Call It What You Want (BounPrem-Reimagined)

xvi

The air inside the house was too stiff the day after that intense argument with Prem. He told me we'll talk the next day but one day lead to another and another and another and another, we didn't speak to each other.

The first day, I was being stubborn. My pride wall sturdy and high. The day after that, I decided that I wanted to be an actual adult in the situation, trying to reach out to the teenager but to my dismay, to no avail. One thing I learned the past couple of days is that he's an expert when it comes to dodging a conversation.

He took early shifts, did over times, ran errands that I was supposed to run, the list could go on. I was beginning to get frustrated but all I had to do was calm myself down since I don't want to have a repeat of our argument.

Day five, I've decided that I've had enough. I asked Fluke for a copy of Prem's schedule (creepy, sure, whatever) so that I could set something for him.

Instead of a lousy take-out, I actually went on a research for a decent recipe, looking for a meal that I could actually prepare for us that I wouldn't be able to fuck up. The previous meal that I prepared for us was some Buzzfeed bullcrap. I have to up my game to some Gordon Ramsay shit or onto a Martha Stewart level.

These past few days, I've noticed that Prem usually comes home at around eight thirty pm. He enters the front door, leaves food or some sort of grocery item on the kitchen counter, and then disappears to his room. That's not going to happen tonight, though. He'd have to pass the dining area to be able to walk his way to the stairs and to his room.

Two solid hours had gone by and who would've thought that cooking could be so time consuming? Damn, I have to say, though, I really did up my game tonight. I even brought out a wine bottle just because I felt like we're going to be needing to feel relaxed while talking things through.

I'm not entirely sure as to what I have created but it's something. And judging by the looks of what I've made, not to toot my own horn or anything but, it looks boujee as fuck. It has these herbs on top of the meat, fancy sidings and all that, I'm too proud.

Looking at the overall look of the table and the items on it, I start to think, did I really just set-up a date-like dinner for him? Yikes.

Once the clock ticked to 8:30, I put all the necessary finishing touches to everything, straightening my now clean, plain, white shirt and tucking a few strands of hair away from my face.

As expected, the boy's by the door as soon as I straightened the utensils, my OCD kicking in. I stood by the table, my hands folded in front of me, as if I'm a server in some fancy restaurant.

"Hi." I greeted as soon as Prem closed the door softly.

"Shit! What the-" He cut himself off, his eyebrows meeting together as he looked at me. "What's with all the-" He couldn't finish his own sentence, a finger pointing at this beautiful concoction that I've put up together.

"I just want to apologize for being a dick." I breathed out, my teeth tugging at my lips in-between - a mannerism.

"Sorry." He shook his head, dropping his bag and jacket on the bar stool nearest to the door. "I was being so rude. I shouldn't have said all that, considering that you've been nothing but kind to me, y'know?"

"That's whatever, okay? Besides, I was being too nosy. I shouldn't have over-reacted, but it's whatever. I'm sorry." I sighed, scratching the back of my neck in embarrassment. I saw his mouth opening, about to say something but I didn't want us to just stand there and talk. Besides, my masterpiece would grow cold. "Hungry?" I asked, smiling and pulling out a chair for him.

He laughed, "Yeah, actually."

--

A bottle of wine down, more conversations and laughs to go. I think Prem and I have been sitting here for the past two hours, maybe? I don't know anymore. All I know is that I took the liberty to stand up once just so that I could crack open another bottle of wine. Am I shit-faced right now? A little bit, yes. But Prem sure is out of his zone. What I've observed is that he's a lightweight when it comes to alcohol. He's been extra giggly and smiley and cute.