He Caught Her Eye (Caught #1)[UNEDITED]

33

RIANA GARCIA

Fortunately both Mira and Philip start hitting it off after the main course, giggling and laughing with each other from across the table. Both Don and Madonna engage in a conversation of their own too, leaving both Drake and I without someone to talk to. I brush off the awkwardness by glancing at my phone every once in a while.

"As if!" Mira raises his voice as she bursts out laughing, even making Madonna and Don look at him. She nudges me. "Philip says he's a good cook."

Don scoffs, earning a glare from Philip. "His cooking skills are as bad as Lance's." He exclaims, shaking his head in amusement.

"None of the guys in front of us know how to cook actually," Madonna lets out an uninterested tsk.

Mira rests a hand on my shoulder. "Maybe you can hire them someday in your restaurant. Business will bloom for sure."

"Restaurant?" Drake says the word like it's foreign to him, giving me a curious look.

"You should hire them in your resto," I let the conversation bounce back to Mira casually before turning to Philip. "Her mother owns Queen of Burgers."

Philip puts an arm on the table and cups his chin, looking at Mira admirably. "I know. When I was a kid, I used to really like the the figurines that come along with the big meals."

"Quite famous in Marlion too," Madonna shares. "My friends and I constantly go there to hang out. I always order a strawberry milkshake."

"Oh!" Mira gapes. "You're from Marlion? Heard there're a lot of people who do witchcraft there."

"Two hours away," Madonna declares, raising her drink. "By the way, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Mira gushes.

"Your eyes — they're so pretty," Madonna comments, predictably attracted to Mira's eyes. "Pale bluish violet.. you know what, I'm going to stick with just violet. Does that run in your family?"

Another topic of her father. When Mira doesn't answer, I speak up apprehensively. "It, uh, runs in the dad's side."

"I see," she notes. "Does your dad have violet eyes too?"

Thankfully, Mira finds her voice. "I've never seen him," she admits, "but my mom says he's got some kind of unique shade of blue." Before anyone can question her, she adds, "my mom's eyes are grayish."

"So technically you've got.. blue eyes?" Don joins in while Drake and Philip quietly listen, interested.

"Mom says it's a unique shade of light blue and gray that gives a violet hue," Mira shares. "I don't really know. My eyes change color sometimes. Depends on the light or the angle."

Madonna sighs, though not with disappointment. "I really like genetics."

"Do you have vision problems?" Don asks Mira.

Madonna gives him a weird look. "How's that related?"

"That's me." I say as both Mira and I laugh. Even Drake smiles.