Torn Between Reality - Zerrie (Completed)

Caffeine, Rude Meetings & Agitations - Chapter 58

Zayn's P.O.V.
( July 20th )

I pushed open the glass door of the cafe, smelling the glorious mixtures of caffeine and muffins. Everything here in the U.K. was so different than in the  U.S. The food was different, the look of everything. Everyone looked different, and people even smelt different. The hotel I was staying in looked nothing like the one Perrie and I had stayed in one time.

I looked at all the lined up food over the counter. They had much different cakes, muffins, cupcakes, breads, and most importantly, they had cookies. Importantly because cookies were my favorite. Specifically the chocolate chip.

The floor was checker-patterned, black and white, smile tiles, the walls a light green. A chandelier hung right in the middle of the cafe, beautiful glass-rimmed lights. The booths were deep blue and dark wood. It was a nice little place.

I sat at an empty booth to the end of the place, window seat, and pulled the already placed menu from its holder. It was 2:15 P.M. and I was obviously here for lunch, having had a simple poptart for breakfast.

Nothing on the menu seemed to catch my eye, so I just decided on the fish and chips, calling it day. Closing the menu, I rested in the booth, breathing in the contents of the blends.

"May I take your order?" The waiter approached my table, a notepad and pen in his hands.

"I'll just have the fish and chips, please." He nodded and wrote it down on the paper, ripping it out right after.

"It'll be to you shortly." I thanked him and he walked off.

I was waiting for someone under the name of Mr. Carlisle. He was meeting me because he wanted to set a few suggestions for the house, and to tell me what the family want. As of right then, all I knew was they wanted a three-story, beautiful outer scenery. 

Mr. Carlisle was running late by 21 minutes now. I was already late by 15 when I showed up, but that was because the walk from the hotel was 40 minutes. He chose one of the weirdest meet up spots. I, having lived quite a far distance away, would've been late no matter the cost. Unless I were to leave earlier than 1:10, which I clearly didn't.

I tapped my hand on the table top, humming a soft tune that made no sense. It was much colder, and very cloudy, in the U.K., compared to what I was used to in America. I wore a think sweater over a button-down dress shirt, and my think winter jacket over the sweater. It was too cold for me out here, I wouldn't be able to live here.

Finally, my food was brought to me, steam drifting from the fish, evaporating every so often. "Thank you." He nodded.

"Will there be anything else?" he asked.

"No, thank you, this is good." He walked away and I prayed.

Not long after that, about four minutes later, Mr. Carlisle came in, looking around in wonder if I were already there. I waved him over, calling out, "I'm here!" He smiles and makes his way to the table. He sat down, getting situated before looking me in the eye.

"How are you today?" He had a strong accent. His face wore tired, baggy eyes, a few days of facial hair, and wrinkles. He was about 50 years old with a full thing of gray hair.

"I'm alright, Sir, and what about you?" I bit into my fish, dipping it first into some tartar sauce.

"I am also very good." He nods at me, waving the waiter over. "Get me some clam chowder." He didn't look away from me as he spoke, which was a very uncomfortable reality. He seemed rude.

"We'll be right out." Once again, he walked away.

"You ordered your food while I was not yet here." He shook his head disapprovingly.

"I did wait a while, but I arrived hungry as well." I shrugged. That was no big deal.

"It is quite disrespectful to order before your wait shows up." He gawked, folding his arms as he sat back.

"You were over thirty minutes late. That, Sir, is not my fault." I stated matter-of-factly. This guy had the nerve to be talking about respect.

"Do you always back talk your elders, Son?" He chuckled. "You should have waited, is the fact being made. If you make plans with somebody, the truly respectful gesture would be to wait on them, even if they're late." Honestly, he lost me at "fact being made," and I stopped listening.

"That's not the point," I dismissed the argument. "You set up this meeting to discuss business. So talk." I wasn't putting up with him anymore. He was being rude and I just wanted to get back to the hotel. He's a very disrespectful person.

"Ah, yes," he spoke. "The family want a three-story, nice outer scenery, marble flooring on the entire first floor. They want two kitchens, two living rooms, four guest bedrooms, the master bed and bath, a playroom for the kids, a garage, a balcony only for the master, and a pool." His smile widens. This was a big task. I might be here longer than expected, I thought. 

"Okay... You said something about suggestions?" I quirked an eyebrow.

"Indeed. I was thinking you could add a built-in-wall basketball hoop for the playroom." What a stupid suggestion. "Maybe glass flooring and walls on the inside of the pool." That was stupider than the first one. "Also-"

"The glass pool idea won't be used." I cut in, slicing right through that idea.

"Why not, if I dare ask?" His smile faltered, an annoyed expression replacing it.

I chuckled sarcastically. "It's a terrible idea. Who in their right mind makes a pool out of glass? First of all, it's dangerous. Second of all, they obviously have kids - why would I put in a glass pool? That's a lawsuit waiting to happen."

His food arrived before we changed the subject.

"I think we're done here. You try to help somebody and they just disrespect everything. It's young people like you who ruined this world." He growled. I was taken aback.

"I'm honestly appalled at this entire meeting. First you're very late, then you disrespect the entire cafe, and snap at me for not waiting to eat, then suggest a dangerous idea no family should be around, and you have the nerve to call me disrespectful?" I stood up, left a 5 dollar tip, and walked off.

I left the cafe, walking the sidewalk until I had to cross the cold streets. Looking both ways, I crossed in one piece. I made a left and kept walking, stuffing my freezing hands in the pockets of my jacket. White mist escaped my mouth as I breathed, and I couldn't help but shiver a little as I walked the long way home.

Just then I received a phone call, the slight ring alerting me. "Hello?" I answered without checking the caller ID.

"Hey! You okay, you sound quite of upset?" It was Perrie.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just heading home from an annoying meeting with a really rude guy."

"Well, is everything okay?" I could nearly hear the frown on her face.

"Yeah, everything's good. Heading home, I said." I laughed a little. "It's cold down here."

"Everyone always says that." She sounded calmer, more relaxed.

"How's Jasper?" I asked. I really missed him. Just not being able to say goodnight was a killer.

"He's really good, learning to walk." She exclaimed.

"That's amazing! I wish I was there."

"I know. I do too."

We talked the rest of the walk home, before I ended the call to shower.

I would be home eventually, but man, was I in for one jump of a roller coaster ride.

A/N.
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