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Description
To be honest, the day I met Martin was not… the best day.

I remember walking into the fancy restaurant in my show attire, some of Vik's hair had stuck to my pants, and the typical "equestrian life" smell was permeating my whole body. A few eyes were riveted on me as I followed the waiter to a table placed at the very back of the restaurant.

-Of course, only I was going to be seated behind the kitchen door, I guess it was the worst day to decide to come to an expensive restaurant without even having the decency to change my clothes.

I waited several minutes, without any sign of the mystery man I had come to meet. Wow, what a good first impression he'll make on me. I rolled my eyes, and looked at my watch, watching as another minute went by.

I remember half an hour later, I noticed in the distance a man entering the restaurant, his chiseled face holding a malevolent smirk hiding so much malice, depravity and mockingness. His gaze, skewed with bitterness and disinterest. I think a part of me hoped he wasn't Martin, but I must admit, my “psycho” side was quite attracted to his mysterious demeanor.

I didn't get a chance to fantasize any further, as I noticed his gaze searching through the entire restaurant, I looked at him curiously, before his eyes locked on me. I turned my gaze away from his, but I could still feel it on me. Soon, I noticed his shadow in front, so I looked to meet him.

Frankly, if this were a literary piece, he'd be described by having the masculinity of Zeus and sensuality of Aphrodite. The contrast of his pale skin and honey tinted hair was a demonic touch only Hades could have gifted, and somehow, Poseidon had condensed the sea waters and placed them perfectly, completely coloring his irises.

"Martin -he extended his hand to me- you must be Danielle."
My hands were a little sweaty, so I quickly wiped them on my pants and extended his hand with a smile.
<>

He took a seat on the opposite side of me. To be honest, I waited for an apology for his delay, but when it never came, I glanced at the menu, waiting for him to drop his phone so we could both order.
See, the truth is, I'd like to say a lot about Martin, that I got to know him a little, that we struck up a friendship or a pleasant conversation. But when he let go of his phone just to order a bottle of bourbon, I opened my eyes in disbelief, giving him a bitter look.

I must say it reminded me of my father to see him drinking alcohol so quickly and with such desire; and so, for half an hour, I watched as Martin finished the entire bottle, with each glass, his movements became more clumsy and sloppy. Still, I tried with all my might to get a little information out of him, but every time he opened his mouth to try to answer my questions, he choked on what I suppose was a bitter gulp of alcohol.
And I say I guess, because I have never tried to taste a single drop of alcohol, call it fear, but I prefer to leave it at that.

I had to call a cab when Martin became a bit aggressive with the waiters, I took his car keys, because there was no way he would drive in that state and as I could, I pushed him into the back seat of that yellow cab, the driver looked at me waiting for directions, but since I couldn't give them to him, I closed the door and left him trying to give the directions by himself. Of course they were going to make a thousand turns before they got to his house, but let him take it as a punishment having to pay several miles of cab fare for having made such a bad impression. What the fuck was Lance thinking when he convinced me to meet him.

------------------------------------------

I arrived home shortly after midnight, saw the house lights on, and walked in to see Mia and Liam sitting on the couch watching one of those movies that Mia loved, and I still didn't understand.

"Mia, it's past twelve. What are you doing here? -I sighed looking back at Liam who raised his shoulders at me, mouthing "i'm sorry"- You've got school tomorrow, please go to bed."

"You're literally the worst. -she said as she bolted up the stairs, slamming her door shut a few seconds later."

I walked to the couch, and threw myself on it with a sigh

"Am I really that bad?"

"-Liam chuckled, placing an arm around me- You're not that bad -"

I punched his shoulder with a chuckle before laying back down

"She'll understand it someday"

I scoffed, "Yea, maybe someday."

We settled in to watch a movie that was playing on the TV, one of those old black and white cowboy movies, and before we knew it, we both closed our eyes, falling into a deep sleep

------------------.

The start of a new day was announced by my alarm, the one I so hated to hear at 6 a.m. every day. I sighed before feeling a slight pain in my neck from the position Liam and I had slept in, I guess a couch wasn't the best place for two adults to sleep.

