The Mafia's Forbidden Bet

Chapter 5—The Trip

As we walked, Aunt Beth and Aunt Corazon walked ahead. Ela is holding my hand and her face still shows the blushing and excitement she felt just before. It's like she's out of her body and her smile is constant.

"Benjamin is handsome, isn't he?"

"Yes," she said.

I smiled and she realized what she said. She hit me on the shoulder and looked me in the eye, also looking at my aunt and her mother because if they might have heard something. Aunt Beth and Aunt Corazon just walked straight ahead.

I couldn't stop my laughter and it suddenly got louder. Aunt Corazon looked at us and asked.

"What are you two laughing at?" Aunt Corazon asked.

We both just shook our heads, smile and continued walking.

We continued walking towards a pet store. Because Aunt Beth likes to raise fish, she buys fish and fish meals. She has many pet fish in her house. Aunt Beth was really fond of fish when she was young. Aunt Corazon bought food for her bird, because she also likes it. She has three pet birds in her house.

After that we went to the food court, because we will eat there. Aunt Beth instructed us that Ela and I should order our food. When we got there and there were a lot of people, we waited patiently.

While waiting I couldn't stop looking at a young man working in that food court. He seems familiar to me because he is wearing a mask so his eyes are so familiar.

"Look at that man? He seems familiar to me? Like I know him? Like I've seen him before?"

"That's Eric. The guy in front of our gate, who cleans up the trash. You're the one who wished me good afternoon," she said.

"Ahh. That's why he seems familiar to me, huh," I said.

It made me think. He's really hardworking. I turned to the table and saw some youth who were excited while ordering and looking at him. It can't be denied that many women will really be thrilled with him because of the strength of his involvement. But why can't I stop looking at him?

When we were the next to order, he was the next one to take the customer's order.

"Good afternoon Ela and your beautiful young lady. What will you order?"

"Four shakes. Miedge, what flavor is your shake?" Ela asked.

"Because I like mango, I'll just have a mango shake," I said.

"A mango shake for Miedge, a strawberry shake for me and two chocolate shakes for Mom and Aunt because they like that," she said.

"Just wait a minute, young ladies. Just be patient in waiting," he said with a smile in his eyes.

We went to Tita's table and sat down, we waited for the shakes we ordered.

I always tip the waiters who bring food to my table, but just now I felt ashamed to give it, but I didn't shake my shame. I'm known for being nice about things like that. I was recently in the news because I tipped a waiter and a television reporter videotaped it. So me and my family are better known in the country.

I took money out of my bag and the order arrived right away.

"Ma'am, this is your order," the waiter said.

Eric put the shakes on the table. I was about to give the tip but my heart was beating faster, I sneezed and knew why I was shaking. So that I wouldn't be embarrassed to give him a tip, I just put it on the big plate that he put our shakes in that he was holding in his hand.

I didn't look him in the eye, I just bowed. Things got even more awkward because he wondered where the money was placed.

"Miss? Miss beautiful? The shake has already been paid for, Ela has already paid," he said while wondering.

What am I doing, why am I doing this? That's all my mind said, but my heart was beating faster and faster, and my hands were shaking. It's just now that I'm doing this.

I looked him in the eyes for a second and bowed again and said 'that's my tip, take it'. I can't really look into his eyes for a long time because I'm so embarrassed. What I would feel was strange, like I was thrilled scared and traumatized as he approached,but when he walks away and doesn't look at me, I never get tired of looking at his face.

"Thank you Miss beautiful, " he said and laughed modestly.

I realized that he was still there by my side and hadn't left yet. I smiled but didn't look at his face.

Ela held my hand and realized that I was shivering from the cold.

"Does your head hurt Besh? Eric, huh, " she whispered and said jokingly.

"Quiet!" I whispered to her.

Ela laughed softly that the two couldn't hear, if it was my Aunt, she turned to me and said she would come back whispering in my ear. She laughed softly again but couldn't stop it. She just covered her mouth with a tissue so that it wouldn't be obvious that she was laughing uncontrollably.

I just drank my shake to reduce my nervousness at least a little, but Ela is still laughing at what happened earlier.

Aunt Beth told Aunt Corazon about the movie she saw yesterday, there was a scene there that was funny. When Aunt Beth told about a scene in the movie that made her cry, but Ela still laughed out loud that she couldn't stop. Aunt Beth stopped telling the story and was surprised that my best friend was still laughing. They wondered why she was like that.

"Ela! Why are you laughing at that? Even though your Aunt Beth's story makes you cry, you still laugh?" Aunt Corazon said in surprise.

"I just can't move on from what Aunt Beth said earlier about Movie mom, that's funny," She said, looking at me and laughing again.

"Young people today, you don't know what's on her mind," Aunt Beth said.

I said goodbye to Aunt Beth and Aunt Corazon to go to the comfort room, with Ela who was still laughing.