The Right One

Five

Hope mentally rolled her eyes, chuckling to herself. Her mum was taking her cupid role a little too seriously. She went around the table and went to sit beside Sophie instead while the others watched the exchange with confused looks, except Sophie who knew what her mum was all about.

Hope saw the chair beside her being pulled back at the exact moment she sat. She glanced up to see Raymond settling beside her. She threw her mum a helpless look, shrugging. It was her mum's fault for not making her intentions known earlier. Her mum glared back in return, communicating clearly that she blamed it on Hope. If she hadn't attempted to take that seat in the first place, Raymond would probably have sat there instead.

Hope tsked, turning her attention to the food in front of her. That was most important at the moment and her mum's fury could take a back seat.

Angel said a quick prayer then Sophie urged them to help themselves to the food which Hope did with all pleasure.

Raymond shot her an amused look when he saw how fast she had jumped on the food. "Are you that hungry?"

Hope returned his look with a shocked one of her own. "Have you never seen me eating before? Or just delighting in the glorious presence of food?"

He shook his head no, sporting a full blown smile now.

She responded with a silly grin and with a load of smugness replied, "Well, lucky you. Today, you get a free ticket to the Hope slash food show. It'll blow your mind, trust me."

"I don't doubt that," Raymond replied, eyeing the pile of food on her plate. "Where is all the food even going?"

Hope ignored him, shoving one spoonful into her mouth. She knew she was on the slim side and didn't need a reminder. She was around 5'7 so she liked to consider herself tall although a few people might disagree. She was one of those gifted with a flat stomach so she oftentimes got remarks about how she was able to fit all the food she ate in there, which Hope found amusing at times because she didn't necessarily eat more than the average human, she only loved food more than the average human.

The table was mostly quiet after that, the clanking sound of cutleries against plate being the only sound for a while until of course, her mum decided to breach the peace.

"So Val, tell me. Are you in any relationship?" Her mum asked unexpectedly.

The question definitely caught the girl off guard as she almost choked. She immediately chugged a glass of water and Sophie took the opportunity to shoot her mum a 'really?' look. Her mum only shrugged innocently in response.

"Sorry, my dear. Drink some more water," her mum urged Val who shook her head in turn.

"I'm fine ma," Val replied. Hope's mum was looking at her eagerly, clearly awaiting a response. Val cleared her throat, "Uhm, no ma. I'm not seeing anyone at the moment."

Hope's mum hummed, pleased at the answer. She didn't say anything else as she went back to her food. There was another moment of silence until her mum spoke up again, this time not looking away from her food. "You know, Raymond is single as well."

It was Raymond's turn to choke, this time on water so he was left wheezing, trying to clear off the water that had gotten into the wrong pipe.

"Are you okay, my son?" Hope's mum asked, shooting him a concerned look.

"Really, mum?" Sophie asked. "Really?"

Her mum took on an innocent and confused expression. "What? I was just clarifying that the both of them are the only singles here."

"Only? What about Hope?" Sophie demanded.

That got Hope to shift her attention off her food as she tried with her eyes to plead with Sophie not to get her involved.