Chapter 6 Good Boy With Bad Boys

• Fear engulfed her. Aria stepped away from Kai while holding her chest. She stared at him as frightful trembles ran through her. She was on the verge of bursting into tears.
• She hated them all. They were monsters. She frequently wondered why a kind guy like Jake hung out with them. He was in a bad company of monsters.
• "What are your intentions, Aria?" One of Kai's brows shot up.
• Aria's teeth clattered as he stepped towards her. "Are you purposely following us? Trying to catch the eyes of one of us and be our girlfriend?"
• It was pure bull shit. She cringed but couldn't utter a word out. She felt like a kitty in a dog's kennel— exposed to sharp teeth and a painful death.
• "Kai," She looked over her shoulder with a gasp as once again Jake appeared beside her.
• Although relieved, she looked at him displeasingly. As much as she liked him helping her, she loathed it that he was friends with her bullies. They were notorious freaks. According to her, they deserved to rot in hell and have their asses beaten.
• "What did I tell you in the restaurant?" Jake glared at his friend.
• Kai rolled his eyes and lifted his hands, "Fine. I was just having fun."
• "Not with her. You know she gets scared." Concern dripped from Jake's voice.
• Aria found herself eyeing him openly. This guy was turning into a strong crush. A closer look of his face and her heart caught speed.
• "Look, her heart is pounding crazily. It's all because of you." Aria looked away as she pulled and pinched her fingers together.
• It was not because of them that her heart was running a marathon. It was him. She couldn't say it though. She stood there silent, watching Jake scold his friend and warn them all over again.
• She was barely paying attention to his words for she was lost in his husky voice. It sounded like a melodious tune doing something to her heart.
• "Aria," Then he turned to face her, snapping her out of her trance.
• "Yeah?"
• "I am extremely sorry." He approached her.
• He paused several steps away from her, giving her an apologetic grin, "It's the second time I'm repeating this in the same day but this time it's final. My scumbag friends won't bother you any more. If they did then I'll whoop their asses in front of you. You have my promise."
• Aria smiled softly. That was cute.
• "You must be getting late, right?" He said and jerked Kai away. "Go."
• She stared at him with an open mouth. She didn't want to leave now. Watching him talk was so comforting. She had an urge to longer longer but she nodded at him and stepped forward.
• "Stop bothering her, guys. Can't you see how fragile and sweet she is? Girls like her need to be cherished. Don't hurt her again."
• She heard him on her way out. When Aria had come far away from the shop, she stopped. She took a deep breath and swirled around merrily.
• "He thinks I'm sweet." She murmured to herself.
• Aria came home when the sky was ablaze with the fire of the setting sun. She tossed her bag on the bed and rushed inside the bathroom.
• She changed into a loose pajama and a t-shirt with long sleeves. Securing her hair with a clutch, she went to the kitchen and put a pan on flame.
• On her way home she bought some scallops from the tip she earned today in the restaurant. Although she failed to buy the magazine, she was happy she could use the money to buy her father's favorite food. He loved scallops and with the sauce she's learned to make from the restaurant, she was hopeful to present tasty food to her father.
• She plated it nicely and garnished it with coriander leaves. The smell made Aria smile. It looked so delicious. She was a waitress in the restaurant but she was a keen observer. She picked tricks and secrets of the chefs in the kitchen and was able to make something that would impress her father for sure.
• "Dad will love them." She filled their small circular dining table with a variety of food she made and sat on one of the chairs.
• There was pasta, cooked eggs, sausages, bread roasted in butter and some wine beside a jug of water. The plate of scallops laid in the middle while the other items surrounded it. Now she was impatiently waiting for her father.
• "Why is it taking so long, dad? You normally come home by nine." She cast a gaze at the clock on the wall behind her back. "It's thirty past ten now. He's still not home."
• She exhaled an exhausted sigh and rested back in the chair. Just then the sound of the screeching hinges hit her ears as the door opened. Responding to it merrily, Aria got up with whatever plates she could hold at once and dashed inside the kitchen to reheat them.
• "Welcome home, dad. I was waiting for you. I'm reheating the food. Why don't you wash your hands and join me?" She chimed.
• Zavier responded to her with ignorance. He behaved as if he didn't hear her and strutted to his room. He neither reacted to the aroma of the sea food she prepared nor spared her a glance as common courtesy as she was speaking with him.
• Although Aria was used to this icy behavior of his, when he returned, she was waiting for him on the dining table.
• "I am not hungry. Eat alone." He said in a dry, emotionless tone and sat on the couch in the living room.
• Their house wasn't very big. Just a small abode with two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living room. There was an attic above which was not for Aria to visit.
• She blinked her tired eyes at the food. She wasn't eating alone.
• She was well-versed with that expression. He was famished and worn out. Aria knew what he needed. A nice massage after nice food.
• She picked all the plates one by one and put them on the table laid across from the couch. Zavier regarded it with a twisted look. He glared at the scallops then lifted his face.
• "Are you deaf?" His dark voice made frost climb up her spine.
• Even then she offered him a gentle curve of her lips and said, "It's been a while since we ate together, dad. Please, eat with me.."
• Tbc...