38

Ashely
“I know I should have called but I was in a rush, coming back here and I’m sorry. I should have done better and called, ” I heard Mason say, “-But look on the bright side, we are alone. ”
I watched as his eyes searched the diner with a smile spread across his lips.
“Have you eaten anything?” Mason asked, breaking me out of my reverie.
I shook my head and a loud rumbling sound made the air awkward as my hands reached out to touch my stomach.
“I’ll order roasted chicken, do you like that?” I heard him say while chuckling.
I nodded, my cheeks still burning from slight embarrassment. I watched as he hollered for someone to take our order and the woman who asked if I wanted wine, stepped forward with a bright smile on her face.
She listened to Mason’s words, her eyes blinded by his handsome features as she blushed occasionally.
“I’ll like a bottle of wine, as well. ” I spoke sharply, my lips spreading to return a smile.
“Of course, ma’am.” I heard her say.
I watched her leave briskly before my attention turned back to Mason who had begun gulping the bottle of water, lying lazily in front of him.
Watching him gulp that large amount of water was appetizing. I slanted my hand, my elbow still touching the table as my eyes feasted on his dazzling neck.
“You are even watching me drink water. You look like someone who’s hypotized. ” I heard him laugh.
His laugh was contagious and it made me almost forget the fact that I was stood up for close to two hours in a diner.
“And you look like someone who hasn’t drank anything in weeks. “I blushed while I burst into laughter.
“Work was hectic, Ashely. And I wish I could be allowed to take just a day off.” Mason remarked with a sigh.
“Oh, really?” I responded.
“Yeah,” Mason continued, “The bank is always busy. Everyone seems to have a issue with their bank books and sometimes with loans. I hardly catch a lunch break and everyone keeps trooping into my office, asking questions.”
“At least, you have an office. ” I chuckled lightly.
“A small one, infact,” Mason commented with a toothy grin hanging on his face, “Quite tiny. ”
“That’s great.” The sides of my eyes crinkled as I tried to shift the conversation into something else when I heard him speak.
“You look really beautiful, today, ” I heard him comment, “I hate that I wasn’t able to bring you here, from your apartment like a proper gentleman should.”
My cheeks blushed pink and my lips kept spreading to give the most ridiculous smile as my gaze turned towards the mirror where I could see my reflection.
“You don’t anything to say about me?” Mason asked, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest, his watch visible to his sight.
“You always look good and I don’t have anything to comment on your suit. ” I burst out in laughter and afterward, I noticed a frown on his forehead followed with no visible emotion on his face.
I was about to ask if I said anything out of the ordinary when a large ceramic bowl filled with roasted chicken was dropped on the table that had a table cloth ready to take the heat.
“Why don’t we eat, first?” I heard him suggest while removing his suit-jacket to hang it on his chair before turning to look at me.
****
“You were quite a talkative back at school. I wonder why you didn’t pay me any attention, when you sat right in front of me.” Mason spoke before dipping his fork into the fleshy chicken.
“I-I had a crush on you, actually, ” I started, my voice breaking and my eyes wanting to break away from his piercing gaze, “-And I didn’t know you felt that way. You never mentioned it even at the reunion.”
“You left early, remember?” he remarked with a smirk, “You said you had to leave so you would be able to rest.”
“Oh.” I exclaimed, my mind recollecting what happened at the reunion. Everyone was sharing their tales about their lives, their body features and their love-lives while I had nothing to say. I didn’t want to feel inferior to anyone and I was reminded about my work at Mrs Ping’s, the following day.
“You remember it, don’t you?” he repeated, “You were in quite a hurry.”
“Yes.” I answered.
Then I decided to focus on my food, eating as slowly as I could. His gaze darted to me occasionally before focusing back on his meal.
“So,” I started, dropping my fork at the side of my bowl, “How many siblings do you have?”
“Four,” I heard him answer, “Three males and one female. ”
“Oh, that’s pretty amazing since it’s only I and Elena.” I chuckled.
“I know that,” Mason commented and was about to speak when he was disturbed by a vibration coming from his phone which he had set on the table.
“I should have turned this off. ” he sighed, while looking at him.
“You can take the call. I’m sure it should be important.” I answered.
“Of course.” He looked at his phone for a brief moment, a smile etching on his face before returning his gaze to mine.
“It was my mother, ” He stated, “She loves to call and ask if I need anything to stock up my fridge.”
“That is such an amazing mother. ” I commented with a nervous smile on my face.
“What about yours? ” I heard him say.
I blinked and felt dryness in my throat and my hands clamped together under the table, my mouth still at a loss of words.
