I feast my eyes on the figure behind it. The restaurant is inside an actual train. Not a modern metro train but one that looks like it was stolen from the 1900s. It is exactly like the locomotive in Harry Potter, except it is painted entirely in black with few traces of silver here and there.
"Shall we?"
I only nod in excitement. Aidan does not make the line like the others. Instead, he takes my hand and directs us towards the end of the train.
"Holy shit!" My eyes and mouth open in amazement as I drink in the view.
The interior is coated in emerald green with silver tapestry. The paint almost seems velvety. There are different cabins which are closed, most probably these are private booths. I advance a little more down the hallway which is adorned with LED candles stationed at every few steps. A big space welcomes me with train seats converted into emerald green velvet cushions with silver cushions. The table between the two seats is draped in a beige tablecloth, a stark contrast to the emerald colour. Some people are already seated at their respective tables, eating under the soft glow of the lamp above them and some have a candle in front of them. The windows show the view of the forest outside. I see a waiter turning the lamp towards the window so that it only reflects the light from it while the couple at that table converse with illumination from the candles on the table. A bar sits a little further with liquors of every brand. A miniature train carries snacks and few drinks in the opened wagons through the rail to serve to the people already seated. Whoever owns this marvel, must either be a Slytherin or just plain royalty.
"Hazel. I didn't know you can swear." Aidan remarks with a smirk.
"I-I'm sorry. I am just astounded. I never saw such a restaurant before. It's just so pretty."
And rich. Of course, I did not tell him that. I wonder how much a bottle of water costs here.
I never eat in posh restaurants like this. Though we are fairly financially stable, we still are just the average middle-class family. I have always enjoyed eating in shacks, cosy diners and cafés. The food is exquisite and it does not cost much. However, what always attracts me to these places is the warm hospitality. I have not been to a diner since I shifted to Maine but the fast-food joints in Sicily have the best people to welcome you. They are courteous and always kind of make it a big deal that you choose their place to eat in.
"Come. Our booth is this way." Aidan interrupts my chain of thoughts.
He takes my hand and we reach one of the closed cabins we passed earlier. I literally have to pick my jaw from the floor. The booth is bigger than the other tables in the halls. The place is warmer and a small chandelier glows in the ceiling. The booth is less extravagant than the other parts of the train.
Aidan sits across me and I feel myself being consumed by the fluffy cushion. I can fall into a deep sleep right there. A menu card in the form of a train is already on the table. I go through every page marvelling at the handwritten calligraphy. The menu is laden with the most exotic dishes, with labels like 'Family Time', 'Date Night', 'Feast with Friends' and 'Solo Soars' and other dishes. I presumably look like an 11-year-old who just received her Hogwarts letter because I can feel Aidan's amused eyes on me all the time.
"Have you chosen yet?"
I skim through the menu, my brain already sorting through lowest to highest prices. I do not want to order something ridiculously expensive, though it seems this restaurant is all about big bucks.
"Yes. Chicken carbonara." It is the cheapest on the menu, one that is equal to 2 weeks of pocket money.
"Are you sure? There are so many other dishes."
YOU ARE READING
Eclipsed
Werewolf"It's called running away Hazel! Don't try and justify what you did!" Aidan bellowed on the phone. I flinched, even though I was miles away from him. "You held me captive in the house! What did you expect me to do?" my voice quavered, giving away my...
