Falling For The Playboy

EVA

“How was it at the orphanage? Did you have like a roster for everything you did? Your sleeping schedule? ” He asked suddenly, surprising me.

I knew he was just trying to change the topic and I didn’t mind it. But why did he have to bring up my past? My face shuttered, the happy feeling I’d had all through our conversation, dissipating immediately.

“Yes. ” I answered simply.

“Come on, you can do better than that. ” He scoffed. “Paint a fucking picture, Cg. ”

I gave him a look. He matched it. “Whenever you’re ready. ”

I gave up. My eyes squeezed shut as I envisioned the orphanage in front of me. From the high fence that wrapped around the compound to the blue bungalow-style buildings scattered around and the children playing outside in their individual friend groups. I told him everything and not once did I open my eyes until I was done.

“It sounds like a dream. ”

“What? ” I gaped at him. “Are we talking about the same place? ”

“You had your freedom. I don’t see what could be wrong with living there. ”

“It’s still not a very great place to be. ” I said, realizing that I was truly glad I wasn’t there anymore. Then I thought about Fatima and I frowned. I hoped she was okay.

My ice cream was completely watery now. I dipped the small spoon in, scooping up a tiny portion and bringing it to my mouth. Some of the liquid escaped, sliding down the side of my mouth to my jaw. I wiped it off with the pad of my thumb and sucked on it. Hearing a sharp inhale, I looked up and found Axel watching me raptly with wide eyes. My breath hitched.

“Shit. ” He breathed. “That’s sexy as fuck. Do it again. ”

He grabbed the spoon from me and scooped some ice cream, shoving it against my lips, trying to pry them open. I swatted his hand away, shifting from him as I laughed. Only Axel could make my insides melt and then make me laugh right after.

His eyes lit up mischievously. “Teasing me? Ach, Eva. Who would have thought? ”

“I wasn’t. ” I stifled a grin.

“You definitely were, what with that slutty moan that I’m pretty sure people in the next booth heard. ”

I giggled, throwing my head back. “Oh my God. Stop it. ”

He bit on the inside of his cheek. “Okay, fine, you might be right. I don’t know for sure anymore. ” He pushed the spoon towards me. “Do it again so that this time I’ll really know if you’re teasing me or not. ”

I ignored him, grabbing my phone with a small smile on my lips. I turned my data on, checking to see if I had any new notifications. I turned it back off when I saw I had two new followers and zero messages.

“You hide well, Eva Otasowie. ” He used my full name, surprising me. He paused, like he too was surprised. “Wait a second. How did you end up at the orphanage? ”

“I got dropped off. ” That was the easiest answer.

“You’re saying you were found at the door of the orphanage, yeah? ”

I nodded, wondering where he was going with this.

“Then they have to have named you. ” He snapped his fingers like he hit a jackpot. “Which means Eva isn’t your real name and there’s a possibility you’re not even Edo. I wouldn’t be surprised, to be honest. You look Igbo. ”

He was still talking. I saw his lips moving, but I didn’t hear a thing because I had zoned out. I hadn’t thought about the possibility before and now that I did, I saw that what he said had some sense in it.

How had the orphanage known my name? My parents couldn’t have told them because they turned and walked away immediately they left me at the entrance.

Had they put me a name tag on me or something?

Or could it really be that the orphanage had named me?

In that case, I didn’t know how to feel because I had grown a sentimental attachment to my last name, thinking that it was the only thing left of my parents that I owned. I’d latched on to it. How utterly stupid of me. Why had I even bothered to try to have a connection to people that didn’t want anything to do with me? Nothing said ‘I don’t want you’ more than sending your child to an orphanage.

The footage of my mom walking away from me played in my head. Over and over again until it was the only thing I could see. I’d called for her. The first ever word I said. And it hadn’t been heard. I choked back a sob.

“Eva? ” Axel snapped his fingers in my face, pulling me back to the present and I blinked, glancing around. We were still at the eatery.

“Can you take me home? ” I blurted.

“What? ” His brows dove down.

That was abrupt and he was obviously confused, but I just needed to be alone. I wanted to hide. And possibly write.

“I’m sorry. ” I muttered, wishing I could disappear inside my hoodie. “Please just take me home. ”

He watched me like he was trying to read me and after a while, he grabbed his car keys and got up. I stood up too and collecting my stuff and we walked side by side outside, the atmosphere tense.

“Was it something I said? ” He asked when we got into the car.

Kind of. “No. ”

I leaned my head on the glass, staring at the scenery as we passed. This was such a beautiful and clean state. I guess it wasn’t called The Federal Capital Territory for nothing.

He must think I’m bipolar.

I noticed that he drove slowly, too slow for him anyway, but I didn’t say anything. When the huge black gates of the estate came into sight, I sighed internally. Home.

Axel parked the car, his legs bouncing in the driver seat, agitated. I took off my seatbelt and hopped out of the car, a million thoughts going through my mind as I made my way inside.

Axel honked causing me to halt in my tracks. I spun on my heel, facing him just as his window rolled down. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow? ”

“Yeah. ” Awkward couldn’t begin to describe how I felt.

“Uh. Okay. That’s-Okay.” And just like that, his head disappeared back inside the car and I thought I caught a slight hesitation before his window slid shut.

I dove straight for my little book when I ran into my room, grabbing my pen as I laid on top of the bed covers. I uncapped my favorite black pen, turning to a new page and wrote down the words;

Who am I?