Kismet

Chapter 3- First Sight

Lila’s POV

I’m sitting alone in the restaurant, waiting on my food. This is seriously my favorite place to go. Best Pho I’ve ever had, and it’s well worth the 30 min drive to get here. The servers are definitely the nicest, and they’re always adding new things to the menu to try.

I’m honestly surprised Brandon even let me do this. I know he said last night that I could take his car and come by myself, but when I actually suggested it today, his eyes nearly bulged out of his head. Suddenly he had “plans” that he needed his car for, which he didn’t mention last night, but after some convincing, he let me take his car and said he would have his friend come pick him up instead. So much for playing cards at home, I guess.

I don’t usually like to go out to eat alone. I guess I worry that people will stare at me or shoot me judgmental looks. I’ll just scroll through my phone or something when I’m not eating, so I don’t make eye contact with anyone. I’m feeling slightly anxious, but it’s something I can deal with as long as I get my Pho and Thai tea. I’ve been daydreaming about this for a week now.

I hear the bell that’s attached to the front door chime signaling a customer entering the restaurant, but I don’t bother looking up, not wanting to draw attention to myself. It’s a small restaurant, and not many people are in here right now. It’s around 2:30 in the afternoon, just in between lunch and dinner, so it was my hope that not many people would be coming in at this time. Maybe I can eat in peace.

That thought abandons me quickly as I feel eyes staring at me from across the room. It could just be my imagination playing tricks on me again, but sometimes you just KNOW. I don’t look up, not wanting to make things awkward, so I just continue scrolling through my phone until my food comes. I thank the server warmly and get excited to dig in, but as she walks away, I catch eyes with a man staring at me from the opposite side of the restaurant, sitting at a table near the front.

For a few seconds, it’s like I’m stuck in a trance and can’t look away. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and chills shoot down my spine. He’s staring at me with such intensity. It’s not an angry stare, but almost as if he’s trying to read my mind. I quickly look away and shake it off. Maybe I just look familiar to him or something. He really was a handsome guy, though. Young-looking but tall and well-built. He has longish black hair and dark piercing eyes, which gave an aura of being both sweet and sexy at the same time. I shake my head softly as if to shake away my thoughts. What am I even thinking? I’m a married woman; I shouldn’t be checking out random guys when I’m out to lunch.

I bring my full attention back to my meal and dig in… then I moan in pleasure. This is so GOOD! The meat is tender, and the broth is nicely spiced but still delicate. The portion is huge, too, which is always a plus in my book. I’m glad I came by myself, even if I feel a bit anxious about it. This food is well worth it. I wish Brandon would have come with me, though. We never go out and do anything anymore, and honestly, I can’t remember the last time we had an actual date. His idea of a date lately is us going over to his friend’s house so I can watch the two of them play video games. In my mind, that doesn’t really count.

I nearly drop my chopsticks when a figure suddenly plops down on the seat in front of me, grinning from ear to ear. It’s the guy that was staring at me before, and God, he’s distractingly cute from this close. He must think he recognizes me or something. It would explain the big smile he’s sporting. I would know his face if I had seen it before, though, that’s for sure.

“Hi.” He says simply, still smiling at me like I’m a long-lost best friend who he hasn’t seen in ages.

“… Hi…” I breathe, not really knowing how to reply. He keeps staring at me, not saying anything else, and I begin to feel a little awkward. “…Do we know each other?”