Breakfast on Tuesday

16. Exposed Girl

"Carla, baby," Eli said as he took off his thick gloves. He was the oldest among us, being twenty-one. His brown skin gleamed under the warm lights as he approached my table. Eli was from South Africa and had moved to Spain to further his studies in communication and marketing.

Behind him, Madeleine, from a city in France called Tours, shivered but then smiled at me when our eyes met.

"Hi guys," I said, motioning to the coat rack on the left, where they eventually hung their coats and scarves on.

"It is freaking cold outside," Eli said. "I chose Spain out of all the countries in Europe because they have decent schools and the weather isn't shitty. If I wanted shitty weather, I would have moved to the Netherlands. Or England."

Madeleine shook her blond head at him and then nudged him playfully. "Eli, stop complaining. You sound like Carla. Just enjoy the snow. It's so pretty."

"He sounds like me, alright. I hate the cold, but you're right, the snow is really pretty. I could watch it all day."

"Are you alright?" Madeleine frowned.

"I'm fine."

Eduardo, from Valencia, Spain, was the silent one. He studied our two friends in quiet amusement before turning to look at me. He was the only Spanish person I had befriended ever since I moved here and I liked him a lot. Mostly because he never complained about my grumpiness.

Eli grabbed me in a bear hug and then sat down on the chair next to me. Madeleine blew me an air kiss and sat down across from me.

"How did you guys get here?" I asked.

"We walked," Eli replied.

"This place is nice," Eduardo said, taking the chair on my other side. "Quite a name it has too. Eva would have loved this. She told me that she's not feeling well."

He shook out his long hair and I watched as snow fell from it before he tied it into a bun, revealing the shaved sides of his head.

I always thought he was attractive, but Eduardo had always had a crush on Eva who was in a long-distance relationship with her high school boyfriend, Mark. The poor thing didn't stand a chance, but that didn't stop him from constantly talking about her, though.

"So glad you could make it," I said, knowing Eduardo was as much a homebody as I was. "Eva will be fine."

Madeleine smiled. "Are you sure you're okay? Like how did you fall off your bike like that?"

"It was stupid," I said.

"You said there was a car?"

"Yes, it swerved wildly on the sidewalk in front of me. The car was black and it was dark outside still. I tried to avoid it and ended up falling. Hit my head on the floor pretty hard."

"Do you know the people who own this place?" Madeleine asked, picking up the menu.

"Not really," I said. "I fell off my bike this morning and the owner was nice enough to help me."

"And you've been here all morning?" Eli wondered. I nodded and he slanted his eyes at me. "Is he straight and good looking?"

My cheeks heated but I did my best to keep a straight face. "Doesn't matter."

"Oh, but it does," he said, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Because you, madame, you don't mess with the social scene like that. You've never invited us out to eat before. We thought you decided to stay home because Eva wouldn't be in class today, but here you are, entertaining a Spanish restaurant owner"