This Heart of Mine

Ch. 24: Prequel to the Drunk

Too soon, she felt, they drove into town and got out. It was a busy Saturday night; everyone was either going to the concert series or enjoying time with friends and family.

Moon Moon was packed as usual. The restaurant was a go-to place for many of the city workers, essential peoples and families that didn't want to deal with their kids. As Ian and she walked in, some munchkins screamed like banshees, tearing up their coloring pages and crayons in a cloud of fury.

Deme stared around her restaurant like a politician whose rally had gone haywire, as if she were rethinking about being in the food business. Her eyes brightened up when she saw them though. "Hey you two! What can I get y'all?"

Ian turned to Naina. She ordered a watermelon margarita, hoping that minute amount of alcohol in it, combined with a hefty burrito would allow her to not get drunk that night.

Because she did not want to get drunk. Especially around this man. Knowing that he liked her meant the last thing he needed to see was her weird side.

He ordered a beer and the burger platter, complete with fries and a spicy ranch.

They found a small booth tucked away in the back, miraculously clean and untaken. He slid into the seat across from her, spreading his legs so they wouldn't get smooshed to one side.

Naina's eyes kept darting to where his foot rested. His slacks brushed up against her legs, sending sparks of heat and confusion across all her sensitive parts.

When the waiter came by, he dropped down something that definitely wasn't the margarita she'd ordered. It was the pretty pink she remembered, but the tall glass resembled a Long Island Tea. It was too huge to be a small drink.

"Um, I don't think this is mine," she mumbled to the server.

The derision in the young man's voice was clear; the extrovert in her ducked back into her brain. "Yeah, that won't work on me. You ordered this; you drink it."

Ian's eyebrows furrowed and his tone had an underlying warning as he glowered at the college student. "Hey, there's no need to talk to her like that."

The server immediately became apologetic. "I'm sorry for that, sir and madam. I was told to bring it to this table. I'll go check to make sure I didn't bring the wrong one."

They watched the guy walk away and Ian turned back to her. He frowned at the drink, like it'd offended him somehow. "Should I go talk to Deme?"

She shook her head. "No, don't worry about it. Maybe she ran out of margarita glasses."

It was sweet and reminded her of the taffy candy she loved so much. There was barely any alcohol; no bitter taste burned the back of her throat. She guzzled half of it before the burrito arrived.

Something was off though. The burritos were usually amazing, but this time, they were out of this world awesome. The guac was way too smooth and the rice and beans were blending so perfectly, she actually moaned a bit. The spicy sauce had hints of sweetness to it, slapping heat onto her tongue and throat.

Ian's mouth hung wide open; even though he held the burger in front of it, he wasn't biting it. "You alright?"

His voice had a certain hoarseness that she'd never heard. It was as if the shocked expression on his face had pierced his vocal cords.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she muttered. Dizziness started clouding the back of her head and she finished off the rest of her drink.

"Sorry ma'am!" The server from earlier hurried to their table, sounding loud even in the noisy restaurant. "I had the wrong—oh, you finished off the other one? That's alright, it won't go on the tab."

He took the glass away, staring at it oddly, as if he wondered how she'd finished it so fast.

The actual watermelon margarita, which had cut up pieces of candy floating on the top, had melted. She downed it too and took another huge bite of the burrito. Naina rocked side-to-side slowly, trying to dance with her food.

"Are you drunk?" Ian's voice came through the crowd slowly and she squinted her eyes to hear him better. His smirk hit her in the stomach, and she shook her head wildly from side to side.

"No, I'm not." She pouted and harrumphed. Naina finished off the rest of the burrito and licked her fingers, which were now coated in guac and beans. "Why would you think that? Am I being weird?"

"Do you think you are?"

The image of him blurred; he now looked like a white and black blob.

"I'm not drunk," she repeated. "I'm fine, now let's head out."

As she got up, she wobbled and fell down into her seat. Clutching the sides of the booth for support, she managed to stand up properly.

Ian, whose smile stretched across widely, said, "Just sit down, I'll come and get you, okay?"

He wiped something away from the side of her mouth, pressing a sensitive point that sent shivers rumbling across the right length of her body.

She nodded slowly and ended up leaning on the booth's back cushion. The smell of the fast food, laughter of the ladies nearby and the cool breeze from the air conditioning all hit her at the same time. Sensory overload backed up her ears and brain and she half-groaned, rubbing into her temples until the spots were sore.

"What's wrong?" Ian was at her side again. He stuffed a receipt into his pocket and held onto her arm as Naina got out of the booth.

"Nothing," she mumbled. She clutched it as they walked out. Well, she stumbled out; his legs worked fine.

A cool summer breeze ruffled her, and goosebumps erupted across her arms. She held onto him tighter; he added a little warmth that her loose top did not permit.

"What, you want a hug?" he asked. The smile in his voice washed over her, imbibing her heart with confidence.

Without answering, she hugged him tightly and rested her cheek against his chest.

~~~

Drinking is fun...in moderation. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'll be posting the next one this Saturday :)

If you can, please leave some feedback and a vote XD