If You Change Your Mind You Know Where To Find Me (Book Two)

As Long As You're Still Burning Bright

Brendon:

Not this. Not right now. Things were going really well. It took me time to break out of my issue with how to tell or not tell Asteria about Caroline and how to end or not end things with one of them. I forgot that Caroline isn't the only ghost in my past. Please, for the love of all that is fucking holy and pure, let her either not remember me or not say anything.

She looks exactly the way that she did then. Her waste small and her body slender, with very petite features despite her height. The only thing that's changed about her is her hair which is now long, full, and a caramel brown from what I can tell in the dim lighting. Her all black uniform does so much for her figure and I'm as stunned to see her now as I was then. Her tawny skin glistens under the light of the lanterns as she approaches.

"Hi, I'm Kat and I'll be your server today," she says, her full lips pulled into a smirk. She glances at Asteria and back at me and places one hand on her hip and the other on the table. I give her a begging look, knowing that everything about what's happened is probably ripping Asteria into pieces. I realize that my mouth has been hanging open and my hand is no longer wrapped around hers and when I look at her her lips are parted and her brows are pulled together in confusion. 

"Hi," Asteria is able to say back quietly while I continue to just sit there with my mouth open like an idiot, trying to find the right things to say.

"You're probably thirsty," she says as she makes eye contact with me. "What can I start you off with to drink?"

Really? Are you fucking joking? I look to Asteria and she just shakes her head.

"I'd love a glass of water, if you don't mind. He'll have the same," she says as she doesn't give Kat a second glance and looks at the menu, suddenly with a new and strong posture. Kat stares at her, nostrils flaring as Asteria gives her a slight shooing gesture with her hand. I tense up, remembering that Asteria recently took up kickboxing and hope to God we don't get kicked out of the restaurant over a fight. As Kat turns I place a hand on my temple and rest my elbow on the table, trying to soothe my now well developing tension headache.

"You don't have to figure out how to explain this one to me," she says quietly as she closes the menu. I just sit quietly, unsure of what to say. Kat returns with our water and serves it gently. Asteria opens her straw but inspects the top of her glass. She gently mixes it and I realize she's checking for spit. 

"Are you guys ready to order?" Kat asks as she takes out her ticket book. 

Asteria looks at me and I nod. She allows me to order and then orders for herself. As Kat starts walking back to the kitchen Asteria follows and stops her right next to the restroom. She taps her on the shoulder and Kat turns. Kat probably has a good half a foot on her and she nearly has to look straight up, but as Kat drops her jaw and Asteria continues talking and shaking her head I feel myself shrink in my seat. Asteria then turns away and goes to the restroom and I start jittering, wondering what it is that she could have possibly said. Kat brings a bread basket as I wait for her to return.

"What was that about?" I ask and Kat glares at me.

"She said she'd appreciate it if I didn't try to ruin your time here. She said that whatever happened between you and I was in the past and that she's sorry if that makes me uncomfortable with her but she'd appreciate it if we were civilized to each other because she thinks you're under a lot of stress and your head's been somewhere else most of the morning. How long have you guys even been together?" Kat asks angrily and crosses her arms. I'm surprised at what she's told me. Asteria is so different from the frail girl I took to that Italian restaurant almost a year ago.

"We've been on and off for just under a year," I say quietly and shamefully looking at the table in front of me.

"Oh, Brendon, no." I look up at her and she shakes her head at me.