Captivation Want Nothing But You by Adolf Dunne
Rachel’s eyes appeared really unemotional. “I think you have got the wrong person, sir.” Wallace looked
at her, his gaze firm and penetrating. He neither responded nor moved. Then, he grabbed her wrist with
great strength. After struggling for a while, Rachel still couldn’t withdraw her hand. “Sir, please let go of
me!” she said in a serious tone. A waiter came over in a hurry. “Sir, is there any misunderstanding?”
At this time, another customer pushed the door open, and the wind bell rang. The tintinnabulation made
Wallace to his senses. His eyes ran a quick check on the waiter and Rachel. After realizing what he had
just done, he loosened his grip at once. “I… I’m sorry,” he stuttered “It’s okay,” Rachel said indifferently
before walking past him to her seat. Wallace looked down at his hand that held her wrist only a moment
ago.
He could still feel the warmth of her skin. She had a faint but captivating fragrance, which was very
familiar to him. Prior to perceiving it on her, he had smelled it from Shelia. His gaze remained fixed on
Rachel’s rear view. He was lost in thoughts again. Apart from the fact that both of them smelled exactly
the same, she also liked to order coffee with two ice cubes and lemon juice, just like Shelia. Was it a
mere coincidence?
Rachel sat down, propping her hands on the table while staring at something outside the window.
Wallace felt his heart skip a beat. He was so drawn to her such that it proved difficult to restrain his legs
from moving. Before fully understanding what had come over him, he was already standing next to
Rachel. “You…” Wallace moved his lips and wanted to ask something, but he could not find the words to
describe what he was feeling. Rachel had already seen his reflection through the window. She was not
surprised by his existence.
On hearing his voice, she turned around and said unhappily, “Sir, you must be mistaking me for someone
else. My name is not Shelia.” “Sorry, it wasn’t my intention to hurt you earlier. Hope I didn’t? Wallace said
to her in a bid to ease himself of the tension. “Not at all.” As soon as Rachel finished speaking, the waiter
brought her order. Then, she poured the lemon juice on the ice cubes, broke them into pieces, and put
some into her mouth.
Rachel was still doing exactly the same thing that Shelia used to do. This left Wallace stunned once
more. “Excuse me, sir, what else can I do for you?” “Nothing!” Wallace’s eyes fell on her drink again. “But
if I may ask, why do you pour the lemon juice on the ice cubes?” “Is there any problem with that?”
Rachel asked frivolously. “Not really! I just didn’t expect…” “You didn’t expect that there would be
someone with such a weird taste like me. Is that it? Well, perhaps I should bring it to your notice that you
seem to care a little too much about me.” Rachel was quick to interrupt him.
“Sorry about that! I didn’t mean to pry. You just remind me strongly of an old friend.” Wallace noticed the
displeasure on Rachel’s face. This made him explain even further. “You have a lot in common.” “An old
friend you say?” Rachel cast an intentional gaze at him. His heart trembled when Wallace saw how clear
her eyes were. He didn’t know why, but a feeling of being seen through and a sense of invisible pressure
suddenly haunted him. “Yes!”
Wallace did his best to avoid her gaze. 2 “So, your old friend, where is she now?” Rachel asked him
rather flippantly. “She…” Wallace paused for a second. “Sadly, she passed away. That’s why I couldn’t
help grabbing your hand. It was a very impulsive reaction on my part, given that you reminded me of her
so much. I’m sorry that I scared you.” “I see.” 1 Wallace feigned a smile and was about to say something
more when Rachel asked, “Do you mind telling me how she died?”
She maintained her firm gaze at him. On the other hand, Wallace’s mood changed slightly, “She…” “You
don’t have to reply if you don’t want to talk about it. I was just asking casually,” Rachel said. “But I think
you shouldn’t do what you did next time you stumble across someone like her.” Wallace was stunned by
the comment. His mouth opened. But he was short of words. “It’s just my honest opinion. Not everyone
might be as easy-going as me.
