The Night We Met

Part Five

''Marv & Carl's.'' Jacob says, looking at me, like he has impressed me with a trick. His smile is wide, showing his bright, white teeth. If one day I work up my courage to ask, I will need his dentist's phone number.

''What's that?'' His jaw drops to the ground. I've been in Germany for good three and a half weeks, but never once I've heard about this restaurant. It, indeed, sounds really good.

''Alaine, you will never ever regret going to that restaurant, I promise you.'' He waves me to follow him down the path. Does he even feel comfortable to be this open to the society? The paparazzi? Maybe I should remind him we're never alone. But at the same time I don't want to ruin the moment. But I should, shouldn't I?

''Okay, but...'' I stand in my spot, not following. ''is it okay for us to go together like this?'' My heart is shaking. What if he says no? I'd have ruined my own afternoon. And the rest of my life. I find myself scratching my cuticles. It always happens when I'm nervous. Once I had an exam, and I had scratched so hard the skin came off from my thumb.

''Yeah, 'course.'' He seems easy with it. ''I don't really care that much.''

He waves again, and I let go of my finger. This time I follow with an easy heart.

We walk down a hill, enjoying the spring air. I can't wait for summer to roll in, when I can finally spend my days at the ocean. Ocean is my first love and will always be my last. It sort of heals me.

Do you even have enough money to go abroad?

The inside voice questions me.

I wave it off, busying myself with asking a question.

''So, how did you find out about this restaurant?'' I ask, walking on inner side of the path. Jacob knows the sidewalk rule. I've always adored the men who knows the rule.

A car drives by, with a young boy staring into my soul with big, wide eyes. Gee.

''I and Pearce went to that place one evening when we had a day off. When I tell you, I was in another universe.'' He speaks with British accent. I like his accent.

''Really? What did you get?''

''Oh, I'll show you there. Actually, I might ask, do you have a sweet tooth?'' He looks at me. Every time he does that, my breath and words just get stuck in my throat, and butterflies dance around in my stomach.

''Sweet tooth isn't the right word.'' I exhale, nervously chuckling. ''I have a sweets addiction. Especially raspberry chocolate chip cookies.''

''Really?'' Jacob asks. ''My younger brother, Jiro, he loves raspberry chocolate chip cookies. Whenever we go out, he has to get one.'' He laughs, remembering his memories. ''It's sort of his healing food. Whenever something goes wrong, we get him those cookies, and he snaps back to being Jiro.''

''That's so cute.'' I smile. ''What's your healing food?''

''Oh, I have each from every category. Seriously.'' He says, when I laugh at him. ''You name it.''

''Okay, um, sweets.''

''Red velvet cheesecake brownies.''

''Oh, my God, stop. I want one now. Okay, sour.''

''Anything with lemon.''

''Spicy.'' I smile, as his lip corners go up.

''Spicy chicken wings!'' He's drooling all over the street.

''Fruit. And berry.''

''Green grapes without seeds and mango. Peaches are the second winner running up.''