The first time we met was in a restaurant, the squad was late as usual and I was early as always. There she was at the far table by the window, two empty seats around her. She was poised and elegant. She oozed confidence and self-content; the aura around her was different and I wanted to be engulfed in it. At that moment I didn't think, I just walked over straight to her. We were peas of the same pod and I could feel the shift, the pull towards her; of course, she was early just like me. Her attention was concentrated on her phone, maybe texting the late people. I was so used to mine that I hardly bothered, they gonna show up when they felt like it; one by one they came in or all altogether at once, all giving lame excuses. I'm used to it, so am going to spend time with this beauty before the gang decides to show up.
The day was blue and beautiful and the restaurant's ambiance was everything. The moment was right and I brought out my A-game.
"Hello."
My charming self was proud.
She looked up. Wow, her eyes were mesmerizing and I wanted to sink into them. They were liquid brown with dancing black orbs. Inviting. Tantalizing.
"Hi." Her voice was velvet.
"May I sit?"
"Oh, okay." She hesitates before placing her phone away giving me all her attention. I pulled a chair opposite her and made myself comfortable.
Gauging her, I ask; "You alone?"
I had to know that beautiful women are never single and hoped she wasn't here waiting for her boyfriend.
"Seems so." This was good for me.
"Waiting for someone? Running late?"
"They have decided not to show up," she sipped on her drink, "changed time, venue, and everything."
"I am sorry about that, who are they?"
She laughs, "My friends, and it is okay actually, I understand, yesterday was a Friday."
"It's Kanairo."
"You get it, the city and its vices."
"It is partying and letting loose off the week's stress." I guess they have major hangovers just like the gang.
"We meeting later for drinks though," she adds.
"And the cycle continues."
"How it goes, more fun and drinking."
"They got Sunday to sleep it off."
"Yeah, definitely." We shared a laugh between us, she had humor and jokes. Her laugh was so infectious that I found myself laughing along with her, so natural.
She is alone, good for me. More time to spend together. She is a strikingly beautiful woman with smooth, flawless dark skin with a warm and inviting smile that lightens up her face and draws others in. I was entranced.
"Can I keep you company until my friends show up?"
She smiles, "Thanks, but you don't have to."
"I want to." A chuckle escaped her and that accelerated my smile.
"If you insist, however, you will leave the moment your friends arrive."
"You could have lunch with me instead."
"Your friends, they will join us." That look speaks volumes and I had to smile. She would love Isa.
"Gain new friends in the process."
"Huh!" a chuckle escapes me. I can't wish some of my friends on her, they were chaotic.
"The upside is; we going to keep you company before you join your chums."
"Thank you but that is not that necessary. I will check up on what is going on in town, that would keep me occupied until then."
"Good thing am here now."
" Yeah!" That voice.
"Yeah," and just like that we clicked.
We order food. Today was a munching day for me, eating everything greasy; fries, burgers, and a side salad to lie to myself I've eaten greens.
"You ordered a salad." She sounded surprised
"Yeah." A sweet chuckle escapes her. I let that hang in the air. I wasn't going to explain, If she asks for a reason I will come up with the doctor stuff, or another lame reason.
When I was a kid my mum made sure every meal had greens and I didn't like them, but I had to eat because she said sternly and lovingly: 'Greens are good for your body, your eyesight, and your strength.' As a physical boy consumed with all activities, from football to track, and would do anything to obey his mother as much as he hated the vegetables, I used to gobble them down; Ps, I wear glasses now. Now I find pleasure in eating them, vegetarianism taking over for a second, and I love the taste of our local vegetables; no meal is ever eaten with no vegetables on the plate.
We share our first meal. I was excited. We both had oval plates of chips. She loves her chili much. The burgers were on point, she bit a chunk out of it and I was lost admiring her succulent lips move. My phone rings disrupting my gaze on her. Checking it out it is; 'Isa calling'. The first to arrive I guess or is she canceling? Will I be like her over here? Picking it up with my left hand, less greased.
"What's up?"
"Where you at?" she asks in her husky voice.
"Where you at?"
"Am around, in the restaurant."
"Raise your hand."
"Am going to stand up for you to see… "
"I see you don't bother."
She makes her way towards us. I hug her, and greetings are passed.
"Hello, pretty lady."
"Hello to you too handsome."
"You look fab."
"Thank you.
"Hi." Isa greets her.
"Hi." She smiles at her, then takes another bite.
"Am I the first one here?" leaning on my seat she asks.
"I was the first but if you say so."
"Let me threaten them so that they can rush here," she pulls a chair and makes herself comfortable.
"Make them feel bad for making me wait." Chuckling, she always does a good job at that.
"Not you, us."
"Let's start with Vicky."
"Definitely, she will bring Bryan out and maybe Will too, they are always together."
