Ruben or August

Chapter 3

When I woke up, barely opening my eyes I noticed everyone staring at me. Ruben was looking down over me and had panic written all over his face. Someone was holding my legs up in mid-air probably showing my underwear off to the world. 'Are you alright?' asked several people at once. I looked over and could see that people had gathered around me and I could feel myself breathing heavily.

'Could you please give her some space?' asked Ruben to the crowd.

They almost immediately moved away still looking at me which was making me feeling overwhelmed. Ruben kneeled down beside me and helped me sit up. 'Are you feeling better? I saw you fall and luckily the girl in front caught you just before you hit your head on the ground.'

I turned round a looked up to the girl ready to thank her but she had gone. 'She left before you woke up but she gave me this for you.' He said handing me a piece of paper with a number on it. 'She'd like you to text her and let her know you're alright. She had to leave for a meeting.' He explained to me. I nodded and took the paper. 'Here.' Said a voice above me. As I looked up, the bartender was handing me a glass of water and I gladly took it. I gulped the fresh water down. 'Do... you need help getting up?' asked Ruben worry in his voice. I shook my head no and slowly got up nearly losing my balance in the process.

Ruben made me sit down on a chair and went over to the till to get me something to eat. After the little show I had performed, Ruben had let me breathe a bit and the other people in the waffle place had gone back to eating not paying any attention to me anymore. I didn't want Ruben buying me any food but after listening to him insisting for ten minutes I gave up and he happily walked over to the till.

'I got you a caramel waffle and an orange juice.' He said putting the tray down on the table. 'Thank you. I'll... pay... you back.' I said looking up at him avoiding his eyes. 'No need, just enjoy.' He said taking a bite out of his chocolate waffle.

'So...' I trailed along trying to remember what I should say to start a conversation. I hated sitting with someone and not talking, and I didn't want him to think I was some old boring girl. 'How... how old are... you?' I said. He looked up and had a bright smile on his face with chocolate sauce on the corner of his mouth. '27.' He answered taking another bite. I had barely touched mine that he was already off for another one. 'You want anything else?' he said with his mouth full of waffle. I shook my head no and took a sip of the orange juice.

I looked at him trotting down towards the till and ordering himself another waffle. He soon came back and ate the second one as quickly as the first one. 'So.' He said, 'You must be around twenty?' he asked. '23.' I said looking down towards his coaster, his side of the table was a complete mess and that was stressing me out. 'Can... can you... put your... coaster... next to your plate?' I asked in a shy almost inaudible voice. I thought he'd look at me with big eyes, but he slowly aligned his coffee with the coaster and then the coaster itself with the pattern on the table. 'All neat and tidy.' He said in a cheerful voice which actually made me smile a little.

'I'm not the tidiest of people.' He said, 'I usually throw my clothes on the floor and leave dirty dishes all over the place.' He said laughing at my shocked expression.

'I see you are though pointing towards my neatly folded napkin and the immaculate plate I had left.' He added. I had eaten my pancakes trying not to make a mess and not letting the caramel sauce drip onto the plate.

'I... I need things to be at their place and tidy. I... I like to... to have things aligned... with... like my plate.' I said stuttering but feeling myself slightly less nervous. 'So do you do that with clothes and furniture?' he asked sipping on his coffee. 'Yes, it allows me to feel at ease.' I slowly answered. He nodded. 'My mum would love me being like that.' He said in a serious tone but for some reason it made me laugh. I usually didn't laugh much but he had made me remember what my mum had said once. 'My mum... says... she'd like a kid... who is messy.' I said to him laughing slightly. 'There's a French T.V show were two families swap mums. Maybe our mums should do that.' He said laughing with me. 'It sounds like a funny show.' I slowly said and then realised that I hadn't stuttered and that I hadn't found it difficult to speak to him.

The date as he called it was going well, to my surprise. I had relaxed with him and my stutter would only appear occasionally. I was feeling proud of myself, allowing myself to talk to a stranger, a boy I had never met before.

After eating our waffles, he had offered to walk me home and I had accepted still feeling the need to be alone after interacting with him for an hour. To me an hour was a long period of time and I needed to clear my mind out. We had talked about our jobs, our family, he mentioned having a younger sister and the little brother from the pet shop. I told him about growing up as an only child with just me and my mum. To my surprise he hadn't bought up the incident with the prawns or the toilet incident.

I think I feel happy that he's not talking about my difficulties or my nervousness, he didn't even laugh when I fainted and he admitted being worried about my fall. I had offered to pay for some of the drinks, but he had refused and said that a true gentlemen treats a girl out.

'I... I live here.' I said pointing towards my street. I didn't know whether I should say goodbye here on the main street or if he was expecting me to invite him in or what. 'It's a nice place, do you have a garden?' he said looking around. I nodded but then noticed he wasn't looking at me. 'Yes, it's small but practical.' I said looking towards my house.

I looked down at my street, only five hours were sitting next to mine and they were all the same. Red tiles and small back gardens. I had bought mine when I had been able to have my dad's inheritance once turning eighteen. A normal eighteen year old would have splashed the money on alcohol and parties or even to go on trips as my mum had told me. But I didn't enjoy parties or drinks so I had used the money wisely and had bought the little house. It had a living room and an open kitchen with a bar to eat. Then upstairs there were two bedrooms, one being used as the spare bedroom. And a bathroom. I had an attic too but I barely went up there in the first place.

'I like it because it's calm, I can hear the birds.' I said looking up at the trees trying to see if I could see any. He looked up following my gaze and we stood there for a minute in silence listening to the birds' chippering away. 'You're right. It is a lovely place here.' He said breaking the silence.

'Right... so....' I trailed along hoping that he would say something or tell me what I needed to do. He looked down from the tree at me. 'It was a lovely moment in your company.' He said. 'I'd... like to see you again.' He said quickly. I looked over at me street and slowly smiled. I felt happy that someone actually wanted to see me again. 'Yes. Me too.' I answered wondering when we'd meet up next. We stood there awkwardly and for a moment I wondered if first dates were always this awkward or if it was just mine. But before I could think about a plausible answer, he hugged me slowly and I froze in his arms. I hated people touching me, especially out of surprise.

For what seemed like a minute I wanted to push him away, but then I noticed he was barely touching me and that he was keeping some distance. So to my surprise I slowly put my arms on his shoulder. If someone walked by they would probably wonder what kind of hug we were doing but nobody was passing by so I just stood there not knowing when this hug would end.

'Okay...' He said getting away from me after a few seconds, 'I ought to head home.' I bluntly said cutting him mid-sentence. He nodded and not sure if I should add anything I slowly turned around and walked off towards my house.

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A smaller chapter but they aren't usually this small :)