Ace of Hearts - All We Are Series [NaNoWriMo 2014] [#JustWriteIt]

Chapter Eleven [Edited]

“So, how are you?” Margaret asked me as I met her at the restaurant.

“I’m doing well,” I responded.

“Table for two,” Margaret told the hostess, who lead us to a table towards the back of the restaurant.

“This is nice,” I commented.

“I love the decorations,” Margaret said, her eyes trailing across the walls. There were some scrolls along the wall, written in what looked like Chinese or Japanese characters. The walls were painted dark red, almost a maroon color, on the bottom half with a gold chair rail and cream colored walls above the trim. There were colorful ornaments hanging from the ceiling. A waitress came up to us in a bright red traditional dress.

“Hello ladies,” she said, smiling at us. “Here are the menus. Please let me know if you need anything. I will be back soon for drinks.”

Margaret and I flipped through the menu, looking at all the pages of options. Each menu option was written in English with small subtitles in Mandarin.

“This looks pretty authentic,” I commented.

“I think the owner is Chinese,” Margaret informed me. “They opened up a store on the other side of town, and this place is just a new expansion of it.”

“What are you planning on getting?”

“I’m thinking the beef stir fry. What about you?”

“One of the noodle dishes,” I said. “I haven’t decided which one, though.”

“That’s the best and worst thing about Chinese places: They always have so many options!” Margaret explained, making me crack up at her enthusiasm.

“Margaret…”

“What? It’s perfectly normal to be indecisive!”

“How are you both indecisive and impulsive?” I questioned her.

“It’s a talent,” she said, faking smugness. I raised an eyebrow at her, and we both cracked up.

The waitress returned. Both of us ordered water. Margaret got her beef stir fry while I asked for whatever the waitress recommended. She smiled and pointed out some wide noodle dish, the name of which I had never heard before.

“I think I’m going to like this place,” I told Margaret.

“Good,” she replied. “Now, tell me all about Daniel,” she said in a no-nonsense tone, leaning forward with a devious grin.

“The date was great,” I said, smiling as I remembered it. “He’s a really interesting guy. He’s actually a little funny, and a bit awkward. It was nice, though. He wasn’t arrogant at all, which I love in a guy.”

“Hey! You called it a date!” Margaret pointed out, and I groaned.

“You’re as bad as Shelly!”

“Nah, I’m worse. It’s my mad skills,” she winked at me. “So, what did he look like?”

“Well, I believe you called him hot,” I commented.

“I called him hot? Wait, when did I meet him?” She asked, looking at me warily.

“Remember when we went to the bar a few months ago, and I was sitting next to a guy while watching you dance? You called him hot when we went to the diner afterwards.”

“Oh!” Margaret said, as if a light bulb went off in her head. “I know who you’re talking about. That man is incredibly attractive.”

“He’s not too bad looking,” I blushed.