Chapter 6 Encounter

• Ever since I was in my teenage, my grandfather always toured me around our grapes plantation in the province. At the end of every month, Mom will drop me off at my grandparent's house and I will be staying there for almost five days or even a week. Upon growing up, my grandfather always assured me that I would be their entire property. I will be the one to manage the plantation and even our family's wineries business.
• I thought it was nothing back then. Well, I am only a teenager back then. All I want is to unwind, have fun, and enjoy the rest of those days. I'm not interested in our business before. It was boring, I thought.
• But when I reached my mature age, things have changed. After finishing my degree abroad, I became more engaged in my family's business. The business that I found boring before turned out to be my greatest desire.
• I sipped on my rum as my eyes settled in the distance.
• “Bring us your chosen wife, and I'll immediately transfer the company in your name, son,” it was my dad's voice, echoing in my ears.
• Everyone agreed on that, obviously except for me. I need to have that position but f*ck, I can't be married. I don't want to settle for a marriage yet!
• I walked back into my room, placed my glass on the table, and left. I called my friends and hurriedly drove to our favorite bar in the city.
• “Damon, my friend!” It was Nikolai who appeared in front, holding a stripper in his left hand. “Lemme guess, it's about your soon-to-be company again, right?”
• I chuckled and grabbed a can of beer from the waiter who just passed behind me. I jumped onto the leather couch and sipped on it.
• “Men, I don't want to get married!” I groaned, throwing tantrums at him as if he would comfort me in the most comforting way.
• “Then you can't have the company–”
• “Of course, I can,” I cut off, annoyed.
• Nikolai's raised his brow. “Your dad's condition is crystal clear, dude. For you to have the company, you need to be married first.”
• “I'm not even in a relationship.” I frustratedly leaned my back and roamed my eyes around when I accidentally glimpsed someone familiar.
• Nikolai was still talking nonsense when I left him on our table. I passed through the crowd that hid someone from my eyes. And when I was just a few steps away from her, I grabbed her on her elbow and made her face reveal.
• Shocks spread throughout her face but it was just unusual not to see her with those cheap glasses.
• “I knew it, it was you, Nerdy.”
• She gulped, snatching her elbow away from me but I resisted. “Who are you?”
• Somehow, her question made me laugh. “Nice joke, Nerdy,” I replied. “Now, answer me, why is my sister's tutor here? Wearing that.” I scanned her outfits and realized that the nerd was wearing the same uniform as Nikolai's stripper for tonight.
• “You're a stripper here?” I asked although it was pretty obvious.
• ”Of course not!” she answered. “I'm a waitress here!”
• “Uh-huh?” I replied, unconvinced. “Yeah, right. Denied it but your uniform speaks the truth, Nerdy.”
• “I'm a waitress here, Sir. A part-time job!”
• “A waitress, huh?” She nodded, which I oddly find cute. “Then care to give me a drink? Bring it on my table, right there.” I said, pointing to the table where I came from.
• ***
• “Without glasses suits you better, Nerdy.” Serena, who was placing my order on the table diverted her eyes on me. From my peripheral vision, I could see how Nikolai's eyes also went on me. Cutting his kiss to the stripper who's now sitting on his lap.
• “You know this bunny, bro?” he asked, pointing to Serena. “I've seen her here several times now. I didn't know you two knew each other. And I didn't know you were changing your fetish now, Dam.” He chuckled.
• I ignored what he said, except for the part where he mentioned that he had already seen Serena here a few times. I settled my eyes on her and yeah, I can't deny the fact that she's totally different from the woman I used to see in my parents' house. I couldn't even expect that she could wear such clothes and be here, of all places on Earth.
• “Do you want anything else, Sir?” she asked, obviously uncomfortable with the way I looked at her. “If none, can I ex–”
• “Sit down,” I cut off, patting the space beside me. Refusal immediately spread throughout her face which I could say now is quite attractive with the makeup she is wearing.“Sit down, Serena, join me here.”
• “I'm not allowed to sit with our customers, Sir. If you want someone to entertain you, I'll get you one,” she replied, ready to excuse herself but then I grabbed her wrist and made her fall into the space I was pointing to earlier.
• “Join me, or I'll tell your manager that you're being rude to your customers?”
• Her brows knotted. The obvious irritation is showing on her face and she's not hiding it. Her usual expression I used to see on her face but now is different.
• “You drink?” I asked, offering her a shot of tequila, and obviously, Serena refused it. “Don't tell me you don't drink?”
• “I do,” she replied shortly.
• “Then take this.”
• “I'm working, Sir. So please, let me just finish my shift and let me rest.”
• “You can rest now. I'll take you home.”
• Where those words came from, I also didn't know.