Young Lust

26 - Crazy Shit

Mum was a little surprised when I told her I was going out for dinner with Mitchell.

"What about Steven?" she asked. "And isn't Mitchell your boss?"

"It's just a friendly dinner," I replied, "yes, with my boss." Saying it aloud made it sound weirder than I first thought. Too late to back out now, though - he'd have finished work and been getting ready by now.

I went upstairs to get ready myself. I absentmindedly reached for one of my little black dresses - but changed my mind, because this wasn't a date with my boyfriend: it was a friendly outing.

So instead, I pulled on a dark purple peplum top and black pants, black heeled boots, and finished the look off with a black, shiny headband. And a fresh layer of red lippy.

I was about to go and wait in the living room, but as I passed the front door, there was a knock, so I opened it.

"Mitchell," I said, surprised that he was early.

"Hey," he replied, "you look... pretty."

I was about to say thanks when I saw Tom coming home from his evening jog.

"Who're you all dressed up for?" Tom asked playfully.

"Me," Mitchell answered casually.

"Who're you?"

"This is Mitchell," I said, "and I'm not dressed up - this is how I always dress."

"I guess," Tom acknowledged.

"This is my best friend, Tom."

"Nice to meet you," Mitchell held out his hand to Tom, and they shook. "Now I think it's time to go." Mitchell held out his hand again, to me this time, I took it, and we walked to his car.

"Bye!" I called to Tom as Mitchell opened my door for me.

---

"This place smells amazing," I drew in a deep breath after we were seated in the lovely Chinese restaurant. We had the table closest to the glass that was the front wall of the place.

After we finished choosing from the menu, a waitress approached us.

"May I take your or-" Erin, Steven's ex, looked at me over her little notebook, "-der?"

"Hi," I said quietly, and we told her what we wanted.

In no time at all she was back at our table setting down our superb-looking food. Erin looked almost smug as she was doing her job. Mitchell thanked her, and she left.

"This is pretty good," Mitchell said through a mouth full of food.

After an uncomfortable lot of small talk, I jumped a little in my chair when I saw somebody looking at us through the glass wall from outside.

He looked outraged. He made his way to the door of the restaurant, entered, and stopped at our table.

"What's this about?" Steven growled.

"What's what about?" I asked vaguely.

"Don't play stupid with me," Steven said shortly, "what are you doing in a restaurant with this guy?"

"Excuse me?" I raised my voice a little. The people at the table next to ours glanced over. "I'm having dinner with my friend!"

"Come outside," Steven ordered.

"What for?"

"I want to talk to you."

"I'm busy." I replied arrogantly.