As I was putting a book back to the shelves, a voice behind me scared me.

"We meet again."

I see Landon behind me, He stood casually leaning on one side.

"Are you stalking me, now?"

"You wish." He said, smiling. "I am here to pick up a book to borrow."

"Okay."'I said and tried to walk away from there away from him, but he followed me.

"What are you doing?" I muttered.

"You live somewhere close by?"

"I don't share my personal life with strangers."

"Interesting." He said. "I will be seeing you, soon."

"I hope not." I said to him and he smiled.

"I didn't do anything that give you the opportunity to treat me this way."

"You give me lots of reasons to treat you this way."

"What are those reasons?"

"For me to know and for you to guess."

"How cliche." He said. "See you later."

"Like I said, no thank you." And I turned to walk away, before hearing him chuckle. If Elliot finds out about this, he will be mad and upset at the same time.

I couldn't help but sigh in relieve when I saw him leave the place. I texted Cole about the encounter and waited for his reply.

"Elliot will find out one way or another." He texted back. "Is the dude regular in the place?"

"No. That's the thing."

"I would suggest you just bring out the topic, that you met a guy name Landon?"

"And have him go all upset and worried?"

"Or do you want him to be mad and upset with you when he finds out the truth himself?"

"Why is it so difficult?"

"You are making things difficult."

"Thanks, bro." I replied sarcastically

"You're very welcome, love."

As the library close really early in the weekend, it have it perks for us. We get to go home at 6 pm. Elliot was waiting for me in the parking lot, while I stood behind the wall debating whether I should bring the topic of Landon to him, when Landon appeared out of no where and give me a small fright.

"What the f^ck! Should I call the cops on you for stalking me? What are you doing here?"

"Relax, I was just waiting for your shift to end."

"Why?" I asked, nervously hoping that Elliot wouldn't see this or come out of his car to look for me.

"Would you like to go out with me for dinner?"

"I have a boyfriend." Was my simple answer.

"You mean that guy who was with you? He can't even protect you and brought trouble for you? You could do better."

"We were in a new place." I pointed out and not wanting to correct that in fact Cole is not my boyfriend, Landon seem to be the guy who is curious and I don't want him to follow me or search for my "real boyfriend" if I just corrected him by saying that Cole is not my boyfriend. In the end, he might find out that Elliot is in fact my boyfriend and the reason I dislike him have to do with Elliot.

"Very interesting, you are so interesting to learn about."

"I am not a study that you are finding it interesting or something to learn about."

"You are interesting to know about, you have a personality that I like."

I rolled my eyes, "You can do so much better. Why are you even wasting your time bothering me when you can do something productive or look for someone who might be interested in you."

"Should I?" He asked.

"Definitely." I said as I quickly took out my phone and quickly texted Cole to help me in this situation

"Is your boyfriend picking you up?"

"What is to you? You should mind your own business."

"I wish I could, but I like minding your business."

"You are so annoying."

"I know." He grinned. "I can drop you off."

"I don't trust you." I frowned. "You should leave before I call the cops on you for stalking."

"Relax." He said.

Cole messaged back saying, "That f^cker, I am coming. How am I suppose to explain to Elliot that why I will pick you up?"

"I will see you soon." He said as I see him walking towards his car. When I saw him go inside the car, I was relieved and waited for him to pull away and when he did I almost kissed the ground.

"He left." I texted Cole.

"That guy does not take hints very well. You better let Elliot know before that dude finds out himself and let me tell you. He does not take very well situation like this where you hide things from him."

"You are late, not that I am complaining, but everything is good?" He asked as soon as I entered the car. I turned to look at him. My mouth opening and closing at the same time trying to tell him the situation in the most nicest way.

"I had a little trouble, today."

"What is it?" He frowned immediately.

"There is this weird guy that is following me."

His eyes turned a darker shade than usual and he give me a signal to keep going.

"His name is suppose to be Landon."

He froze for a little. "It cannot be the same Landon that I know." He muttered.

