There are certain people who stand as representations of your emotions, kind of like in Inside Out but this time, they are not in your head.

"So, where are you taking me on our first date?" I asked, glancing over at him. I could tell he was blushing hard despite his paleness.

"This is not a date," he replied flatly.

"You know how to break a girl's heart," I replied, feigning hurt. "That was cold, even for a reaper."

I glanced over at him before we walked into the dimly lit room. His lips had curved into the quickest smile, I'd nearly missed it.

"Where are we?" I asked as Liam approached one of the men at the entrance.

"The best restaurant here," He replied. "The Blind Tokebi, your modern-day Korean restaurant."

"And you say this is not a date!" I gasp. "I loooooove Korean food."

"Calm yourself, it's a classy place for heaven's sake," he said through his teeth.

"Liam, so good to see you here," the tall one said.

"Jade," Liam said, smiling briefly. "A table for two please."

"Some of the others are here if you'd like to join them at the usual table," Jade said, taking our coats.

I was glad my outfit was sort of fancy or I'd be the freaking elephant in the room and no one wants to be that.

"I-uh-sure," Liam hesitated. That was a first.  I followed him closely through the tables towards the others. 

"You're my assistant and I'm training you. No matter what they ask, do not reveal more than that. Understood?" He whispered. "And don't speak back at anyone."

"Ok..."

"Liam!" They all said once we were at the table.

"Gus, it's good to see you," he said, giving him one of those bro hugs.

When the two ladies stood up to say hello, a tight knot formed in my stomach and a lump rose to my throat.

"Yvonne," Liam said, hugging her briefly.

"Where have you been hiding?" she said in her sultry voice.

"You always know where to find me," he replied in a voice I'd never heard him use before.

"Hey, darling."

Darling?

"Saman-"

That's when I took a step back. Everyone at the table seemed comfortable with what was going on and I just stood there, staring like a complete fool. Samantha. I'm assuming that's her full name since Liam's words seem to have been swallowed when she kissed him full on the lips and man was she doing a great job!

"How are you?" She said, letting her seductive hands fall to his chest.

"You should seriously stop doing that," Liam said, out of breath.

"If you stop kissing me back, I will," Samantha replied. The nerve on this one! "Who do we have here?" Liam remembered that he wasn't alone and stepped aside to present me.

"This is Lola, she's my assistant," he replied, wiping Samantha's red lipstick off his lips with a serviette.

"Since when did you need an assistant?" Samantha shot back.

"Are you feeling threatened Sam?" Gus asked, chucking. I was starting to like Gus, his energy was more positive and light compared to everyone else.

"Oh please!" Samantha scoffed. 

Gus smiled and quickly winked at me. I could tell he was on my side, more like Liam's side.

"Shall we just eat, I'm famished!" Yvonne said.

I could not get over the sound of her voice. Every time she spoke, my anxiety levels rose. Having a voice like that could get you anywhere and anyone if you knew how to use it. I sat between Gus and Liam and grabbed the menu to hide my face but that didn't stop depression from attacking me. Sorry, I'd already categorized the people on the table according to how I felt in my daily life.

Yvonne was anxiety because of how her voice made me feel, Samantha was depression due to the fact that I never felt like myself looking at her or when I was in her presence, Gus was caution and kindness since he was both bold and caring in some way; I'd find out how sooner rather than later and Liam was uncertainty for I never knew what to expect with him. Never.

"How did you become his assistant?" Sam asked, lowering my menu. "He could do all our jobs alone if they'd let him yet, they give him an assistant." Whoever they were, she never liked them that much.

"I was chosen," I replied.

"Why you? What criteria did they use to pick you?" She spat. 

"Do you have a problem with me being his assistant?" I shot back.

"Watch how you speak to me," she replied.

"Or what?"

"Liam, you need to tame her," Samantha said, looking away from me.

"Lola-" Liam started.

"No, don't say a word," I said, cutting him short. "Someone needs to learn that she's not the queen and that everyone else matters."

"What did you say, kid?" Samantha said.

"You heard me," I said, pushing my menu away. "If you have a problem with me, say it to my face. Otherwise, I'm here to stay so deal with it."

"Are you ready to order?" the waiter asked, cutting in.

"Yes, absolutely," I replied, smiling at him. "We'll have some Samgyetang to start with. Someone here needs to defreeze their soul and be more inviting."

From the corner of my eye, I could tell that Liam was about to lose it. What did he expect? That I'd let his whatever she was to him simply boss me around and not defend myself? Please! I was already dead and there was nothing else I could lose.