A Nightmare's Fate

Little Fred's

Chapter Fifteen: Little Fred's

Lunch began as I agreed to a get-together with Errik. I'm in a long-sleeved shirt with a hoodie to keep me warm and jeans. I also put my hair up in a messy bun, just for the heck of it. It isn’t like I need to impress anyone here.

            I reach the restaurant named Little Fred's and step in. I didn't pick the place, Errik did, and sadly, I really don't want to be here because Periwinkle owns the restaurant and I haven't talked to her and or the others in four days.

            The door that leads inside the restaurant with the host, opens, revealing Errik in a handsome suit and tie. He doesn't say anything, all he does is smiles and escorts me to our table. I sit down first and he pushes my chair in then goes to the other side to seat himself. A bottle of wine is already on the table with menus.

            A waiter comes and pours our glasses with red wine. When he leaves, I look around to the beautiful scenery. Each table has a white cloth on it with candles in the middle and a red rose. There's a small water fountain in the middle of the restaurant and a Greek statue stands in the middle. The walls are painted white and the carpet is a dark brown color, the foyer with the fountain is plain, white tiles.

            "You look . . . uh . . . pretty?" Errik looks me up and down.

            I smile and say, "This is lunch, not dinner. I don't understand why we have to go to a fancy place just for lunch." I raise my eyebrows. Besides it isn't a date, so why would I get all dressed up? This is so we can get to know each other, not to kiss or what not. I think it's best for me to do this, to get Kenton out of my mind for a while.

            After we order our food, he starts a new subject. "So, how are ya?" He claps his palms together and takes a deep breath, slightly smiling.

            I don't know how to respond. I'm not okay, but how can I tell a stranger that? How can I look at him and say that I'm not okay and my life is in ruins? It's something that should be hidden from a stranger until I can verify that we are close enough that I can tell him. But what do I say?

            "I'm good," I lie, scrunching up my nose and giving him a smirk. I hope it worked, that the fake smile and lie held in place. "What about you?" I ask, placing my knuckles underneath my chin.

            His face goes sour and I can tell by it that he doesn't want that question to be answered. But why? I didn't want to answer his question yet I did, but I lied to him. I wonder why he would ask something that he knows that it will go vise-versa to him. Does he assume that I won't ask how he is? What is going through his mind when I ask him it?

            Finally, his lips purses and nods. "I'm doing all right but at least I'm living."

            It's quiet for a few moments until I ask another question. "So, are you stalking me?"

            He smiles and shakes his head. "No." He laughs. "Wherever I am you are."

            "Don't you mean 'wherever I'm at, you seem to follow me'?" I smile, trying my best to act like I'm having a good time and that nothing is wrong. Though, I don't want to think about life for a moment, I want to be here and have a connection between Errik and myself. No more thoughts about depression, about alcohol, about my mother, about my somewhat friends, about my father, about Kenton.

            "I don't stalk people; I'm not that guy. It's . . ." He shakes his head, looking at the table. "It's . . ." Finally he looks to me. "As if fate brought us together." He smiles.