Way Back Into Love

Chapter 13

"Doctor, are you sure we're not lost?" Estelle can't help ut ask the man who was standing beside her, looking at the restaurant. "Nope!" he replied energetically, making the people passing their way look at them weirdly. Estelle, understood their stares because who wouldn't stare at two people wearing casual clothes while standing at a restaurant which is obviously for celebrities, politicians and super-rich people.

"Doctor, are you really sure we're not lost?" the girl can't help but ask again.

"Estelle, how many times did I tell you to not call me doctor, Luke is fine...calling me doctor makes me feel old and I'm still young. And to remind you, I'm not a person with dementia or amnesia or whatever you're comfortable with. We are at the right place, I'm not mistaken," Luke babbled making Estelle chuckle at the doctor's talkativeness.

'He really is a man with words,' Estelle commented and for a bit, her social anxiety disappeared thanks to the doctor's words and attitude.

"Let's go in shall we?" Estelle was pulled out from her thoughts when she saw a hand in front of her and when she looked up, she realized it belonged to the doctor. So with hesitation, she accepted the doctor's hand and headed inside the restaurant with people staring at them.

'This is making me uncomfortable,' Estelle mumbled inside her head as the adrenaline she got from the doctor disappeared and her social anxiety surfaced back. Luke who noticed Estelle's stiffness comforted the girl by giving her a glance with his eyes expressing 'it's going to be all right'.

Estelle who saw the doctor's gaze felt unusually comfortable and calmed down a bit as she followed the doctor's steps. When they arrived at the reception table, the waiters looked at them weirdly, probably asking how two people wearing casual clothes made inside their restaurant.

"Reservation for Luke Exhavez," he said not taking his gaze off Estelle because he was worried that maybe Estelle would get self-conscious again and would think of something that's not healthy for her to think. The receptionist who was checking the computer for Luke's name was puzzled so he looked at the man again, "I'm sorry sir, it seems that we can't find your name on the reservations,"

Estelle who heard this was beyond embarrassed when she saw that the couple next to them smirked, probably happy that they were both embarrassing themselves in front of the crowd. "Are you sure?" Luke himself was also puzzled why his name wasn't on the list, "it's spelt L-U-K-E E-C-H-A-V-E-Z," he said and scratched his head, trying hard to remember what possible went wrong. As he was busy scratching his head, the couple beside them started to snicker and made nasty comments about them.

"Maybe you shouldn't lie. Lying is bad you know," the man said and was accompanied by the woman's duck laugh.

"I know right? Why would you two bother at the most expensive restaurant that existed in the world if you two can't afford it?" the girl mocked and Estelle was lowering her head embarrassed of the fact that maybe Luke was indeed mistaken at what the reservation he made. Maybe it wasn't this restaurant, maybe it was a restaurant for average looking people. She could tell from a glance that they were not fitted here, especially her.

"Just let them, babe, their reservation is fake. They'll eventually go home crying..." the girl said again while grabbing the lipstick from her Gucci purse and putting it on her already red lips. "...that's what liars get, karma," she made a smooching sound and put her lipstick back on her purse before giving Luke and Estelle a judgmental stare.

Luke who was still brainstorming eventually gave up and was triggered by the woman's remark. "Uhm, is it alright for you to judge people based on their attires, outfit or clothes?" Luke asked calmly but if you pay enough attention to his tone, you could hear his irritation. The woman was shocked when she heard Luke talk back to him. "...you do not have the right to mock us while we're in front of you...I don't accept insults from people who are obviously lower than me and especially from a person who uses fake bags," Luke continued and paid attention back to the receptionist who was still having a hard time.

The man who was with the woman got triggered by Luke's words and raised his voice, "what did you just say?!" his voice boomed attracting unnecessary attention from the people. Luke finally had clicked his tongue and looked at the man who was also pissed as he was, "I said, I don't accept insults from people who are lower than me and especially from people who use fake bags!" Luke replied with the same tone the man used on him. Hearing that there are no responses from the other party, Luke released a sigh thinking that he won their battle but he was suddenly met with a loud slap that made his head turn sideways.

Estelle who saw the scene flinched from how the slap was. Luke who felt nothing but a sting from his cheek fired back a glare at the two and then he noticed the woman who insulted them earlier was now crying, "how can you judge me?! How are you sure that the purse I'm using is fake? And how are you certain that you're higher than us?" she was about to land a slap on Luke's face once again but the doctor caught it in time. He let go of his cheek and stared at the woman with a different set of emotions displayed in his eyes.

"That's the point...how can you immediately judge people based on their looks..that's your point right?" Luke asked the woman in a low tone and the woman could do nothing but let the man continue talking, "then let me ask you another question...how are sure that we're lying? And how are you certain that I was wrong when I said that I'm higher than the both of you combined?" his tone darkened after each word released.

When Luke felt that the woman trembled within his hold, he took a deep breath and let go of the girl. He looked back at the receptionist who was shocked at what just happened so Luke closed his eyes and completely calmed himself down, ignoring the stinging pain present on his cheek. He spared a look to Estelle who was staring at him with many emotions present in her eyes but none were positive, all of them were negative emotions. He wanted to punch himself for causing the scene because it affected the girl greatly, not physically but mentally.

"Sir, there's no Luke here, maybe you made another name for your reservation?" the receptionist asked politely after realizing the fact that the person in front of him is not to be messed with. Luke on the other hand, calmed himself down completely and when he heard the receptionists words, he then remembered that it was not the name "Luke" he used.

"Now I remember!... Ansel," he said and the receptionist wasted no time and immediately typed onto his keyboard and the name immediately popped up as the VVIP customer that they have to serve today. When the receptionist noticed this, he wanted to bury himself to the ground and scold himself continuously for judging the two people in front of him. Even though he was not like the couple earlier who insulted and also glared at them but he still glared and judged their appearances.

"O-Oh, I-I found your n-name sir! This way p-please!" the receptionist got out from his place and personally escorted them both to their reserved place. When he accomplished his work on escorting the VVIP to their reserved table, he then excused himself and hid in a corner where no one can see him.

'You almost lost your job back there,' the receptionist comforted himself before pulling himself back together and going to his spot and continuing his work.