The Taunting (College Life #1)

The dark secret of Daniel Robinson

Andreas P.O.V-

The place I took Elizabeth to used to be a speakeasy in the 20s during prohibition called Mervin's Mary. Whoever owns this place now kept all the old furniture and photos.

I hold Elizabeth around the waist as we follow the hostess to our table. It's smack dab in the middle. On the table is a red table cloth, a yellow candle in the middle complemented with black chairs.

"A waiter will be by to take your orders, here are your menus." She sits them on the table in front of us, while I pull out Elizabeth's chair for her to sit in. "While you wait, can I get you both something to drink?"

I let Elizabeth speak first, "I'll just take a water with ice."

"And a coke for me." She smiles and tells us she'll be back in a few minutes. I take in more of the restaurant as we wait for the drinks. Various other tables are around us, couples talking and laughing with each other as they eat spaghetti and drink cocktails. A stage with velvet curtains is in front, no one is currently on the stage, but someone may be coming out in a few as people set up mics and wires. Soft jazz music soothes the air around us. Yellow lights shine on us and cold air clings to our bodies.

I look to see Elizabeth searching the menu, shaking from the cold. Like the gentlemen I am, I put my jacket around her shoulders. She jumps when she feels it, but then relaxes.

"This smells good, what is it?" She asked, smelling the sleeves.

"I don't know, just a natural body scent." I watch as she keeps sniffing the jacket, smiling occasionally.

How the hell was I able to snag someone like Elizabeth Pratt?

So funny, so beautiful, one of the god's most magnificent creations that was bestowed upon me. My finger plays with the loose curl on her neck, watching it curl around my finger and then fall on her neck. She kisses my hand, "Why are you playing with my hair? I'm trying to find something to eat on this weird-ass menu, everything doesn't look right, do they have burgers? Have you been here before?" She babbles, not looking at me.

"I just wanted to touch you. And what do you mean the menu is weird." I scoot my chair closer to her so I can see what she's talking about. Her smell mixes with mine.

"Look at this." She points to something that says Fontina cheese. "What is that, I just want tired ass American cheese. Is that blue cheese you think."

I laugh, "I don't know, baby. Let's just get a Margherita pizza, we can share it."

"Ok." Our hostess comes back with our drinks, we thank her. A few minutes later our waitress named Jenny takes our order.

"Hey, do you happen to work at UC Berkeley?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yeah, I help out freshman, do I know you?"

"I don't think you remember me, but I was the freshman that didn't have a dorm room on the first week of school and you helped me out."

She just stares at Elizabeth, trying to jog her memory. How could you forget someone like her? "Oh, you were the one that sent the paperwork in when our website crashed, I remember. Did you ever find somewhere to live?" She asked.

"Yeah, I moved in with my sister and her roommates, even snagged a guy out of the bit." She points to me, and Jenny smiles.

"I see, you two look cute together. Things always work out in the end, huh."

"They do." She looks at me, smiling with her eyes.

"Are you guys ready to order now?"

"Yes, we'll take a large Margherita pizza and if you have breadsticks, we'll take that," I tell her.