"No, I don't intend to go anywhere" I responded to Frank, "But, I would be glad if you take me out for dinner" I glanced at him in a manner I had never done before.
"Dinner? Oh, okay... although I have eaten already" he said beaming at me.
"You can take a wine while I eat, wouldn't that be great Jessica?" I looked towards her, involving her in our conversation. I didn't want to leave her behind, I also wanted her to contribute.
"Well, what can I say? But why outside when you can sit here and have your dinner? I left some in the fridge for you" she said, wearing a crooked smile.
"No, I can't eat fried rice this evening" I protested. That was what I saw them eating when I tiptoed down the stairway earlier.
"Oh, but how did you know it was fried rice that I cooked. Were you here before?" she wrinkled a brow at me suspiciously.
In order not to be caught, I giggled and said, "I never knew before, I only guessed and you just proved my hunch right" I said in a smart manner. To fool Jessica, one needs to be very smart. She was the type that could easily know when one is hiding something or trying to fool her, but that's if the person isn't smart.
"Oh, okay then" she muttered and continued with what she was doing, washing the dishes.
Thus, Frank and I headed out for one of the Mainland's finest restaurants. I chose Mainland because I didn't want to be spotted by nosy neighbors. I also didn't want to see Jessica's face later, she could come after us... you know? She could possibly do that for she had no shame at all.
When we arrived there, Frank and I alighted from the car and headed straight into the restaurant. It was a big restaurant, lights everywhere and the waiters were in red and white attire. So perfect and good looking, it fits but the men and the women. That reminded me of the flight attendants I used to see in films, one of their uniforms resembled the waiters'.
We looked for an empty table and settled down. Practically everyone around had there eyes laid on us, they were mostly couples and the men where busy staring at me. I actually felt exposed with the kind of dress I was wearing, but so far the person I did it for was still impressed, I had nothing to worry about.
A waitress came and took our orders, thus left to the counter. I ordered for a plate of vegetable soup and beef, and a bottle of Trio Apple Juice. Frank however ordered for some fruits, grapes, watermelon and fresh red apples. That was awesome, I never thought he would take so much with such a full belly.
While waiting for our order, he asked why I liked vegetable soup so much that I didn't mind taking it a day after I consumed loads of it. He was funny, I didn't know when I chuckled. During that business meeting yesterday I actually took loads of it. I loved how the chefs prepared the meat and made the soup top notch. I just hope the one I ordered now tastes the same way as the one I consumed in that conference room.
And luckily for me, I didn't purge. Although Frank assured me that if I take it today I will purge, but I still didn't believe him. If I didn't purge yesterday, why would I purge today? I certainly would not! I assured myself.
"These people, why are they still staring at you?" he asked glaring at some guys from afar. "Everyone has turned to mind their business but these four, I don't know what they want from you" he uttered angrily. I could sense jealous in his voice. I loved it.
"Don't mind them, they are jealous of us. Sadly, they can't have me. I am yours, yours alone" I assured him while holding his hands on the table.
"Sure" he turned and smiled at me, still looking worried. I bet he was now feeling the same thing I felt when I saw him with Jessica, if only I could make him understand that I hate to see him with Jessica. I strongly disliked to see them both together talking, let alone eating or doing some chores.
"So, what was your agreement with Jessica when she..." I said halfway as someone appeared from nowhere interrupting our conversation.
"Hello handsome," It was a young lady in purple gown, she was holding a toy handbag with the face of a dog. Why on earth would someone her age go out with such a bag? And who was she anyways? I wondered.
"Hi, Betty!" Frank stood to his feet and the two gave each other a hug. I was so annoyed but I managed to swallow my jealousy before anyone could notice it. "How... how have you been?" I watched them as they began asking each other about their wellbeing.
"Fine, Frank. How about you?" The lady asked. The hell? Didn't she acknowledge how sound and steady he was, why must she ask about his wellbeing? Too much drama I don't like. If only they could just bid each other goodbye so she could leave.
"Fine too" Frank responded, "How is Jacob? I haven't heard about him for a very long time now" he added.
"Jacob is in Canada, he left a while ago with his new girlfriend" she said, now wearing a sad look.
"New what? Girlfriend?" Frank looked surprised.
"Yes, he dumped me for a girl he met during his visit to Canada to see his uncle. Her name is Angela, he said she's the one he intends to marry now" The lady said pretending to be hurt. Although she might not really be pretending but I viewed it as a pretence just to get his sympathy. I was no fool to not see what was going on.
