Darker And Devastated

10.

"Love is not important," she said. "Bullshit," he replied, frowning.

                        ~~~~~~~~~~~

IVA FAITH

It only happens in movies that time seems to stop, they say. Call me weird or extraordinary, but I have witnessed it happening to me in real-time. Time ceased to move at a normal pace when I looked into his eyes which were shimmering with happiness a few seconds ago and now looked like that of an old man who has buried his hopes and family with his own hands.

I'm looking into Noah's eyes. A long painful sigh escaped through his lips as he transitioned from being happy to helpless. His taut shoulders drop down and I see him looking in my direction with thousands of questions in his eyes.

The most prominently read was, "Why, Iva?"

I wish I could find a way to answer his questions, but alas, I'm as helpless as he is now. We are in the same boat.

"Aren't anybody going to welcome VIP guests here?" Casper says to Noah, who shrugs his head to break eye contact with me and then looks down taking a deep breath. When he looks up, he has this fake but beautiful smile on his face.

The most painful thing to witness is broken people smiling. Ah, the pain in their eyes pops up and goes right through your heart, tearing it in two halves.

"Welcome, Sir," he says, courtesily.

"Ma'am,"

"Let me show you your table," he says, and we follow him. Casper keeps his hand on my waist, and I try to look in random directions to fight my tears.

"Thank you," Casper says, smiling.

He is giving the sinister vibes, and I'm too helpless to do anything about it. He asks Noah to bring today's specials and the signature Pizza that this restaurant is famous for. Noah nods before going to the kitchen. He didn't look at me this time.

"Do you hate being with me?" Casper asks, resting his arms on the table.

I look at his face, trying to read his eyes. He is looking blankly in my direction.

"N-no," I stutter.

Of course, I would stutter. His question awakened the doubts in my mind. I'm not sure how I feel to be with him. He seems to have changed a lot since the last time we were together. The energy he is radiating is not complimenting mine.

"Then smile. You are not being forced. Are you?" he asks.

Is he being sarcastic or what?

After a painful fifteen-minute moment, the food arrives. Noah is nowhere seen, and I just hope that some miracle happens and Casper changes his mind. Picking the spoon, I start eating because I don't want to hear any comment from Casper right now.

"It's such a shame that this delicious food is going to be unavailable after tonight," Casper says, smirking while munching. He is savoring every bite, and here I am finding it hard to swallow; both the food & the reality.

"Here, taste this," Casper catches me off guard when he offers me a bite from his food. I feel nauseated looking at the spoon because my stomach is already twisting in anxiety.

I force myself and eat it. The perfectly balanced spices make me cry. It takes me back to the days when Noah used to teach me the basics about spices.

"There is a secret ingredient that I keep in this box," he points at a wooden jar.

"And what is that?" I ask him, extending my arm to grab the jar.

"It's not that easy to get this one," he chuckles, sweeping the jar away before I can reach it.