Love's Delusion || ✓

Chapter Five

5

Gage and I began walking the streets, looking for somewhere to eat. I could tell Gage had no idea where to go, I mean I'm almost certain that he has never been to this town before. 

"So, is this your first time in the town?" I asked him as we continued to walk, I knew that there were no good food places for a few blocks as my studio wasn't in the most busiest areas of the town. My studio is surrounded by knitting shops, hardware stores, and sewing stores-- no food. 

"What? No, this is my childhood town. Didn't Aaron tell you?" My steps paused, my feet firmly on the pavement. 

What?

 As if my face was expressing my confusion, Gage spoke again; "Yeah, our family used to live here, but then moved five years ago to the town three times over. " He continued. 

"Huh?" Slowly but surely, I started to move again but at a much slower pace than before. Gage noticed and matched pace with me so we were walking in sync. 

"Yeah I thought that Aaron would have told you, I mean he was born here." Another whirlwind hit me as he spoke. 

Aaron wasn't born here, he told me that him and his family have never been in this tiny village. He told me that he was born in Manhattan and that his family and himself lived in Manhattan until he was eighteen, moving him and his family to the town where we met-- the town that happens to be three times over from here. 

"No, no." I backtracked. "He told me, I just forgot." I lied, faking a small smile when Gage sent a glance my way. His gaze lasted for a while, an eyebrow raised as he tried to read my face. 

"Sure, okay." He trailed off, before looking away from me and towards the streets. "Ah look, a diner." He pointed at a small diner that Aaron takes me to when he wants to take me out on a date, they have his favorite fries which he just can't get enough of. 

As we were making our way into the diner I couldn't help but think of what Gage had said to me. Why would Aaron lie to me about living here, was it that important. I mean, nothing changes that he was born here and that he lived here for years, so what is the importance to lie about something like that?

Gage and I sat in a little booth that was equipped with menus. I watched as Gage looked through the menu, his eyebrows furrowing as he went through the menu. Before I could look away, he looked up and met my gaze.

Instantly I felt my cheeks heat up, I just got caught staring at this man in front of me. The edge of his mouth twitched up as he smirked, resting his shoulders on the booth behind me and letting the menu drop from his hands and to the table. 

"See anything you like yet?" He spoke, gesturing to the closed menu in front of me. I felt my blush get stronger however I attempted to hide by looking down at my jeans, wiping off 'dust' off them, and pretending to find interest in the little specks of paint on the worn-out jeans I decided to wear today.

"Oh no, I already know what I want, Aaron and I come here all the time," I spoke with my eyes still stuck on my jeans, I didn't dare look back at Gage. 

"Oh, cool." It sounded as if his voice went quiet as he lost the cheekiness within his voice. I finally did look up to see Gage staring at the table, picking at the wood of the edge of the table that seemed to be peeking out. 

Before and after we had ordered, Gage and I didn't dare to speak. I don't know why, but we decided that silence was best I suppose. However, when the food came, Gage decided to break the silence that I quite enjoyed.