient of it. Blaise tried to nervously maintain his cocky smirk.
He scooted closer to Rachel to gauge more of Chad's funny reaction. He whispered. "I didn't know your darling boyfriend was such a green eyed monster" Chad didn't much as flinch, no matter how much he emphasized the label. It was as if he was happy to consider it an unchallenged fact.
He sheepishly peered at Chad who was just right across them, staring disapprovingly.
"I'm right here you know…I'm not nearly as deaf as you think I am" Blaise was starting to fidget under Chad's glassy stare.
Rachel on the other hand was oblivious to the eye fencing but nonetheless raised a brow at the deadly aura that her commander was emitting. She was also starting to get a little bugged by the aforementioned relationship. She had to admit that it was quite nice to be named his but the fact that it was just an act made her very uncomfortable.
"He's not a green eyed monster" She stated simply as a matter of fact while wiping her mouth with a napkin. "…and he's not my darling boyfriend Blaise" Clearing her throat, she added.
Blaise eyes twinkled at the statement as Chad snapped his disapproving laser eyes to Rachel.
"Ha! I knew it! Rachel could do so much better than you" Blaise's confidence shot up to the roof. Chad was so ready to pummel him with his ice bucket covered fist when a huge hulking black guy pulled Blaise out of the booth.
"Sir…you're late for your fencing lessons" It turns out it was his bodyguard.
Blaise struggled from the guys iron grip. "Put me down De priest! My parents don't pay you to harass me"
Rachel and Chad as two highly decorated operatives would have helped him but they knew that with the size of the guy, struggling was futile. Watching him flap like a chicken was entertaining too.
"Apologies sir but your parents also pay me to make sure you don't forget your responsibilities" His deep voice definitely matched the scary terminator image. Blaise did one of those cramping things again but his shirt was clutched like a chain. After a bit more wiggling he sighed.
"Let me go! I yield alright just put me down" Blaise was red as a beet and he was whining like a spoiled brat again. Rachel tried to hide her bubbling chuckles and a small evil smirk was gracing Chad.
"Very well...let's go master Blaise" De priest forcefully escorted the young master away.
Blaise called out as he was being dragged "We shall meet again monchere" He gave her a wink then he turned to Chad. "you too chad…I've got my eye on you!" he sharply pointed to both his eyes and then to him. Then he was gone and they were once again left alone.
Even with Blaise out of the picture the unsettling feeling within him didn't ease. A bunch of questions were running on his head right now and he couldn't help himself from making temporary conclusion for each one of them. He knows that asking too much would defiantly cross the line of their current relationship, or whatever this friendship/professional stuff is, but he couldn't help but wonder if they were pass that. It took at least a whole minute before somebody broke the silence.
Chad finally said. "Mckenzie you shouldn't have confessed to that boogerbrain about me not being your boyfriend" Rachel was surprised at this uncalled for conclusion. Somehow she didn't expect that turn in their conversation. She furrowed her brows.
"but you're not 274" her stoic facade instantly resurfaced.
If it wasn't for the annoyance boiling in him, Chad would have remarked a hint of heartache as she regarded him unfamiliarly "Ok so now we're back to codnumbuhs…aren't we already past that" feeling that dreaded wall build up again made him regret his previous words.
"you called me Mckenzie…I thought that was my cue sir…what did I do wrong exactly?...Why would I lie to Blaise if there would be no gain to it" She was always like this. She was a realist in character, the fact that there should always be a reason or gain behind everything. Chad hasn't decided yet whether this was actually a good thing. But if this was the case was she actually considering the teenager much more than just a gain to be that close to him? That didn't settle right in him.
"There is…at least if you did he wouldn't dare to make a move on you…maybe we should decommission him…and please stop the formalities" Rachel looked at him like he grew another head.
"He's just my friend and as his I won't let him be decommissioned…that's absurd!" She stick with the wall building honorifics,
Chad pouted like a 7 year old boy while rolling his eyes skyward "well maybe not decommissioning but that guy is as obvious as the moonbase being on the moon"
She laughed mockingly, taking the conversation as lightly as possible "that's ridiculous…I just didn't want to lie to him"
His scowl deepened. Is this the feeling of betrayal or maybe something else? "but certainly you didn't have a problem lying to me"
"about what?"
"about your whole life…you didn't tell me about your secret high society life…what are you Lara Croft or something"
Rachel was trying her best to stay calm and ignore the tone of her leader. Well he didn't ask!
"I just didn't tell you.. I never thought you wanted to know…I try to keep my work professional and simply contained in my workspace"
"but you told that cruddy lovesick teenager…and you even involved him in your workspace" He noted sternly and traces of his friendly demeanour gone.
"because of him I had infinite access to valuable intel that was beneficial to the KND besides he still doesn't have a clue about our organization" She stated a bit louder than expected. She couldn't help it. All of these accusations are making her irritated.
