'Ｈｏｗ ｉｓ ｉｔ?' Daisy took a bite of her portion of Chicken Alfredo. Bryson just finished cooking and now staring at her with a hopeful face. She chewed and tasted it thoroughly like one of those judge in a Master Chef show. Daisy raised her right hand to signed a thumbs up and the guy let a huge sighed of relief. She can't believed that Bryson is a good cook, he doesn't looked like it but, his cooking certainly fitted her tastebud, its better than those foods their professional and certified chef cooked way back in her home.
'Do you like it?' Bryson prodded, wanting to know more of her opinion. Is it really important if she like it or not? The important was, Bryson took his time preparing and fixing up their lunch and even though the outcome could be disgusting, she will still eat it like she had never eaten before.
Daisy just nodded her head in answer and continued eating her meal happily. Bryson did the same with a small smile on his face like he just gained the biggest achievement in his life, its comforting actually, eating silently and just enjoying each other's company.
'I supposed I should be cooking for you frequently. There's more to it in my talent ya know. Just tell me what do you like to eat the next time and I'll cook it for you.' Daisy bit down her lip like she usually do when she felt embarrassed, flustered, and nervous when she was around the guy in front of her. It's hard to believed that the once shy girl who always inside the confinement of her room— been afraid to stepped out of her comfort zone was now sitting at her own dining chair with the guy she least expected to met of all the people in this world.
'What are you doing after this?'
Daisy stopped herself from relishing the foods on her plate and picked up her phone beside her to typed the answer. It's kind of rude and disrespectful using a device while eating honestly, its a courtesy her mother's ingrained in her mind ever since she was kid. But right now, she grew accustomed on living like a common person that she realized, her actions doesn't defines who she is and that includes whether if she was being polite or not.
'I'll just probably read some books or binge watch some series on Netflix. What about you?'
Bryson cleared his throat and sipped his mango juice before signing something he learned just a while ago. She smiled just by looking at the guy who was trying to remember the sign language as he conducted it. Daisy watched carefully, trying to understand the message of his sloppy movements.
'Did you get it? Did I do correctly?' She nodded her head and typed. 'Yes. Why do you like to hangout here? Don't you have anywhere to go?' Even though Bryson already mentioned that he wants to spend his day at her place, she just thought he was just fooling around and didn't really believed in him.
'Nope. Where would I should go anyway? Its fun here. I'll just watch with you.'
'Okay.' Daisy mentally prepared herself for spending more time with Bryson like she always wished for, Am I going to survive that much longer? What if I hyperventilate or worst I make fun of myself? If just by eating together was already overwhelming, what more her heart could take if they end up sitting beside each other while watching some movies. That's what a boyfriend and girlfriend did right? But their relationship is plainly platonic and it must be a casual activity between friends for Bryson. So why is she freaking out?
'I'll do the dishes now. You can wait for me in the living room. My laptop is on the coffee table. You can also pick the movie. I'll just watch the series some other time.' She placed the plate on the sink and wait for Bryson's to finish eating. The guy is a huge eater while she can only take half of her portion and its like, ten bites or something.
'Are you sure? I don't mind whatever it is your watching.'
Nope. Nope. It's a romantic comedy and she don't want to be put in a situation wherein the kissing scene part play and it would be totally awkward afterwards.
Daisy just nodded her and hope that whatever it is that Bryson choose is not a horror movie because she most likely cowering the entire time.
She just finished washing the dishes and about to put the tropicana mango juice inside her fridge but stopped when she realized something. Do they need some snacks or something? Like popcorn, chips and drinks? But, they just only eaten their lunch, Bryson is probably had enough food in his stomach. This will the be first time Daisy would be watching with someone else and doesn't know how it works. Thinking too hard again even though it was unnecessary, she just shook her head and opened the fridge, its empty as the first time she had it.
The food she bought the last time she went on grocery shopping were the ingredients Bryson's used for cooking the Chicken Alfredo. Daisy needs to restock right now especially because, today is her day off and tomorrow she have be at work. Nibbling on her lower lip while thinking if it is okay if they postpone their plan. She didn't noticed the guy leaning against the doorframe of her kitchen.
