Buzzed Hearts

99: i like you

SOMEHOW, WHENEVER THEY ARE together, Camila always feels a yearning for sweetness. Not to say that the ramen Laurent treated her wasn't fantastic—a big hot bowl of noodles is perfect for when it's cold outside—but she doesn't feel quite content yet.

    Laurent hums in his seat facing her. The lighting above casts shadows from his long lashes onto his cheeks and he blinks lazily.

    "Full?" he asks Camila. "Did you like it?"

    "It was really good. I'm happy they had a vegan option for me," she replies.

    "That's why I chose it."

    "Sure."

    "You don't believe me?"

    "What's not to believe?"

    "Sorry about not having Mediterranean food, though."   

    "Food is food."

    "True..."

    "Hm?"

    "I'm a bit disappointed somehow."

    "You wanted Mediterranean food that badly?"

    "It's not that."

    Camila furrows her brows. "Then what is it?"

    Laurent's ears turn a delicate shade of peony pink. "Something."

    "What?" she presses further. "Tell me?"

    He groans.

    "You can't just mention it and not tell me."

    "I wanted to plan something," he says softly into the palm of his hand. "To..."

    "To...?"

    "To surprise you."

    Camila bursts out laughing, to which Laurent gives her a cross look. "If I knew this is how you'd react I wouldn't have said anything at all." He swirls the broth in his bowl with his spoon. "Fine, since I've said this much I'll tell you the whole story then," he says and dramatically clears his throat.

    "This better be good," Camila says, her eyes on the motion of his wrist, which is still turning counter-clockwise as he continues making soup waves in his finished bowl of ramen.

    "So I had a plan," he begins.

    "Mhm."

    "And you were part of it actually."

    "Okay."

    "I was going to take you to a place that I was actually familiar with in the city."

    "Your childhood friend's parents' restaurant."

    "Yes. And in my plan, it was actually where I remembered it to be but I guess it wasn't even though I had asked my mom to send me their address. So I guess they moved since then and didn't bother telling us. Not that it matters because our family hasn't come to visit in a while since they usually come visit us now."

    "Okay."

    "And we were supposed to eat there and I think you would've really liked it because they definitely have vegan-friendly dishes."

    "This is what you planned?"

    "There's more."

    "What is it?"

    "Well I was going to ask for favor from the owners...for them to serve a cake I ordered earlier from a bakery."

    "A cake?"

    "To our table."

    "What for?"

    "I like you, Mila."