Gilded

Chapter 7

It was a week after the UFC fight night. Aaron and I spent most of the week together. He was the attentive boyfriend that every girl wanted, and he had spoiled me this week, taking me out for meals and buying some new clothes for me.

"Hi Honey," I said, kneeling by the cage to look at my pretty little blue and white bird. "Why do you look so sad?" She chirped a response. "Is it because you're stuck in that cage?" I was thinking of getting her a larger and fancier cage. Like one of those round gilded Victorian ones. Aaron had suggested clipping her wings so she couldn't fly very far and get away. I had contemplated that, but didn't feel like it was fair. She was a bird after all, she should have the option of stretching her wings and flying, even if it is within a cage.

I heard a knock on the front door. I glanced at the clock. Four-thirty. If it was Aaron, he was an hour early to pick me up for dinner. It was a good thing I had just finished getting ready.

I opened the front door. "Eric," I said, surprised.

"Hey Sab," he said, stepping into the house.. "Looking good. Are you always this dressed up when you're at home? If this is your mopping outfit, I can't wait to see what you wear when you dust," he teased with an impish smile.

I smacked him on the shoulder. "No, I'm going out for dinner in an hour," I said, adjusting the neckline of my tank top. "Come on in," I invited.

Eric handed me the large Tupperware box he was holding. "My grandma made some steamed BBQ pork buns and told me to bring some over for your family."

"Yummy, I replied, taking the warm container and putting it on the coffee table. "Tell her thanks. We always love her baos."

"So how's it going? I haven't seen you in a couple weeks," Eric said.

"I've been fine," I said. "Just enjoying the summer before university starts again in a couple months."

"Everything's been okay with Aaron?"

"Everything is fine," I said, a little annoyed. "Have you been talking to Nicole and Amelia?"

"We're concerned about you," Eric said, not meeting my eye.

The doorbell rang. I peeked out the window. It was Aaron. I opened the door. "Hey," he greeted me. "Wong," he said, nodding at Eric.

"Hi Aaron," Eric said. "Anyways, I'll see you guys later, I need to get home," he said, excusing himself. "Have fun and take care," he told us, but with a glance over at me.

"Are you always this dressed up when Eric comes to visit you?" Aaron asked, taking in my little tank top, long skirt with the slit that he likes, and my fresh red toenails.

"This is for you," I protested. "We're going out tonight, are we not?"

"I don't know, there's something about Eric," Aaron said.

"He's my friend," I said firmly, but not sounding as firmly as I had planned.

We had dinner at a Japanese restaurant even though I had hoped we would go check out a new Greek restaurant. The dinner was good though, we ordered more than enough sushi, and my favourite that night was actually the takoyaki balls. We had just finished eating, paid for the bill and were on our way out when Aaron ran into someone he knew.

"Hi Linh," Aaron called out to one of the servers, a pretty girl with a long black ponytail. "I wondered if you still worked here."

"Hey stranger," Linh replied with a big smile. "I haven't seen you in ages! Chrissy and I were just talking about you the other day and wondering what you've been up to."