With the Lights Off...

(11): So Close

* I know, I know. I reek for giving you guys a filler chapter when you've been waiting so long. I'm going to try to make this one really long, I promise. I wish I could just get out of this rut haha xD help me tho? :) thank youuuu. please continue to vote, fan, comment, and share! :DD Love y'all! *

Nina's POV

After the whole elevator fiasco, Ian and I reached the lobby, without any physical contact whatsoever. We stood a few inches apart, just to avoid any other confusion between us and the paparazzi. We had enough attention to last nine lifetimes.

We walked together to the lobby cafe and sat down on a two-seater table. The other patients looked over at us and began whispering.

So much for 'enough attention'.

"Wow," Ian groaned, bending over to reach for the menu on the tabletop. I did the same and hid my face behind it. I heard him laugh, pushing down the menu so he looked me in the eyes.

"That's not helping, you know?" he asked. "Are you that ashamed of me?"

"I don't think ashamed is the right way to describe how I feel about you," I said, smiling shyly. "But, there's no point in explaining that to them."

He nodded curtly and scrunched up his nose. "What did the doctors suggest?"

"Waffles and hot chocolate," I said, leaning back to place the menu on the tabletop. "And I guess that's all I'm ordering right now."

"Watching carbs, are we, Dobrev?" he asked cheekily.

"Please," I said. "Carbs. My. Butt."

He laughed and signalled for a waiter, leaning back on his seat too. He raised his hand up, and finally, a waiter and a waitress came scurrying towards us.

They nudged each other, trying to prove that the other reached us first. Ian scoffed and held up his hands. "Hey, hey," he said. "Stop it, okay? Here, to be fair, you gorgeous lady take my order and you fine gentleman take Nina's."

The waitress blushed and the waiter scurried next to me. "What would you like?" they said together, smiling.

"Waffles and hot chocolate," Ian and I said together.

"Would that be all?" the waiter asked.

"Or would you want anything else?" the waitress asked. "Like, toppings on your waffles or flavors in the hot chocolate?"

Ian looked at me and grinned. "Okay then," he said. "I'll have Nutella, banana slices and cinnamon on mine, please? And as for the hot chocolate, I guess, gingerbread spice."

"And you?" the waiter asked me, with eyes gleaming.

I smiled and said, "Just mixed berries and caramel chocolate chips on the waffles. And, peppermint in the hot chocolate."

He nodded and scrawled down our orders. "Would that be all?"

Ian glared and said, "Of course not. Do you think we'd let you leave after all of that crap?"

They both gulped nervously and looked at each other. I didn't know what was going on with him.

I glared at him and tried to kick him under the table.

He moved his leg away expertly without flinching and I rolled my eyes.

"Of course not," he said again. "Not without giving you autographs or snapping a photo."

I sighed in relief and Ian smiled. "We would love to remember the two very accomodating people here. If ever we do come back, for any other reason BUT any of our friends getting hurt."