"Are you serious?" I stated the obvious. Don't get me wrong - he's a good guy. But there's only three things that I know about him and those are ; his name is Edward Collins, he's twenty three years old and he works for his father.
I can still call him an acquaintance - someone I barely know, yet that doesn't mean that I'm not interested in knowing him. I am but it's too fast. An hour ago I was at Toby's house, having a 'small talk' with him and now, he's asking me for breakfast.
Too fast .
"I am serious."
"I barely know you."
"Didn't stop you from getting in my car."
I bit my bottom lip. "Alright then but before that, I need to know more about you. Just a little bit more, something other than your name, age and job." I said, earning a smile from him.
"Like what? You have to tell me what you'd like to know!" he teased, making me roll my eyes - I lost count of how many times I've rolled my eyes when I'm with this guy. "Just start with your hobby." I said, bluntly. He tapped his chin using his index finger ; slowly thinking. "Hobby...," he muttered.
"Well, I like to collect polaroids. I must say. And I also like to walk around the town alone, that's a hobby too, right?"
"I guess so." I said, my hands reaching for my drink. "What's your hobby? You're a stranger too, you know."
"I've no hobby." I said, reaching for my bag as I took a cigarette out, making Edward eyed me. "I can smoke?" I asked.
"Didn't know you smoked."
"You don't know a lot about me."
"Neither do you." he said as he reached for a cigarette in his pocket, with his lighter also. He lighted his cigarette before moving over to mine, "Thanks." I said, before healing the addictive nicotine.
Not that I'm addicted because of 'it's nicotine' but I'm addicted with the feeling I get when my throat burns, when my lungs feels suffocated with the type of smoke it doesn't need. Well, you can call me crazy for liking that feeling.
"You sure you don't have any hobbies? I mean, not to judge but you're a girl. Sometimes morning routines can be a hobby to you." he said as he puffed out a lump of smoke from his nose.
"Alright." I said, thinking, deep into my mind. What do I enjoy doing, actually? There's nothing I enjoy doing, you can say my life is pointless.
"I like sitting in coffee shops." I blurted. "I enjoy the giddy feeling you get when you're in a cafe, alone, reading a novel. You know where no one will disturb you and you'll feel like that's the meaning of life ; peace. Plus, I like filling up my diary." I said, coughing.
"You still have a diary?"
"I do."
"Well, that's something people nowadays don't keep." he said, chuckling.
"My diary keeps me calm whenever nobody is around, you know? It's like wreck this journal, it's keeps me calm at times I need to be calm. People aren't there for you 24/7 and other people have their own worries in life. It's better to keep my worries to myself, I think." I said, hugging my legs.
"Well, you can express your worries to me." he said, reaching for my phone that was laying near me.
"No password? Well, that's a first." he said as he typed something down before calling someone as his phone started to vibrate. He handed my phone back, "I've pinned my number in your phone. You can call me anytime and I'm going to save your number." he said, saving my number on his phone.
"Thanks." I said, appreciating his kindness.
"Oh! Tell me about Jade." I said, hands playing with the lighter's flame.
"That's dangerous." Edward said as he told me stop playing with the lighter. "Jade." Edward started.
"She ran away from home and Toby decided to take good care of her so it just came to me that she's his girlfriend."
"She ran away from home?" I asked.
"Yeah, but I have no idea why, so don't ask." he said as he got up. "It's getting late, I'll send you back to Toby's house." he continued as I got up, making my way from his car.
***
"What happened here..," I muttered as Toby's house was a mess - paper cups and trash were everywhere, some people were laying around the house, some also passed out. "It's a party." Edward said, his hands buried in his pocket. "What do you expect?"
"Well, less than a mess, actually." I said, walking towards my car as Edward followed me.
"The breakfast is still on, right?" he asked.
"Sure." I said, getting onto the car as I looked at him. "Text me the place." I said, making him nod.
"See you tomorrow, I guess." he said, rubbing his nape.
"Yeah..., see you tomorrow." I said and drove away.
***
"You have a date tomorrow?"
"It's not a date."
"So, what do you want to call it? Just a normal breakfast?" Maya scoffed.
"This Edward guy isn't bad." she nodded in approval. "Oh please, he's bossy as hell." I said, laying down on my bed. "I need some sleep, I have work tomorrow. Plus, you have class, right?" I asked, looking at Maya who was texting on her phone. "Yeah, I do. Goodnight." she said as she turned the lights off.
Closing my eyes, I heard a buzz from my phone, making my eyes shot back up. Looking at my phone, Edward texted the address and name - it was Pancake House. I know that place.
***
The next day
Sitting down on a spot under the fan, I took my phone out, texting Edward that I've arrived. Keeping back my phone, the waitress gave me the menu. As I ordered, I waited for Edward by listening to my playlist. Playing with my drink, I waited for him.
