I immediately fall in love with it as soon as we enter.
Marine Colours is a new restaurant inaugurated only about a month ago. It is suited for both family dinners and casual business dinners. Instead of chairs around the tables, there are comfortable cushioned sofas. The atmosphere is upbeat, filled with chatter and a low tune filled the air. A few cries of infants can be heard and waiters swerving around families and children can be seen.
The scent of different spices and the aroma of food enter my nostrils and my knees almost buckle at the salivating odours.
Damn! We better find a table soon.
A waitress ushers us to an empty table and a man who looks to be in his early thirties, takes our order.
As the waiter moves away, I take another look at the cosy restaurant, sinking into my seat. We rarely get to eat from outside, therefore it's always a treat when we do. As a food lover, I always look forward to these little treats.
One more reason to love these outings is that these are the only times that my parents don't breathe down my neck about my body and weight. It is as if there is this weird agreement between both of them that they should never badger me when we go to restaurants, letting me eat in peace and I am always thankful for those little respites.
As we wait for the food to arrive, I observe the atmosphere around us. People-watching is one of my favorite pass times whenever I go out in the public. Especially during times like these when my parents wouldn't let my brother and I touch our respective electronics. I notice that most present here are with their families, just like us. I notice a few students too, chatting and laughing with their group of friends. I feel a twinge of jealousy when I hear a group of girls next to our table laugh loudly at some joke that I would never be in on.
I've never gone out with any of my friends, if you can even call them that. We strictly had those inside-the-school-only friendships. My mom usually invites them for dinner, whenever she finds out that I got a new friend, and sometimes we even talk on the phone, which is very rare, and that's it. That's where our friendships end.
My friendships never lasted too long. Sometimes, I question if they were actual friendships or if I was just someone in-between to be with until they got more permanent friends. It's as if I'm some kind of transitional material.
I always wonder if it's my fault that I can never keep a friendship.
The food is set in front of us and all thoughts fly out of my mind as I focus all my attention on the deliciousness in front of me, and tune in to the small talk around the table, with my family.
§§§~§§§
"The food was delicious!" My mom exclaims as she slides gracefully onto her chair after she comes back from washing her hands, wiping her mouth gingerly with a tissue.
I nod in agreement, my near to bursting stomach the proof.
I struggle to get up with my full stomach, my mother rolling her eyes at my theatrics. I grin at her as I make my own way to the restroom.
As I walk back to our table, I admire the intricate handiwork on the ceiling. I have always been fascinated by art and would take any chance to glance at one. Unfortunately, I didn't get the talent. I am suddenly jerked to a stop by a small tug at the top of my top. I look back down to see the end of my loose, lace top caught in the button of someone's shirt.
I look up to see a boy that I have seen around school, but don't know much about. I can definitely appreciate his looks, though. He is good-looking in a nondescript sort of way, with midnight black hair and a lighter shade of eyes. He looks almost skinny, but I can see the hint of a slightly toned arm through his half sleeve shirt. He is what I would have called cute.
"Sorry," I apologize as I move to untangle my shirt from his, slightly embarrassed to be caught in a stupid position with a cute guy.
Way to make a good first impression!
Though, I'm not even sure I am going to see him again. But still.
"It's okay." I notice that he is unnaturally still.
What the hell?!
While trying to untangle the damn piece of lace, I look up at him to see that he is staring at a place ahead of him, over the top of my head. I follow his line of vision and notice two boys and a girl, sitting a few tables away, watching us. I'm too far away to see their expressions, but they made no move to be discreet about the fact that they're focused on us. Knowing that I'm their centre of attention, I increase my efforts, which result in tangling them even more. I growl lowly in frustration.
Ugh, I'm never gonna wear lace again. Ever in my life.
"I'm so sorry," I keep apologizing as finally, finally, I succeed in my mission.
I mentally high-five myself.
I move to get the hell out of this place, not seeing any reason to stay longer. Could it get any more awkward? First of all, my damn top got stuck. And I couldn't even tug the piece out! I shake my head at myself.
"Do you go to Darring Dale High?" he asks, which stops me right in my tracks to freedom.
Swallowing my embarrassment, I gave him a small smile and a nod. To be honest, I'm surprised he even recognized my face. I'm pretty inconspicuous.
Slightly more confident, he extends his hand with a small, unsure smile of his own. "Brent."
"Liyana," I reply happily. His hand envelopes mine and a warm feeling enters my system.
After all, it's not everyday that a good-looking guy notices me and gives me a handshake.
"See you around?"
"Sure," I say, not believing it for a moment. Most likely, he would forget about me as soon as he is back with his friends.
As I walk back to our table, hope nags at my mine. Maybe, just maybe, we can become friends.
I hope so.
Because he is definitely cute.