So you may just get yourself beaten up.” After she was done talking, Rachel stood up and was about to
leave. Somehow, Wallace blocked her way again. “What is it now?” Rachel looked at him in utter
confusion. “She fell sick! Then, she died of a serious illness,” Wallace answered. “It’s my treat, alright?
Kindly give the privilege to apologize properly as regards my unruly behavior earlier.” “If you insist. It’s a
cheap apology though.” Rachel had a smile on her face.
Having noticed the favorable change in her countenance, Wallace also smiled and said, “Then, you
wouldn’t mind ordering some more, would you?” Rachel pretended to be hesitant. She took a peek at the
time on the screen and said reluctantly, “You really do insist, don’t you?” Both of them sat face to face.
Wallace waved to the waiter and handed her the menu. “Yes, I do. Now, you have to make
an order.”
Rachel gave the menu back to the waiter without even looking at it. “Bring us the most expensive and
delicious desserts here.” “Miss, we have more than ten different specialties. Are you sure you want all of
them?” Rachel then looked at Wallace. Wallace understood exactly what the look meant. “Yes, all of
them,” he said. The waiter smiled and said, “Okay, as you please.” Wallace looked at Rachel and asked,
“Will you be able to finish them all up?” “I can pack the rest up, can’t I?” Rachel took a sip of warm water.
“Or do you mind if I do that?”
“Of course not! If you think it’s not enough, you are free to order some more.” “Aren’t you afraid that I
might just keep ordering till you go bankrupt?” Rachel glanced at the computer bag beside his leg. There
was a smile on her face. “I won’t hesitate to go bankrupt for a beauty like you.
Actually, it would be an honor!” On hearing the statement, she sneered inwardly. ‘I didn’t know he was so
glib.’ If he had said such words when he was trying to get her attention, she would have refused without
thinking twice. There was a widespread saying about women being born actors. But men should also be
included.
“Is that what you say to any woman you meet?” Rachel asked and leaned back. “Of course not! I mean it
for real.” In fact, Wallace could not say what was wrong with him. He was very aware of the fact that the
person in front of him was not Shelia. But something in him still wanted to spend some time with her. She
and Shelia had so much in common, ranging from their habits to the way they talked. Shelia had died.
She was the person he loved and hated the most. There were times when something in him had hoped
for her to die. But when she really did, his whole being felt an irreparable loss. Not for once did she ever
say she loved him. She never looked at him in the eye! This contradictory emotion had been suppressed
in his heart for a long time. He had been unable to eliminate it.
Wallace was pulled out of the depth of his thoughts when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID, and
it was Tara. It ought to be because she didn’t see him after coming out of the ladies’ room. A frown soon
appeared on his face when he looked at the name on the screen. Still, the call was left unattended to.
“Aren’t you going to take your call?”
Rachel looked at him. She then saw Tara who had a phone placed close to her ear, just by the door.
Wallace muted the phone. “It’s only a crank call!” “Oh! If you say so.” After a while, the order was served.
Soon, the table was filled with all kinds of desserts and drinks. Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel
glanced at Tara, who was still busy making phone calls to Wallace. And a smile appeared on her face.
There was an awkward clinking sound.
She loosened her hand and a fork fell to the floor. “I’ll just go get another one,” Rachel said and excused
herself. Tara kept calling until Wallace grew really impatient. But he didn’t want the lady in front of him to
go get the fork herself. So he stopped her. “I’ll go. Just sit and have something to drink.” Rachel’s steady
glance remained focused on him. She was silent for a while. “Okay.” Then, she took her seat again.
Wallace smiled at her before turning to the checkout counter.
As soon as he was no longer looking, the smile on Rachel’s face disappeared, and her face turned cold.
She quickly stood up, went to Wallace’s seat and opened his computer bag. Thereafter, a small piece of
unremarkable chip was placed at the bottom of his laptop. The whole process was finished in less than
ten seconds.
Soon, Wallace came back with a fork in his hand. “Here is another fork.” He handed it over to Rachel.
“Thank you very much.” Rachel smiled at him and was about to take it when someone else’s hand
suddenly stopped her and knocked off the fork. “What are you doing?” Tara asked in a very angry tone.
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