A few minutes later I arrived at my destination, so I paid the driver and got out. I started walking towards the Cafe and it was close but then, I noticed the car again. Once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three times…is a tail. I read way too much Gallagher Girls, let's see you complete the series and not think this way.
I walked faster, and just one more block until the cafe. I'm pretty sure that whomever is following me won't confront me in public to it's safe to say that he won't make his move anytime soon. I arrived at the Cafe and saw Lillian, sitting with two other boys. I walked towards the table where they were sat at and Lillian saw me so she waved at me and gestured for me to hurry up.
"Look who finally showed up. Let me introduce you to my friend, Elizabeth Winslow." If there's one thing Lillian Grant is good at besides being incredibly smart, is that she's good at becoming a completely different person in front of a boy she likes. She was wearing a black skirt, a white long sleeved blouse, black sandals and a gray and white coat. "Liz, this is Anthony Carstairs and James Hence." then they stood like the gentleman they are and offered me a seat.
Anthony was taller than James, with wide shoulders and long blond hair that was tied back on his nape. Blue ocean eyes and slightly tanned skin, wearing black jeans, a gray sweater, a dark blue overcoat and some brogues. James on the other hand was also tall but slightly shorter than Anthony. Lean but sturdy with curly dark brown hair cleanly cut, matched with golden brown eyes. He was wearing khaki pants, a black button up shirt, a black overcoat and a pair of brown leather shoes.
I smiled at them and said "Hello I'm Liz, it's a pleasure to meet you." with the sweetest voice I could muster. I could almost hear Lillian's voice screeching inside from the way I talked. Two can play it that game.
I sat on my chair with a view of the window, it was going smoothly when a car parked on the curb. It was the same one that was following me! I grew tense by the minute, praying hard that the person behind the wheel won't come out and burst in here yelling "Freeze! This is the FBI, you are under arrest for the murder of two men last night." or something along those lines.
I was too preoccupied to realize that Lillian has been calling my name, "Liz!" and I finally found myself back in reality. "Uhh y-yes?" I stuttered slightly embarrassed.
"As I was saying, Anthony here was wondering if you could share what you do for a living." what a pretty generic question. How quaint this date is.
"I'm a writer of all sorts." I answered curtly. Now that I'm getting paranoid, I can't just let my guard down and enjoy this date―not that it's any fun to begin with. "So how about you, what do you do for a living?" I fired his question back at him. Unlike Lillian and James who are incessantly flirting next to us, Anthony and I don't seem to be clicking well.
"That's amazing, what kind of writing do you do?" at this he seems genuinely intrigued so let us give him satisfaction.
"As I said, writer of all sorts. Back when I was in college, I used to write papers for others students but of course not without payment," I chuckled at the memory "then there's also fiction writing. I'm a novelist by profession, I've already published a total of two books actually." I say this with confidence, because from experience, writing even one book is already a feat.
Well, I'm a nature photographer. I take photos of animals in the savanna, I even went to Australia for National Geographic." he seems to be so proud of himself but full of passion with photography nonetheless. The evident excited glint in his eyes, the way his lips quirk up from the mere mention of the animals and their natural habitat as cliche as that sounds. I pretend to be listening and nodding from time to time but my attention was actually on the car that was still parked in front. "I'm not boring you too much am I?" Busted…
"No, of course not! I admire your passion and enthusiasm with what you do. Not many have the courage to follow their dreams and make it far like you." that shut him up. I might not have given him my hundred percent attention but I was listening.
"Thank you, I appreciate it. And not many pay attention to the boring ramblings of a photographer when it comes to photography like you." oh you have no idea, I thought to myself. I smiled an encouraging smile though half-hearted it seemed to perk him higher on his pedestal.
Lillian and James continued on rambling with each other whilst I pretend to be a nice girl and smile ever so sweetly from time to time. My already fake smile completely vanished when what I dreaded the most happened…he got out.
"Are you okay? You look kind of pale." Anthony asked a bit worried. He should be, or I should be. I shook my head in response and gave him a smile of assurance.