I sat up, turning to see Liam frowning slightly still in his sleep. I smiled before getting up to grab a blanket from the closet, placing it over him to cover him a bit from the intense Canadian winter cold that was already creeping in.

I went upstairs and knocked on Mia's door, expecting to hear her usual morning whine, trying to talk me out of going to school. I smiled as I heard her snort and headed down the steps, heading to the kitchen to make her breakfast.

For the fifth time this morning, I scrubbed my eyes. I was sure my under eye bags had to be too noticeable.
I poured the pancake batter into the pan, and waited for bubbles to seep to the top of the batter, indicating I could flip it, but before I could, my thoughts were distracted by the sound my phone made, judging by the tone of the notification, it was a message.

I picked it up immediately, and saw Lance's name covering the screen.
---

"So, how did it go?"

"Bad, terrible, tort, falsch."

"Great, so when does he start?" -his message was accompanied by that emoji with the little yellow face full of stars

"Never."

"Never?"

"I don't know what language you read it in, but every word in that message indicates that piece of a butternut squash is not coming to work here"

"Come on, Cole couldn't have been that bad."

"It was SO bad, I didn't even know his name was Cole"

"Shit"

----

I saw the message before putting my phone face down on the counter, turning my head to flip the pancake that was now burnt. I sighed in frustration before feeling those familiar arms wrap around my waist from behind. Leaving soft kisses on the back of my neck before lifting his head and letting out a soft chuckle.

"Please, never quit the sport, you'd starve to death as a cook" -He said to me as I pulled the burnt pancake out of the pan, and hid it under the stack.

I didn't have a chance to protest, when Liam snatched the spatula from my hand and made room, standing in front of the stove, saying he didn't feel like having more burnt pancakes for breakfast.

I smiled as I watched him play music on his phone, and dance comically with the spatula in hand, but again I was distracted by that annoying cell phone ringing.

---

"A week, that's what he's asking for."

---
I sighed, but remembered how my mother never let anyone go without giving them a chance to prove they weren't what everyone thought they were.
—

"One week."

Description
To be honest, the day I met Martin was not… the best day.

I remember walking into the fancy restaurant in my show attire, some of Vik's hair had stuck to my pants, and the typical "equestrian life" smell was permeating my whole body. A few eyes were riveted on me as I followed the waiter to a table placed at the very back of the restaurant.

-Of course, only I was going to be seated behind the kitchen door, I guess it was the worst day to decide to come to an expensive restaurant without even having the decency to change my clothes.

I waited several minutes, without any sign of the mystery man I had come to meet. Wow, what a good first impression he'll make on me. I rolled my eyes, and looked at my watch, watching as another minute went by.

I remember half an hour later, I noticed in the distance a man entering the restaurant, his chiseled face holding a malevolent smirk hiding so much malice, depravity and mockingness. His gaze, skewed with bitterness and disinterest. I think a part of me hoped he wasn't Martin, but I must admit, my “psycho” side was quite attracted to his mysterious demeanor.

I didn't get a chance to fantasize any further, as I noticed his gaze searching through the entire restaurant, I looked at him curiously, before his eyes locked on me. I turned my gaze away from his, but I could still feel it on me. Soon, I noticed his shadow in front, so I looked to meet him.

Frankly, if this were a literary piece, he'd be described by having the masculinity of Zeus and sensuality of Aphrodite. The contrast of his pale skin and honey tinted hair was a demonic touch only Hades could have gifted, and somehow, Poseidon had condensed the sea waters and placed them perfectly, completely coloring his irises.

"Martin -he extended his hand to me- you must be Danielle."
My hands were a little sweaty, so I quickly wiped them on my pants and extended his hand with a smile.
<>

He took a seat on the opposite side of me. To be honest, I waited for an apology for his delay, but when it never came, I glanced at the menu, waiting for him to drop his phone so we could both order.
See, the truth is, I'd like to say a lot about Martin, that I got to know him a little, that we struck up a friendship or a pleasant conversation. But when he let go of his phone just to order a bottle of bourbon, I opened my eyes in disbelief, giving him a bitter look.

