Love In The Night Sky

VIII. Face to face

⪼viii.  face to face

"DID YOU decide what restaurant is the best for the weekend?" My dad asks my brother as he sets down the table with my mum. I take the dish from his hand and start helping him, too, my brother following my lead. 

My brother shakes his head and replies something to dad, but I'm too busy helping my mum to hear what he said. As I settle the chutney on the table, I can hear the bits and pieces of their conversation.

"... are filled with people on weekends." 

"Are we going somewhere at the weekend?" I ask, smoothening the ruffles of the table. Brother looks at me and sighs. He comes closer to me and whispers in my ears.

"We are planning a surprise for mum's birthday." He whispers. I giggle. 

"Is it really a surprise if mum knows and is sitting among us?" 

My brother hushes me still, glancing at my mum, who is silently laughing at my dad. 

"Do you have any recommendations for restaurants? Veg restaurants because mum prefers veg." Brother looks at me with expectations, but I shake my head. He sighs and moves on with the conversation. Suddenly, an idea arose in my head. 

"Brother," I call out in a sweet manner, and my brother slowly turns his head to me in suspicion. "How about you leave the idea of choosing a restaurant... to me?"

ᯓ★

I sit on my bed. Tomorrow is Saturday. Today will be the last day to search, compare, and analyze the routes and restaurants.

I open my laptop and get a sheet of paper. I write all the nearest restaurants first, and then somewhat far from our house. I get Google Maps and start to enter the restaurants name. I find a couple of routes, but none of them really suits the idea in my head. I started looking at Google Street reviews for the areas, going through all sorts of reviews and such.

It's currently 1:30 a.m., and I've yet to find the perfect place. A perfect area, with good reviews, a nice and clean environment, and a veg restaurant too. It's quite difficult to search with all these requirements.

I sigh and look at the clock in helplessness. I have college tomorrow, so I really need to get that sleep. Brother says that we also need to go to the mall and watch a movie that my mum wants to watch for a long time. 

That is when I found the perfect restaurant, with good reviews and awesome experience. I pray that this won't be a scam.

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁

"Are you sure you searched for a good restaurant? We are starving right now." Brother asks as he opens the car door to keep all the things inside. 

"Yes. I'm sure. Also," I take hold of my brother's shoulder and make him face me. "You sit on the left side."

"And why do I need to listen to you?" He scoffs but stops when he sees my serious expression. He sighs and scratches his head. "Is it because of your lover boy?"

I punch him in the stomach, and I take a seat on the right side of the car. I snuggle up and smile to myself. Just a look at his face won't hurt, right?

My brother takes his seat, grumbling to himself. Soon, dad and mum come, and dad turns his key.

"Which restaurant are we going to?" He asks me, and I readily hand him my phone with all the directions. 

"Oh, you already looked up the directions? Nice." My dad praises. I feel proud because my dad rarely praises me as I'm very bad at academics. It feels as if he says that I can survive in this world alone when he praises me, not because of academics. 

I fumble with my fingers, obviously feeling nervous. Today, I would meet my crush (meet?) after 2 months of crushing on him. If my calculations and observations are correct, then I would be so glad. I can finally meet him.

Face to face.

"Stop it. You look ridiculous." My brother nudges me, looking outside the window. He is clearly not happy with me meeting the terrace guy. What's his problem anyway?

I scoff and turn to the window again. We are nearing his house with each turn, and my heart beats faster with every passing kilometers.

And I see it. The cream colored house.

I check the time. It's 5:13 pm. Perfect.

My brother leans towards me, not too suspicious for our mum to notice. I ignore him and lift my head towards the terrace. This view is perfect. It's not too near and not too far. 

And I see it. Black hair and edges of biker jacket. 

My heart beats further, and that's the only thing I can hear right now. 

I squint and see the guy is now nearing the edge. I almost burst out of joy. There it is. The biker jacket, fluffy hair, jet black hai-

Wait. 

Wait. 

My mouth opens ajar before I turn to the front and look down. I turn pale, and my heart beat slows down. My head is full of emotions with which I'm not ready. 

My brother observes me and tries to open his mouth. Instead, he looks back, and now, he faces me with pity. 

"Maybe he went to Kerala. It's where his second dream college is. I'm sorry, Lisa." He whispers, but all I can think about is how I'm betrayed and angry at myself.

I really shouldn't have given my everything to this guy. 

And the rest of the day goes by, with a gloomy atmosphere. 

✧˚ · .

M E A N W  H I L E  :

"Appa, what are you doing here?" 

"Oh, I just wanted to come here for a nice fresh air. I borrowed your jacket." The man in his fifties says as he points to the jacket. His son laughs it off and now walks towards him. He leans on the wall and looks around.

"You don't have a girlfriend, right son?" His dad asks after staring at him for a few minutes. His son laughs it off and looks at the house a little further away, where the girl waved at him.

"I don't have one right now." He finally says and mumbles, "...yet."