How You and I Collide

III

Anntonia followed the hostess to her table in the corner of the buzzing restaurant. The carpeted floors muffled the clicking of her ankle boots so that her approach almost didn't pause the conversation between Charlotte and her fiancé, Engfa. Irfan, though, was facing her direction and immediately stood when he saw her to pull her chair out. She simply smiled at the guy and sat so that he could too.

"Have you guys ordered already?" She then asked as soon as she settled, looking at the direction of her best friend.

"I only ordered you your sushi roll and water," the woman replied. "Anything else?"

She leaned over to Irfan on her right side and glanced at his open menu instead of opening her own. The guy chuckled and pushed it slightly so that she could see more easily.

"I think I want this one too." She points to a shrimp and eel roll and Irfan waved the waiter down to put her order in as she struggled to place her clutch behind in the seat without losing balance.

"So, how is your exhibition, Fa?" Her question was directed at the other woman across from her and beside Charlotte.

Engfa Waraha sat bracing her elbow on the table as she lovingly watched Charlotte sipping her red cocktail in tiny sips and in amusement. The woman wore a dark olive suit over a tan button down that's mostly open in her chest. Her dark hair was in waves and parted so that it sat fashionably on her head. Upon first sight, Engfa could look cold and expressionless, but now, as she leaned over, batted a stray hair away from Charlotte's face before it dipped into her drink, you could really see he was all warmth with a perfect teeth framing her beautiful face. The woman worked with priceless paintings all day and she herself could be a piece of art.

"It was wonderful," Engfa answered, straightening herself up. "I am expecting you to stop by at some point."

"Nah-ah.... Nope. You know I hate those things. They are all squiggly lines and colors to me. I will just donate some money and you choose the painting, and have it shipped to a school or something. We don't have wall space in the house." She said straightforwardly without caution that's why beside her, Irfan leaned over into her ear.

"You are bruising the great artist's ego right there, Babe." He said, then straightened himself back and turned to the ladies in the opposite side. "No offense, Fa. What Ann meant to say is, she thinks your painting will do more good serving to inspire the next generation of creatives."

Engfa and Charlotte scoffed while Irfan gave her an incredulous look. Obviously, the offense wasn't taken because they knew that she wasn't really into the thing. After a while, the waiter came back with her water and the guy beside her immediately helped to place it in front of her.

"How about that meeting of you guys? How did it go?" Irfan asked and she turned to him. The guy was the best friend of Engfa and her best man. He was the head of a real estate empire. He was tall, a bit bulky and looked more like a soccer player than a businessman. His dark hair was trimmed short to hide his boyish charm and his smile was always easy and genuine.

Anntonia had known Irfan since as long as Charlotte had been dating Engfa. And in the last few months, they had naturally started to move toward a relationship even though nothing official had been said. Though she wasn't sure why she hesitated. The guy was attentive, kind and persistent. He was easy in conversation, easy on the eyes, and fit into her busy lifestyle. Though her fit easily in charity balls, modern art exhibitions and wine tastings, he also had no problem taking her to loud restaurants, playing Monopoly at home, and hearing her rant about nothing at all. She thought maybe they had both been slow because they were busy with work and planning their best friends' wedding. But it was moments like this that she wondered why she just can't commit to something that came with so much ease.