With eyes hardening in anger, Navaya tugged her hands out of Johnny's grip so fast, it looked like his touch made her skin crawl. It didn't though, but his behavior now did. Again with the enraging forceful crap.
For a moment there— a minute ago— Navaya's perception of Johnny shifted, maybe just a little bit but it still did. For that short period, Navaya simply saw him as Johnny, her teenage obsession and not the man who threw away everything they had together and got married to another woman. He managed to tune down his asshole self a little and Navaya appreciated it by letting him get close to her but here he was, coming at her with his obnoxious bullshit.
Her body jerked with anger as she glared at him. Come to think of it, Johnny had no right to urge her for an explanation. If she didn't want to accept his gift then it meant she didn't want to. It was that simple. No questions should be asked.
Johnny released her arms as soon as he noticed how hostile her stares were getting and Navaya seized the opportunity to take off the necklace.
" Do you have to do this?" Johnny said as Navaya held out the necklace to him, staring hard at it before looking at her. He then sucked in a breath and took the necklace from her.
" Do you always have to be a dick?" She retorted, smoldering Johnny to a crisp with the way she glared. She turned away from him, steering towards the changing room to take off the dress as well.
With the way things turned out, she even considered returning it too.
Navaya looked at the dress one more time— she loved it too much to return it— and sighed. She made up her mind to do so when she came out of the changing room and saw Johnny there, waiting for her.
She ignored him, walking towards the woman that was in charge of the store.
"Excuse me," Navaya said with a smile as she approached the woman. Johnny's eyes stayed on her the whole time and Navaya knew that, the hole his stares bore into her body was the evidence but she chose to pretend he didn't exist.
" Yes, ma'am." The woman answered, a welcoming smile on her gaping lips and Navaya tossed Johnny a look over her shoulders.
" Uhm, I won't be taking this dress anymore," Navaya said, handing over the dress to the woman.
The shopkeeper's brows furrowed as she glanced at Johnny who picked out the dress and once she saw he stayed mute about the issue, she directed her gaze to Navaya.
" Okay, ma'am." The shopkeeper stretched out her hand to take the dress and as soon as she did, Navaya shuffled closer to her, close enough to whisper so Johnny wouldn't hear.
" Put this dress on hold for me, I will be back tomorrow to collect and pay for it," Navaya whispered and the shopkeeper nodded without question. There was no need to ask any. The lady was still going to buy the dress in the end so the rest of the details weren't important.
Navaya step back and her eyes landed on the dress once more. I will be back for you was exactly what Navaya said in her head as she parted momentarily from the heavenly crafted garment.
The plan was to make it look like she was returning it and come back for it later so she wouldn't have to take anything from him or at least in this case, so she could convince her brain to believe that she still hated everything about Johnny. Even if she didn't, the dress was too beautiful to be dragged into any of her quarrels with Johnny. Too beautiful to be returned either.
She trotted to the exit, a frown contouring her face as Johnny followed in pursuit. What is wrong with him? Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
Once again, Navaya chose to ignore him— it was the easiest and less aggravating thing to do at that point. Experience had taught her that talking sense or arguing with Johnny was a complete waste of time. He wouldn't listen.
" Stubborn mule," Navaya grumbled as Johnny kept walking behind her. She did try to outwalk him though but it was his logs for legs against hers so their little race wasn't quite fair.
They reached where Johnny's car was parked and he opened the door, frowning when instead of stepping into the car, Navaya chose to stay far away from it as she typed on her phone.
" Why are you standing there? Please get it." Johnny said, gesturing to the opened car. The way things ended between them in the store was the last thing he wanted to happen. It was all his fault, the situation had his name written boldly with red ink. The problem here was how to make her get over the dilemma when her resolve to hate him was stronger than steel?
" No thanks. I'm calling an Uber." She replied without even turning to look at him.
" Why?" Confusion drilled the frown deeper into his face.
Navaya tossed him a glance before immediately looking away. " To get as far away from you as possible."
Johnny took a step closer to her but froze on hearing those words. Something inside him snapped, probably his heart. Navaya's words were as sharp as a double-edged sword piercing through his chest. The shock factor in this was still unknown. Johnny shouldn't be surprised by her choice of words when her sharp tongue had slivered him multiple times.
He remained frozen there, staring at her as she impatiently tapped her foot on the ground as if she couldn't wait to be far away from him and the longer he stared, the deeper the sword pierced his chest.
Why couldn't she just let things go back to the way it was? Why was she so bent on pushing him away and making all his efforts fall flat? Did she really hate him so much? Their past, didn't the experience they shared together mean anything?
Fuck!
Johnny didn't know how long he stood there staring at her or why the pain of heartbreak didn't bother him as much as the thought of how bad Navaya's feet would hurt from standing so long in heels but it still did. It bugged him and only God knows how much he wanted to scoop her up in his arms and settle her in the car where she could be a lot more comfortable but doing that would infuriate her even more. So far, all she had done was interpret all his actions as being forceful, holding her against her will.
He was only able to snap out of whatever trance he was in when an Uber stopped in front of Navaya. She opened the car door and got in but he didn't move. He couldn't move. He wasn't even sure if stopping her would have been a good idea or if it would have just complicated matters. He was so confused.
There was nothing he had done to or with her that has ever been seen as anything but violent. It was no wonder she disliked him so much. The look of contempt in her eyes, while she stared at him, gored his soul, scarring it.
She does hate you.
Navaya hates him— just that thought alone sank his heart in a sea of dread but what did he did expect? For her to welcome him with open arms? How he wish she would but he knew better. He blew his chance with her.
Johnny watch the Uber as it drove away, vanishing into the distance.
Things changed and he lost Navaya.