Illusion // Cro [Ganda Pang Series #3]

2. Greetings

I was starving, I couldn't say no to a meal. Even if it's being paid by a man who didn't even tell me his name.

As I sit in this restaurant across from a man who has taken off his mask before we came in the restaurant. He was kind but he creeped me out.

He wears a mask, a panda mask. With an upside down cross in the middle. Is he satanic or something? Does he sacrifice pandas? Some kind of fucking cult?

We where waiting on the food. I lost track on how many times my stomach growled. I felt like I was back in school, when we where taking a test and it was quiet but you where starving and your stomach growled loud like the roar of a tiger.

We where all the way in the back, where nobody could see us. It was awkward. He was staring out the window at the moment. He had been doing that a couple of times. He smelled of mystery and confusion.

This was beyond embarrassing...just this whole situation, I probably smelled horrible. My hair must have been dirty and greasy. I hadn't showered in about, well, a couple of days. The feeling of being disgusted never seemed to settle in.

"So where are you from?", The man asked me finally speaking something. I looked at him, those eyes that read nothing.

"I don't mean to be rude but,", I said arranging the fork and spoon. "I don't really know you, and—"

"I'll tell you about myself right after you tell me about yourself.", He replied with a warm smile, his chocolate colored eyes staring into my eyes. The little stubble made him look older. Maybe I was kidding myself, he could be some forty year old man with good skin.

"This just seems so strange.", I said looking down at the napkin on my lap. Honestly don't know why I put it on there but others had it on there so might as well.

"You make it strange.", He said grabbing the glass cup and drinking out of it.

"I do not make it strange.", I said getting defensive. "You are the one who wears a panda mask."

"I have a question.", He said smiling at me. "How long have you been in Germany?"

"Long enough.", I said almost in a whisper. I rather make a run for it then tell this guy my sob story. "Look I have to get back home.", I said standing up, putting the napkin on top of the table.

"I can take you home.", he said getting up from the chair. The waiter was approaching us, with the food in a tray. "But first we should eat."

"No, I should really go.", I said trying to come up with a legit lie to get away from this guy. "I have to catch the train."

"It's late, you'd have to wait there till the morning.", he said eyeing me. Waiting for me to make a wrong turn.

"I don't mind.", I said smiling at him. I took a step forward and he blocked my way.

"I took a class, back in Uni. It taught me the motions of when a person is lying.", he said giving me a weird look. "You're lying."

Other people where starting to stare. My pale face was beginning to redden.

I found my way around some tables and exited out the restaurant. I heard the hostess say something. But I brushed away her voice. This guy was to much. I didn't even know his name. I didn't want to know his name. I didn't even want to be associated with such a creepy man like him. He wears a panda mask for God's sake. With an upside down cross. Call me prejudice but I don't want anything to do with mystery.

I began walking, making sure not to look back. So he wouldn't see my face if I did. I went the opposite way, making sure not to go the way where those perverted men where.

I walked by many shops, this must be a busy street. Where people sell things. I looked by one of them and stopped dead in my tracks.

"No freaking way.", I said under my breathe. "No fucking way."

It was a poster of him, or at least I thought it was him, a guy in a panda mask. I looked to see if the shop was open, I opened the door, hearing the bells jingle. It was indeed open and it was a music shop. I looked at the man who was reading some magazine or catalog, approaching him.

"Who is the man with the panda mask?", I asked the man who looked up from the magazine.

"Some new age rapper.", He said giving me a bored face. "His name is 'Cro'.", he said sighing. "His crappy songs are over there.", he said pointing at an aisle. "Hurry will you, if you are going to buy anything. I close up in ten minutes."

"No, it's fine.", I said backing up from the counter. "Uh, thank you sir."

"Sure whatever kid.", he said going back to his magazine.

I was left with the thoughts of, who was this man that tried to help me. Which I declined on. I rather sleep in my own demise that get mixed up with the wrong people.

I made my way to the door, listening to the doors jingle as I walked out. The smell of the horrible musty air. I don't know if it was because their was so many cars that where polluting our air.

But now I was more lost than ever, I lost my bag. All of my things, absolutely everything. I wasn't going to go back there. I didn't want to run the risk of getting touched wrongfully so instead I kept on walking a distance that was unclear to me.

I walked until I found a park. Where I knew I wouldn't get hurt or I hoped. I always slept with one eye open, so the famous saying was. I laid my body down on the bench that was covered by a tree. I slept that night, with many  questions flooding my head.

Who is he? and Why did he want to help me?