Chapter 6

Vanessa practically vibrated with anger, her arms crossed tightly across her chest as Darryl munched on his food with an oblivious cheer. He was entertained by her childish behavior. Darryl refused to be moved by Vanessa's irritation.

"I have to leave now," Vanessa hissed, her voice laced with barely contained fury.

Darryl, unfazed, swallowed a mouthful of food before replying, "Finish your meal, then we can call it a day."

"You know you can't keep me here, Darryl! Some of us have work tomorrow morning," she shot back, incredulous.

Darryl, finally giving her his full attention, blinked at her. "Oh, right. Work. I forgot." He offered a sheepish grin, entirely devoid of apology.

Vanessa scoffed. "Not everyone has the luxury of being a trust fund baby." Her voice dripped with sarcasm, each word a tiny, sharp dagger aimed at Darryl's carefree attitude.

Darryl dabbed at his mouth with a napkin, his earlier nonchalance replaced by a sly glint in his eyes.

"Alright, alright," he drawled, "I know what you're doing, Vanessa. Playing hard to get away with all this… childish attitude." He gestured vaguely at her with his hand. "Rude remarks, ignoring me, acting completely disinterested."

Vanessa threw her head back and scoffed. Claiming hard to get? The audacity! "Are you serious, Darryl?" she demanded, her voice laced with disbelief. "Some of us," she continued, leaning forward and enunciating each word carefully, "are not interested in you. Get that through your thick skull."

A playful smile tugged at Darryl's lips. "That sounds shocking, considering it coming from the woman who spilled wine all over me to get my attention." He raised an eyebrow, a knowing glint in his eyes.

Vanessa bristled. "That was an accident! And don't flatter yourself," she retorted, her cheeks flushing with a mix of anger and embarrassment. "There are plenty of other men out there, you're not exactly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Darryl."

“I never considered myself as a once in a lifetime opportunity, but now that you mentioned it, I would add it to my achievement” he used her comeback against her.

Vanessa pleaded. “Enough of this game. We keep going back and forth, and it is becoming tiring. Hand over my purse and we won't meet again. I promise you.”

Ignoring Vanessa's plea, “What if I want to meet you again? We could have a decent dinner and after that, we could enjoy each other's company.” he made his own suggestions.

Vanessa ignored his remark. She grabbed her things from the table, determined to leave him alone. She had enough comebacks from his comments, but she chose to ignore him this time.

“You know what? You can keep the purse. You can add it to the collection of your awards.” Vanessa bristled.

Finally acknowledging Vanessa's anger, he decided to stop his jokes. Matching her speed, Darryl got up immediately. Vanessa got up from their table. He grabbed her arms gently, a way of stopping her from leaving without her purse.

“I'm sorry for making you come here against your will. I thought we could get to know each other better”, Darryl apologized. This time, his apologies came with other interior motives.

He placed his hands on Vanessa's waste as he pulled her closely to himself. “Your purse is in my car. We could get it together.” He whispered into her ears.

Vanessa's attempt to untangle herself from Darryl, but she was not strong enough compared to how tight Darryl was holding her against his body. Their bodies were so close that if she leaned any closer, her lips would lock with his.

Defeat washed over Vanessa as she surrendered to his plan of taking her to his car to get back her purse. She knew he had other plans for her, but she wouldn't give in to it. Darryl needed to be taught a lesson, and she was determined to do the job.

“Fine. Lead the way to your car”. His hands slipped from her waist as he heard her. He intertwined his fingers with hers as he led her out of the restaurant.

"Let me take you home," His voice lighted. Darryl offered with a smirk on his lips,

"Don't bother. Your charity can end her." Vanessa scoffed, her tone clipped. "Moreover, I'm perfectly capable of getting myself home."

Darryl held his ground, his amusement evident. He was not ready to surrender to her stubborn act. "Well," he began, drawing out the word, "I can only return your purse on one condition. You let me drive you home."

Vanessa threw him a look of exasperation. "Why are you doing this? Why are you making this so difficult for me?" she sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Consider it a thank you for joining me tonight," Darryl replied, his grin widening.

"You don't owe me any thanks," Vanessa hissed, her annoyance simmering just below the surface.

Darryl, unfazed, countered with a playful challenge. "Can you ditch the stubborn act for just five minutes and let me give you a ride?

Vanessa hesitated, her eyes flickering between Darryl and the purse he dangled just out of reach. Finally, with a huff of defeat, she conceded, "Fine." A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her own lips despite her best efforts.

The streetlights cast a blurry yellow glow through the car windows as Vanessa stared out of the car, enjoying the view like a silent movie playing behind her lashes.

The air hung thick between them as Vanessa refused to reply to Darryl's as he tried to have a conversation with her. Darryl, for once, seemed to sense the mood. He refrained from his usual teasing, choosing the awkward silence instead.

Finally, he pulled to a stop in front of Vanessa's apartment building. The car's gentle hum died down, replaced by the soft sounds of the city at night.

Darryl leaned over slightly, reaching for her seat belt with a practiced ease that sent a jolt through Vanessa.

“What are you doing?” she asked him as her hands instinctively tensed. She didn't know what she was expecting. Maybe a playful nudge or a lingering touch that might lead to a kiss.

But instead, a gentle click echoed in the car as Darryl released the buckle. He leaned in even closer, the faint scent of his cologne filling the space between them. Vanessa held her breath, bracing for the contact that never came.

In a soft whisper that tickled her ear, Darryl murmured, "Good night, Vanessa."

The unexpected tenderness of his voice and the lack of his usual bravado disarmed her. A blush crept up her neck as she stammered out a reply, "Good night, Darryl."

As Vanessa stepped out of the car, she stole a glance back at Darryl. His expression was unreadable in the dim light, but a hint of a smile seemed to play on his lips. The door shut with a soft click, leaving her standing alone on the sidewalk.

With a long sigh, she made a silent prayer. Meeting Darryl Peter again was the last thing she prayed for.