How The Bad Became Beautiful

Part 44 The Meal Out/To Levi!

Raya's POV:

The taxi arrives right outside of my house, Levi, Nathan, Auntie Mollie and I get into the taxi, I sit next to Nathan and we are sat hand in hand, I just look at Nathan as Mollie does the usual taxi etiquette the whole "hey up love, how are you" as you do then just after it's the "how long you on for today?" I shake my head typical taxi etiquette, "so where you heading?" asks the taxi driver "to the Manor Brook Pub" says Mollie, the taxi driver puts the location into the sat-nav and then drives off to our location.

Eventually, the taxi drops us off at the pub "how much will that be mate?" says Levi "Levi I was going to pay" says Mollie "no auntie Mollie I'll do it" says Levi "alright then" says Mollie, I eye-roll like it's almost an infectious tic from Tourette's syndrome "how much then mate?" repeats Levi "for you mate that'll be £7" says the taxi driver  Levi hands him £10, the taxi driver then hands Levi £4 change, we then all get out of the car and make our way up to the pub.

Once we're inside the pub "right can we set a plan?" says Mollie "go on" I say "I'll pay for the first round" says Nathan "alright Nathan" says Mollie "and we'll get a table" says Levi "alright then sorted" I say as I take myself off to find a table with Mollie, Levi and Nathan when we find a cute cosy booth big enough for the 4 of us I take the far end of the table on one side of the booth near to where Nathan is going to sit, Levi is across from me with my auntie Mollie across from Nathan. "Right what drinks we having as I know what I'm having?" Says Nathan almost playfully and a tiny bit smugly "I'll have a Koppaberg and ice please babe" I say that's when Mollie comes in "I'll go with a Malibu and coke please Nathan love" says auntie Mollie "and what you having to drink mate?" Says Nathan addressing Levi "I'll have a Strongbow dark fruits," says Levi "haha great minds think alike" laughs Nathan and he goes off to get our drinks at the bar.

Whilst Nathan's at the bar me, Mollie and Levi start chatting about anything and everything and as we're talking I still can't get over those cuts that are poking through the sleeve of Levi's shirt but I try just to contribute to the conversation and ignore the cuts until I feel so much pressure I just can't "um I think I'm going to go help Nathan with the drinks" I say even though I can see Nathan's still in the queue of other local drinkers, I walk over "Nate" "hey babe thought you were waiting with your family?" says Nathan "Nate I...I've got something to tell you but I can't blurt it out here" I say as I look over at Mollie and Levi, Mollie looks so proud of everything Levi's achieving with university and it's beautiful but incredibly sad if she saw under the shirt and the skin she'd be beside herself as I am now "what's up babe?" says Nathan "just something stupid forgot what I was going to say" I say "you sure babe?" says Nathan "yeah, yeah" I say.

We move further up the line until the handsome barman with the beard and tattoos in his chequered shirt shouts "next please", Nathan and I move up toward the barman behind the bar "right so can I get two Strongbow Dark Fruits, 1 Koppaberg Strawberry and Lime right?" says Nathan "yeah that's right" I say "and a Malibu and Coke please mate" says Nathan "alright mate" says the barman, a lady bartender goes to do the two Strongbow's, the barman who has just served us cracks me open a bottle of Koppaberg and a glass with ice cubes in the glass, and then hands me my drink I take it back to the table.

When back at the table Mollie immediately says to me "hold on and where are our drinks?" "On their way," I say as I put my glass on the table before going back to the bar to get Mollie's and Levi's and then I wait for Nathan to pay the barman and then once the drinks are paid for Nathan comes back over to the table and that's when Mollie grabs her glass "right so I want to say a few words if I may," says Mollie, Levi's head is turned to the side and Nathan and I look dead ahead at Mollie "so I just wanted to say that it's always a pleasure whenever you come home Levi and here's to you Levi" "to Levi!" says Nathan and I in unison we all do cheers with our drinks and sit down, as I watch Levi sitting down he has a small smile on his face and starts sipping his Strongbow as Nathan does and then we all start to talk and have a laugh before we order food.

