Started with Goodbye

Chapter 6

A few hours after Aiden and I had a breakfast on our apartment, I went outside so that I would be able to take a walk, that I have never done because I was so busy these past few days. It also made me feel calm, that I really needed because again, there were too much work that have been given to me.

And yes, I was serious when I told Aiden, earlier, that I would drag someone else that I could invite so that I could have someone with me when the exhibit would come. But just like a saying goes, it was so easy to say, but it was so hard to do.

My anti-social self is kicking in again, and I thought that it was really hard to find someone else, other than Aiden that is, that could accompany me on that exhibit. After all, my best friend, even if it was so hard to admit, was the only person that I was really comfortable with.

I was really having a hard time talking to other people, and making them close to me, and I do not know the real reason behind that. I just thought that it was never been my cup of tea. I could not seem to enjoy interacting with other people.

I stopped on my tracks as I wished and prayed that if someone wanted to be with me on that day, then they should give me sign, or something like that, because I really, really, wanted to go oon that exhibit with someone accompanying me.

I started to walk on my path again, when that ‘sign’ really did come. My wish really came true, and that person, that I think I should invite in this art exhibit, just called my name with a happy tone on his voice.

I looked at the direction of that voice that just called my name, and my smile immediately widen as soon as I saw Asher that had this happy expression on his face when he confirmed that it was indeed me, Hera, that he saw on this street.

I immediately gave him a smile as I waved my hands, almost excitedly. “Hi, Asher!” I greeted him, and I did not really know why I was so happy when I saw that it was indeed Asher who called me.

Maybe, just maybe, I really thought that he was the person, that sign, that I was praying for earlier. He was, maybe, the person that I could ask to be with me on that art exhibit that would be held just two weeks from now.

He gave me a small smile as he coolly went near on my side. “What are you doing here?” he asked, then he looked around the place as if he was searching about something, or rather someone. “Don’t you have someone else that accompanies you right now?”

I shook my head at him as I slowly started to walk again on the path that I was taking earlier. I immediately felt that he followed me, and he tried to match my slow pace that made me smile, slightly.

“I was just taking a walk because I thought that it would be best for me if I would go out and think outside of our apartment,” I told him as I smiled, softly. “My best friend is so busy right now, and I have no one, other than her, can accompany with something like this. After all, she was the only person I was really close to.”

I do not know why I was saying those words to him, even though I clearly do not know anything about him, except for his name that is. It was just as if something urged me to say something like that, even if we just met, literally three days ago.

Well, it seems like I could not blame myself because I was really comfortable around him, which is I found odd because I never felt something like this to anyone. I never felt so comfortable around anyone, other than my best friend, Aiden, and now, him, the Mr. Grocery Guy whom I met three times now.

I looked at him and I saw him nodded his head, slowly, and it seems like he came up with something because he looked at me, his eyes almost twinkled out of excitement, I think? Or maybe, because he thought that what he was thinking was a very bright idea.

“What about we grab some coffee in a cafe nearby?” he suggested.

I stopped on my tracks as I thought of Asher’s offer. I did not even think twice as I nodded my head at him and smiled, that made him grin, widely, at me too.

I did not really know why, but I was really comfortable with him. It seems like I not feel shy whenever he was the one who was with me, even if I was really having a hard time making a conversation to other people.

Even if we only just met, I really felt so close with him. I really felt so comfortable whenever he was around. And maybe, it was because we have a lot in common, or maybe, there was something else more than that I really did not want to talk about right now.

Maybe, just maybe, or if the fate really wanted me to be closer at him, I would have another friend. Other than Aiden who was always going crazy over something that was not really necessary. Though I never complained with that said ‘craziness.’

We walked on the side of the street, with him leading me to the cafe that he was talking about, and I was not shock when I saw that he lead me to the very same cafe as yesterday. I smiled to myself as he ushered me to go inside of the cafe, and so I did.

“It looks like you really liked this cafe,” I said to him as I sat on the very same chair that we took a sit before.

I saw that he stopped when he was about to sit on the chair that was across mine, but he snapped out of it before he slowly sat in his chair. He smiled at me as he nodded his head at me, but somehow, it seems like his smile was not genuine. Somehow, it felt like he was sad about something I really could not point out.

“Yeah, I like it here because it was really peaceful and I could stay as calm as I want to,” he said that made me snap out of my thoughts as I focused my attention on him again. I saw him smiled, sadly, as he looked down on the table that was between us. “Above it all, I have a reason why I was here.”

I got curious on the main reason why he was here, but I choose not to dig deeper than what he was talking because it felt like I was crossing our boundary; if we had one that is. I just choose to let go of that topic and change into a new one.

“I see,” I said to him as I slowly nodded my head.

The whole place got quiet right after that, and it seems like Asher was on his deep thought, while I was just staring right at him that made him, somehow, snap of whatever that was running on his mind.

