The song that changed my heart

A Date With Manon

Rody looked around once again. His eyes peered around for any sign of Manon. His body turned everything he saw a taxi. Every time he saw a flash of dirty blonde hair. And everytime a glimpse of black hair came into view. Rody would scold himself internally. Trying to slow his heart back to the decently fast way it was pounding. He was supposed to be on a date with Manon. Not Vincent. Even if Rody really wanted to, it would never happen. The screech of brakes caught his attention. A cab had pulled up against the curb. Out stepped Manon. Rody smiled as his heart fluttered. Yet it wasn't as fast as it used to be. Manon paid the driver before looking back and noticing Rody. Her hair was tied back with a black ribbon. Leaving the ends to dangle, and mingle in her hair. She was wearing a white quarter sleeve turtleneck under a green dress. A belt was swen in at the waist. Leaving it separate from the skirt which puffed out and ended at her knees. Underneath were gray tights that ended at a pair of black boots that had a small heel. Simple studs put in her ear and her small black scarf wrapped around her neck. She looked stunning. Rody remembered being completely red almost any time Manon stood in front of him. Now only a small blush dusted his cheeks. Rody walked up to her. His steps lacked the confidence they once had every other time. Then again they hadn't been on a date since over a month ago. "Hi Manon!" Rody said in a happy tone. "Hi Rody." Manon replied, though she was noticeably less ecstatic than him. Rody paid no mind to it. "Shall we go in?" Rody asked as he held his arm out. He expected Manon to interlock it with hers. She seemed a little surprised though before letting out a sigh. "Rody... never mind." She said but she didn't take his arm before walking in. Rody watched for a few seconds before following her inside. It was very similar to Ricahrd's restaurants style, and quality of food. The only difference was the menu was an average one. The layout was bigger providing more seating, and the ceilings were lower. Inside at the front stood the register and a hostess behind it. "Hello, how many will be dining?" The hostess asked. "Two." Rody replied. The hostess grabbed a pair of menus, and a pair of silverwares before guiding them into the restaurant. She sat them at a booth big enough for two near a window not too far from the door. Rody sat down, with Manon sitting across from him. Almost immediately she looked at her menu. Rody decided to do the same. Get what he wanted to drink, figure out what they wanted to eat and just go on into mindless chatter. That's what they did on their dates in the past. As Rody looked over at the drinks. As he did he began to think about Vincent. How would Vincent act on a date? Would he be quiet and observe him like he did at work? Or would he be talkative? Rody quickly blinked back to reality. He didn't need to focus on Vincent. He needs to focus on Manon. Manon would make his feelings go away. She was the one who he had been working to get back together with. She was the reason he woke up this morning, and every other morning. Even though she hadn't even crossed his mind for over a week. He picked what he wanted before looking up to see Manon still looking at the menu. Rody continued to stare at her. Hoping that staring at her would make him forget Vincent. Yet his imagination continues to tease him with the image of Vincent. The memory of Vincent sitting across from him at the cafe. Sneaking glances at Rody anytime he looked down to drink his tea. "Hello my name is Donnie, and I will be your waiter tonight. Can I start you off with some drinks?" The waiter's voice called Rody out of his trance. "I'll have water." Manon said as she put the menu down. The waiter wrote it down before looking at Rody. "I'll have water as well." Rody said as the waiter wrote it down on the note pad before walking off. "So how have you been?" Rody asked as he looked back at Manon. Her menu remained on the table. "I've been doing good. How have you been?" Manon replied. "I've been doing... Pretty great actually. Though I've missed you." Rody replied, placing a hand on the table. He was hoping that Manon would reach out and touch his hand. Yet her hands remained in her lap. She looked down at her menu once again. "Why haven't you been picking up my calls?" Rody asked as Manon sighed. "Rody, you called me four times a day for almost a week straight. You even cut off some of my other calls when you called, and even after a month you would still call me daily." Manon explained, placing her arm on the table. Using another to move a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Rody looked down at his lap. He couldn't deny that he had called her a lot. Especially when he was drunk. "I told you we were done." Manon said as Rody looked back down. "I know, but I didn't know what to do without you." Rody said as he moved a hand to his head. "Rody, I want you to move on. I couldn't remain with you. I told you why." Manon said as the waiter returned with their glasses. "Are you two ready to order?" The waiter asked as he also placed a plate of bread sticks on the table. "I'll have the chicken tortellini." Manon said quickly. The waiter wrote it down. Before looking at Rody. "I'll have the cheese ravioli." Rody replied just as quickly. The waiter wrote it down before escaping off. Leaving the two exes alone with each other once again. "I know, but I promise I've improved, I've cleaned my apartment. I've changed." Rody said as Manon wordlessly grabbed a breadstick. "You don't believe me do you?" Rody whispered as he looked back out at the dining room. His eyes saw several other couples having a happy date unlike the two of them. Manon sighed as her fingers graced over Rody. His head shot back down to his fingers. He usually felt butterflies when Manon had done this in the past. Yet all it sparked was surprise. Though Manon didn't move her hand any closer. "I do believe you, Rody. I do believe you've changed and improved." Rody wanted to ask. He wanted to ask her why. Why wouldn't she take him back? It seemed Manon knew what he wanted to say. "I'm not going to take you back, Rody. I know you've improved, and I'm afraid that if I take you back you will fall back into the same cycle of spending all your money on me, and not yourself. I am also seeing someone else." Rody nodded, he knew Manon was into another person. She had brought it up when he caught her in front of the hotel. He knew she wanted the best for him. She wanted to make sure he was able to care for himself. "I'm going to the restroom." Rody said as he stood up. He had been here before with Manon so he knew where they were. To his relief nobody else was in there. He stood in front of the mirror, and quickly turned on the sink. He ran his hand under the water before splashing it onto his face. Rubbing it into his eyes. His mind remained confused. He wasn't as upset as he thought he would be. Why? Why wasn't he upset at the fact that his and Manon's relationship was over? He wanted to be with Manon. Right? Vincent then flashed back into his mind. He silently groaned, shaking his head. This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't what he expected to happen. Manon should've fixed him. She should've changed his mind about Vincent. Yet it wasn't working. Maybe he just hadn't been around her long enough? Yeah that was it. Rody looked back at himself in the mirror. He would be fine. He nodded at himself before leaving the room. Nearly bumping into another man on his way out. He returned to his table just as their food was arriving. Most of the dinner was quiet. Yet something was bugging him in the back of his mind. As he began to look back at Manon. "Why did you agree to this if you knew I was trying to get you to take you back?" Rody asked. Manon swallowed her food. Though her gaze remained down turned. She sighed. Her body tensed up. "I'm not going to lie, I missed you." Rody froze stunned. Manon had missed him? Manon looked back up at him. She wasn't blushing, but she seemed uncomfortable. "I missed being around you, and us having fun. I just couldn't be around you because... Well... You know" Manon said as Rody felt a smile. Grow on his face. "I missed that too." Rody admitted. As the two began to smile and laugh. The evening had turned into a peaceful evening. Eventually they received the check. Rody began to pull out his wallet. Then Manon quickly slammed two fifty euros on the table. Grabbing the attention of a nearby table. "Put. That. Thing. Away." Manon gave him the death stare as he slowly slid it back into his pocket. Though there was one more thing plaguing Rody's mind. Sure he may never go on a date with Manon ever again. It just felt wrong to not do one final thing. "Do you want to go to the park?"