Mantis

3. Victor

I was sitting in my mom's red Mini Cooper, which she graciously let me borrow, and I couldn't bring myself to leave. Oh God... What was I thinking? If I wanted the company of a strong male, I could have just gone to a club and let off steam with someone there, instead of suggesting meeting him.

I looked at Victor Guellard and already regretted proposing this meeting. He stood leaning against the pearly white BMW i8, smoking a cigarette, and surveyed the parking lot with a commanding gaze, as if every spot he looked at already belonged to him. All that was missing was a sign saying he had a huge dick that you could suck in that BMW.

As I looked at him like that, I realized that over time, his already inflated ego had grown to such proportions that we would need extra space at the table. I even wanted to quietly sneak away from the parking lot, but when I reached for the ignition, Wiktor locked eyes with me and started walking towards me. I let out a loud sigh because now I couldn't escape, and I got out of the car.

– Paulina? – Victor called from afar. – Is it really you? But you've grown.

Before I could realize what was happening, he hugged me as if we were the best of friends, not just acquaintances from school days who hadn't seen each other in years.

– I've even grown up a bit – I muttered, forcing a polite smile and straightening out my hair that got wrinkled in the hug.

– And how... You look... – Victor made a gesture with his hands, at a loss for words.

I couldn't help but smile triumphantly. I wonder what he was trying to say? That I'm quite a babe? Maybe he even regretted not banging me back then? Or maybe he'd prefer to now?

I smiled a bit cruelly at that last thought and quickly brought my racing imagination back down to earth. No such thing. That wasn't even an option. So, I just gave him a perfunctory smile and let him lead me to the restaurant he had chosen.

At the table, he pulled out my chair, sat across from me, and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, the waitress appeared by his side.

– Good evening to you both – she chirped with a wide smile. – Would you like something to drink to start? The usual for you, sir?

– I'll have water – said Victor, paying no attention to the waitress's buttery eyes. – And for the lady... – He sent me an inquiring look.

– Water is fine – I muttered, focusing on the waitress, who was now unabashedly devouring Wiktor with her eyes, completely unconcerned that he was sitting with another woman at the table.

– Then two waters – said Vic, turning his face towards me, not even deigning to look at the waitress anymore.

Unfazed, the girl bestowed an even wider smile upon Victor before she sauntered off to the back, swaying her hips more than necessary.

I finally took a closer look at the grown–up Victor sitting across from me. I had before me a well–built, handsome man who used to be a pretty boy, and time had certainly been kind to him. His cheekbones were more pronounced. A square jaw. A subtle stubble pretending to be a few days old perfectly accentuated it. He could be appealing, and he definitely appealed to the waitress, perhaps a bit too much.

He could also be unsettling, with his "recruit–style" haircut reminiscent of a thug from a dark alley in some seedy district of a city, but his familiar brown eyes unfailingly drew people to him with warmth. And although there was a hint of predator's wildness lurking in them, it didn't bother me. Clearly, it didn't bother the waitress who was serving us either.

She appeared in a flash.

– Your drinks – she chirped, placing two empty glasses and bottles of water on the table. – May I take your order?