I would like to dedicate this chapter to @friskriel. Thank you for being my very first voter!
"Good evening," I greeted the waiter at Hudson Waterfront Restaurant. The restaurant looked very expensive and believe me, it was. There was a view of a gleaming stream that looked majestic in daylight and even better at night.
"Evening ma'am, what can I get you?" The waitress asked.
"A glass of virgin mojito please," I told her, "Oh and can you please check if Cara is ready to go?"
"Chef Cara Lockhart?" She asked and I nodded.
She walked away from my table. I tapped on the table looking at the expensive interior of the restaurant. The restaurant was filled with rich people using their forks and knives, dining, and unnecessarily dabbing their mouth with their napkins way too much for it to be normal.
I almost died when I saw the prices on the menu the first time I came here. I had ordered a glass of water with slices of lemon and mint along with steak and veggies but damn... I even asked if Jesus baptized the food or something because the prices were just too high, but the food did taste good though. So I guess that would explain the high pricing.
The waitress came back with my virgin mojito and a plate balancing the food on a black tray. She put the glass and plate before me and I was about to dig in when I remembered something.
"I didn't order this." I pointed to the plate with the delicious looking sandwiches on it.
"I know ma'am, Chef Lockhart says to give this to you while she gathers up her things." I nodded at the waiter. I immediately dug in as soon as she left. Whoever is going to marry Cara will be one happy fella.
A shadow stood over me interrupting my heavenly feast. I looked up to see familiar black hair paired up with emerald green eyes. Justin's brother.
It has been almost a week since that night at the masquerade ball. I still had butterflies every time I thought back to that night. The conversations, the kiss or should I say kisses, the way his hands touched me in all the right places igniting my body without him even trying. I woke up everyday with a hopeful thought that maybe I would see him again. I even went to the hospital even though I knew he was lying, just to make sure he doesn't work there. I asked Tumi but he knew nothing about a guy named Justin, with my description, who worked at Saint Jeremiah Hospital. It would have helped if I knew his surname but after day five I stopped asking because it was just weird and I was beginning to sound a bit stalker-ish.
"Hi." I greeted the guy. I felt awkward with him staring at me like I was some sort of puzzle he needed to solve.
"Hey," he continued to analyse me, "do I know you?"
Phew! He does not recognise me. The mask must have done a great job hiding my identity. Or maybe it's because I'm not wearing anything quite as revealing as that dress. I'm in blue mom jeans and a yellow polar neck sweater. Oh and my face is bare of any make-up and my blue contacts while my hair is in semi-long passion twists.
"I don't think so." I said, avoiding eye contact with him while sipping on my drink.
"No I really think I-"
"I am so sorry for being late, Lerato but at least you got free-" Cara paused looking between Justin's brother and I. Her eyes widen and I shook my head shutting down the thousands of ideas already forming in her head. Oh God!
Justin's brother eyed Cara up and down, not even trying to be discrete. Pervert. Cara is a bit short but it suited her. She has naturally tanned skin and black untameable curls, thanks to her Hispanic mother. She has an hour glass figure that many girls would die for. If I was a boy I would definitely hit that.
She moved a braid away from her face and looked at Justin's brother. "You don't have a crush on him or something?" She asked and I rolled my eyes. Typical Cara.
I sighed, "Knock yourself out." I waved at her.
"Oreo McFlurry afterwards?" She asked and I grinned.
"Cara." She introduced herself.
"Tristan."
And then... I tuned out their conversation. Once I was done with my food I literally had to drag Cara away from the guy.
"Did you see how hot he is." Cara fantasised getting into her BMW M4. In my opinion BMW's suck and Mercedes is the way to go but Cara went she-devil on my ass for saying her 'first love' sucked. So now I'm a BMW fan because I need free rides, ya know?
"Wait until you meet his brother." I muttered softly but apparently not soft enough.
"Brother?" She questioned.
Her eyes widened, "No."
"Yes."
"Shut up!" She exclaimed as she stopped at a red light.
"I know but Tristan didn't recognize me so that's a relief." I sighed.
"I think you wanted him to recognize you though."
I rolled my eyes at her. "Why would I want that?"
"Because you are hoping that Tristan will tell fake Dr Justin, whatever his surname is, that he saw you or something."
"No I don't." I argued. It is the truth. Guys like Justin are hard to deal with. If, if I were ever to date him it would be like sealing my own fate. I would be signing myself up for a shitload of stress, drama and heartbreaks. Don't forget the large amount of tissues I would have to buy because I'll be crying my ass off every time he breaks my heart.
