the not so romantic / simon minter

06

White creme walls feel so suffocating; as if the walls are slowly closing in, ready to crush anything between its path. But that feeling, she knows it. She knows it too well, and it's bubbling, bubbling, bubbling--foaming when it finally pops. She's tired of waiting.

The waiter offers her a glass or rosé wine. She takes it kindly and sips on it as she looks around, tirelessly, once more. This time noting two waiters pulling a table against the one she was sitting at, and then pulling chairs up under it.

Maggie combs her fingers through hair, taking a drink of her wine, lifting her eyebrows at Dominic once he enters the restaurant as he's putting his phone away in his pocket.

"So much is happening right now. It's one of the busiest times of the year for us, you know. Having to meet a quota by the end of September, getting books out to retail stores..." He drags on, and she puts her hands under her chin.

Of course she knows all that.

"So, I guess a quiet night out with just us is out of the question?" She asks indignantly. "It can never be just a moment between us, can it?"

"Magpie," she visibly cringes. He changes his tone, softer, even more demeaning. "Maggie, listen, it's just business."

"You can't mix business with pleasure." She adds, standing up, grabbing her red clutch. "I have to make a phone call."

"You'll come back, Maggie." He says, then he purposefully questions. "Won't you, Maggie?"

They both stare at each other, until she breaks eye contact, an unwelcome tingling feeling travelling down her spine.

The red dress she wears rubs softly against her thighs as she walks out the building. It isn't until she's out there that she realizes the weather had gotten colder during night time, recently, and had wondered if Dominic would give her his coat to borrow.

She wondered, would he give it to her without question?

A breeze rushed past her, cooling her skin, and blowing her hair back off her shoulders. Dialling her parents, she leaned against the brick building for support as it rang.

First ring.

Second ring.

Third ring.

Voicemail.

She tries again, and gets the same thing. Tries their cellphones before giving up. She stuffs her phone back in her clutch.

Maggie thought about going in, since she was feeling a little chilly, but felt transfixed at a lady, who was very flamboyant in her gestures--and wore a emerald feather boa, and a dress that fell all the way to her feet, with a cigarette pressed against her painted lips--she looked like a character from the Great Gatsby novel.

"Hey, Maggie. You in there?"

Blinking a few times, Maggie presses her fingers against her lips--almost as if she was the one who was smoking, she can taste it against her tongue. She smiles. "Hello, Simon, Josh. Hello, to the rest of you."

"You look dressed up." Simon inquires, his eyes running down her body, but lingering against her collarbone where the hickey is before he looks back up at her. "All dressed in red."

"That's Simon's favourite colour, by the way." One of them echoes, his voice carrying down the sidewalk as he breaks into laughter.

Someone hits his side, and he feigns injured. The boy who hit him runs his fingers through his wind-blown blond hair. "That awful specimen is JJ, and I'm Harry."

"Very observant, Simon." She laughs, ignoring JJ's comment; and moving over so Simon can lean against the wall beside her. "I guess I'm dining with all eight of you tonight. How nice."

"I sense a bit of sarcasm." A small black haired, brown-skinned boy, with a white shirt, and hefty black sweater, comments. "I'm Vik, by the way--and how are you not fucking freezing?!"

Maggie laughs, rubbing her hands against her arms. "I was gonna head back in, but you lot came; and I'm too polite not to say I'm freezing my arse off."

"Let's go in," a tall one replies, and he's got skin that reminds her of espresso, and he's wearing a hat, and a jacket over his sweater. "I don't think Mr. Waters would be happy if we got you sick."

"I don't think that guy's happy at all." Another mumbles, this time JJ whacks him on the back before stifling his laugh.

"Ethan, shut it." Simon replies, opening the door for all of them to go through, and waiting for Maggie to walk in. "I've got a hoodie in my jacket if you want to wear it--to you know," he clears his voice, scratching the back of his neck. "to warm up."

Maggie tries to hold back the grin. But it's plastered against her face, and her question from earlier gets answered.

Would Dominic give her his jacket without question? Maybe. But Simon was kind enough to offer her twice without hesitation.

"What are you grinning about? Did I say something funny?"

She shakes her head. "No, I just had a thought."

"..., and a penny isn't good enough for them." He replies, and she looks at him, and he's got the biggest smirk on his lips.