I take a menu and hand it to Nathan, Levi does the same "what should I have?" says Mollie as the menu is literally full of food to choose from knowing me I'd have the same old thing every time "Hunters chicken" or the "spaghetti carbonara with garlic bread and chicken added for an extra £1" "I'd probably go with the American Bad Boy Burger" says Nathan as he scanned through the menu "sounds good" I say "I'm still debating what to have" "think I'm going with the same thing Nathan" says Levi "I'll go with the lasagne" says Mollie "I'll pay for mine and Levi's Nate if you want to pay for yours and Raya's" "yeah can do" says, Nathan, I still scroll through the menu for god sake why do they make menus with so much to bloody choose from it's a wonder anyone can make a choice, "you know what I might go for a change" I say to Nathan "yeah what are you thinking babe?" says Nathan "I'm thinking an 8oz steak with chips and onion rings" I say "how do you want your steak done babe?" asks Nathan "well done" I say "yeah don't blame you that's how I'd have it" says Nathan, I watch as Nathan and Mollie go up to order our food.

Levi turns to me "Jesus Raya you're a tank" says Levi "hey not eaten all day except for a cheese toastie earlier today" I say "yeah, to be honest, I've not eaten had a cup of tea with Dad but that's as far as I've had" Levi tells me "no comment there" I say with a shrug "I know" says Levi "but what about the little ones?" I ask "they're okay Natalia doesn't come anywhere near me but Lucas, well Lucas is drawn to me like a magnet to steel, to be honest," says Levi, "I think that's really sad," I say "what can we do Raya?" says Levi "I don't know," I say with a shrug, I shake my head and try to turn the topic off "so what do you think of Nathan then?" I ask "yeah he seems decent and if he's making you happy then that's all that matters," says Levi "think you two sparked quite the bromance" I laugh "yeah he's a good lad," says Levi, just talking about everything reminds me how much I do miss Levi when he's at university and I'm so proud to call him my big brother and I'm proud of the bond we share as you get most big brothers and little sisters that hate each other's guts which is stereotypical but you know. "So what about that job interview you went for how did that go?" asks Levi "long story," I say "go on I'm all ears," says Levi "right so it went alright my interviewer was called Eleanor she must have been late 40s early 50s but yeah she was lovely, but they are wanting to give me a test run with about 5 different clients and I'll be starting on Tuesday next week after you go back from university but safe bet to say I'm looking forward to it I do get like a coach to help me in the two weeks and if I feel confident enough I can go alone or I can have the help on hand as long as I need" I explain to Levi "yeah that sounds good then," says Levi "hey it's making a difference to people's mental health and if I can do my bit with what I know then so be it I guess," I say "alright show off" laughs Levi "hey I'm modest about it" I laugh "what about the job at the care home?" "it's alright I mean yeah it's helping old people do things as well as doing their shopping and that but it's rewarding though it is really sad at times" says Levi I nod understanding what he means in a sympathic way "as there's one resident bless her she's got a form of cerebral palsy and she needs a lot of assistance with her day like she's in a wheelchair and you have to get her up with like this special apparatus, she's in nappies it's sad but it's really one of those experiences that opens your eyes to the world and makes you realise how fortunate you are" "yeah I can believe that" I say, some time later Mollie and Nathan come back from paying for the food and we all have a conversation.

Later on, our food comes, and my god it is heaven my steak is so tender to the point if it was butter it'd cut brilliantly, the way it melts in your mouth alongside the peppercorn sauce just so full of flavour mixed with the flavour of onion rings and chips aww heaven, Nathan and Levi are really enjoying their burgers to the point I have never known either of them be so quiet and Mollie enjoys her lasagne. By the end of the meal, we're all absolutely stuffed "god I think I need a smoke" says Nathan "I don't think I could Nate" I say "bloody hell not like you to pass up a cigarette Raya" says Mollie "I know" I laugh to be honest the reason I don't want a cigarette is if it spoiled the taste of that delicious, delightful taste of peppercorn steak then it would have been a joke, I sit there for a bit before saying "Nathan want a drink-buying?" "yeah go on," says Nathan "what do you fancy?" I ask "our usual," says Nathan with a wink, he gets up and takes the exit outside for a fag, I get up with Mollie, "you getting a pink gin" I laugh with Mollie "yes" laughs Mollie "why what are you getting?" "two Jack and cokes" I laugh, I look back at our table and Levi's just about to get up and go and have a chat with Nathan.