"It might be?" I said.

"What do you mean?" He said, then his eyes widened in realization. "So you did meet him last night.." as he slumped back in his seat, in disbelief.

"Yea."

He took a deep breath. "Cole." He muttered in a serious tone.

"We bumped into him."

"So you are telling me that Cole and you bumped into that prick and you are telling me now?"

"I asked Cole not to tell you because I didn't want you to be worried about the situation, but Cole repeatedly told me to."

"Put on your seat belt." Was the only response he give.

"Where are we going?"

"We are going to visit my favourite cousin." He give me a fake smile as he stepped on the gas.

And I had a very bad feeling about the situation.

Cole's house is as big as Elliot and it happen to be on the same street, but a couple of houses away. Good for them, or not?

Some of the workers greeted us or mostly Elliot as we walked in and I was worried that Elliot will use his fist on Cole, so I quickly took his hand and he give me a warning look.

"I am not in a good mood, Everly." He said. "So don't try to be affectionate."

"I cannot hold your hand now?" I pouted and left his hand immediately and I hear him sigh as he took my hand and intertwine with his.

"I like you so much, that I cannot watch you being upset with me."

Cole was surprised to see us and I shake my head, worried for him.

"I swear I was the one who told him not to tell you." I reminded Elliot.

"You are my freaking cousin and you were responsible that day and you decide to hide the truth from me?" Elliot barked.

"I see, that you finally told him the truth." Cole said, rather relax. "Would you like to have some tea?"

"I am not joking here." Elliot replied.

"Suit yourself, I believe Everly is hungry as she had a long shift. Am I right?" Cole said and signal someone to prepare something.

"We can talk in the office. How about that?" He did not wait for any response as he turned and started walking upstairs and we followed behind him.

Cole's office is pretty, the ceiling was white, the walls was matte black. More than an office, it look like a game centre to me. There is a giant office desk in the middle, some game controls and play station and lots of comics shelves.

"Yes, I did not tell you about that guy, Your girlfriend asked me to keep it away from you."

"I thought you are my cousin."

"Your cousin and also Everly's friend."

"You just met her yesterday." Elliot pointed out.

"She is the friend that I have been looking for." Cole joke. "Where were you all my life?"

"I am not joking here." Elliot said.

"She give me a puppy look while pleading me not to tell you, how am I suppose to say no to her?"

"That should not bother you, how can you fall for her pleading look?"

"She is cute." Cole shrugged and winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

Elliot pulled me closer to him. "She is mine, you better keep your thoughts to yourself."

"I know." Cole said. "So you should understand why I did it, if the thing works for you it worked for me too and also I wanted her to tell you because it is your matter and I did not want to interfere in between unless I found it too much, I was planning to tell you secretly if she didn't open her mouth anytime soon." Cole smiled at me.

"You guys are pretending I am not here?"

"You can say that." Cole teased.

Elliot pulled me in for a hug. "What do I do now?"

"We can enjoy the evening." I said.

"I am not talking about the plan for evening." He said, pulling away. "What should I do? Now that guy is interested in you. He always try to have things in his way."

"Then we will try to have things in our way." I said with determination.

He laughed a little and sighed. "We could only hope for."

"We have to find out why he is so interested in her, did he find out she is with you?" Cole asked.

"Hopefully not, he will use that as my weakness." Elliot said, hand turning into fist.

"How old is he?" I asked.

"Nineteen."

"No way! And he is handling these things?"

"His brother was in charge and he took over, he is smarter when he is doing business."

"Can see how smart he is." I muttered in annoyance. He look for weaknesses and hold people down.

"We have to watch out the way he approaches you and the reason behind it."

"I even lied to him, that I am eighteen." I admitted to Elliot.

"What?" Elliot said. "You just lied your age to him and made yourself seem legal in the law?" He was furious now.

Well, at least he took the part of Cole and I encountering Landon better than we expected, as I give him a sheepish smile.

❤️