Not Another Broken Doll

Chapter 6

Later that day, Ruth was sat in the lab trying to focus on the code she was trying to crack for her project. Hannah was chatting away with Marco, their Italian colleague who was a whiz at computers. Ruth didn’t know what Hannah saw in him, as he was a player, but she knew her friend had a crush on those dark locks and brown eyes.

“So, she agreed to a date with the hot guy from the café” Hannah explained “Well, technically I did on her behalf, but you know, she didn’t really resist.”

“Not like you gave me a choice” Ruth defended herself.

“Let her be, will you?” Marco intervened, visibly amused “not everyone is searching for love, Hannah. Also, it’s not exactly one day, but fifteen free lunches!”

“Shut up” Ruth said, annoyed at becoming the target of her friend’s amusement “It’s actually a fair deal, you know? Those tickets are serious stuff. I got them as payment for translation work, so technically I did pay for them.”

“Can we go back to the part that you offered those tickets as an apology for being a jerk?” Marco wouldn’t let that go “I mean, how much of a jerk can you be? Like, you can be a total b***h with me any day if that gets me tickets for Hafen!” he insisted.

“You really don’t want to meet that side of her, M. She is small and cute, but she is bloody scary” Hannah said, trying to stay at arms-length from Ruth “Anyhow, you wished she agreed to fifteen dates with you.”

“Can we drop the “d” word for a minute please? It’s just lunch” Ruth said, annoyed. She checked the time and added. “It’s time I get there, I suppose. A deal is a deal.”

“You go girl!” Hannah shouted as she saw her friend leave. “Don’t make me go make sure you’re there!”

Ruth did not normally make enough time to have lunch while she was working on an assignment. When she was at work, the world could literally blow up that she couldn’t care less. She remembered what it was like, years ago, when she first started her degree and she had time for lunch. She would not go to her afternoon lessons on an empty stomach unless she really wanted to ruin her day. But back then he still made her feel butterflies and she felt safe in his arms. She was such a fool.

When she opened the door of the café Matthias was sat in a side table and greeted with his hand. He seemed to be discussing something with a provider, so Ruth didn’t want to interrupt. She walked up to the bar and sat on the same stool she had done earlier that day. The café was unusually quiet, especially as it was lunchtime for most university students. She looked at the back and she could see through the window that Chris was at the back working on something. She was sceptical towards this whole deal, but she had to admit this was out of her routine and so far, so good.

Chris came through the half doors that lead into the main space of the café and smiled. Ruth noticed for the first time that he was smiling at her, and it was not a professional costumer service one.

“Well, hello Frau Spain” he greeted. “I hope you’re hungry today” he said as he laid a perfectly proportioned sandwich in front of her.

“Hello, Chris. How is your day going?” she casually asked. Chris was taken by surprise. Not many people asked him how he was doing anymore. Matthias was amused beyond his own expectation.

“Well, fine, thank you. How is teaching undergrads going?” he stuttered as he answered. Matthias was ready to video the whole thing, but he knew better than risking his face to a punch.

“Exhausting. What is in it?” Ruth asked as if she hadn’t noticed that Chris was nervous about this. “Ah, I see. You want me to try and then tell you, right?” Chris nodded. Ruth obliged. “This is seriously good” she said after a few seconds of silence. “Why don’t you sell this every day?!”

“The business expert here doesn’t let me” he answered pointing at Matthias with his head “I’m glad you like it.”

“Are you kidding? You’d be rich in a week.” Ruth was truly trying not to eat the rest of her food in a quick gulp. She could get used to this in fifteen meals. Hell, she could get used to this right away.

Chris was half holding his breath the whole time Ruth was sat in front of him, to the point he almost forgot about his own food. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was about her that kept him on his toes. He thought to himself that he had never felt this way, not even for Marie, and that was still sore. When Ruth left, he sighed, forgetting Matthias in the corner table.

“You are useless, Chris” Matthias muttered “Useless and hopeless.”

“Shut up”.