Jared bulged his eyes out when he saw Ariana moving down to sit on one of the wooden benches provided by the side of the stall.
He couldn't believe it. Were they eating here?!
He turned his frantic eyes to the
ruly trash all over the floor as the atmosphere reeked of beer and sweaty armpits.
He doubted he would be able to stomach the food in such a gruesome place.
"U-Uhm, miss Ariana," he called out gently as he walked towards her.
"Have a seat here, Jerry," she gestured to the seat across her as she peeled her sandwich open.
"Um, do you really have to eat here?" he murmured lowly as she looked up at him with a confused gaze.
"I mean, it's quite cold and...we have a heater inside the car so..." he trailed off, hoping she would understand what he meant without him having to say it all out.
"What are you saying, Jerry? Don't you know street food is the best when eaten by the streets?" she rolled her hazel eyes as she opened her legs wide to chomp her scrumptious meal, not paying heed to the boisterous men next to them.
"B-But-" Jared tried to argue.
"Ugh, sit down and eat, will you?" she hissed as she pulled his wrist to sit on the bench.
He sighed under his breath as he took one more weary look at the place he would have never stepped foot into in other circumstances.
"Open your sandwich," Ariana tapped his meal on the table as Jared took an incredulous look at it.
"Gosh, why you gotta be so picky for a man?" she gritted under her breath as she placed her sandwich on the table to open his before she handed it to him.
She was about to take a bite from her food when she noticed Jared looking down at the sandwich as though he was scared a bear would emerge from the contents.
Ariana facepalmed.
"Do I have to tell you to open your mouth and bite on the bread too? Stop staring as though it were a monster," Ariana rolled her eyes.
"Take a bite," she urged.
"I don't know, Miss Ariana. This type of food isn't really-" Ariana shut him up by pushing the sandwich into his mouth.
He scorned as the food was pushed violently into his mouth but then a frown overtook his features when he tasted something that made him widen his eyes slightly.
He began to chew the morsel as his frown deepened while the taste was being savoured in his buds.
He didn't really know how to put it.
The uncultured ingredients mashed up against each other came into a fine palate in his mouth as the greasy meat mixed in with the sauce and the soft loaf of bread.
The taste was amazing. Contrary to the look.
Jared widened his eyes as he couldn't resist the urge to take another bite while he nodded in agreement.
"You like it," Ariana smiled as she was finally able to take a bite from her sandwich with a wide smile.
"This-This is awesome!" Jared let out for a moment only to take a bigger bite from the food.
He didn't even seem to mind much when the sauce licked onto his clothes a little because he was too distracted by the luscious mix in his mouth.
"Of course it is. It is not like those midget sizes of the plain broccoli and mild meat which we pay a fortune for all in the name of being rich," Ariana snickered.
"This isn't a food made to impress the higher-ups or to get the best restaurant prize. It is made simply to feed and satisfy the hunger, which is why it tastes great," she said as she took a sip from her juice.
Jared nodded his head as he took two more bites to finish off the sandwich which made Ariana grin with pride.
She was proud of the delicate rich boy.
"How do you feel?" she teased with a smile.
"Another round of this delicious sandwich please!" Jared rang out loud which made Ariana chuckle.
He seemed to be fitting in just fine.
They ate the second round of sandwiches with extra vigour before Jared decided they had to leave before he would empty the stall this night.
And also, the three hours they had planned to stay out had run out already.
Ariana stood by the roadside as Jared paid the lady extra for the incredible meal she prepared which made load praises all over the kind young lad.
Ariana felt someone bump her which made her jolt up abruptly as she turned back to stare at him with a sharp gaze.
"Watch it, sweet cheeks," the gruff-looking man dressed in some haggled clothes grinned at her which made her stomach twist the wrong way.
She let him pass by without saying a word as her skin became enveloped with goosebumps over the slight chill she got from his hollow eyes.
"Let's go," Jared moved beside her which made her snap out of her thoughts as she followed him back to the car.
The ride to the hospital was silent but peaceful as Jared played a gentle tune from the radio to liven the mood up.
"Thank you for tonight," Ariana said with a grateful smile as she got out of the car.
"And thank you for the craziness as always," Jared joked as he shook his head.
"My pleasure, " She muttered with a wink.
"You should get going now before the doctor finds out you're gone," Jared said as he moved back.
"Sure. Have a nice night," she said.
"You're getting discharged tomorrow morning, right? Why don't I come to pick you up to take you back home?" Jared suggested, not wanting to part ways with her just yet.
Ariana looked like she was about to respond before she clamped her mouth shut and composed herself.
"Uh, it's okay. I will take care of it," she replied instead.
"Oh? Sure then," Jared seemed taken aback but refrained from saying anything further.
"Good night, Jerry mouse" she waved at him.
"Night," he moved back to get into the car.
Ariana stood on the pavement for a little while as he drove off until her wistful gaze was concentrated in a particular direction for quite some time.
She had refused his offer this time because she wanted to make him step back a little as they have been hanging out more than usual ever since she got hospitalized.
She was grateful for all that he had done for her but she would hate the blossoming flowers of a relationship to grow into something else.
Especially not now, when she had a death sentence on her neck.
She could not get attached to just anyone.