'What's up in your head shorty? Why are your standing still?' Daisy jumped slightly because of the sudden intrusion in her immersed mind. Bryson just laughed and walked toward her.
'So? Are you just going to stand there throughout the day or are we going to watch?' There was an amusement in the guy's eyes and a smile on his lips while looking down at her. Daisy don't know how to explain that they couldn't watch right now because she has other unplanned business.
'Hmm You know I can almost see the screws turning in your head. Do you have to do something? And why is your fridge still open? Shorty if you want to cooled down you should just tell me so, that I can minimize my hotness.' Bryson smile turned into a smirk that only makes Daisy's brows furrowed. What does that even mean?
'I'm not feeling hot. I just realized that I need to go grocery shopping, need to restock now cause I'll be busy the following day.' The guy read her answers to his questions that she typed on her phone.
Bryson mumbled under his breathe something she hadn't catch on.
'Alright. Too bad we can't watch the movies. I'll go with you. C'mon.' He said.
'You're going with me? But, I'm only grocery shopping.'
'Yeah. That's what I said. I'll drive you there. Do you really think you can get rid of me that easily. Nope, you're stuck with me. Now let's go.' Before she can even protests, Bryson already pried the juice off in her hand, put it in the fridge and held her wrist to exit the kitchen. She just let the guy do the work and followed his footsteps.
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'You should add more fruit and veggies.' Bryson was pushing the cart whilst they're strolling the vegetable and fruits section.
She took an apples, oranges, and strawberry and after placing in the cart, they move on to the meat and seafoods section.
'Do you like salmon?' Bryson asked gazing down at her. Of course, she like salmon. It's one of her favorite especially if its sashimi. She nodded her head.
'Do you know that a female salmon can carry more that 4,000 eggs?' Bryson said, looking down at her with his mischievous grin.
'Of course I know that.' She signed.
'If you pick the female salmon you're going to be an accomplice killer. Imagine enjoying your meal with salmon as the main dish— how about the babies? They wouldn't live to see another day.' Bryson said taunting her.
Daisy thought to herself about what the guy had said. He has a point. She felt bad all of a sudden.
'I'm not going to eat salmon again.' She pouted and looked down on her shoes whilst Bryson just chuckled and ruffles her hair.
'I'm just kidding shorty. Here. It's a great source of protein and B vitamins.' She just watched as Bryson put the salmon fillet in their cart before walking over to another section. Daisy eyed the fish warily and pitifully. She mouthed the word 'sorry' sadly.
'Come on shorty. If you look the fish like that. It'll haunt your dream.'
Daisy wants to stamped her foot like a 5 years old kid for teasing her but, she refrained herself, instead she just followed Bryson who's flashing his wide smile. Both of them proceeded of buying other ingredients, beverages, and of course chips and cookies.
They are now lining up at the cashier, there are two other customers ahead of them when she remember her other necessities like hygienic products. Daisy was too shy to ask Bryson to accompany her and besides it's mostly contain her napkins, feminine wash and some other things that a guy like Bryson should not supposed to know.
Daisy typed her explanation on her phone and get some cash in her wallet before tagging the seam of Bryson's shirt to get his attention. The guy looked at him, raising his one thick brow.
'I forgot to buy something. I'll just go get it, you can pay the items. Here's the money. Just wait for me at the front.' She hastily put the money in his hands and didn't wait for his response. She immediately excused herself to the other customer behind them and run-walk to her designated aisle.
Picking up the brand of shampoo, conditioner, feminine wash and other things were never been this quick before. She's not the typed of gal that read every label or contents of the product before choosing what to buy, but, she always get the one which closely resembled to the previous products she used way back in her hometown. All of those are quiet expensive and obviously you can't find in grocery store like home depot.
After deciding which of the two different brand of body wash she was holding to buy, Daisy put back in the shelves the one she doesn't need. She don't want to stalled that long just to be a picky user when there's a guy waiting for her, likely bored and thinking what took her so long.
Daisy turned around about to walked back at the cashier when she suddenly bumped into someone. Startled, she dropped most of the products she was holding and it scattered all over the place.
