Chapter 8: The Dinner

Daisy Dyer's POV

I sighed as I knew Ella would be waiting for my answer. I don't want her to think that I was avoiding the question and further piqued her curiosity about my real relationship with the host.

"He's…my competitor for funding for our research and I think I did not know what you were talking about. He did not irk me, he likes to make me suffer," I lied but it was a half-truth. We were using the meteorite to do our researches and the funding was limited. The meteorite did not come in cheap.

I put it that way before I was scanning the menu. I wanted Ella to not pursue the question and I think she got the message. From the corner of my eyes, I saw that Windell has come back to bring torture to us, especially me.

"Here we go. Sky Juice. The best from our company," Windell said as he was smirking at me. I was irked as Windell was supposed to be host, not a waiter and host's only job was to make sure that we got our table, that's it!

I turned to look at him as he was smirking at me. I was too consumed with my anger and the accusation that he had for me to be formal with him anymore.

"Don't you have anything else to do? Why are you being the waiter right now?" I snapped before Windell shrugged. Urgh, the nerve of a man!

"So, what are you guys having?" Windell said and I just remembered that Ella was with us. I was supposed to bring us for dinner but she was being our spectator and I was sure she was curious about our interaction.

Not that I wanted to discuss it with her.

"I'll have a wonton soup and some dumplings with noodle soup," I said before I snapped the menu and I gave it to Windell. I thought he would not take it but he did before he was amused by my action. Well, he can be amused all he wanted and I still don't give a fuck.

"For a small lady, you do eat a lot," Windell commented before I was furious. I think Ella can see that steams were coming out of my ears.

"Not that it was any of your concern, Windell. Now, go do your job like a good bloody host or waiter or whatever you call yourself these days," I said out of anger. Fury was consuming me before Windell was chuckling at me.

"Server, Daisy, server," he said before he went to put our orders. I was sighing as I felt the fury in me did not die when he went away. I think I have to punch something if I wanted to get this anger under control. Maybe I will hit the gym later.

"Ugh, I cannot believe that I have to meet him at all times today. I just had the misfortune of being in the same office that he was a noisy worker in the lab," I said as I saw Ella was sipping the Sky Juice. Her face gave it all the information that I needed.

It just tapped water with a fancy name.

"Did you ask to transfer then?" Ella asked me. As usual, Ella being the curious Ella. I shook my head.

"No, I cannot risk it. It was one thing to move the work that I already established before he came crashing in and now he has the bloody nerves to—" I said before I stopped. I don't think I wanted to share his accusation as well.

"To what? Please do tell," his voice was coming from behind as I was closing my eyes before I turned to look at his annoyingly handsome face.

"None of your concern, Windell," I said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, but you see, it was since I am your lab partner and the safety of my partners is very important to me, especially yours,'' he replied as he was smiling cheekily.

God, this man was infuriating!

I can feel my face was heated up and I think Ella was mesmerized that I was blushing. Hah! As if I would blush for this man of accusing my father doing anything but scientific researches. I think I might have some words with Windell later to clear my father's name.

"Enjoy your meal, ladies,'' Windell said before we ate our food in silence, Ella and I. I don't think I wanted to talk anything with her anymore. I needed to calm down before I would make a mistake in exposing more than I should.

After dinner, we were paid our meals as I offered to pay for Ella's as well. She refused, of course, before she took the receipt and calculated how much she owed me. I laughed at her before I was looking around the neighborhood.

"You know you don't have to pay up for me. I can pay for my share," Ella said and before I could protest that I just do this once in a while, she took the picture of the receipt and calculated it when we got home.

I was shaking my head before we were walking around in the neighborhood. We just had dinner but the sky was still bright. I looked at my watch and it was only 6 PM.

"Want to walk around here? I tell you where are the best secret places to explore when you bored and you wanted to get away," I said as I was waggling my eyebrows at her. Ella laughed before she linked her arm with mine.

"Show me the way, Miss," she said as we went to explore the little corner of downtown where people don't usually go. I mean, it was on the other side of the Upper Eastside. Those people would never appreciate what they have until it was gone.

"So, here's where you can get some of the Asian stuff like comics, anime, figurine. I know the owner, Mr. Kasegawa who was a migrant from Japan. He introduced me to the manga and such. The bookshop also has a space to study but usually, students love to go there. I went there when it was on weekends. It usually empty since the students will have a headache of partying too hard on Friday night," I said before Ella laughed.

"No way,"

"Yes, way. I have been hearing about the new club that will be opening next month or so. So, if you do get into the program, I think that would be a perfect time for us to celebrate together," I said as I was smiling at her. Ella laughed.

"And we can invite Lea and Barb as well. They were not being seen later now." She said as I was nodding at her.

"But I think I have a feeling that you will be meeting them tomorrow. And I think you will be shocked to meet them now," I said as I was remembering the last time that I met Lea and Barb. They have been wearing something that uplifted their marital status.

Even though Barb was denying it but I see it in her eyes.

"So, how did my meeting with those two bitches will be any different from now?'' Ella asked me before I arched my eyebrow at her. She was thinking for a moment before her expression was a surprise.

"Wait, don't tell me. I know one of them will be surprised to see me but I don't think I know about the other one," Ella said as her eyebrows were furrowed together. I laughed before I was looking at her.

"Well, you're in for a treat then," I said as we were walking to my apartment. I unlocked the door before we went inside and I switched on the lights.

"I got to say, my first visit back to New York was ever so dramatic than ever," Ella said as I was scowling at her. She laughed.

"But I think I missed you guys so much that I had made up my mind," Ella said as I was arching my eyebrows at her. She laughed before we were sitting on the sofa in the empty room. I don't have television or anything that will help us to waste our time away.

"Well, I think I wanted to get a shower and hit the sack. I have a lot of time to be spent tomorrow," Ella said as I watched her stretched before me. I smiled.

"I can drive you there if you don't want to go by subway," I offered to her. Ella turned to look at me with a smile on her lips before she shook her head.

"No, I wanted to experience the subway. That way, if I got in, it will be easier for me to get around the town," she said. I laughed.

"God, I miss you. I think the department will be shaken with you be the newest member," I said as Ella smirked.

"Then, I shall prepare myself to get into the program," Ella said before she winked as she went to her bedroom. I laughed before I was staring at the ceiling. I sighed as I closed my eyes. Windell's eyes were still in my mind and even if he accused my father and all, I still can't escape the feeling that he made with his eyes.

Dylan Windell's POV

"Well, you seem…distracted," Max said as I was looking up from the journal that I have been reading. Maxwell usually doesn't come home unless it was something necessary. I think he wanted to get something from his old room.

Now that he was happily married to Carol.

I was rolling my eyes before I put the journal down as I was staring at him who was scanning the books on the shelves.

"What are you doing?" I asked him as he looked at me as he was still searching for something.

"Carol said that she wanted to have something to read over the weekend. I think she wanted to get out of the academic life once in a while," he said before he took the novel that he was searching for. He smiled as he went out of the room. I rolled my eyes as I was shaking my head before I went back to my journal.

I will never be so besotted to someone like that, I thought before a deeper part of my mind, the true part of me was stating otherwise.