“I’ll rather not talk about my mother. ” I sharply responded, my lips spreading to give a convincing smile.
For a second, I felt like he expected me to say more from the bland reaction that I observed on his face. It looked like he wanted me to say something.
“Alright,” he asked, “What’s your favorite color?”
“Uhmm, I guess blue. ” I blinked, a radiant smile still etching on my face.
“Shouldn’t it be pink? Ladies love that, ” he responded, “Blue looks a little more masculine.”
I arched a brow, looking at him in confusion.
“I don’t think having blue as a favorite color should make me less of a lady. ” I answered with downward smile beginning to show on my face.
“Alright then, I’ll agree with that.” he chuckled.
“What about your favorite food?” he asked, further.
“Well, I have none. ” I countered back.
“Why?” he urged me to speak with his eyes.
“Can toast count?” I chuckled, “-I take that a lot for breakfast.”
“My breakfast comprises mostly of an apple or cereal. ” Mason answered.
“Well you stay in an office while I walk around in a bakery.” I laughed and then paused when the female server brought in a bottle of wine.
“Should I open it?” I heard her ask and turn towards Mason with the cork screw in her hand.
I let out an inaudible scoff, noticing her attention was on him. She pretended like I was non-existent in the diner, the moment Mason walked in.
I was the one who asked for the wine, she asked me first originally but her attention was on him.
“Yes, sure. ” I heard Mason answer, returning her ridiculous smile with another of his.
She opened it, a pop sound followed afterward and then she poured it into the glass cup without asking either me or Mason.
“Please, do come back here, our service here is good and I’m glad you have always made a wondrous effort to come back here.” I heard her speak.
“Of course, Nora.” Mason answered with a smile.
I watched her leave, one of my brows arched in surprise at the events that just unfolded before my very own eyes.
“You know her?” I asked with bated breath.
“Yes, I do. I come here.” he answered and then I felt the urge to speak again.
“With women?” My head moved downwards and my fingers gripped the hard table, my nails nearly scratching the table.
“Yes, the women I dated.” he responded, slowly.
I felt my throat dry again once more as I tried to swallow, trying to moist it back to normal.
“Okay.” I muttered, leaning against the hard chair to seek comfort.
“Do you find that wrong, Ashely? You don’t look so happy.” Mason asked, reaching to touch my hand and pat it slowly.
“It’s nothing. ” I answered, removing my hands from his and putting it on my lap.
“Are you sure?” I heard him ask. I was about to respond when I heard another vibration coming from his phone. He looked at me again and I wondered why.
Was he seeking permission from me to pick up his phone?
He picked up his phone afterward and slanted it across his ear, mouthing out an inaudible, “Yes”
I then picked up the wine glass, looking at the window and gulped it, slowly. I tried my best to look classy while holding it but I had no idea how to do it.
I heard Mason clear his throat and almost impulsively, I dropped the glass on the table and then looked at him.
“I think we would have to take a pause on this and continue some other time. I know you might feel upset and I know that but, ” he inhaled sharply before continuing, “-I have a meeting to catch up with by 7:30 in the morning and my boss would be around.”
“It’s fine, Mason. I’m not upset. You have a job to do and I understand it, ” I answered, trying to hold it in and just smile, “It’s getting late, anyways.”
“I agree.” he reached out to pick up his suit and briskly wear it over his white shirt.
I then rose on my feet, reluctantly and then smiled at the workers before heading towards the door.
Mason opened the door like a gentleman while I stepped outside, the wind making me realize that I should have carried a jacket along.
“Are you cold?” Mason asked, noticing the way my hands were wrapped around my arms.
“I’m okay.” I lied through my teeth.
“I’ll hail you a taxi so you could go home, okay?” he stated and I wondered why he wasn’t taking me home in his vehicle.
I decided to smile through all the questions that I wanted to ask him, intently. He eventually got a taxi and before I entered, he held my shoulders gently and gave me a warm embrace which I leaned into, wrapping my hands around his neck while smelling his colonge.
“I really enjoyed my time with you, Ashley. I want to do more of this. ” he said before retreating slowly, a grin etching on his face.
I bade him goodnight while entering the taxi and even before the taxi left, he felt waving at me, whispering and assuring me that he would call.
I leaned against the head rest in the taxi, my head filled with thoughts about the date. It was shorter than I expected, less romantic that I thought.
I let out a deep sigh, my hands tightly gripping my purse. I shut my eyes, briefly and then an image of Leo’s lips crossed my mind.
My lips spread into a wry smile while clutching my purse closer to my body.