That Fake Love: English version

Chapter seven

Honestly, I'd already walked past that restaurant without really knowing it. Indeed, there was no sign and the storefront was all that was commonplace. The only thing that indicated that it was a restaurant was a small sign on the door where you could read "Restaurant: hidden delights". For once the restaurant had a name that literally matched it.

- After you, my dear lady.

- You don't think it's a little bit late for formalities. But it's still with pleasure that I will go first.

He smiled at me and I went inside.

The room was quite small, there were not even a dozen tables and the decoration changed from usual: old paintings could be found with beautiful scerenies and a lot of vegetation. There were flowers I'd never seen before in my life. For once I liked the atmosphere in this restaurant. ( I'm usually trying to avoid public places except libraries and all other quiet places).

I turned to Jim when I realized that I had already been more focused on decorating than on him and against all expectations he had been staring at me for some time. My heart was already racing again when the waiter, who had just approached, stopped him all hope of still being able to stay there to look each other.

- Good morning. A table for two Jim ?

- Yes, please.

The waiter showed us a table away, we sat down and he brought us the menu when I could not help but ask the question:

- You know him?

- Yes, the manager, who's a friend of my parents, and all the other employees.

- Oh okay, cool.

- Other than that, did you already choose what you wanted to eat?

- Yes, "vongole"* pasta and Sprite.

- Very good choice, I'll take that as well.

He motioned to the waiter to approach and he came next to our table.

- Two « vongole » pasta dishes and a big bottle of Sprite please.

- All right, I'll get this to you as soon as possible.

- Thank you very much.

I really felt like my heart wasn't going to last long in Jim's presence... If only saying "thank you very much" at the same time made him get excited... I catched him still watching me after the waiter left with the menus.

- Well then...

He interrupted in the middle of his sentence and had a worried look, as if he had just seen a ghost. The mood just changed in a moment. I was about to turn in the direction he was looking, but he stopped me.

- You can even hit me if you want after this, but now it's urgent.

Jim leaned over me as if he wanted to hide me, put one hand to my right, another hand to my left cheek, and finally he moved his head closer to mine by leaning it slightly. Our faces were now a few inches apart. I didn't know why one part of me wanted him to move away, but the other wanted him to end up breaking the small distance between us. I closed my eyes by reflex hoping that I could hide my greatest weakness at that moment: my heart, which, each passing second, was beating harder and harder in my chest.

* Italian word that could be translated as clams.