I must say it reminded me of my father to see him drinking alcohol so quickly and with such desire; and so, for half an hour, I watched as Martin finished the entire bottle, with each glass, his movements became more clumsy and sloppy. Still, I tried with all my might to get a little information out of him, but every time he opened his mouth to try to answer my questions, he choked on what I suppose was a bitter gulp of alcohol.
And I say I guess, because I have never tried to taste a single drop of alcohol, call it fear, but I prefer to leave it at that.

I had to call a cab when Martin became a bit aggressive with the waiters, I took his car keys, because there was no way he would drive in that state and as I could, I pushed him into the back seat of that yellow cab, the driver looked at me waiting for directions, but since I couldn't give them to him, I closed the door and left him trying to give the directions by himself. Of course they were going to make a thousand turns before they got to his house, but let him take it as a punishment having to pay several miles of cab fare for having made such a bad impression. What the fuck was Lance thinking when he convinced me to meet him.

------------------------------------------

I arrived home shortly after midnight, saw the house lights on, and walked in to see Mia and Liam sitting on the couch watching one of those movies that Mia loved, and I still didn't understand.

"Mia, it's past twelve. What are you doing here? -I sighed looking back at Liam who raised his shoulders at me, mouthing "i'm sorry"- You've got school tomorrow, please go to bed."

"You're literally the worst. -she said as she bolted up the stairs, slamming her door shut a few seconds later."

I walked to the couch, and threw myself on it with a sigh

"Am I really that bad?"

"-Liam chuckled, placing an arm around me- You're not that bad -"

I punched his shoulder with a chuckle before laying back down

"She'll understand it someday"

I scoffed, "Yea, maybe someday."

We settled in to watch a movie that was playing on the TV, one of those old black and white cowboy movies, and before we knew it, we both closed our eyes, falling into a deep sleep

------------------.

The start of a new day was announced by my alarm, the one I so hated to hear at 6 a.m. every day. I sighed before feeling a slight pain in my neck from the position Liam and I had slept in, I guess a couch wasn't the best place for two adults to sleep.

I sat up, turning to see Liam frowning slightly still in his sleep. I smiled before getting up to grab a blanket from the closet, placing it over him to cover him a bit from the intense Canadian winter cold that was already creeping in.

I went upstairs and knocked on Mia's door, expecting to hear her usual morning whine, trying to talk me out of going to school. I smiled as I heard her snort and headed down the steps, heading to the kitchen to make her breakfast.

For the fifth time this morning, I scrubbed my eyes. I was sure my under eye bags had to be too noticeable.
I poured the pancake batter into the pan, and waited for bubbles to seep to the top of the batter, indicating I could flip it, but before I could, my thoughts were distracted by the sound my phone made, judging by the tone of the notification, it was a message.

I picked it up immediately, and saw Lance's name covering the screen.
---

"So, how did it go?"

"Bad, terrible, tort, falsch."

"Great, so when does he start?" -his message was accompanied by that emoji with the little yellow face full of stars

"Never."

"Never?"

"I don't know what language you read it in, but every word in that message indicates that piece of a butternut squash is not coming to work here"

"Come on, Cole couldn't have been that bad."

"It was SO bad, I didn't even know his name was Cole"

"Shit"

----

I saw the message before putting my phone face down on the counter, turning my head to flip the pancake that was now burnt. I sighed in frustration before feeling those familiar arms wrap around my waist from behind. Leaving soft kisses on the back of my neck before lifting his head and letting out a soft chuckle.

"Please, never quit the sport, you'd starve to death as a cook" -He said to me as I pulled the burnt pancake out of the pan, and hid it under the stack.

I didn't have a chance to protest, when Liam snatched the spatula from my hand and made room, standing in front of the stove, saying he didn't feel like having more burnt pancakes for breakfast.

I smiled as I watched him play music on his phone, and dance comically with the spatula in hand, but again I was distracted by that annoying cell phone ringing.

---

"A week, that's what he's asking for."

---
I sighed, but remembered how my mother never let anyone go without giving them a chance to prove they weren't what everyone thought they were.
—

"One week."