After about 10 minutes, my pancake came but Edward was still nowhere to be found, making me eat slowly. I sighed and felt a little bit disappointed - how long must I feel like this?
"You don't look happy." I heard as Edward sat in front of me.
My eyes widened, "Oh, I thought you wou-,"
"You thought I wouldn't come? Oh come on, I've been waiting for this all night." he said, ordering a drink.
He was wearing his work attire - a normal work tee and pants but yet he still looked good. Unlike yesterday, his hair was styled as his hair was neater and had been pulled backwards.
"You look good." I complimented him as I took a bite from my pancake. "Thanks, you look better than me, though." he said, leaning down on his seat. "So, where are you heading after this breakfast?" he asked.
"Home, obviously."
"I'm going to grab some fruits before I go to work, come with me."
As his finger touched his lips, I looked at his hand, noticing there was a ring, on his ring finger. Taking my tea, I looked at him. "You're married?" I asked.
"More like engaged."
"I see." I said, "You didn't tell me that yesterday, when you were introducing yourself." I continued.
"Isn't something I want to talk about." he said as his drink came. "She's no one to me anyways - not worth talking about." he said, making my heart sink because maybe, she's out there thinking about him.
"Who is she?" I asked, really curious. "Her name is Kayla, she's in Italy, studying." he said, as sigh escaped his slips. "She was one of those high school love, and I was so in love, I decided that I wanted to marry her but I don't know, love fades." he said, throwing his head back.
"It's kind of awkward telling you this but I don't know, you're kind of a good listener." he gave me a compliment. "Well, I've been listening all my life." I said, trying to finish my pancake.
As I finished, I got up. "I'm going to pay." I said before he told me to sit down. "I invited you, let me pay." he said as he called the waitress to pay.
"Thanks." I said as he paid for me. Getting up, I followed him to get some fruits. "I like eating fruits." he said, making me chuckle. "Alright then. I like eating ice creams." I said, looking at him. "Plus, don't forget to send me back to the pancake house, my car is there." I reminded. "You know what, next time I'll pick you up at your house. It'll be easier." he said. "Nu-uh," I declined.
"What? You still don't trust me?"
"Nope."
"You're in my car, though."
"Shut up."
A dry chuckle left his lips as he continue on driving. A soft ring came from his iPhone as a text message came in. "Would you mind reading that for me? My password is 1910." he said as my hands went to his phone and punched in the password.
"From dad, don't forget my fruits." I said, chuckling. "I don't know, that's just so cute to me." I said, looking at him as a small smile came on his lips. "Yeah, my dad is cool and all, but not when you forget his fruits - he'll flip." he said, looking at me.
"What's his favorite fruit?"
"Well, he like oranges. Even his favorite color is orange - his soap smells like oranges for fucks sake."
I laughed, placing back his phone. "What's your favorite fruit then?"
"I like strawberries." he said, smiling.
"Well, do you have a soap that smells like strawberries? Such as strawberry shortcake products, maybe? " I wriggled my eyebrows.
He laughed before looking at me, " Well, I had."
"Oh my god!" I laughed. "Never heard that came from a guy!"
"I can't help it! It smells nice - you should wear strawberry shortcake's perfume, I'll take you out everyday." he smiled.
"Well, I'm going to ban every strawberry shortcake products from now on." I laughed as we reached the market. "I'm going to get some oranges and peaches." he said as we went to the fruit section. "Want to get some strawberries?" I teased and surprisingly, he took my hand and pulled me towards him before wrapping his hands around my body. "Don't play." he whispered, making me laugh.
"Alright, Mr. Strawberry shortcake." I laughed as I ran before he caught me again, tickling me.
"Hey! That's unfair!" I tried not to scream, but still caught almost everyone's attention. Noticing, I lightly pushed him away as we apologized for the unwanted attention. "That's what you get for being so playful."
"Shut up, twat." I said as I lightly as I hit his hand. "Did you get the oranges yet? I might get sick from the pancake I ate." I said, feeling something strange in my stomach.
"Nah, that's just a side effect for laughing too much."
"You're a doctor, now?"
"I lived longer than you, I know stuff." he said, making me scoff.
"Only two years, duh." I said while rolled my eyes.
***
Unlocking the door, I could hear Maya humming. "So, how was it?" she asked as I placed my bag.
"It was alright." I said I slowly nod my head.
"Just alright?" she asked as I sat down on the couch, exhausted.
"He's engaged, Maya. Engaged. Which means there's someone out there that loves him. I don't want to ruin their relationship." I said, sighing. "Just when I thought I could fall again, pfft."
***
hope you like it.
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stay tuned peeps 🌸