Wow, what a chaotic place! Serena thought aloud in her head. She bumped into a hard but smooth surface as she turned to face her path. The owner of the body walked away so fast that she couldn't even catch a glimpse of who had hit her. For sure, she was aware it was a guy and he wasn't so fast for her not to inhale the lemon fragrance that came with him.
She rubbed her eyes and shrugged. She had better watch her step next time. She walked down the street while checking spots she could visit on the guide.There happened to be a public library around the corner, one of the largest in the area. After asking a teenager who was weirdly excited about giving her directions, she headed for the library.She settled for a collection of short stories by Jane Woods, a 'crime books for kids' author. She enjoyed reading it, the simplified diction and the way it still gave the thrills.She was on the last story when her stomach began to grumble. She only had coffee for breakfast. It was not yet twelve but she could go back to the hotel's restaurant and order a good meal from their menu or check out a nice restaurant in the area.Only if Hadley had come with her, maybe this would have been more fun, but a vacation wasn't something she could afford. She needed to go outside and give her a call.Hadley picked up the call immediately it rang, "Hey SC! You've found a rich billionaire already?" Hadley's laughter rang in her ears.Serena rolled her eyes, "Not a single one on the streets of Mareco.""You don't mean it." Hadley said, mockery in her tone."You should see for yourself.""Come on, it's just your first day. What are you up to? Been anywhere interesting yet? Don't tell me you're still in bed!" Hadley said in a rush. Serena wondered what question she was supposed to answer first. "There's no way you'll spend so much money to stay in.." Hadley began to caution her but she was familiar with the drill."I'm not in bed!" Serena didn't realize just yet that she was shouting on the street. In fact, she was raising her hand to emphasize that she was on a busy street in Mareco, only if Hadley could see her.Hadley pauses, "okay…" Serena recognized the tone, she was doubting her. "FaceTime then? Where are you?""Ugh...I can't do that now, this place is busy as hell, maybe not so busy in the afternoon, I guess because it's sunny. I just got out of a library. The Citizens Library, did I tell you about it?" She paused to know if Hadley was following."Yeah, I guess…but why would you be going to a library anyway. I don't think rich billionaires go to libraries, they own them in their mansions! You need to go to the parties, the functions, the clubs!" Hadley ranted, a hint of mockery in her voice."I don't think a rich billionaire was ever part of the plan." Serena moved the phone to her other ear as she shifted her knapsack on her shoulders."I'll call you later, love you buy, muah" she made a kiss sound as she hung up and took note of my surroundings. It was a T junction. She had two options, turn left and go back to the hotel or turn right to God knows where it would lead her to.As soon as she stepped onto the road, she heard a car honk from a direction she couldn't tell but it was coming at full speed.Something or rather someone pulled her hoodie along with her from behind. Her phone dropped."What in the name of…" Serena began to yell, but her jaw dropped as she saw the person that had dragged her out of a close accident.Serena closed her mouth as her nose picked up the scent again. Lemon fragrance. Was he the one? Did he bathe in a pool of it? Or was it just her?He stood there and looked at her while she tried to figure out what had just happened. She picked up her phone. No scratch, thank God. She ran her hands down her tresses, brushed invisible dust off her jacket, and made sure her boots were buckled properly. She did every other thing but acknowledged his presence. Well, until he spoke."You know we're both standing here because we owe each other something?" His voice sounded like…she didn't know where to place it yet, but it was as good as he looked.She tried not to be distracted by his looks, but what if he was a rich billionaire? "Rich billionaires don't go to libraries. They own them in their mansions!" She remembered Hadley's rants and she couldn't conceal the soft chuckle that escaped her lips…in front of this stranger that had just mentioned that they owed each other something.Clearly, he was bewildered by her behaviour. She didn't know why her eyes scanned him from head to toe in a millisecond, but his eyes were on the Hotel's tour guide she had been holding since morning. There was no use hiding it. He knew she was a visitor already. She searched her brain for tips on how to converse with strangers in an unfamiliar environment."Let me get this straight," Serena paused as he threw his head back slightly and smiled, but she brushed it off anyway. He could be as stupid as she was. "You think I owe you an apology?" She paused and he nodded, then added, "and a little gratitude.""For what?" She surprised herself by asking a question with an obvious answer."Are you being serious?" He chuckled."So do you owe me? You said you owe me too?"He raised a brow, "maybe that was a mistake, but you do owe me something."Serena was baffled, who did he think he was?"Why do you feel entitled to it? I don't know you, you could have been a kidnapper or something, dragging me off the road like that!" Serena argued."Seriously? I was supposed to slowly take you off your feet, what is that? Hollywood drama? I don't think that happens anymore!" His voice got louder.They were still on the street, she'd better not take it too far. She rolled her eyes, "I'm sorry," she shrugged, "but you could have been a little more gentle, my heart almost flew out of my mouth, that's a faster way to kill." "Sorry." He rolled his eyes as he brushed off the bangs of hair that were almost in his eyes. "Just sorry?" Serena wondered why she was wasting her time talking to the guy but her stomach reminded her of where she was headed. Turned out he heard the alarm too. She watched him try to hide his amusement."I'm sorry," he managed to say through his hands covering his mouth. What a jerk.It was fifteen minutes past twelve when Serena checked the time on her phone. She d
