RAYA'S POV:
Walking hand in hand we get to a road that's full of takeaways from a Chinese to a pizza place, to an Indian curry house, "so what do you, fancy babe?" asks Nathan "I think we should get a pizza or a kebab or something" I say "as no night out ends at a Chinese unless you want me spewing up special chow mein all over you" I laugh so does he "it's okay these will wash" laughs Nathan "but yeah I get you no night out ends at a curry shop or a Chinese", we go into a pizza place called Valentino's, "what do you fancy I think we should get the all in one pack for £20?" says Nathan I take a takeaway menu and read what the all in one pack includes "a pizza of your choice, two kebabs, chips, 4 pieces of southern fried chicken and any dip or side" yum I think he's right with that all in one pack "so what pizza we going with?" I ask "if it was me and the boys we'd get the Mexicano but I don't know if you like jalapenos," says Nathan "not a big fan but I'm not picky I'd say the tandoori chicken pizza" I suggest "that's one of my favourites from any takeaway," says Nathan "I'd say for a side 8 onion rings" "yeah love onion rings onion blings I call them" I laugh Nathan laughs too, "but I think we should get two dips garlic mayo what would you get?" "sweet chilli" says Nathan "we'll do that then" I say "I think we've covered the basics so should we order" "yeah I'll pay seeing as you wouldn't let me pay for drinks," says Nathan cheekily "oh haha" I say sarcastically, Nathan takes the menu and goes to the till where he is speaking to this young foreign lad who only looks around the same age as Nathan I sit there watching as Nathan repeats what we've agreed on with the order "certainly sir and are you wanting to eat that here or takeaway?" says the young foreign lad in his thick accent "no we'll take out" says Nathan, looking over at me "okay then sir that'll be £21 pounds please" says the takeaway lad Nathan hands over a 20 pound note and a pound to the takeaway worker "thank you do you mind waiting 35 to 40 minutes as we can get the kebabs ready now but the pizza and the onion rings will be a while" "yeah that's fine not a problem" says Nathan "okay then" says the takeaway worker as he shouts the order to several cooks that are at the takeaway.
Nathan comes back over to me and I notice another tattoo this one on his finger it's a cross "I like the cross on your middle finger as well if I can say so?" I say "yeah sure I was a fan of This is England so my mate who's also a tattoo artist he's called Ace well that's his nickname so, me and Jordan and Jay have all had ink done by him he's got a shop in town called Ace's Arts he works there with his girlfriend and she's a tattoo artist now," says Nathan "yeah so was that a spur of the moment type of thing that cross," I say as I run my finger across his cross tattoo "sort of a spur of the moment but also as I was a tricky teenager due to my mum was in the hospital and my dad spent so much time with worrying about my mum that I used to go out with Jay, Jordan and Ace and Ace just said one day "anyone wanting a tattoo I've just learned something incredible from my uncle" so I was the big, brave Billy Big Dick who just went "I will" so sat down, Ace started warming up the needle with his lighter until it was almost black then took some ink and asked me where I wanted this tattoo and what I wanted so I told him a cross on my middle finger so I sat there endured the pain and felt the needle jabbing in and out of my skin I mean Ace was lucky I trusted him as if I didn't I'd have been out that door" explained Nathan "so you had a phobia of needles then?" I say "used to yeah but it was worth it to get the end result" said Nathan "yeah I can believe it's the same as the one on my shoulder" I say "yeah, yeah I've also got a rose on the left side of my chest with mum in scripted writing and then on my right shoulder I've got a cross with a smoky effect with you're never along in a scroll with the same writing I've got Mum in" "are you um... a religious type of person?" I ask "no but I do believe in something what about you?" asks Nathan "not really but it's not like I don't have faith and believe in something" I say "yeah" says Nathan "yeah" I say "your order sir?" says the takeaway worker bloody hell that didn't half fly by, Nathan gets up and gets the bag of kebabs, chips and dips along with the pizza box wrapped in parcel paper "thank you mate" says Nathan "see you soon pal" says the takeaway worker "see you" says Nathan and I in unison as we walk out the takeaway "so should I ring us a taxi" I say "can do get it from Excel Taxi's if you grab my phone the numbers in there" says Nathan, I reach into Nathan's pocket and pull out his phone, I turn it on the Samsung logo comes up it buzzes a little as I tap on the contacts slowly scrolling down his contacts Julian bro, Jordan Bro, Ace Bro, Jay Bro, Ruby-Ella sis, Excel taxi's there we go I tap the phone icon for call, I put the phone up to my ear and I hear the message "thank you for calling Excel Taxi Service we will have a taxi with you as soon as possible please state your location and we will be with you shortly" says the voice message "hiya right we are outside Valentino's on Kearney Street in Ashtown Town Center" I reply "yes that's fine we will be sending you a taxi in 20 minutes" says the receiver "yes that's great thank you" I say and put the phone down, putting it back in Nathan's pocket "what did they say?" asks Nathan, placing the food down on this picnic table they have outside and he sits down to light a fag, "you want one babe?" "yes and they said it'll be here in twenty minutes," I say sitting down Nathan hands me a cigarette I take it "thank you dear" Nathan lights my cigarette and I start to inhale the nicotine, the tobacco, doing that thing I usually do where I make it dance up my nose, Nathan then lights his cigarette and blows a smoke ring my way trying to impress me, I blush and take my next inhale and try to copy his smoke ring I fail but what can you do I've always blown it up to my nose like Frenchie from Grease Nathan smiles and lets out a little "ha" I just smile and blush and can't believe that this man who looks the way he does is interested in me.
Nathan then goes over to the bin with a built-in ashtray and finishes off his cigarette and stubs it out, I slowly enjoy my cigarette and stare at Nathan as if he's a mirage from a dessert as if I had a heat stroke and he's just so perfect and handsome and just the look of his arms that held me close almost 50 minutes ago the way they feel so warm and so strong and so perfect I just want to sit here and admire him always everything he is from his hair, his eyes, his lips, his beard, his arms, his body, his ass, his dress sense, his tall, handsome stature and the way his body feels so warm and how deeply mysterious he is and how open and honest he is with everything that's happened to him but at the same time why would he trust me? Like I don't know that much with mental health whereas he's seen it with his own two eyes, but me I've come from an unhappy, unstable household, with parents who if they hadn't have separated would have killed each other, an unhappy older brother who lost all hope years ago and is now away at university as that's where all the unhappy at home children go the second they turn 19 and they're usually there for several years trying to better their shitty lives that they were failed with.
As Nathan walks back over I stop staring like some creepy, annoying stalker and inhale the last few mouthfuls of cigarette smoke I can huff. "You okay Raya?" asks Nathan "yeah, I'm okay just still cold," I say "how's this for a deal?" starts Nathan "hmm," I say looking at him "how about when we get in the taxi I'll sit in the back with you, we'll have a cuddle and we'll head back to mine, eat this food can't see us getting through it all but whatever," says Nathan "yeah we'll do that," I say smiling and soon a cab shows up, "Pick up from Valentino's," says the driver "yeah that's us," says Nathan, he opens the door I have the food, that I put on the right seat as I go into the middle seat "no eating guys," says the driver "we know pal don't worry," I say to the driver, Nathan gets in and shuts the door behind him "so where you wanting to go?" asks the driver "88 Halliwell Grange," says Nathan, the taxi driver starts the engine and we soon drive off Nathan's arm is around me, my head next to his heartbeat where I should be and it still feels unreal.