Chapter Eleven
Ella POV
I looked out the window as we drove watching the passing trees and buildings. I had never seen this part of town at night, it was so beautiful and lively.
I felt a warm hand envelope my thigh making my gaze to be diverted from the window to the direction of the hand.
" Are you ok?" Alex asked his gaze laced with concern.
" Yes I am." I said with a smile.
" You've been quiet since we started driving."
" I'm just admiring this part of town, it's just really pretty at night."
" You haven't been here before?"
" I have been here but only a couple of times and it wasn't at night so I couldn't take in this beauty."
" I understand" he said giving me a warm smile.
" We are here." He made a turn leading to the parking lot of the restaurant. It looked really luxurious and expensive.
" Don't you think this is too much?" I asked him as he brought the car to a halt.
" No, you deserve this and even more." The corner of my lips lifted in a smile.
We both alighted from the car and walked towards the door of the restaurant which opened automatically for us. The interior was so fine, it screamed even more luxury than the exterior. Everywhere was decked in gold. He led me to a table for two, he pulled out my chair for me to sit down. A waiteress dressed in white and black with a gold muffler came to our table.
" Hello my name is Marie and I would be your waitress for tonight she said handing us a menu each.
" I'll have the pasta prepared in the Italian way." Alex said scanning through the menu.
" Anything to drink?" She asked writing down his order on her small notepad.
" Red wine, the best" he said closing the menu and handing it over to her.
" How about you ma'am?"
" I'll have —"
" She'll have the same thing." Alex said interrupting me.
" How about what to drink ma'am?"
" Water is fine." I said quickly before closing the menu and handing it over to her.
" I'll be back shortly with your order."
" So, the place is good right?"
" Why didn't you let me finish ordering myself." I asked in a calm tone my eyes fixed in him.
" You were going to order the same thing. Right?" He said with a smirk.
" No I wasn't, I had something else in mind but nevermind."
For the rest of the evening he talked about himself and his job. I learnt that he was forced by his mathematician dad to study maths but his real passion was literature. He told me a lot about his life, and how he served in the military for a while.
" So how about your dad?" He asked abruptly making me choke on the pasta. I coughed gradually turning red, he ran to my side rubbing my back and handing me a glass of water to drink. My eyes locked with his while he was by my side and I could feel an electric feeling which spread across my body.
" Are you ok?" I nodded my head as he went back to his seat.
" So how about your father?" He asked again.
" He's not in our lives." I gulped shifting uncomfortable on the chair.
" How about your mum?" Another sensitive questions sent my way. I remained quiet focusing on any other thing but his face.
" What's wrong baby girl?" His voice dripping with concern.
" I'm not comfortable with the questions."
" Ok, it's fine you don't need to answer, at least not yet"
" Can you take me home now?"
" Sure come on"
As we wheeled into Claire's street, I noticed a familiar car parked in a corner but I paid no attention to it
" Thank you so much for tonight" I said before alighting from his car.
" Emma!" He called out making me come to a halt.
" Let me walk you to the porch" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. He alighted from the car. As we walked I heard footsteps behind us and within a blink of a eye Jason was right in front of me and Alex was bleeding from his lips.
" Jason!" I shouted and rushed to Alex side to see if he was ok. His lips curled into a small smile.
" Always a backstabber." He said making Jason even more furious as he lunged towards Alex falling him to the ground. He threw punches repeatedly at Alex but Alex put on a defensive stance.
I kept shouting for them to stop but my voice had no effect until someone came and pulled Jason from off Alex.
" Jason, fucking keep it together." The person said, it was Ben his best friend. Immediately I rushed to Alex on the ground.
" Emma he doesn't mean well for you." Jason shouted as Ben attempted to keep him away from coming close to Alex.
" And you mean well?" I backfired
" Jason, please just leave." Jason looked at me and for a splitting second I saw hurt in his eyes before he walked away. I managed to help Alex up even if his body weight was too much for me. Immediately he stood up he let go of me slightly pushing me.
" Let me at least take a look at your bruises" I said as he walked to his car.
" I'll be fine Emma, don't worry." With that he drove off. I turned around, confused about what just happened here. I saw at the front door tieing a bathrobe with water dripping from her hair.
I walked towards her and we both entered the house. None of us uttering a word, I went straight to the kitchen taking out a bottle of water to calm my nerves.
" Em, are you ok?" I nodded my head frantically.
" Yes, I'm fine."
" Did you know they knew each other ?" She asked
" Nope, I was suprised."
" You know you can't date that guy?"
" Claire you can't tell me who and who not to date." I said in a stern tone.
" You were meant to take a break but it looks like you're going back to the beginning." I sighed seeing I shouldn't have used that tone on her.
" I know you are just looking out for me, I think I can handle myself. So Ben?" I said sitting on the couch beside her.
" Yea Ben" she said before we both bursted into fits of laughter.