"He's a teenager! You shouldn't involve teenagers in our business" It all boils down to that French kid. Chad had been stirring the arguments but his greatest frustration was the proximity of Blaise with his subordinate.
"He was a spoiled kid back then and I actually saved him since it's one of the responsibilities of a KND operative"
Chad almost completely ignored her reasonable claim. "You shouldn't be around him in the first place because he clearly has motives"
Rachel caught on quickly to what he was implying "He doesn't like me"
"Does to"
"Does not"
"Does to"
"Does not"
"Does not"
An imaginary vein popped from Rachel's head. "I'm not in the CND sir, that bugs bunny trick wouldn't work on me anymore"
Chad countered. "For an overachieving spy you sure are dense…his motives are clear as stickybeard's motive for candy"
"Well in my defense…I really don't have any reference on that department…I suppose you have" Rachel was never naïve in fact she's an over thinker especially in her tasks. Blaise is her friend assuming otherwise without substantial evidence will just make things complicated and in her opinion she was too young to even worry herself with love.
"Well in fact I do…maybe you should make a research on that" Chad declared rapidly. It wasn't a lie, he had enough experience to tell the difference between an ordinary friend and a friendly Blaise.
"that's not much of a surprise…maybe I should entertain Blaise and follow your advice for research" Rachel crossed her arms in front of her, her tone as challenging as ever.
Chad almost stood up from his seat. That was never my suggestion! "So now you realize that he likes you…that teen may be your friend but soon he'll just be the reason for your demise…"
"…you disappoint me Mckenzie"
Words were simply falling out of his mouth, the wrong words. He mentally slapped himself for saying that, how could he even say that when in fact he should be writing this girl a recommendation for a promotion!
Rachel couldn't hide the appearance of hurt from her face. She just risked her butt for the good of the organization and now she gets a scolding instead of a thank you!
"I'm sorry if I made some errors in my judgment but with all due respect sir why are you so intimidated by Blaise when he won't be a liability and that he doesn't know a thing… and about his motives how could you be so sure that he likes me, it's not as if you share the same feelings?" Who was he to judge the motives and personality of a person?
Without thinking Chad blurted out. "As a matter of fact we do…more than you realize"
That was Chad's first indirect confession.
He was used to the girls confessing to him not the other way around. He mentally slapped himself again.
Surprise was definitely painted in Rachel's face. Just a second ago her commander implied that he liked her. It was definitely hard to believe. She heard him clearly but this may actually be her assuming or maybe she was just hearing things. Her eyes softened as she inquired slowly. "did you just…"
Chad immediately panicked as his palms became all sweaty he was likewise stopping himself from feeling flustered. This was all wrong, not the perfect place and not the perfect time.
Yes I just did…but all that came out was. "Forget what I said… the point is trusting him a teenager as your friend and keeping secrets from your supreme leaduh is a bad idea…What were you thinking?"
He was nervous and that was all he could rapidly say without arising suspicion from a long contemplating pause. He had his defensive instincts to blame.
Rachel wasn't satisfied with a Forget what I said line. She spoke to him truthfully, looking straight at him with her warm brown eyes. "You know what I think sir? I think that you don't trust me enough and" She lowered her toe a bit. "…I think I'm not the only one who's guilty of keeping secrets"
"Clearly you have the wrong idea…I wouldn't dare" This was another one of his defensive and stupid quips. It was an instantaneous mechanism for his brain to deny in times of distress. Maybe he should have told her about a do not believe everything I say disclaimer before their conversation started.
On the other hand Rachel was embarrassed to even have entertained the idea of the almighty 274 somewhat liking her and was enraged by him accusing her of being a traitor. This meeting is stressing her out completely, to think that she was expecting to have a great and fun day with her supreme commander, away from her already confined and stressful life. Never again expect Mckenzie.
"you're the one crossing to the other side" There he goes again saying things.
Chad's heart sunk when he saw that thwarted look on her face. It's as if he was stabbed again by a fork.
She stood up from her seat.
"doubt my judgment all you want sir but never doubt my loyalty to the KND….and to you"
Her words hit him hard despite him barely focused on hearing it. The way her eyes shimmered with conviction made him worry that she was on the verge of tears. He bowed his head, that sight would haunt him. Chad was still stuck with his thoughts when he heard the bell of the door.
Before the waitress could get them their desserts Rachel dashed out the door. She walked out of the diner and ran straight to the conveniently awaiting Bentley. She sternly ordered her driver to step on it and she never looked back.
If only she did she would have seen her commander desperately sprinting to catch up with an apology and her name quivering from his lips. He never knew that a girl could bruise him not only physically and mentally but also emotionally.
A bright contrast to the day he gave her his sweater was the picture of the sun mockingly perched up high on the horizon.
aN: Thank you CObwebbs, Obsidian Night, Guesssst362 and Innocentlooker09… I have to admit the reviews are invigorating my writing senses so make sure to leave a short one. I'm moving the date part to the chapter after the next cause next attraction would be an apology, a mission and another accidental confession. Read and Review guys!