Isa makes the calls for both of us, as I get back to eating.
"Hello, where the hell are you."
"Am here, we are here, we are here."
"Okay."
"That is Vicky and Bryan. Let's try Will."
"Be my guest."
"I am taking this outside waiting on Vicky and Byran, they are almost here."
"Sure." She leaves and my eyes return to the lady I owe my company to.
"Enjoying your meal."
"Relishing.." my attention is divided and she noticed.
"Your friends"
"Yeah, you have to use threats sometimes for them to show up."
"Last minute people?"
"Yeah and am always early to any function."
"We are definitely the same there."
We both look up simultaneously as Will walks in, angry and fuming. Isa is not far behind.
"Hey man."
"Hey."
"Why are you mad?"
"Isa is on my case when I just saw her enter."
"I didn't see you." Isa Chimed in.
"I was on a call!"
Isa smiles sheepily, "My bad." She chuckles cheekily as she sits on a vacant chair.
"I need a drink…Hi" Will finally acknowledges her.
"Hi." She spares him a look with those mesmerizing eyes, then she goes back to her meal.
He moves to her side.
"Can I get a hug?" He opens his arms wide and she gives him a side hug.
"Am Will," he says in a baritone voice and pulls a seat beside her.
Did I catch her name? We hadn't even introduced ourselves. We just did talk like we've known each other forever. She is watching and observing Will. Mhh! Interesting.
"Ell."
Oh! That's her name. Pretty
"Nice to meet you. Ell" He turns to me, "I thought we didn't bring people to the group date."
"He found me here," she said before I could answer. She immediately came to my defense. Was she interested in Will?
"We love new people." I found myself saying and she turned to look at me.
"Don't worry, our bro-man Rick here is fine. The others are here apparently they were waiting on each other. I'm going to find them" says Isa as walks out leaving the three of us on the table.
"I will find a table for us. Pleasure meeting you, Ell." Will says as he gets up. I don't like how he says her name.
We needed more drinks. Thank goodness the waiter reads my signal quickly.
"What we having, please, and a neat whiskey on the side." I needed it.
"Hey your friends are here Rick," a smile graces her face as she says my name out loud, realizing if it weren't for Will none of us would have bothered knowing each other's names. She couldn't know my name!
"I might as well leave."
Her plate was half full, I knew she wasn't ready to leave, did the guys make her uncomfortable?
Isa walks back in with everyone in tow and a new pretty face who was clinging on Vicky. They head straight to our table and Will joins them.
"Hey people, good to see, you."
"Hey, you. Hey. Hi," a lot more of heys and hi's. As the bundle of noise passes by.
"When you are done come join us." I love Isa, she can read the room always.
"Sounds good."
Will flashed her a smile, "will you be joining us?"
"I don't think so."
"If you change your mind, feel free."
"Pleasure meeting you"
"That is all mine.
Are they for real, "Dude could you disappear, our food is getting cold." He flashed another smile and joined the crew.
"Your friends are nice."
"They tend to be at times."
The drinks arrived on time; our glasses were running empty. She sips on her cocktail. I bet she loves it sweet. We ate the rest of the meal with light banter between us.
"Do you need anything?"
"No am good, thank you?"
Before I answer her back with a joke about the salad perhaps, a waiter interrupts with drinks. Ell looks at me surprised.
"We didn't order this."
"The group over there ordered this for you." Isa.
"Thank them for us."
I raised my new glass high for Isa, she was watching smiling from afar.
"Do you still wanna join your friends, you are totally free to join mine."
She chuckled, "Cheers."
"To new friends."
After the sips, "Friends," another sip, "I should meet them."
"Okay."
When we were done she wanted to say goodbye to the gang, thank them for the drinks, and 'Will specifically; he was nice'
"Am leaving, nice meeting you all."
"Nice of you to grace us with your presence, Rick." Vicky says ignoring Ell and I ignored her.
"I will walk you out."
"Will she get lost?" Everyone gives her eyes, why is she being mean to a stranger, she didn't even bother to come off her high horse and say hi at least. When she walked by earlier, all she did was size Ell with her sauce cup eyes and left with the new face, before the others joined her by the table.
Ell ignored her or she did pretend not to hear, or she didn't care about the snark comment, I don't know but I liked her more after that. I walked her out, to the car park.
"Thank you for your company."
She stretched out her phone, dial pad ready. That goofy smile that hardly comes out nowadays graced my face. I was still in the game. She didn't take Will's number, she took mine, score, to make it better I didn't ask for it. I call myself and save the number immediately.
"You can call or text later and tell me all about your afternoon," I say.
"No worries, definitely I will."
We say our goodbyes, and I give her a proper hug that she won't forget that easily. After letting go, she stumbles a bit and I had to hold her in position before she finds her balance as a chuckle escaped me. She smiles and walks off to her car.