Page 89 of Eyes Like Angel

Romano summoned himself before me, greeting me with boyish smug and lightened eyes and his features grown mature, but his cheeks were a slight round, not chubby. His thick, coal-black hair dyed back because his hair used to be in a few grey strands.

“I’m…alright.” I said through gritted teeth.

I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine.

“Are you sure? You look so sick when you see me. Are you having a stomach ache?” Romano’s thick, loud accent came, cordial and affable. His thin lashes fluttered, forming a cheeky smile at me. And his breath faintly reeked in strong alcohol.

My jaw slightly clenched.

I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine.

“I’m sure,” my tone stiffened at my reply, trying my best to make eye-contact, but gave a short glance, which is gaze darted intensely.

“You know, I was thinking about you, when I went to London, seeing the beautiful cathedrals and it reminded me of you—the appreciation of beauty and…all that.”

My fists clenched.

Lungs constricted as palms sweating, unable to clear my head or create a response to Romano’s unforeseen encounter.

This is volatile, in a sense I want no part in shenanigans, automatically beginning to feel sick and twisted at his cordial manner.

I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine—

“I’m sure you have, sir,” I said to him sternly, tired eyes hardened at him, but kept a tight-lipped smile in just a split second.

“Sir? You can’t be serious, Eden.”

I looked at Romano in utter disbelief.

Eden wasn’t my name.

My head was reeling, rotated, and spun in a sickly speed. The world whirled around me was getting blurry, my hearing went hazy and buzzing, like it was dimming and lowering until I couldn’t relieve in sound, and overshadowed by a pitched ring, drowning out the noise—his noise.

“Aww, come on, Eden, don’t be like that, we’re good friends, don’t you recall?” he said, cackling. “It’s me, Romano. I’m your best guy friend, remember!? I can’t believe you’ve forgotten about me!”

With his boisterous tone, I shrank, so does my lungs.

My fists clenched harder, nails dug in.

Behind Romano, a few eyes were watching me.

I’m Fine. I’m Fine. I’m Fine—

“I have to go. There are some other things I had to attend to,” I said stiffly, without glimpsing back I headed back, but Romano blocked my path in advance.

“Don’t walk away from me,” he said. “I had to say so many things I want to tell you during my travel to London and Brazil, then to this glamourous lifestyle in Mykonos for the past two years.”

My fingernails dented onto my flesh.

I’M FINE. I’M FINE. I’M FINE.

“My hands are tied at the moment,” I said, averting from his watchful gaze. “Excuse me.”

Heading to the side, he blocked me once more.

My shoulder blades stiffened.

I’M FINE. I’M FINE. I’M FINE.