"I'm fine, just a little faint. I'll just go to the restroom real quick." I took my purse and stood up to go to the restroom. Lillian saw me get up and grabbed my hand to stop me.
"Liz, are you okay? Where are you going?" she asked also a bit worried. Do I look that pale? I gave her a reassuring smile motioned towards the restroom.
I said "I'm just going to freshen up a bit. No worries, you and James continue whatever it is you're doing." and gave her an encouraging nudge. She giggled―yes, actual giggling―and turned back towards James. I took that as my cue and I rushed towards the restroom and stood in front of the sink.
"Hell, I do look pale." I said to my self, facing the mirror that covered half of the wall above a long sink. "Relax Elizabeth, he's just probably watching. He won't make a scene at a public place. Breath…" I gave myself a little pep talk, to calm my nerves.
I put my hands in front of the sensor and washed my hands on the sink but I couldn't shake the feeling on the back of my neck, like I'm being watched…and there he stood, right outside the restroom. He was tall with jet black hair, slightly curled at the tips, well built but slim, and beautiful gray eyes…
"What are you doing there standing like a pervert? You do realize that this is the woman's restroom right?" I asked unfazed by his piercing stare, I seem calm and collected but deep down I'm hysterically running around and waving my hands in the air screaming "Get the hell out of there idiot!" again and again.
"Are you Elizabeth Winslow?" he finally spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. He sounded British and from the looks of it too.
"I'm sorry, how do you know my name?" I'm slightly panicking. My voice shook a little, slightly higher. "I'm sorry but I have to go." I walked towards the exit where he stood straight and tall, like a soldier. But before I could get pass him, he grabbed my arm and tugged ever so lightly. "Let me go!" Now I'm panicking!
"If you are Elizabeth Winslow,then we need to talk." oh no! He was starting to pull me away towards the emergency fire exit as I continued to struggle for him to let me go when I heard Anthony's voice. Thank the stars! I couldn't be any more happy to see him.
"Elizabeth? Hey, Lillian was worried because you were taking too long. Who is this?" he was gesturing towards my kidnapper. "Can you please let go of my girlfriend?" said Anthony in an annoyed voice. Wait, girlfriend?! Okay, just this once if it'll make my kidnapper let me go and thank the constellations because he did.
"Uhhh, he's no one. Can we go back now?" I took Anthony's arm and pulled him back towards our table where Lillian was looking more worried than she was earlier. Luckily, my kidnapper didn't pursue me any further and instead disappeared from where he was earlier. Probably took the back exit he was trying to drag me towards.
"Hey Liz, are you sure you're feeling okay?" she grabbed me and sat me down on my chair. Now, I feel like fainting and this is an opportunity for me to get out of here as soon as possible so I might as well.
I stood up and acted as if my head was splitting in two and said "No, I don't think I'm feeling well. I'm so sorry for cutting this short but I think I need to go."
"Yeah, of course. You should rest and call me when you get home okay?" he gave me a hug and motioned for the bill whilst Anthony walked towards me. James was preoccupied with arguing with Lillian about who's paying.
"Elizabeth, about earlier…with that guy I was just--" I held my hand to stop him from delving any further into the subject, for his sake.
"It's fine. Think nothing of it, and just to be clear he really was no one. I had a wonderful time by the way. Keep at it with your photography." then I smiled to reassure him and he smiled back. He walked passed me and opened the door for me. I walked out and they followed me out. I made sure that the black SUV parked outside was gone, and it was. I turned back and faced them. "Thank you for today and I apologize for leaving too soon."
They all shook their heads in unison "Don't worry about it, just go home and rest alright? Make sure to call me when you get there." said Lillian, then she hugged me. When we separated I turned towards James and told him it was nice meeting him, and he replied with a likewise.
Anthony hailed a cab and opened the door for me, I got in and he closed the door. He walked towards the cab driver and gave him twenty dollars. "Please take care of her." He walked back towards my window, peered, and said "Until we meet again." I smiled and waved at them. I muttered the address to my apartment then the cab driver drove off. I looked back, making sure I'm not being followed―I wasn't.