"I heard you had a date today. Who is it? The roommate?", Emily asked while I waited for the drinks.
Flashback
"So you are going to act as if you don't know me?", he asked.
"Oh please. Why would I act? I really don't know you.", I said entering the kitchen with him following me behind.
"Okay fine. Let's get this done your way.", he paused holding out his hand.
"Liam Sanders. And you?
I rolled my eyes at that, nevertheless, held his hand.
"Tanya Walter."
"Nice meeting you, Ms Walter. Let's make some great memories."
"Not happy meeting you.", I said taking out my hand from his hold.
"Hell, no. who would go out with him? And it isn't a date. It is just a friendly dinner. It is one of my classmate.", I said.
"Classmate, roommate, some mate. Here you go. Your customers are waiting.", she said placing the drinks and pushing me out before I could respond.
I gave the drinks to the customers and went ahead and brought their bills after they confirmed that didn't want anything else.
It was eight in the evening now and Gabel will be here anytime.
At exactly, 8:10 Gabel came in. He was wearing a blue t-shirt and black tracks. I removed my apron and went ahead to the table I had reserved.
"Hi. You look good.", he said as soon as I sat down.
"What is good looking in this? I am just wearing the uniform. Now stop with your shot at flirting. Let's order. I'm starving.", I said and called over for one of my co-workers.
"Well it was worth trying.", he muttered while John made his way towards us.
"How may I help you, ma'am?", he asked with a smile on his face.
"Well, bring us the best you have.", I ordered putting down the menu.
"Of course, I will be right back with your dinner. Would you like some drinks before that?", he asked noting down in his notepad.
"Just water will do.", I said returning the menu card back to him.
"Yeah, never mind about me.", Gabel muttered when John went away with the order I had given.
"Don't sulk, big baby.", I said while sipping on my water.
Soon enough our food was served. I adjusted my chair a little closer to the table and dug in. All the while we kept talking about random things.
Gabel was my classmate in automobile workshop. Any doubt, I always ask him. He doesn't look like a nerd at all. He has the looks of the jock and the brains of the nerd. Surprising right? Even I doubted him at first when he behaved as though he knew what he was doing. But later he proved me wrong. He also happens to be a competitor of mine, big time.
"I come looking for you to call you for dinner, only to see that you are already enjoying a meal with someone.", a voice said from behind me.
"I never asked for you to care for me."
Flashback
"Home sweet home.", he called out after successfully getting all his things in.
I sat there flipping through the channels while sipping on iced tea.
"Can I have some?", he asked stretching his hand for my drink.
"Get your own.", I said slapping away his hand.
He pouted a little before going to get his own after seeing that I wasn't going to give in.
~Two days later~
"Sweetheart, I made you breakfast."
"Babe, lunch is ready."
"Love, I made your favorite for dinner."
He has been up to this since yesterday. I rolled my eyes at him before moving past him to make myself dinner.
When I reached the counter, I caught whiff of the steamy hot mac 'n' cheese on the stove.
"It's not going to break you to have the food I made. And wipe your drool. I will bring it to the table, bring the plates.", he said taking the food to the dining table.
I took a plate and went ahead to the table.
"Are you still not going to eat my food? Oh, come on. Go bring a plate for yourself and eat.", he said seeing that I had brought only one plate.
"What do you mean bring myself a plate? This is for me.", I said sitting on the chair and piling my plate before taking a mouthful.
"What?" "Mmm", I moaned at the heavenly taste melted in my mouth, cutting short his words.
"See wasn't that bad, right?", he asked with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.
"Just because I eat the food you made doesn't mean I forgive you or that we are anything more than roommates.", I said with narrowed eyes before continuing to eat.
"And what exactly is it that I want us to be?", he said coming next to me.
"Of course, friends.", I said a little flustered having him next to me.
"Exactly, what I don't have in mind. I want to us to be more than that.", he whispered the last part in my ear.
"Are you indirectly hitting on me?", I asked leaning back from him.
"Oh, no. I am doing it directly.", he said pecking my cheek before getting himself a plate.
He continued making food and trying to flirt me every day. For a few days, I ate only when I couldn't resist it and did not bother the other times. But then, I gave in and started eating everything he made. I didn't want the food to go waste and he was a good chef.
"Why aren't you getting yourself a degree in cooking?", I asked one day.
He motioned for me to come closer, which I did.
"Because, I don't want anyone and everyone tasting my food.", he whispered making me sit back in my original position instantly, flustered.
He smirked at that and continued eating.
Never after that did I take up the topic.
"Boyfriend?", Gabel asked eyeing us.
"No." "To-be"
He and I said at the same time, causing Gabel to chuckle.
"Fuck off", I said flipping him the bird.
"I have got two.", he said showing me the finger in both his hands.
"I got too.", I said lifting the other hand on my lap, which was a big mistake.
The hand was under the table and when I took it in a hurry, I knocked over the glass of water, making Gabel's clothes wet.
"Shit.", Gabel and I said at the same time.
"Let me help you.", I said reaching for his t-shirt with a tissue. But before I could clean it, Liam grabbed it from my hand doing it himself.
"It's fine. I can do it by myself. I will be back.", Gabel excused himself taking a few tissues in hand.
"What exactly do you want?", I asked frustrated.
"Everything fine there Tanya?", John asked from a few tables away.
"Yep, all good.", I said before turning back to Liam.
"Well, friends?", he asked holding out hand.
"Do you really think I want to be friends with someone who just ruined my date?", I asked crossing my arms.
"Well, not my mistake. I was waiting for you while you were here enjoying yourself. Serves you right.", he said taking back his hands and sticking out his tongue.
Gabel came back after a few minutes with his clothes almost dry.
"I'm so sorry about it."
"It's fine, it was just a mistake. And mistake always happens.", he said smiling.
"Exactly, my point.", Liam muttered from beside me.
"Are you not leaving yet?" "Do you want to join us?"
Gabel and I spoke the same time.
"With pleasure.", he answered completely ignoring my question and taking himself a chair from the next table.
"Don't you have food that you have already made at home?", I asked when he ordered for him.
"Now that I think about it, I didn't make any.", he said shrugging.
What the actual fuck?