I did not know why, but I got awkward because of what just happened, and it seems like he felt it too because he cleared his throat as he looked around the place, as if he was looking for something in order for the two of to have something to talk about again, and in order for us to remover the awkwardness that we felt.

I, on the other hand, was just staring at him while he was doing that, and I was not doing anything because it felt like I just wanted to stare at him all day lon, which is really, really weird if someone would ask me.

“Right,” he said that made me look at where he was looking at. I saw that his gaze was on the counter and it looked like I know what he wanted to do. “We should order.” He was about to stand up but I stopped him from doing so.

He looked at me with a questioning gaze that’s why I smiled at him and stood up from my sit. “I will order for the both of us,” I told him, a smile was still seen on my face. “After all, you bought me some food the last time we met, right?” I looked at the menu that was on the counter before I continued what I was talking about. “I should return the favor, and to thank you too for what you did last time.”

I looked at him again and I saw that he looked like he was confused about something, and if someone would ask me why he was acting like that? I really did not know what to say, or answer rather, because it seems like he was trying to figure something out, or something confused him when I said those words.

He was about to say something too, but I did not let him anymore. I just smiled at him then I left to go on the counter and order some food for the both of us. I did not hear any complaints to him, so I guess that it was alright for him that I would buy a food for the both of us.

I immediately went to the counter and bought my all time favorite strawberry shortcake and caramel latte. As for Asher, I really did not know what to buy for him, because this was only the third time that the two of us had talked to one another.

And somehow, I wanted to buy him something that he could really enjoy to eat, but I really could not seem to find anything that caught my eye. I was just staring, hopelessly, at the menu list that was in front of me, my mind was blank on what I should order for him.

I could not seem to figure out what he wanted to have, and I did not want to be impulsive on what I would buy for him. After all, he might not like my choices, or worse, he might have an allergic reaction if I bought something that was not really good for him.

Well, it seems like it was st*pid of me that I forgot to ask him what he wanted to have. I just left him all alone on our seat without even bothering to ask him anything. Maybe, I was too busy on thinking that he would not allow me to buy something for him that I forgot something so important.

I let out a sigh of disappointment as I looked at the menu again, but I was still having a hard time thinking of what I should buy for him. It looks like the lady on the counter noticed that I was having a hard time on choosing something to order, other than the previous ones that I bought, just a minute ago.

“Ma’am,” she called my attention that made me look at her with a questioning gaze. She had this welcoming smile on her face that made me look at her even more. “Maybe, you would like to try the new flavor of our cake,” she said that made me look at the cake that she was pointing out.

It was a chocolate flavored cake that has this very eye-catching design that made you wanted to take a picture and stare at it for a long time, without a plan on really eating it because it was too cute; if you would ask me, that is.

“It was only limited for a week, then after that, the cafe will not sell it anymore,” she explained that made me look at her again.

I got curious about that cake, and I also wanted to see if it was really worth it buying that, so I immediately ordered it with a second thought, for Asher. The lady on the counter immediately listed it down on my orders and she looked at me, asking about the drink that I wanted to add for the cake that I bought.

I thought of it for a few second, before I remembered that Asher ordered caramel latte yesterday. Maybe, that was his favorite also? And I also think that it was a perfect drink to be partnered with that oh so cute chocolate cake.

With that in my mind, I immediately said to the lady on the counter that I would buy another orer of a medium size caramel latte, that she immediately prepared right after she asked me if that was all that I would order.

I saw the lady went inside on the door that I think would lead her through the cafe’s kitchen, and I just waited, patiently, for her to prepare all my order on the other side of the counter. The preparations of my orders did not last long because I already saw that the lady from before emerged from the cafe, together with the exact foods and drinks that I bought.

She put the tray in front of me, so I immediately get the bills on my pocket to pay for my orders. I mumbled a small ‘thank you’ at her, before I started to get the tray from the counter. She just smiled at me, before she bowed a little.

I, on the other hand, was about to turn my back at her to return on the seat where Asher was, but I stopped moving when I heard what the lady on the counter said next to me.

“Enjoy your date, ma’am!” she said with her cheerful voice that made me smile, slowly, at her, an awkward smile to be exact.

I saw her looked at the table where Asher was, before she turned to look at me with a knowing look, that made me look at Asher too and I immediately regretted it because my heart beats faster like never been before when I saw him smiled, a little, at me.

I just give him an almost awkward smile, and I was trying to hide the awkwardness that I felt when I did so but I failed, before I turned to the lady in the counter again and laughed at her a little because I really did not know what to do.

I just bowed at her and did not correct her anymore, as I turned my back at her and immediately went on Asher’s side with the tray full of the food that I ordered earlier.

And as I was walking towards him, I could not seem to remove what the lady in the counter said earlier.

Is this really a date?