Bittersweet Expectations (Hate at First Flight #0.5)

35. Chamomile Tea

I chuckled lightly. "I think I might have some."

"Great. Have some and make sure to take the medication for it too."

"I will, thanks." I chuckled again.

"So..." he began hesitantly, "...about the-"

"When would you like to meet?" I interceded, having decided seconds before that I should just throw caution to the wind and meet him. 

He seemed like a really sweet guy, and at the end of the day, I was just delaying the inevitable. We would either have to eventually meet up and put the name to the face or we would either just end it here and decide to move on.

And I didn't really like the second option that much.

Whatever these phone calls had become, it had been a welcome distraction from the craziness that awaited me back home with Ethan Clarke in the weeks that I had been at odds end with him.

We might have come to a much better understanding of one another now compared to back then, but it was nice to talk to Mr X about stuff without any repercussions.

And if meeting him face to face might the end of this abnormal friendship we had, at least I knew where I stood with him.

Mr X sounded like he let out a sigh of relief at my words. "And here I thought you wouldn't want to meet up, that's why you were quiet before."

"No, I didn't." Yes, I did.

"Great then. I'm ready to meet any day. It's up to you when you want to meet up. I'll move my schedule around to suit you."

"Really?" I felt my face flush at his gesture.

"Yes."

"Okay, how about next week Friday?"

After agreeing on the time and place, we ended the call, my heart still pounding deafeningly against my chest.

"So... seems like someone's got a date next week Friday."

I turned and felt my face turn the shade of a ripe tomato as both Susan and Leah smiled at me excitedly.

"What? No!"

"We're not stupid, love," Leah replied.

"You knew?" I smiled sheepishly. I didn't know that she knew anything about Mr X. I cast a questioning look at Susan who shrugged unknowingly.

"Of course I knew," she smiled. "I was a bit confused when he asked for Mary that one time I was on call, but luckily Susan caught on and took over."

I sighed in relief, wondering what would've happened had he known that I had given him my middle name instead.

"From what I've heard of him, he seems like a nice guy. But just make sure that you'll be safe. You can't know after all, he is still a stranger."

"I will," I smiled back, knowing that the restaurant we had picked was in the Upper East side and we would be with other people so it should be safe.

An hour later, Leah sat across from me in the cafe nearby, sipping on her coffee.

"How's everything at the Clarkes?" she asked.

"Okay," I replied as I sipped on my drink.

"How's Ethan?" she asked, she tried to make it sound nonchalant, but her face said otherwise. Her eyes were studying me with an intensity that made me wonder whether I was being interrogated or not.

"Ethan's... fine, I guess." I made sure to make my confusion evident on my face as I replied.

"Hmm..."