Alluring Masquerade

Chapter 09 - No Personal Interference.

          "What?" he demanded, when he'd noticed her staring at him.

          What's with the glasses? she replied mentally. "Nothing," she said instead, and shook her head.

                                                                                              ~*~

          "What's your favourite colour?" he asked unexpectedly, when they were in an extremely expensive clothing store.

          Hira was feeling very out of place because she'd never even shopped here. She would only stare in from the window on the outside, but she always knew that she couldn't afford the cheapest item in there. And today she was here. How ironic from her point of perspective.

          There were two floors to the whole store, men's clothes and items on the bottom and women's on the top.

          "White," she replied quietly, sighing sadly when she realised that she didn't belong in this store. It wasn't truly her, now, was it? Or so she thought. Was she only stalling herself, or was she really not meant to be here?

          Well, if you weren't meant to be here, you wouldn't had crossed the threshold, a voice said in her mind.

          Hmm. I'd be lying if I said that I am not tempted by any of this...

          "Really?" he said, surprised.

          "Yeah, really," she nodded. "Why?"

          "Nothing," he said. He pulled her onto the ascending, automatics stairs - and this time not too harshly - which had a twin set of stairs on the other side of the store that would lead them to descend afterwards.

          "Well, I Iike purples, blacks, and greys too," she continued, as they'd already reached the lady's section.

          At once a helpful assistant arrived before them. "Hello, can I help you Mr. Xavier?" she asked. The girl was dressed in a smart looking white top and thigh length black skirt, but not too short, and matching black heels. Her hair brunette hair was curly and loose. She looked Hira up and down without any acknowledgement and only concentrated on Kael.

          Why does everyone treat him like a celebrity? she thought confusingly mentally. She brushed her confusion away and focused on what the current conversation was about around her.

          "Er, no, thank you. We're just browsing," Hira answered kindly, and nodded.

          "Oh," the young lady said, disappointed - more towards Kael actually - and had to go away. "Alright, well, let me know if you need my assistance."

          "Thank you," Hira said. And once the employee was out of site, she decided to get out of here. She was feeling out of place, like a single grass leaf in a pool of roses. Before she could tell him that they should go, he was gone himself.

          "Kael, where are you?" she called around, but got nothing in response. She sat down on a small chair that was a few feet away from her.

          About five minutes later, he appeared next to her with something. There seemed to be clothes hidden under the solid black colour of plastic that was covering it. "Here," he said, handing it over to her. "You'll where this when I pick you up for our date."

          She took it rather hesitantly. "Oh, yeah ... the date," she muttered sadly.

          "I wouldn't have come myself to pick it out," he explained equally uninterested. He inclined her to walk back with him over to the other automated stairs that lead back downstairs. "But I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't pick out something down to your level."

          She stopped following, which wasn't the least bit effective because they had already stepped onto the stairs. She watched him from his right side as she collected herself after the insult.

          "What do you mean 'down to my level?'" she demanded, frowning. They were nearly at the bottom now.

          "I have a reputation to keep intact and I do not like all these ugly things you wear," he said matter-of-factly. He looked at her for a second before stepping off and onto the shiny floor, heading for the double doors they'd entered through earlier.

          "Excuse me!" she shouted at him from behind him. She couldn't keep up with his long strides and she was running after him. "How can you dare to say that?!"

          "My opinion. Anyway-" he said, exiting the store and not bothering to leave it open for her. This had lead for her nose to collide with a solid material again because she was running too quickly to stop. She had thought that he would have at least have been that much of a gentleman to open the door for her. Well, apparently not. She could've said more but decided against it. She had better things she could think of doing, like lying in bed because she really felt like having a cup of tea to calm those horrid cramps.

          "Oh, and we have to form a contract," he said matter-of-factly.

          She was confusing by the time she returned to her seat after she carelessly laid down the clothes next to her. "Actually, I think that's a good idea," she agreed.

          "Bring yours tonight," he said, looking over at her.

          She blinked at time a couple of time before she said, "Oh, yeah. My sister told me about your phone-call. I thought she was messing with me..." So he did book a date? A fake date, but a date.

          "My mother's fixed another date with another rich girl she'd like for me to marry sometime," he explained. "So that's why I want you to be there, to-"

          "To break that poor girl's heart?" she demanded, appalled at his way of thinking. "Instead of just using me why not just tell her, you idiot? Your poor mum, how many dreams she must've had for you. And look at you!"

          "You don't know what you're talking about," he said, trying not to lose his cool.

          "I know I'm-"

          "I thought you needed financial help to pay up your debts?!" Too late, he'd lost it. "Clause no.1: No personal interference. Hira Kaif shall not in any way or form interfere with Kael Xavier's family issues! Get it?!"