Chapter 16

My hand keep on swirling the water in my glass, I am lost in my own world as Quinn's words reply in my head, the pain is not worth what I will find out. I hate how much those words have stood out like a sore thumb. I am not after revealing anything the only thing I want out of this is what is rightfully ours. "Cara..." Kelly taps my arm. I shake my head and turn to her. "Are you okay?" She whispers to me. I glance in front of me. Jack is looking at me with a scrutinizing eye. "I am fine," I whisper back. "Are you sure?" She persists. I force a smile and declare, "I am very okay." I look again at Jack, he is no longer looking at me. This is an awkward date. Kelly's date, Will, is trying to explain something to Kelly whose attention is on me. He is terrible as he lacks social graces. I stare at Kelly as she focuses back to Will. Evil thoughts start to form in my head. She is shameless, unashamed of her actions and I respect that. I tell myself to stop but Quinn's words have left me desperate. My thoughts shamelessly carry forth. How low can she go? I wonder. Is Mr Nickel adulterous? Is he a boob man? What if I talk Kelly into seducing him for information? Oh God! What am I becoming? I didn't succeed with Quinn now I want to use an innocent girl to go after his father. No! I will not feed that evil part, I will not let it win. I should never see a human as a tool to be used. The thought doesn't leave my head, it begs to be fed. It is like a fly to an open wound. No matter how many times you chase it away, it returns. It flies around me. A nuisance that keeps on pushing me, begging me, cooing into my ears in a chorus use her, use her... "Shut up!" I unconsciously shout at no one. I realise my outburst when I sense eyes on me. Kelly's eyes are wide open with surprise. Jack's mouth is hanging open. "Did I say something wrong?" He asks. I shake my head as I gulp water down to ease my conscience. "I asked your opinion about the hotel and you shouted at me to shut up." He clarifies the expression he wears is both of embarrassment and anger. "I am sorry, just that my head was elsewhere," I state. "I see." He says disappointed, I can tell that he regrets being here. "I..." I try to explain but he stops me. "Look, I like you. My intentions towards you are pure and I am a straightforward person. Since we arrived here. You have barely said a word, your face bares this void it is hard to tell if you are delighted to be here or forced. I value my time and the person I spent it with. I can only speak for myself, I don't know about you, or this is just a waste of time?" He asks. Oh God! Not another entitled Quinn. I just have my luck with men. "Today is not a good day for me," I say. "At least now we are on the same page. Why don't we try this when you are feeling better?" I try to play out in my head if he was Quinn how this would end before answering. If it was Quinn he would already have walked out on me. Another part reminds me, Quinn would never ask me for a proper date. Why am I even trying to compare Jack and Quinn? "That sounds fantastic," I answer. "It will be my pleasure to," Jack says as the waiter arrives with our food. Silence falls as he places it on the table. Kelly's date is live on Instagram reviewing the hotel. I can see she is already bored with him. "Do you have any means to get home?" Jack asks. "Yeah." I nod. He is on his feet within minutes, "I will call you." He adds. "Why are you leaving?" Kelly crises her eyebrows at Jack and turns to me, "This was a date right?" She asks me. "It was. We just rescheduled it." I answer standing up to walk Jack to the door. He resists firsts insisting there is no need but I persuade him. I watch him drive his car. This was my first date and I have officially ruined it. When I return I find Kelly alone. "Where is your date?" I ask. "He was too young for me. If only he was two years older." She takes a bite of her salad. "How old was he?" I ask her. "Twenty-one." She replies. "I am going to die alone," I state. "I second that. Jack is a catch, I wish I could meet someone so honest. Don't let him go." She advises. Am I ready for a relationship? I have never been in one in my entire twenty-three years. Is there a manual on how it operates? "I don't think I am ready for a relationship." I honestly tell Kelly. "Don't throw that guy back into the ocean." She thinks for a second. "Or do, I will gladly catch him." "I just have a lot of things in my head such that I can function normally. Allowing someone into my life is like an invitation to mess them up." "I am in your life..." She says. If only she knew the kind of thoughts I was having earlier and are still pending in my head. "You don't understand." "Then make me... You have been awfully weird the entire night so it must be something important." I stare at her for a moment knowing the next words and confession might change my life. I critically judge her, how will she take it? Will she treat me different after? Will she announce to the world? So many questions but I can't know unless "I am Cara Cooper," I state. I stare at her again, her face remains the same. "Okay, is that not your name?" "I mean I am the Cara Cooper," I repeat. "So?" "Cooper?" I repeat giving her a hint. "Your surname?" I nod. "Okay. I am Kelly Smith if you must know." She shrugs her shoulders. As it hits me she has no idea what I am trying to tell her "I am trying to tell you I am Cara Cooper. Daughter of the legendary Copper. The owner of the Hotel we are working in." I expound. She breaks into laughter, "Did you get your weed from a different dealer today?" "I don't do drugs." "A man like Quinn is classified as a hard drug." She laughs and I smile at her comment thinking of those moments under the sheets. I shake my head, "I am serious." I change the topic. "No kidding, I am Obama's secret daughter." She jests and I get annoyed. I am trying to tell her something I have never told anyone willingly. I take my phone and go to my emails. I click on the images of my father and I. I wave the phone on her face which makes her stop laughing. "You are that kid?" She points at the ten-year-old me. I nod. "You look so different now." "I did some changes otherwise people would recognize me." "Why would want that? If my father was a billionaire I would never want to hide from the world and allow myself to suffer." "It is a long story," I say. "I got all the time in the world, honey." She sips her wine. I get comfortable as I about to let out my biggest secret.