Four
1055 Words
LEONARDO’S POV
She returned back to him with a tray of Risotto Alla Milanese.
“Oh.” He said as he looked down at the food before him.
“It’s Risotto Alla Milanese.” She explained.
He smiled at her. “Yeah I’m familiar with the meal. My mother always made it.”
“Your Mother?” She said in surprise.
“Yes.” He said as he took a bite. “Why does that surprise you?”
She blushed. “Nothing.”
“No go on.” He prompted.
She blushed again. Then she easily scratched her arm. “Well I don’t want to offend you.”
“I wouldn’t be.” He said.
She hesitated for a second before speaking.
“Well it’s just that I had assumed that you are very wealthy and I never assumed that the rich cook their own meals.” She said.
He smiled. “Being wealthy doesn’t mean we all act the same. My family was entirely different. My mother made our meals for us. We had cooks and everything, but she made sure she cooked for us at least four times in a week.”
“So you do agree that you’re wealthy.” She said.
“I never denied it.” He stated.
She stood there looking at him.
“Selina!” She heard Marco calling out her name. “There are new customers.”
She turned back to him.
“I need to be on my way now.” She said to him.
Then she turned and left.
Leonardo just sat staring after her. So her name was Selina.
He took a bite of his food and smiled. There was something about this girl.
Something about her innocence. She had something that girls of her age didn’t have. She was still pure and uncorrupted.
He liked that.
He watched her serve other people their meals.
The way she laughed at them, smiled at them and reassured them of how good their meals were going to be, he felt jealous.
He was hardly ever jealous. In fact he was never jealous.
He honestly didn’t care if his women saw other men. That was probably because they never even tried it. They knew better than that.
But then here he was having a sudden feeling of jealousy for a young girl he had just met.
He watched her collect the orders and he purposely ate slowly just so that he could watch her.
Unfortunately for him, his meal finished.
She came to his table.
“Did you enjoy it?” She asked.
“I loved it.” He said. “Did you make it yourself.”
She shook her head. “No, it was our head cook in there.”
“But you can cook?” He asked her.
She nodded. “Yes.”
There was an awkward silence between them and then she smiled and handed him his bill as she picked his empty plate.
“I hope I get to see you again.” He said.
She said nothing except smile, take his plate and leave.
SELENA’S POV
By the time she had returned, she saw that he had gone and on his table, there was a single hundred euro note.
She turned around to look for him.
“Sir Your change.” She said.
But he was gone.
He had paid wayyyy more than he should have.
She returned back to the counter.
"Someone left a hundred Euro note without collecting his change."
"Really?" Lucia asked. "Was it that man that you were just talking to over there?"
"We were not talking." Selena said. "I know what you're trying to say."
"What was his order again." Marco asked from the kitchen.
"A plate of Risotto Alla Milanese and some wine." Selena replied.
"He left it for you." Lucinda said. "All these rich men coming in. Maybe one of them might be for me one day."
"It's not like that. He didn't seem like just any rich man." Selena said. "He was different."
"Are you already falling in love with him?" Lucia asked her.
"Of course not." Selena denied. "I just met the man."
"Love has nothing to do with time or date." Marco winked at her.
"This has nothing to do with love or whatever." Selina said. "Moreover I just met the man. And he didn't even ask for my name or location or whatever. I'm probably never going to see him again. I highly doubt I would."
"If he came here today, then he might come here tomorrow." Lucia said. "You never can tell."
"If I was a woman like Selena I would have all the men in Syracuse begging and crawling at my feet." Marco said.
"This is why you're not a woman." Lucia told him jokingly and he pouted.
"Enough of me please and my zero love life." Selena said. "We have hungry customers to feed."
Then she left the both of the them to their chatter and went around deriving customers.
By the time it was six it was already dark. Lucia and Marco were already preparing to leave.
"Selina we're waiting for you so we can leave together." Marco Selina shook her head. "Don't worry about me. I'll close the shop by myself."
"Are you sure darling?" Lucia asked her.
Selina smiled. "Of course I am. I'll be okay."
She pecked them goodbyes and stayed behind to close the restaurant .
She stayed to make accounts of their works. It was Friday and it was a ritual she did every week.
On Saturdays, she was not going to be in the restaurant, she was going to be at the hotel where she was worked as a hotel staff.
When she was finally done with the accounts, she closed it shut. And then had her her hair packed in a lazy ponytail, she headed off on her own.
By the time she had left the restaurant, it was to nine.
If her father were to be at home, he would have been furious. But he had traveled away to Sicily on business.
The streets were quiet and for some unknown reason, she felt very uncomfortable.
She waved it off and then she heard someone call out her name.
"Selina."
She turned around and saw Felix walking behind her.
- Writer
