"I try my best." He replied with a smirk before adding "It is not as good as The Notebook where he climbed the wheel. That is probably why you are not fangirling right now."

I flipped him the middle finger but I smiled at him, so he knew it was light-hearted. I secretly admire his sense of humour, so he had earned the stamp of approval for me.

My best friend nudged my shoulder "You still didn't answer my question."

"What?" I replied, turning to her.

"How did your date go?"

Our table shook violently and indomitably before I could answer.

Living in Santa Monica meant that my first thought was that it was an earthquake. I quickly changed my mind when I saw the face of the man opposite me.

Stone had kicked it or punched it or his tensed body had moved it in a way. It was clear by the way he was clenching his jaw and the thunderous fury in his eyes.

I wanted to ask him who had peed in his ice cream.

Then I noticed he had not gotten an ice cream like the other two at the table. I almost let out a laugh at the idea of him with a colourful sweet treat. The rainbow sprinkles would clash with his all-black look and stern serious expression.

I ignored him like he had ignored me.

"It was fine." I answered Lana's question "I guess."

Brennan laughed and cocked his head to the side while pointing out "You are not very convincing."

"The main issue was that he never got my Great Gatsby reference." I replied before going ahead and explaining "He saw this green light in the distance and asked what it was. Naturally, I responded by calling him Old Sport. He looked at me like I was insane and that I was speaking some sort of ancient alien language."

Lana let out a small giggle "Not everyone can be as big a book nerd as you are, Ella."

"He is also away with my stuffed panda." I sighed and shook my head at the image of him running away with Pete "He better bring it to school on Monday or I will go all Kung Fu Panda on him."

I made a mock ninja pose to show how serious I was about the matter.

"You are going to carry a panda around the corridors?" Brennan questioned in disbelief "Does that not go against..."

Brennan trailed off and he did not complete the sentence as he stared at my wardrobe that consisted of a shirt, a black leather skirt and a pair of fishnets underneath.

"I could just say the teddy is for a satanic ritual." I returned.

"I'm sorry. I never meant to offend you." Brennan quickly assured me before complimenting "You look really cool."

"Oh." I said in surprise, glancing down at my hands on the table "Thank you."

A gruff noise sounded from the man opposite me that sounded like a strangled carnivorous animal.