HIP #2: Summer Of Love

Chapter 26

I carried myself down the stairs and walked toward the roofed food court full of tables and chairs with a sign on top of it saying "Mancheston Beach Food Court Hang Out." Earlier, Peter and I agreed to meet here for dinner. I pushed the clear glass door and entered. The air conditioner seems like it's ten or eleven degrees because of the breeze. Can someone please turn it down? I've never been in a refrigerator before but it seems like right now, I already am.

I scanned my surroundings and looked for him but I couldn't. I looked around one more time just to be sure; no Peter in here. I used the stairs to climb to the second floor. This place is full of stairs. Instead of a food court, they should call this a stair court. Hence, this is too long. Why is there no elevator or escalator? The owner is pretty rich but he's not adding any expensive or high-class stuff to his resort.

Why is that?

My eyes ran around again as I looked for him. Where is he? I think I've already explored this whole room and I still can't see him. If this is a joke or a prank, then he should cut it out. I walked down the stairs again. I'm so sick and tired of them. Maybe later I'll just fall because my feet are too weak. Ugh. I even climbed up and he's down here? What the heck was that?

I shook my head in disappointment at myself when I saw Peter walking toward me. "Where have you been? I climbed up and down and now my feet are weak!" I scolded him but he doesn't seem to get affected by it, instead, he's still smiling at me the way he was smiling when we were singing last night.

Speaking of last night...

I better cover my face so people won't recognize me as the girl who sang All Too Well as if she's in a concert in the middle of the night while people are asleep. Or else, they might drag me down. "I'm sorry. I went to the bathroom." I rolled my eyes and then crossed my arms.

"I'm pretty hungry. Should we order? I prefer a table up there." He pointed his finger at the ceiling as he rose both his eyebrows. I don't want to yell or scold him again but he's trying to make me do it. Whatever. He started it so...

"I just got down here and now you are asking me to climb up again? I'll just eat in my room." I meant nothing about what I said. If I'm going back to my room, it's nothing different from climbing to the second floor of this food court.

"Hey! Calm down! okay, fine let's find a seat here." I felt bad that we have to seat on this first floor because I want to and I'm tired. Not because he wants to. He always has not had the right to choose for himself. As for his career and school; he didn't choose those. But his dad did. He didn't want to play basketball or study in his current school. It's just his dad who wanted him to.

For once maybe I should let him choose? He already turned around and walked a few steps when I thought of that. But still, I ran to him as fast as I could and grabbed his arm. He turned and then looked at me with a frown. "No need. Let's go upstairs." He laughed.

"I was messing with you. I want to sit here." I faked a smile to avoid the obviousness that I was annoyed with his answer. Darn little Charlie! What did I do?

Forget about it, self.

I walked behind him until he stopped at a blue sofa with a table in front of it located beside the huge glass window. He sat on one of the chairs and I took the seat in obverse of him. He rose his hand to call the waiter. In the past few summers, we eat here just not that often because it's a little expensive compared to other restaurants. Not that exaggerated but perhaps a dollar greater than the normal prices or two.

"Good evening ma'am and sir. What's the order of this lovely couple?"

Lovely couple.

I almost burst into laughter. Luckily, I didn't. I looked at Peter who was already looking at me with an awkward smile planning to laugh. "We're not a couple." I spat.

The waiter's eyes widened in shock and formed an "o" in his mouth. "Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry. I really do. You guys look so cute together and so I thought that you were a couple. My bad."

"It's okay. Hand us the menu." I don't think I need that.

"No. Get a plate of Spaghetti and a cup of ice tea for me together with one small plate of strawberry cake." I memorized their best sellers through the years I take my dinner here. I don't need the menu anymore to get an order.

"Give me a bowl of spicy noodles and a cup of milk." The waiter nodded and then left.

"You prefer milk to coffee?"

"I love milk and I hate coffee. I don't know why but it keeps me up all day."

"Same! I don't drink coffee."

"I know. I remember the time we played the game that involves coffee and you lost so you drank four cups. I remember how you couldn't sleep for almost one whole week."

"Don't even remind me about it!" We both giggled.

He rose his hands up in defense.

"Why didn't you order milk?"

"Because it's a little too early. It makes me fall asleep earlier than I should so I don't think I should drink a cup by now. Ice tea first and an hour before I lie on my bed, I'll drink milk."

"I don't have a time schedule for milk. I drink it whenever I crave it."

"The only reason I have a schedule is because of its effect on me."

Aside from Taylor Swift, milk is something that we both like. I'm pretty sure there is still a lot for me to figure out about our things in common.