no matter what decision your heart makes, I will be waiting for you...

Part 35

The table was set, the lights dimmed and jazz music played softly in the background. All that was missing was the food, as well as Tom and Cassie. I spent most of the time setting the table talking to Jenna. Harrison was there, putting the cutlery on the table and pretending not to listen, but Jenna and I both knew he was. My brother loves the relationship between me and his girlfriend, he loves the fact that we get on well and I can talk to her too, because the fact that I get on well with his girlfriend is the most important, after that it would be Tom's turn, meaning it's also important to him that Tom gets on well with Jenna. And I think they do, they don't talk very much but I think they know what each other is like. What's more, Jenna is a very independent person. She is quite reasonable and unexceptional. But there is nothing really special about her. She works a small job to pay her rent and is a very shy but innocent person. When you talk to her, she usually smiles and gives you all her attention, which are a few reasons why Jenna is so likeable. She's not one of those girls who wears tons of make-up on her face like Cassie, she doesn't wear skirts where you can see half her ass, or t-shirts with such a big V-neck that you can almost see her breasts. No she doesn't. And that's what does makes her special in turn, at least in Harrison's eyes. He's not into that put-on face of girls with make-up on. He likes it simple and that's excactly how Jenna is.
So after the dining room looked reasonably nice and cosy, the doorbell rang in time. My brother opened the door and paid, Jenna took the bags and Tom and Cassie came out of Tom's room. As everyone joined me at the table, Tom and I made eye contact for a brief moment. He sat down in front of me, Cassie to his left and Jenna sat next to her. Harrison therefore next to me.
"Okay, who had number 75?" Hazza asked as he began to hand out the various dishes.
"ou, that's mine!" Cassie raised her hand and snatched the box out of Harrison's palms. He shrugged his shoulders and took out the next dish.
"uhh, 41?" he asks with a glance at the number. I don't know why, probably my instinct kicked in, but I raised my hand just as Tom did, even though it was actually Tom's dish. Harrison looked at us both in confusen since there was no dish twice.
"Oh, sorry. This is Tom's dish, I have 32" I explain and put my hand back down with a mortified look on my face. My gaze is fixed on my lap as I wait for Harrison to call my dish, that is until I feel a gentle kick to my shin from across from me and look up only to see Tom throwing me a sweet smile. I smile back and for a brief moment we stare into each other's eyes. The candlelight and the soft music in the background made the moment even more special.
"32? Y/N?" Harrison's voice interrupted this special moment. Well, at least I've got my food now. I take the box containing my food and put it on the plate in front of me. When everyone has their food in front of them, we slowly start eating, all except Tom, but I don't question the whole thing and open my dish to eat as well. Allright grilled scampi, please don't disappoint me. I took my spoon and scooped up a scampi with some rice. Chew, chew, chew. And....
Fuck no. It may be delicious for some, but for me it's absolutely disgusting. Ew. I immediately take my napkin and try to spit the grilled scampi into it as inconspicuously as possible, which of course no one notices except Tom, who seems to have been watching me. He lets out a little snigger, watching my every move. I, on the other hand, feel humiliated for the second time. My cheeks turn a light shade of pink as I look up at Tom in embarrassment. But he just shakes his head arrogantly as if he wanted to say 'I told you so'.
"here, take mine" he whispers and swaps our dishes, so that my favorite food is now in front of me and he has the grilled scampi, which he also doesn't like.
"No Tom, I won't take your food!" I argue through a whisper over the music. As I try to pull my food back to my side he holds my wrists tightly, looking deep into my eyes.
"Darling, I didn't take your favourite dish for nothing. Please eat it now. Do me the favour, yeah?" He asks with those puppy eyes that you could lose yourself in again and again. Damn. But that's not even what gives me butterflies, it's the fact that he took my favourite dish just to give it to me in case I didn't like my dish. And now look who was right.