Midnight Survivor

Chapter 8: Familiarity

"I told you it would be stupid."

Oliver smiled at me as he placed a large plate down in front of me. On it was one of my mother's favorite dishes, ceaser salad and chicken bruschetta. "Your cuteness, is no where near stupid."

I grinned and lowered my head slightly, breathing in all of the smells wafting from my plate and the distant kitchen. I was so happy to be able to take all of this in and just relax. It almost felt like home again.

Oliver sat down across from me, resting his elbows on the table and leaning closer, "Are you just going to sit there and smell it? Or are you going to eat it?"

I blushed and picked up my fork quickly, shoveling a forkful of ceaser salad into my mouth. I looked up, ceaser dressing dripping down my chin, and smiled.

Oliver let out a loud laugh and threw his napkin across the table so it hit me in the face. I took hold of it swiftly and wiped away my sticky beard.

I looked up and locked eyes with him, his head was slightly tilted and his eyes rested firmly with mine. He always seemed so intrigued, although, I never understood why.

"There's something about you."

I paused, fork inches from my mouth, and laughed, "You're being a cheese ball today."

Oliver grinned, "No, not like that. There's a sense of familiarity I get when I'm with you. Like I've seen you somewhere before."

I shook my head and continued to eat, "I've never traveled here, this is my first trip. So unless you somehow came to my home town and saw me about the grocery store...there's no way you know me."

He tilted his head a little further, "Where are you from?"

"Nova Scotia."

Oliver nodded, "Yes but what town?"

"The Eastern Shore."

His eyes widened slightly, but not enough to cause alarm, "So you live in the boonies?"

I let out a loud laugh, practically choking on my salad as I slammed my fork on the table, "Don't do that while I'm eating!"

Oliver chuckled and shook his head, running his fingers through his hair, "I used to know a woman from there."

I brought my head up slowly, "Oh? Was she like me?"

He smiled and let out a small laugh, "Sort of. Although she was much feistier."

Oliver pushed himself from his seat, walking around the table and pouring himself a glass of wine, "It was years ago now, but I can still remember her as if it was yesterday. She was only young, maybe your age, but she came here with both her parents on a trip to see the city."

I smiled and brought my chin down on my hands, watching him. It seemed like this woman meant a lot to him, and although I wanted to be jealous, something about it was bitter sweet.

"She had the most beautiful smile, like an angel you would see on a theater screen, but she was a force to be reckoned with. She was extremely feisty, and she was hard to keep in one place. She always seemed to want to go an adventure."

Oliver glanced down at his glass and smiled, "I met her before Helen, she was seated in the dining room, eating her breakfast in her pajamas, not a care in the world. But something brought me to her. She seemed different."

I tilted my head, "Different how?"

He chuckled, "She didn't want me. And I know that sounds conceited , but she had absolutely no interest in me. At first."