I was prepared to write a check. Oddly. Even ready to write his name for a shout out. But the payment he muttered instead was, "You can stop talking like that. It's annoying." I looked up at him, shocked. I'm used to others knowing who I am, and wanting money for any trouble I "caused". Normally, I make a fool of them, and they don't get what they want. But he saved my life. I felt relief that my savior wasn't a complete jerk.  And for some reason, I felt a bit of hope. Then, I had an idea.

Could I make him a fake boyfriend?

I shot it down, nearly instantly. It's too...obvious. Father would see right through it. I frowned. 

He opened his mouth as though to speak, then shut it. Opened again, and sighed instead. "You aren't in love with me or something are you?" he asked. I looked at him bewildered. "I-" I tried speaking, but he cut me off. " 'Cause you got that hopeful look on your face, and I did just save your life. Not that I'd mind, you're cute, and you wouldn't be the first, but-" I rose my hand to silence him, frowning. This guy is so obnoxious..! "I'm not falling for you. Trust me on that. And even if I had, you opening your mouth would have ruined it anyway." I said then dusted off my skirt. "If me talking normal is all you want, then we're done here." I said before turning around, and walking off. I didn't hear anything from him for a while. Then-

 "Hey, wait!" I stopped a little and turned, but was forced to face away again. Eh- what is he-?! "You have a small hole in your skirt. You must have skid too much and it tore the fabric. It's small, but anyone would notice it with your uh-..." he wrapped something around my waist, and fiddled in my front before letting go. "Your red underwear." he muttered. My cheeks flushed. "Th-thank you! I'll be going now." I muttered, walking off, but stopping. Pulled out a notepad and pen from my purse I managed to hold onto, and walked back to him, holding out the pen. "Write down your contact information and I'll send your sweater back to you cleaned." I said formally. "He sighed annoyed and did as told, writing information, flipping the page, writing information then handed the notepad and pen back to me. "Later then Bitter Princess!" he shouted as I started to walk away. I shook my head. 

---------

"And you just walked away? Just like that?" Violet asked. We were in a cafe. I nodded. "Yep." It was the weekend now. "Wow...All that in one day. What happened since with Carter then?" she asked. I shrugged. "I haven't been to work. I rented a hotel under a different name and I've been ignoring my fathers calls."

 "Have you returned the sweater?" I shook my head. "We're meeting later today so I can return it." I said, and suddenly fireworks were going off in her eyes. "Really? Oh my- no. I'm not gonna say anything. Then It won't happen." she aid calming herself. I looked at her confused and shook my head. "Anyway.. how have you been with what's his face?" she glared. "He's horrible. I said we should go to Hawaii for valentines day,  and my birthday, and he said it wasn't a good idea." She waited for my response. "What? Why?" I asked, knowing that's what I was supposed to say in this moment so she could- "He said 'well, because... I wanna break up'. Can you believe that?! I can't believe him!" she shouted, and everyone looked in our direction. I shrunk in my seat. "Ugh....I hate him." I knew it wouldn't last. But I wasn't worried about her. She's a tough one. Especially when it came to relationships. Unlike me, where I stopped believing in relationships altogether. "Anyway, whats this guys name again? what's he look like?" she asked like a dog with a squirrel. I laughed. "Uh.. About Five eight. Tan. Blue pink eyes. Dark brown hair-" "Pink? Really? You find the most unique things.. like a magnet." I laughed a little. " And his name is..." I pulled out the contact information and read it over. "Huh.. doesn't say anythi-"I stopped once I turned to the back of the page. "Eh..." I cringed. "What? What is it?" Violet asked. 

I handed her the notepad to her and she read it out loud. " 'I knew you fell for me. Eros.' His name is Eros. Wait what does he mean?" She said looking up at me. "What's wrong?" she asked. I had my head hanging down with my hands on the back of my head, elbows rested on the table. "Of course his name is Eros." I muttered. "What do you mean?" Violet asked. I looked up at her. "Eros is the name of the god of love." I answered. She processed it fora moment before bursting out laughing. "And he thinks you fell for him?" I nodded exasperatedly. She giggled. "I think this is a romance dying to form!" she said with a smile. I shook my head with a sigh. "I should get going. I want to go thrive in my freedom while I still have it." I said picking up my backpack that I used when I wanted to be normal. I wore jeans and a hooded shirt. I flipped the hood standing. "Alright, I'ma stay a little while longer. I'm meeting someone from work in a few." I nodded and headed out. 

-----------

After an hour of walking around, I stopped at the diner "Eros" decided to meet at. When I took a seat at a booth, I asked the waiter for a raspberry iced tea and removed my hood. 

After a few minutes, my drink came. "Thank you." I said, not looking up. "You're quite welcome Bitter Princess." I heard, and instantly stopped from taking a sip from my drink. I looked up and there he was. Those blue eyes with pink rings. I frowned. "I'm not a princess." I growled. "Not dressed like that, you're not." He said with a chuckle. I rolled my eyes. "You work here?" I asked. "Yep! I'm on break now though." He said taking his apron off and sitting across from me. I pulled his sweater out from my bag and handed it to him. "Here." He took it and I stood up. "Hold up! You aren't gonna eat first at least? Or finish your drink?" I looked at my tea and sighed.

I took my seat and started at my drink. "So. Why you dressed like that anyway?" he asked. "Why do you want to know?" I turned. "I'm curious. Besides, you owe me. I saved your life." He responded, not missing a beat. Like he practiced answers to what I might respond with. "I'm hiding." I said simply. 

"From what?"

"Work. My father." 

"Why?"

"Because, he's arranged me to get married to someone I don't want to."

"Seriously?" He asked with a low tone. I looked at him. "Yes.." "Why?" he asked again. "Why do you want to know?" I asked again. "I'm curious. Answer." he said. Not missing a single beat once again. I bit my lip. Why not. I won't see this guy again. I thought before sighing. "I'm Noelle Calivanna. Heiress to the Calivanna Tech Company. My father wants a perfect picture family, and that involves me having a life that I hate. Job that's ranked just under him. Perfect manners. Formal. Married. One or two kids. Hopefully a boy so they can take on the company next after their father." I shrugged. Eros stared at me in shock. "Seriously? You're pulling my leg." I shook my head and raised my hand to call my waiter when he passed by. A rude thing, but, I was hiding, so it didn't matter.

The thing is, my face wasn't known. It was something that my mother tried keeping from the magazines. Which worked for me because I hated taking pictures. And as big as the company was, the spotlight was on my parents, not me. So hiding became an easy thing sometimes. 

-------

Eros' POV

So she isn't a stuck-up business woman. Or at least she doesn't want to be. She's still really... I could hear the response I'd get if my buddy Alec heard what I was thinking. "cruel like you?" I sighed. "Where are you staying then if you're hiding?" I asked her. She stopped eating and looked at me. "You aren't going to try robbing me, are you?" she asked. I frowned. "No. Trust me. I don't need to." I replied and she shrugged. "In a hotel." She answered. "Paid with cash." I looked at her questionably. "What?" she asked mid-bite. 

"Stay with me." I asked. The hell? This isn't some Korean romance! What am I saying? I thought. But right when I was going to take it back, the look on her face made me bite my tongue. It was definitely the death glare. Yet, I've never been one to fall to my knees to someone. "I did save your life. And now I know who you are." I said. Blackmail. 

Her face cleared to dread. I didn't falter. I enjoyed making others scared and angry. Especially in the game of business. " ...Fine." she said with a glare.