Oblivion

Oblivion - Part 6

There is a long silence, a bit uncomfortable, but I don't care. It gives me time to get a good look at him, but there's nothing I recognize. He looks good, more than good, only I have no recognition whatsoever. He waits patiently and follows my every move with his clear blue eyes. He doesn't say a word, I see his chest rise and fall with his calm breathing. Which calms me in a weird way.

The silence is interrupted by the waitress. "Good evening, here's the menu. Would you like to order a drink?" she asks kindly. "I'd like a glass of water." I answer her with a smile. Then I look back at Jake so he can take his order too. "A beer from the tap, please," he says with the same kind of polite smile I had. Which makes me wonder what he looks like when he's laughing out loud.

"Seriously, water?" he asks me bewildered, when the waitress walks away.

I raise my eyebrow "Is that wrong, to drink water?".

"Oh, no. Of course not. I'm just surprised." his eyes had widened as if he were almost giving away a secret.

"Why surprised? Have you never seen anyone not drinking alcohol?" now it was my turn to be surprised.

"No, it's not. It's-" his voice fades without finishing his sentence.

"Fine, then no explanation. Never mind." I sigh in frustration. "You said you could tell about my past, how do you know my past?".

He sighs, thinking "Because I've been a big part of it."

Now my eyes open wide "Oh. And what were you to me?".

His cheerful look changes to sad "Maybe we should wait a little longer before explaining that. Let me put it this way, I was a friend and I hope I can be still one."

"Are you gay?" I ask him and am surprised that is the first thing that comes to my mind to ask. I can give myself a facepalm. Which makes me start laughing stupidly.

"And what if I am? He laughs. "But no, I'm not. Does that reassure you?" His smile became a bit provocative.

"Why am I only asking stupid questions?" I grumble to myself as I put my head in my hands.

Suddenly I feel his hand on my wrist, which makes me look up. "Don't be ashamed. Not with me okay. I understand you're nervous, I am too."

"Okay" I say, a little unsure. "What can you tell me? I know almost nothing.".

"What do you know?" he asks seriously, still resting his hand on my wrist.

I don't really want to pull my arm away and break contact, because his touch calms me down. But our waitress is back with our drinks. She puts them in front of us, forcing me to break contact anyway. Which also gives me the chance to take my notes out of my bag.

"This is all I know" I say to him as I slide them towards him.

He slides the notes a little closer and reads them attentively. Then he looks up, concerned. "These are only fragments of the truth".

"Yeah, I already suspected that. But what is true and what is not?" I feel the impatience and frustration bubbling up.

"I understand that you want to know everything as soon as possible. But it is a lot. And a lot of it is ugly." he sighs "I thought you would already know more. But this shows you don't. I misjudged that, sorry."

I feel the panic "No, tell me you tell me everything and don't leave me here empty handed!" I grab his hand begging.

"Leave you?! I would never leave you!" he puts his other hand over his mouth, startled.

I look at him perplexed "You were more than just a friend to me, weren't you?".

Defeated, he hangs his head "Yes. Yes, we were much more than just friends. It's complicated what we had. But I didn't want to tell you that yet, because you have to know everything else first. And it turns out now, this is not the place to tell."

I had no intention of parting our ways tonight with no answers. So on a whim, a last chance for me to learn anything about my past, an idea pops up. "Fine, then we'll get out of here. We'll get something to eat on the way, and go to my house." I realize the risk I'm taking, a strange man, who claims to know about my past, is dangerous to take home. But I'll take the risk anyway. Reluctant and unsure about my proposal, he looks at me "Are you sure?". "No, I don't know if I can trust you. But I want answers, I want the truth. So I'll just have to take the risk." I shrug. I expected him to be offended by my comment. Only I see a big smirk appear on his face and then he laughs out loud. "That's the Layana I know.". His laugh makes me at ease and brings up some confidence in me "You do know it's weird right? You know me, but I have no clue who you are?" I jokely laugh.