237 Days

Chapter 12 James

Her plate was still half full, she barely ate the starting dish, which was soup, and her bread was still intact.

Celestia is a different person here than with her friends.

With them she is carefree, here its like all the worries of the world are landing one by one on her shoulders. With the girls she is a ball of sunshine, lighting the room as soon as she steps in it, here, her eyes seem tired, but her shoulders held high, her back straight, and she looks majestic, putting on a smile which I think is pretty much fake. If I had never seen her smiling genuinely I wouldn't have guessed that it was fake, but the eyes speak louder.

And her eyes are telling me that she hates these kinds of dinners as much as I do.

Two waiters accompanied by an old lady came toward us, one started picking up the soup while the other placed the new dishes in front of everyone. The Lady directed herself toward Celestia looking at her plate and murmured something I couldn't quite hear, but then my mother spoke "That soup was amazing, what is the recipe?" The cook looked at her, stopping what she was saying to Celestia. "It's a secret,old family recipe" she said smiling with an accent I couldn't quite catch.

My mother laughed a little and said "Well I'll be here every time I crave it" Celestia's mom smiled and nodded her head saying "You are welcome anytime, plus you shall stay here every time we are in town at the same time, we are neighbors now and I love your company." They continued talking and laughing together, but I could not care less about their conversation, I acted like I cared about my dad's conversation but all my focus had been taken by the Celestia. Her steak had been placed in front of her, but looking at it I realized that it was smaller than all of ours. Before heading out of the dining room, the cook shot a look at Celestia nodding at her, but C's reaction was nothing but a blank stare followed by her eyes on the plate. The lady smiled at her, a comforting smile so Celestia smiled back, but this was different from the one she was shooting at everyone during the first part of this dinner.

This one was a sad smile. Taking a deep breath she held her fork and cut a piece of steak putting it in her mouth.

Everyone was doing the same, everyone but me, I was so taken by Celestia, there was something deeper about her, something I needed to find out.

Suddenly my mother poked my arm lightly asking if I was okay. I just nodded when I realized that I zoned out while looking at the girl sitting on the opposite side of the table.

Fuck

A couple of minutes later, her eating pace slowed even more, it's like she was overthinking every small bite she was taking. I looked at her, long enough until she looked back at me "Eat it" I exclaimed not leaving pace for argument.

"That is all you are going to tell me throughout the whole dinner?" She asked, and fuck I think that is the longest sentence I have heard her say tonight. Her voice is calm and composed and her small hands twisting the fork in between her fingers in a light manner.

"What should I say?" I asked her using the lowest voice I could get out. We were far enough from my parents but not too much, that table left the perfect space in between each person.

She did not answer me, she just shrugged taking another bite.

A couple of seconds passed before she spoke loud enough for me to hear, not looking at me "I thought you were going to give your opinion about my dress, or perhaps all the other things you would give your opinion about just like when we were younger, those I never asked about. It is quite surprising how you stopped giving your dumb opinions over things no one asked you about."

Where did this come from?

I couldn't do anything but stare at her picking her wine glass and taking a sip.