Amanda and Suzy sat in their ussual spot near the large glass window that overlooked the sidewalk. Kitty's Hot Pot wasn't an expensive restaurant despite it's location in the heart of the city's business district. It's long standing history came from it's unique menu which offered a clash of both traditional and modern dishes.
The women ordered a number of dishes, none of which complimented each other. As the male waiter placed their food on the table gave the women a curious and worried glance.
' Are you sure you want your Fiery Spicy chicken this.....fiery?'
Suzy and Amanda didn't notice the waiter's concern, they simply nodded and made more room on the table for the remaining dishes by moving their elbows.
'Ahhh okay. We added a mild sauce just in case, it's on the house. Good luck.' The waiter sped off.
' I love this place the waiters and waitress' are so funny and have amazing character not so uptight and formal yet not rude.'
Suzy said admiringly.
Amanda gave a shrug at her friend's ' phylosophical' statement then breathed deep the steam floating from the food in front of them.
'Lets eat I'm starving.' Suzy picked up a bowl and scooped up a serving of each dish all the while an expression of pure joy on her face. Amanda had always admired her friends healthy appetite for food and somehow it was contagious. She soon found herself dishing a portion too. Both women have a content sigh with every bite, savoring the hot spices and soft contrast of creams.
Suzy began to get excited from across the table and for a moment Amanda thought her friend had gotten burnt from eating the hot food.
' Here wash it down with a glass for water,'
Amanda said hurriedly pouring her friend a glass of water from the jar on the table.
The woman gladly took the glass from her friend but as she drank from it Amanda could tell that it wasn't the heat from the food that made her friend get excited but the 'need' to speak.
Typical of Suzy.
'I forgot to tell you, the exchange intern arrived today. He reminds me of William in a lot of ways-,' Suzy drifted off before shivering in disgust. Amanda was confused by her friends reaction but remained content as she took a mouthful of noodles.
' In a lot of ways even includes the fact that he made friends with that parasite just like William did.'
Amanda laughed almost choking on her food, parasite in Suzy's vocabulary the term parasite referred to the one person in the entire world that managed to get on her nerves.
' What? You think this is funny? It's not I tell you sooner than later he will be pumping his I'll mannered thoughts into the poor hot guy and then there will be two of him. like one isn't enough already. Unless like William he will be imune to that fool's every evil thought.'
Suzy could be overdramatic at times, her and Mike had their times and everyone in the office thought their cat and mouse fights where rather cute. There was also a rumor that the two actually dated at some point which is what led to their constant petty arguments.
' You're right it's not good at all.' Amanda chimed in as her friend took a sip of her drink.
'You see it it too right? the trouble that we will all go through if we allow him to go through with his plan right?' Suzy answered seriously. as though this were a global disaster that had to be resolved.
'Of course,' Amanda said straight faced with a hint of concern in her voice then continued, ' You'll be outnumbered two to one in every argument that comes up between you and Mike.'
'How dare you- do you think this is a joke?'
Somehow saying that made it too much for Amanda to hold back and she burst out laughing at her friend.
Suzy stuffed her mouth with noodles, to show her friend she wasn't going to stop chewing until Amanda took her seriously.
Amanda stoped laughing when she noticed someone standing besides their table.
' My, my, my, didn't you tell me you were going on a diet. I'm hurt Suzy, did you lie to my face just like that.'
Mike stood with one hand holding the back of, a now stiff backed, Suzy's chair and his other hand over his heart in a dramatic gesture. His handsome face showed all the sadness it could feign.
Suzy didn't bother look at his face as she concentrated on chewing then swallowing before wiping her mouth with a napkin and then taking a sip of her drink.
' Amanda my appetite is ruined.' Suzy said, either having chosen to ignore or completely refuse to acknowledge Mike's presence.
Amanda feeling for her friend was about to offer they have a carry on when the waiters brought two more chairs to the table placing them in the empty sides of the table.
Mike thanked them and took a seat in one of them, a seemingly patient smile on his face.
' Why would you be leaving so soon?'
Mike asked making himself comfortable placing a napkin on his laps before continuing.
'You see after you turned me down-again- yesterday I decided when I saw you and dearest Amanda having lunch to make up for it today by inviting myself over for lunch with you both. ' He spoke with the tone he usually used when he was getting back at Suzy. Cheerful and mischievous.
Suzy stared at Mike, who was now placing an order with an expression that showed he had not a single worry in the world, in disbelief that he would go as far as invading her sacred lunch.
Amanda was trying really hard to hide a smile and I'm doing so stared at the now fourth chair at the table which still sat empty. Curiously she asked Mike who was involved in a string contest with his rival if that were the right term.
'Ahhhhh you said you would join us for lunch,' Amanda pointed towards the chair continued, ' then who's that for?'
'Why are you even trying to understand his logic? He doesn't even think logicaly otherwise he wouldn't have invaded meal time.' Suzy replied through clenched teeth.
' Now you look remarkable when you're angry,' Mike, now leaning on his chin in one hand with his elbow on the table, replied rather amused by her expression. " I do, however, regret to inform you that is not the reason for the extra chair. You see my friend hasn't seen much of the city and I decided why not start with our one and only Kitty Hot Pot. Speaking of which he should be back fro. maki g his call by now- Ooohhh noodles' Mike reached for Suzy's bowl and began eating from it.
' You-' She protested before looking at Amanda asking her to entervein.
If there is one thing Manda had learnt about these two it was to never get involved in their querals so she pretended to pay strict attention to her own bowl of noodles.
'Do you really think I'm falling for that silly excuse?...' Suzy fired back having given up on retrieving her serving.
They went back and forth the entire time making Amanda wonder even more deeply whether the two had a thing before as everyone stated.
' Am I interrupting something?'
Amanda was sure that voice sounded familiar even before she saw who spoke the words she had a good guess who it was.
Now taking a seat in the empty chair, was the man from this morning, her new neighbor. He was the new Intern, Amanda slowly realised. Her insides felt melted like butter when she looked at him. For some reason she couldn't understand she felt warmer around him.
Suzy and Mike were still arguing when they noticed Amanda staring at him.
' You think they know each other from somewhere?' Suzy asked Mike.
' I don't know. But I do know that I want a taste of that chicken.'
He reached out took a piece of the hot spicy chicken and took a greedy bite out of it chewing slow in Suzy's face with a self-satisfied smile that slowly morphed into panic.
' Hot, hot. Water, wa-'
Suzy sat back in her chair smiling at him as he tried to reach for her glass of water which she pushed out of his reach.
' I think you've taken too much from me for today.'
She drank the glass's contents and smiled even wider as Mike's expression turned to horror.
Amanda and Jason had long stopped staring at one another and where now watching the spectacle before them.
Amanda put a glass in Jason's hand and said.
'You have to be the one to give him the water if I do I'll be receiving a silent treatment from her forever. '
Jason gave a laugh at that but did as he was told. As soon as Mike drank more than enough water he set the glass down gasping.
' You're the most heartless woman I have ever met do you know that?' His eyes were teary as he looked at Suzy. All the previous victory he had over her well washed away.
'Ohh well thankyou.' Suzy said not the slightest bit offended.