It's a Love-Hate relationship

CHAPTER 43: I know the way to your heart is wine

Abandoning the party and driving off – with wine in our systems, mind you – to God knows where is not exactly how I pictured the night will go on. Luckily, not even one head turned to our directions when we sneaked out of the Anderson mansion and eloped with one of the several lavish cars the Andersons possessed. It took me a good five minutes to return to my senses after shamelessly gawking at the beauties in the extensive garage.

I can't promise if there was drool.

"Where are we going?" I ask, looking at Caleb driving freely, and focus my gaze on his face and not his strong arms which are now exposed due to his rolled-up sleeves. His bow tie hangs on his neck and a mischievous glint shines in his eyes. Not bothering with a reply, I sigh after he shoots me a teasing smile.

After a few minutes, we pull up to a rundown apartment – worse than mine even. Before I could pose a question, Caleb opens my door and pulls me to his side.

"No questions." With that, he pulls me by my hand and drags me inside. My eyes widen but I still don't feel like questioning him about anything.

"No orders, idiot." I murmur, glaring at him at the back of his head.

The dark stairs are hard to navigate through but Caleb's hand in mine does the job and soon enough, I'm panting as we stand in front of an apartment with a rusty door and a crooked number 15 on it. He kicks the door open and switches on the lights, leaving my eyes wide open. The apartment is empty and clean, contrary to the scene outside, with a small couch near the huge window overlooking a park. A piano sits in the far end of the room, contrasting the rest of the dull background, its pristine black lid reflecting the moonlight from the windows.

"Who lives here? And why are we here?" I look at Caleb after sufficiently scanning the room and he gets away from the door he was just leaning on.

"Mine." He pockets his hands, the corners of his mouth slowly quirking up.

"This..." I wave around and look back at him incredulously, "is yours? You're telling me this shitty apartment is yours?" I suddenly guffaw and clutch my stomach at the end, wiping off my imaginary tears.

"Nice going, Anderson."

"I'm hurt, blondie. You called my apartment shitty. It is so accommodating." He walks over to the counter and pulls open a cabinet, taking out a huge half-empty wine bottle.

"See, I know the way to your heart is wine so...how about some?" His gray eyes glinted with mischievousness and I took slow, careful steps, my mind still pondering on why he would have such an apartment when he practically lives like royalty.

"How is this yours?"

"This is my hideaway place, blondie. I come here to get away from my shitty parents or just when I want to be alone." He hands me a wine glass and walks over to the window. "The view's not bad." He smiles at me and I walk over to him, leaning on the opposite side of him.

"Why did you bring me here?" I ask him while calmly sipping on my wine even though deep inside, I can feel my heart hammering against my chest not-so-discreetly.

His gaze snaps to meet my own, studying my face as if assessing every single feature on it carefully. I gulp and try to focus on the view but his gaze is so sharp and mesmerizing that I just can't take my eyes off his. Finally, after what felt like hours, I tear my gaze away from his and gulp down the rest of my wine.

"Because I trust you." The four words are simple but yet manage to overwhelm me in an indescribable way. The annoying fluttering at the pit of my stomach starts once again and a heavy feeling settles in the air between us.