"That's bad," Frank placed his hand on her shoulder, "real bad" he added and then began consoling her.
When the waitress arrived with our orders, Frank asked her to get us an extra chair as the chair we had in our table was just two. Like seriously? I thought I chose to come to the restaurant with him in order to have some privacy, why then was he trying to host someone in our table? I mulled over, burning in anger.
"Okay, sir" The waitress obeyed and then went and got another chair.
"Thank you" Said Betty, or whatever her name was as she sat in the chair and began eyeing the plate of vegetable soup in my front which had about ten pieces of beef inside. I wasn't surprised though, she looked like a glutton.
"Beef soup?" she asked, wrinkling a brow at me. She didn't greet me when she came but now she was asking about the food in my vincity. Why did she ignored my existence before?
"Yes!" I muttered as I began eating the soup with a spoon. She better don't talk to me again because I would be too busy to reply her. If she would be okay with nodding of head for positive and shaking of head for negative, then fine. I thought to myself as I continued eating.
"I want the same thing please" she said, "And the same drink too" she added.
"Okay then" Frank said and upon turning saw a waiter nearby. He called him and told him to get her the same thing in my vincity. The waiter had no hard time knowing what exactly he was expected to get.
"Okay sir" he said and then left.
Just then, Frank cleared his throat. "Laura, meet Betty, Cornfield's Count's niece. Or should I say, Paul's cousin" he finally introduced her to me. I didn't say anything though, I only glanced at her and nodded my headed in acknowledgement while eating. "And you, Betty, this is Laura. She's my... girlfriend" he said. It took him three seconds to utter the last word, I even thought he wouldn't do that.
"Oh, I see. Good!" she gaze me an unpleasant look and then changed the topic, "Frank, I couldn't make it to the festival and you never ask of me" she lamented, feigning angry.
"I actually did, and Paul said you were on a trip" Frank responded, defending himself.
"On a trip? Did Paul told you that?"
"Yes he did!"
"Well, not really on a trip. I was busy with some of my clients"
"Oh, great..."
They kept on talking while I continued eating my food. Frank too didn't eat, he was probably waiting for her order to arrive. And when her order arrived, they joined hands and began eating while gisting, forgetting about my existence. I was angry but what could I possibly do? The Betty wasn't even as beautiful as I was, infact even Jessica was more beautiful than her.
But here she was stealing Frank's attention from me. I bet even I was to burn my tongue now or bite my lips, Frank wouldn't mind because he was too busy with her. If only I knew they were going to meet, I would have choose to dine in Cornfield. That way, we wouldn't have ended up hosting another person in our table. I ran away from Jessica, but then here is Betty.
I tried as much as I could to not show how hurt I was, and when I was done I took the remaining beverage in my glass and summoned a waiter to clear my own side of the table. When he was done, I checked my phone for my debit card but couldn't find it. Just then Frank asked what I was looking for. I was so surprised, I didn't know his attention was on me. "Nothing" I muttered. I didn't mean it though, and he acknowledged that.
"Nothing?" he wrinkled a brow at me.
I had wanted to repeat the same word, NOTHING, but promptly changed my mind. I didn't want to sound rude, you know? Sounding rude to him will only make things more complicated for me as Betty might take that as an advantage to advance further.
She was clearly into him, that was why she was trying her best to see me being ghosted. If she had no feelings for him, she would have been happy for me when he introduced me to her as his girlfriend. But jealousy, that was the only thing I could see in her face. It had engulf her and had made her to hate me.
"I am looking for my debit card" I responded to Frank.
"Debit card?" he looked at me in a weird manner, "What are you using it for?" he abruptly asked.
"To settle my bills" I muttered.
"Your bills? Come on, Laura, that's on me. I am paying for everything" he said, thus I stood to my feet.
"Okay, thank you. I would be waiting for you outside, I am done with my own meal" I said. I could see the bewilderment in his face, he obviously didn't understand why I was acting strangely. What had come over me, why was I being weird? But all that answers could only be answered in private later.
"Outside?" he uttered in what seemed like a whisper and stood, confusingly staring at me.
"Yes, I will wait for you there. I want to make some calls, I hope you don't mind?" I tried to make him understand that I really need to excuse them right that moment.
"Okay," he heaved a sigh, "but at least take my car keys" he handed me his keys, "Stay put, I won't be long" he assured me.
"Alright, see you later" I said and then left the restaurant with the keys without turning back to see if Betty was smiling or not. But something told me she was happy to see me gone, now she could have Frank all to herself.