Yeah, no thanks I think I'll live the rest of my life single than to date him. I'm not one to judge, really. I just can sense trouble when I see it. And my Spidey sense went bananas as soon as I felt his gaze from across the ballroom.
"Yes you do, you almost gave the guy your virginity for Christ's sake!" I'm no more spilling my tea to this girl.
"Green light," I told her and she drove off, "And that's a big deal because?" I rose an eyebrow at her.
Cara scoffed, "have you met yourself?"
"No offense," I really don't get this phrase, why say no offense if you're going to offend me anyway? "but you are one stubborn lady. You are uptight and what others would call a prude. As your friend I'm telling you to let loose. Have some fun, have flings and maybe break a couple of hearts." She wiggled her eyebrows in my direction before turning her eyesight back on the road.
"Karma is an ugly curse, my friend."
"You mean Karma is a bitch." She corrected me.
"Whatever, but all I know is I never cheated on my exes but they all cheated on me. Imagine if I became a cheat too, Karma will make sure I die single-"
"Or worse you'll die a virgin." Cara added with a look of horror on her face.
I glared her way as she pulled up at a Mc Donald's drive-thru.
• • •
"I still don't understand why you are picking things from the men's section." Tumi commented.
We were shopping in Manhattan before I had to move out tomorrow. Cara thought it was finally time to move out of her box-sized dorm room. After a lot of convincing I finally gave in to her pleas and decided to move into a new apartment with her. It is also a bonus that the apartment is closer to both the university and my place of work.
Tumi and Em have been acting like I'm moving thousands of miles away from them which is kind of amusing to see. It is nice to know that I am appreciated and will be missed even though I will live approximately forty minutes away from them. So Tumi suggested we go shopping like we used to do every time he came for the holidays from varsity, back home.
"They never put the best sweaters in the women's section." I told him, waving the blood red sweater with yellow cursive in my hand that I got from the women's section.
He cringed, "I see what you mean, that sweater looks like a free sweater from Mc Donald's."
I burst out laughing along with him. "I'm glad it's not mine then." I smirked, bringing a black sweater close to my chest.
Cara requested that I buy it for her after she saw it online. Cara's fashion sense was questionable but it always worked out for her. If I tried wearing this sweater I would surely look like a joke, besides the fact that I hate red clothing. Don't ask me why.
"How has school and work been lately?" Tumi asked, as I shoved two sweaters in his arms.
"School is...school. Same professors giving loads of assignments. And work is good, I guess." I sighed, thinking about my assignment sitting back at their apartment which should be handed in next week.
I made a mental note to do it as soon as I had time and not leave it for the last minute like I always do. Between varsity and my internship it's kind of time consuming.
Being an intern is hard. You have to do your work perfectly and even do other people's work for them since you are an open target but it does pay well so I don't really mind the extra work.
Then at varsity you always have assignments. When you are done with one, you are given another one and it's a never ending cycle of cruelty but I guess that is what happens when you try to live off lifelong learning.
"You don't have to work if it's too much for you sisi. I can pay your apartment, groceries and other things." Tumi offered.
I gave him a timid smile as we walked to the counter. "You are already paying for Naledi's school fees. I can handle it, I promise." I reassured him.
Naledi is our nine year old little sister. She is the most annoying thing ever but I love her to bits. Mama says I was just like her growing up but I still refuse to believe that. Naledi's is also smart like the both of us so Tumi made sure she goes to the best school in Cape Town but even then she excels far better than any of them. So she is two grades ahead of her age group and we all couldn't be prouder. The girl is going places.
"Okay." He sighed, knowing that I wouldn't give in. I liked my independence. It didn't mean I didn't ask for help when I needed it or was a stuck up bitch who didn't want to depend on anyone. I just wanted to do things by myself, my way.
I placed everything on the counter and like always Tumi paid for everything. We walked around the the streets of Manhattan looking for a place to have lunch.
We finally decided on a small retro style restaurant. We had lunch and caught up on lost time. The distance that we had between us all those two years ago seemed almost non-existent when we talked. It is nice to have my brother back. I was sick of seeing him once or twice a month through my old laptop screen. Now I finally have him close to me. I can give him a hug anytime I want and smell his comforting scent. Tumi felt like home away from home.
"I want to propose to Emerald." Tumi dropped the bomb, interrupting my thoughts. Say what now!?
I opened and closed my mouth, no words spilling out. Who would have thought that South Africa's number one player would want to marry a girl he has only been dating for six months.
"Wow brother congratulations!" I squealed, excited for him.
"Who would have thought you would get married? I honestly thought that you would wind up in hell and be the devil's sidekick." I snickered and he shoved me telling me to shut up.
"I'm happy for you, brother."
"Thank you, sis."
*****