"Are you not going to sit?" Jaxon said when she finally approached the table."Thank you." She moved the chair and took a seat."What are you going to eat?" He said after a short pause again. She didn't know why she was so nervous all of a sudden. It was not like she was on a date with him. My God, she didn't even know him!"I'll have to read the menu." She stretched her hand to him and collected the menu he was holding. "Is this everything?" She asked not knowing what to order after going through the menu for the second time. "You'll love the burger. It will be my second time here." He shared."You don't come here often?" Serena asked so she didn't have to keep an awkward silence."Why?" He chuckled, "do I look like someone that patronizes places like this every minute?"She shrugged while he called a waiter and placed the order. Once the waiter left, he whispered, "Bills on me." She nodded, she couldn't argue. "I don't want to say 'you don't have to be uptight', but it's okay if
"Don't worry about me, I'm on vacation too, I will be here all month doing what I like." Jaxon replied."Ohhh…I'll only be here for a week." She said."You want to go somewhere fun now? We could go to an arcade around here." "And then you say, 'bills on me'' Serena tried to mimic his much deeper voice."You can pay if you want to, I'm just being a gentleman." They were at the road that led to the hotel, how fast. How did he even know where she was going? She stopped abruptly."What's wrong?" He asked, raising a brow. She liked the way his face looked when he did it."It's nothing, we can part ways from here." Serena extended her hand to him in a hand shake gesture. He looked down at it. She wasn't so tall and not so short either, but Jaxon was quite tall with the way he towered above me. It was quite intimidating."I'll be seeing you tomorrow?" He said before shaking my hand.She did a quick mental check of her schedule. She didn't have a schedule. She didn't have plans for tomorrow
Selena looked from the cab to Jaxon, wondering how he managed to always pull up with a cab without even signaling for one.The cab driver attempted to leave his seat to come outside, but Jaxon waved him off to remain inside. He opened the door to the back seat himself, bowed his head slightly while holding the car door, and keeping his palm in the manner professional chauffeurs would.If he wanted to impress Serena, he was wrong because she had suspicion written all over her face, as she reluctantly entered the cab.Her dress was quite short, so when Jaxon joined her inside the cab, she attempted to drag it down. He saw what she did and smiled, he didn't want her to see it, so he faced the other way."I don't trust you." Serena was the first to speak. She glared at him.Jaxon looked straight ahead, he didn't even turn to look at her, yet she could see the mischievous smile he gave. Serena had to admit as she watched him from the side. He was so cute, which even annoyed her more."Yet
Jaxon could tell that Selena was nervous, but he enjoyed it. He admired that she could be stubborn, yet she managed to keep calm when she wanted to.He didn't like carnivals like this, he thought they were for kids, but he didn't have any idea of places to go at the moment, and he thought she would like something like this.He had seen the fear in her eyes when she saw the roller coaster, and he wondered if she was really scared or if he was just exaggerating.There was only one way to find out."Let's take a ride on the Ferris wheel." He stopped in front of her.Her eyes darted sideways before settling in front of her, she didn't stare at him. She kept her eyes on his chest."Why? There are so many other things to try," said Serena."I know, we could do this first, the queue isn't long yet," Jaxon replied.Serena looked at the small crowd around the foot of the roller coaster. She could count about ten heads. That was fair enough."Are you scared of heights?" Jaxon asked as he closed
It was already 3 pm when they decided to join the crowd listening to a singing competition.They sat beside each other, Jaxon excused himself and came back with drinks and french fries minutes later.While the third performer sang "So easy to love" by Sad puppy, Serena yawned tiredly."I think I'm bad company, you're already bored," Jaxon said without looking at her.Serena glanced at the side of his face, his hair was messy from him touching it so often, but it still looked cool."You're not so bad, I just didn't think you'd bring me to a carnival," Serena replied."You expected something different?" Jaxon turned to look at her. She was playing with the hem of her dress."Not that I had a place in mind, I just didn't know what to think, but this has been fun, anyway," Serena said as she exhaled."You must have had plans since you're on a vacation, what would you have done if you weren't here?" Jaxon asked."I don't know. I visited the library yesterday before I bumped into you…for th
The driver dropped her at the hotel and she went straight to her room. She caught herself smiling as she took off her dress in front of the mirror.She closed her eyes as she reminisced about the moment when she was on the Ferris wheel with Jaxon. She sighed and fell on the bed, her phone rang and she searched her purse for it. It was her best friend Hadley."Hey SC!" Hadley's voice came through excitedly when she answered the call."How are you, chipmunk?" Serena smiled as she stared at her ceiling. "I'm good, I'm watching Rich dad and eating chips." Hadley munched loudly. "What's up with you, you haven't been sending me any photos. Don't tell me you've been in your bed all day.""I just got back from a carnival, I mean I just had a really good time!" Serena rolled over and laid on her stomach.Hadley could feel the excitement from the phone."Sereennaaa, tell me, what's going on, spill, come on girl!" Hadley urged her on."There's this guy I bumped into yesterday." Serena hesitat
Jaxon assumed Serena would ignore his message, so he thought of calling her instead. On second thought, he dropped his phone on the desk and fell onto the couch. He ran his hand through his hair.He had just been without her for a few hours and he couldn't get his mind off her. He picked up his phone again and stared at the picture he took of her.She looked happy, her hair shined under the sun just as her eyes sparkled and made his insides tingle. Her dress covered most of her thighs, but he could bet the beauty underneath was just as magnificent.He wondered why she had lied to him that she was with her brother on a vacation, yet she went out with him like she had no other plans with anyone.He was quite certain she would agree to go on a date with him, but he didn't want to push his luck too much.As much as she could be stubborn, she didn't seem like most women he'd been with that felt being rude and proud to men was an attractive thing.Hers just came naturally, she was quite na