Changing Him

Chapter 3

(Y'all! You can play this music once they enter the restaurant! It's totally up to you if you want to play it or not I just thought it would add to the fancy dinner vibe!)

Pulling up to the restaurant, I opened the car door, holding on to my dress to make sure it didn't slide up as I stepped out of the car.

I grabbed my brothers hand as my mom gave the keys to the Valet and we walked inside the restaurant.

"What can I do for you?" The man at the front counter smiled at us.

"Hi. I have a reservation for six under Brown." My mom clutched her purse as the man at the front looked on the computer.

"Yes, they have just been seated. Right this way." The man at the counter grabbed 3 menus before guiding us to the table.

Walking over to the table, I noticed Marcus, his mother, and his father all laughing with each other. It always pained me to see happy families with parents still together, I had always wished I could have that.

I shook my head, hoping to shake the disappointment from my head along with it.

My mother hugged Raymond and his wife before sitting down. The only seat left for me was across from Marcus. He smirked at me as I rolled my eyes.

"How was the drive here? Any traffic?" Raymond looked to my mother.

"It wasn't too bad." She smiled as the waiter poured water into each of our glasses.

"So, what are your names?" Raymond's wife stared at me and Jax as we told her our names.

"Nice to meet you two, I'm Jesse. This is my son, Marcus." She shot us a smile before pointing to Marcus.

"Hey." He raised his hand at me in a small wave.

I nodded at him as I took a sip from my glass of water.

"You two go to the same school I believe. You've never seen him?" My mother looked at me, however questioning the both of us.

"You do look familiar." Marcus lies.

"Yeah. I think your actually in my English class." I continue with the lie as we pretend to get to know eachother.

✼

As the dinner progresses, the table talked mainly of business and family.

Finishing the main course, I hadn't talked to Marcus much as I tried to ignore him and focus on the adult conversations. He seemed preoccupied chatting it up with Jax about sports anyways.

"You've barely touched your plate." My mom raised her eyebrows at me.

"I'm just not hungry." I scratched the back of my neck in nervousness.

"Okay, sweetie." She continued back to her conversation with Marcus' parents.

Truth was, I was hungry. But everytime I ate, I felt disgusted. It bothered me that my mom never noticed how I was struggling with so much, but it was my fault for not telling her the truth.

✼

The dinner resumed as I hadn't talked much, only listened to the conversations going on at the table.

Main course came to an end as the dessert menu came out.

"Anyone want dessert? It's on me." Raymond offered the table, to which only Jax took him up on his offer.

The table continued to chatter up, the conversation including all six of us. We talked funny stories about Marcus, Jax, and I, some to which were extremely embarrasing.

As the music in the resteraunt shifted, Raymond and Jesse looked at eachother. "Will you give me this dance?" Raymond looked at his wife as he held out his hand.

"Ray, you need to stop with this. We aren't in highschool anymore." She chuckled before taking his hand and standing up. "Why don't you guys join us on the dance floor?" Jesse looked at all of us sitting at the table as Jax walked up to my mom and took her hand as she giggled. "Calm down, young man." She smiled as Jax dragged her on the dance floor.

"You two coming?" Raymond looked at Marcus and I as we sat in awkwardness.

"No-" I fidgeted with my fingers under the table as I was cut off.

"Yes, we will be right there." Marcus stood up from his chair as his father nodded and walked onto the dance floor.

"Whyd you say that?" I frowned my eyebrows at him.

"Because you're going to dance with me." He walked around the table to me.

"No. I'm not." I crossed my arms.

Marcus walked over to me and grabbed my hand, practically dragging me out of my seat. "Cmon."