Moments | Sal Vulcano

Chapter 23

We left the bowling alley, as I frolick victoriously. I had won the game, beating Sal. We were neck and neck, but my last two strikes in a row helped me win. After briefly celebrating my win, my stomach begings to growl furiously, telling me that food is needed inside my empty stomach. I believe Sal heard it, because he pointed at the closest restaurant, the only restaurant, where we can have some lunch. As we walked inside, blushing in embarrassment after what had just happened, I spotted a free table with two chairs. Those chairs, however, looked uncomfortable. But I'd only imagine that it's there to suit the theme for the restaurant, which was not pristine.

"Sal, did those chairs look like that in the eighties? In your time?" I nervously went closer to pat on the so-called dark red cushion.

"I think so. Especially in that horrible color." Sal winced as he pulls out the chair and sits on it, as I did the same. Once Sal had sat down, he immediately didn't like the chair. His face said it all. "Still how I remember them." Sal remarks with a disappointed tone, shifting left to right to find a comfortable position.

"Uncomfortable." I added. Words cannot describe how uncomfortable this chair is. It's like it's not even a chair. If Sal had to sit on these painful chairs for over twenty years, then I feel sorry for him. His poor butt must have gone through a lot.

"Don't let the chairs ruin the moment. At least we're together. That's what matters." Sal held me hand under the table. I couldn't help but smile and squeeze his hand.

"The chairs aren't the only thing I'm worried about." I said, smelling the food coming from the kitchen just inches away.

Seconds later, a young waitress came to us with a notepad and pen, waiting for our orders. "Hello! I'm Daisy and I'll be your waitress for today. What can I get you?"

"I'll have the fish pie, please." I chose, pointing at the name on the menu.

"And I'll have the Sloppy Joe." Sal ordered.

"Nothing to drink?" Daisy asked after a brief pause, noticing that we hadn't ordered any beverages. Sal and I simultaneously shook our heads, because we had plenty to drink at the bowling alley.

Once the waitress had finished writing down our orders, she thanked us and took our menus, then left, leaving us two alone.

"Did you think of Joe when you ordered the Sloppy Joe?" I awed jokingly.

Sal chortled. "Which Joe are you reffering to? Gatto or Sloppy?"

I shrugged, then eventually replied. "At first, Gatto, but now that you mentioned Sloppy, I would have to choose the latter."

Every now and then, we would temporarily watch the people surrounding us doing social things, like familes having a conversation or kids running around several tables playing imaginary shooting with their fingers. I wanted to be able to talk to Sal without hesitation or feeling awkward, like the time when he and Brian moved in. Even to this day, I'm still amazed that my dream crush is sitting right in front of me. It feels like a dream. I tried to break the ice, thinking about what we could talk about. God, it could be anything. The first thing that comes to mind, say it.

"So what are our future plans together?" I ask rapidly with a wobbly voice.

Sal's eyes widened, then he cheekily smiled. "Well, I'm not sure. Let's talk about that actually." Sal leaned back, giving me the look. The 'let's-hear-it' look.

I start fidgeting my fingers, my legs started to tremble. I'm a nervous wreck. I can't believe I asked him that question. "O-okay..." Where do I start? I should have asked something else. Anything but that. There's no turning back now. "So...I was thinking that, if things go according to plan, we'd be...um..." At that point, I started using my hands to shrug. My mind is blank.