'I'm so sorry miss. I didn't see you there.'
Daisy bend down to picked every thing up, heart still racing— she immediately get every single items that rolled over on the tiled floor.
'Are you okay miss. Let me help you. I'm really sorry.' A raspy voice spoke. Of course, like a defected one that she is, Daisy couldn't even respond to the person and just keep on doing whatever it is just to get away as soon as possible. The person must be thinking right now that she's a retarded for not speaking even just by saying 'It's okay'.
How hard could it be to voice out that two simple words? It's insufferable for Daisy. She felt stupid, helpless, and thinking, why did she even suddenly bumped into someone anyway? How clumsy.
Standing up again, this time planning to walked out of the embarrassing situation, it's inelegant and lack of manner because she was partially at fault too but, can't even apologize. It doesn't matter anymore though, yet Daisy didn't expect to see a pair of pitch black piercing eyes that brings back a lot of bad memories in her.
It was staring at her with the same eerie smile on his thin lips. Now that Daisy is looking directly at the man, she finally noticed his shaved head, towering height and slightly apparent pot-belly underneath his tucked-in polo shirt. Why is the guy from the flower shop here? Yes, he might be also grocery shopping like most of the people inside but why here? Of all the places.
Distress and horrified must be sporting on her face right now, with her eyes wide open and mouth gaping like a fish in a tank but, she's really downright scared of the man in front. He just keep looking at her like she was a fine piece of meat on a silver platter. Even though, he isn't doing anything wrong to her, she just wished to be anywhere but in this position.
'You're the florist at the flower shop right? Cause you looked familiar, what a coincidence. I'm really sorry by the way for slamming on you. I'm too preoccupied of my grocery shopping I didn't see you standing there.' The man produced a belly laughed that brought goosebumps all over her body. She shouldn't over react right now and judged someone she only met two times, it's disrespectful and her mom raised her better than that. Calm down. Calm down. No she can't, couldn't.
Daisy can already feel the anxiety surging and spreading in her body. Her brain seems to stop functioning and she just stood there like a statue. What is happening to her? Why did she so wary of this man even though it's not the first time she encountered someone that looked like him?
Daisy has only one wish right at that moment and that is for Bryson to come bail her out from the imprisonment of the man's penetrating gaze.
'Let me help you with that handful miss.' The man was about to touch her and that's when the world started moving again. Her body rebooting and she steps back like the man carried some infectious disease. He didn't even wavered because of her sudden rejection instead just keep walking forward with his slightly wrinkled and veiny hands raised in between them.
Finally finding out the courage, she walked past the man and just keep on walking and walking without looking back then his voice resonated again in her out of the state mind, its haunting and full of hidden agenda which she couldn't decipher.
'I'll see you soon miss.'
Daisy took a deep breathe every steps of her way, the sudden intake of air that she was holding back a couple of minutes ago made her dizzy but, it didn't stop her from moving forward. She needed to get the hell out of this place. The establishment seems to shrunk its originally massive space and everything seemed to stop moving.
Why did that man brings her so much a bad memories? Is she being paranoid again? That can be. Who is that man anyway? Why does it feel like she know me? Daisy's already messy head became mushed of queer thoughts.
Bryson looked like just had a conversation on his phone but ended up instantly when he saw her walking toward him.
'Hey what took you so long? I thought you lost your way. I'm about to page the customer service for a missing child.' The guy's teasing didn't even make her mood better but, she keep her unsetttling feelings to herself. She doesn't want to be a burden as the guy already took his time just by going with her. Its nothing but her mind playing tricks on her. Daisy tried to convinced herself.
She just gave Bryson a distraught smile and hopeful that he wouldn't notice the paranoia that is in her head.
'Hey are you okay? You looked pale and like have seen a ghost. Did something happened?' Bryson's voice turned serious and hardened like somehow he figured out her stupor but, she avoided looking at him. No. It's not a ghost, a human being resemblance to a ghost. She just nodded her head and signed the words 'let's go' then traipsed toward the exit to avoid the prodding questions of Bryson. Yeah. It's nothing.
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