39| Man To Man Conversation

Right now, Zoey was in the car with Travis, an awkward silence prevailed between them. They were on their way to Maya's house to pick her up. Neither of them was ready to talk about their kiss last night, especially Travis who had repressed the memory to a silent corner of his mind.

Zoey had worn her clothes from last night again and used one of Travis' jackets to cover her up. With her hair tied in a pony tail, she looked like her regular self, not someone who was almost caught with someone else's husband last night.

Once the car stopped in front of Maya's house, she walked towards the car and when she saw Zoey sitting there, she made her way to the back seat. Zoey expected her to bombard them with trillions of questions but she was decent enough to not ask what she was doing there.

Zoey wished the same could be said about Mario whose mouth formed a smirk when he slid inside the car. "Look like somebody had a fun night." He said and she smiled at him through the mirror, unlike Travis who just huffed angrily.

"Actually, I needed a place to say." Zoey cleared.

"I am sure Travis was more than happy to let you sleep on his bed." Mario commented and I chuckled, earning a narrowed glare from Travis.

Ignoring him, Zoey angled her neck to look at Mario. "Actually, he was too shy to sleep in the same room as me so he slept downstairs."

"He didn't need to know that." Travis argued.

"Yes, I did." Mario said. "Pussy."

"Okay, don't tease him. He is already really grumpy this morning." Zoey said and both Mario and Maya grinned at this.

"I bet he is. Last night must have been particularly hard for him." Mario said.

"Hey, that's what I said." Zoey leaned forwards and gave Mario a high five.

Travis rolled his eyes at both of them and silently kept driving, until they finally reached the school's parking lot. He and his friends made their way to the usual spot while Zoey went to meet her friends.

The whole school was decorated with the banners of the beauty pageant that was supposed to be held on Sunday. Travis couldn't understand why any girl would take part in a demeaning fancy dress competition and present herself to three judges like she was a piece of meat. It just didn't make any sense to him. Well, it won't be the first time he fails to understand girls and their stupid logic.

"I didn't expect it from you at least." He said to Maya. "Why would you take part in a stupid pageant?"

"Hey, I am a teenage girl. I have every right to do stupid things. Besides, It's not about the pageant. It's just a way to achieve confidence and feel good about myself, that's if I win." She replied.

"Well, if you want to win, I wish you do. But even if you don't, I won't care because you are still perfect in every way and I don't think you need a pageant to tell you that." Travis said.

"Aww. Did you just give me a compliment?" Maya attempted to pinch his cheeks but he jerked away before she could reach him.

"Forget what I said. You are a brute." Travis said.

"There is no going back now, Travis." Maya giggled and her giggles stopped when her eyes fell on Zachary talking to a girl. A strange bitter feeling erupted in her stomach that has no reasonable explanation.

••••••••••

It was Saturday and Travis was supposed to tutor Sam today. He reached Crawford's mansion at 5 in the evening and went straight towards their lounge where Sam was sitting alone, playing a video game.

"Time for studies, champ." Travis said.

"But let's play one game first." He pouted.

"No, we have to study first." He said.

"Please. Pretty please." Sam made a cute innocent face that reminded him of Zoey. Both siblings were extremely dramatic and knew how to manipulate someone into doing what they want.

"Fine." Travis said and played one game with him. After he beat Sam in the game, he passed him a proud smirk and told him to bring the notebooks.

"Show off." Sam muttered under his breath and went towards his room to bring the study material.

While he was gone, Travis started scrolling his Instagram but stopped when he heard footsteps coming towards the lounge. He sat up straight and watched as Richard Crawford made his way inside. Zoey's father was definitely an intimidating man with a serious face and calculating eyes. But Travis admired him as he was one of the also best businessmen of this city.

Once he sat down, he assessed Travis from head to toe and then said, "Travis, is it?"

"Yes, sir." Travis said.

"Where is Sam?" He asked.

"He went to his bedroom to bring the notebooks." Travis said, gulping harder.

He watched as Rose came and served a glass of water to Mr. Crawford. He gulped the glass of water down and then loosened the tie around his neck.

"How is Zoey at work?" He asked after Rose had left.

"She... She is trying her best." Travis replied in the most appropriate way possible.

"Ask your boss to go easy on her." He heaved a sigh. "She is a difficult person to deal with."

"You have no reason to worry. She has been on her best behaviour." Travis sided with Zoey.

"I bet she is." Richard said. "You are a good influence on her, Travis."

Travis nodded, not knowing what to say next.

"What do you have in mind for your future?" He asked.

"I want to be a businessman, sir." Travis replied.

"Just a businessman? There are hundreds of average businessmen out there. Do you want to be like them?" Richard asked, assessing Travis.

"I want to be a great businessman, sir." Travis said confidently this time.

"That's the spirit." Richard smiled. He then stood up and made his way out of the lounge. Near the entrance, he met Zoey who seemed quite curious of knowing what they both were talking about.

"What was my Dad saying to you?" She put her hands on her hip and asked Travis.

"That's our little secret." Travis shrugged to tease her.

"Travis, tell me." Zoey glared at him.

"What if I don't?" He smirked.

Narrowing her eyes, she propped her hands on both sides of Travis and lowered herself until their faces were inches apart. "Tell me, Anderson. Don't test my patience."

Travis' eyes lowered to her mouth and the memory of their kiss last night played in his memory, the kiss that had kept him awake the whole night. He cursed himself again and again last night because now, whenever he sees her, he will think of grabbing her by her neck and kissing the life out of him.

"He was worries about you." Travis said, forcing his eyes away from her lips.

At this, Zoey pulled away and scoffed. "Yeah, right."

"Believe it or not Zoey, your father cares about you." He told her because he had seen it in his eyes.

"He just cares about his business and his money." She grunted and sat down beside him.

"And he does that to provide you of everything. Believe me Zoey, half of my problems will be solved if I had a father who earned even one-tenth of what your father earns." Travis told her to make her understand.

"Then you are just like him, who thinks money is the solution of every problem." Zoey said.

"It may not be the solution but it definitely makes it easier to survive." He said.

"Whatever." Zoey said and stood up to leave when she watched Sam enter the lounge with his notebooks in his hand. "Study hard, nerds." She said to both of them and made her way out of the lounge.

"My loving sister, ladies and gentlemen." Sam rolled his eyes.

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