Turned

Chapter Forty One

We were sat at a nice table with a couple of beers on ice. I was opposite him, able to gaze into his beautiful topaz eyes. He held my hand as we talked about ourselves, our lives in general. Whatever his past was, I didn't mind, I wasn't going to be cruel about it. In my mind, we all had a past, whether we shared it or not. If I was going to stay with him, then I'd need to accept his past and hope to share his present and live in his future, it wasn't going to be easy but nothing worth doing was easy.

A man stood outside, waiting to take Nick's name. Nick gave his full name, smiling without shame as the older man led us into the restaurant.

The place was beautifully light, white everywhere, white table clothes, the chatter of other diners but his smile was the highlight of my life, it made everything make sense, made my world stop spinning. I opened our screw top beers, handing him one. We sipped them slowly, I couldn't get drunk exactly but I hated the clouded head moments I had while my vampire blood combated the alcohol.

"This place is... beautiful" I commented, trying to hide my uncertainty as I looked up at the large chandelier above my head.

"If you're not comfortable..."

"I'm fine" I promised, hoping it wouldn't turn into a lie as I saw the menu. It was large, confusing with dishes on there that I'd never heard of, for prices I would never pay. "This is... expensive"

"Agreed" he replied as we found the steaks. He caught my glance towards the door and said "I'm sorry, this was supposed to be a good night... I wanted to show you that I... that I care, to impress you"

"You don't need to impress me with fancy places, I care about you" I promised as I held his hand.

We would have stayed but the homophobic remarks from a couple behind us, was too much. We got up, paid and left, laughing as rain poured down, soaking our clothing. I didn't mind, I kissed him gently outside the restaurant, caressing his cheek as our hair tried to soak up the water, failing miserably.

"Know any good places?" Nick joked.

"Well, Nicholas, I do indeed" I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Well, Blue Eyes, I'm glad" he replied, returning my kiss, even in the pouring rain.

The rain kept pouring like buckets over our heads. I had to tell him, it was killing me, not telling him was murdering me but I didn't know how to, I didn't know how to strike up that conversation, I couldn't keep hiding it from him, especially if we spent more time together. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt him, wake up one day to find I'd bitten him or worse. 

We headed back to his to dry off, he was still hungry so we went out for pizza, at my old place of employment, the restaurant. Maria was shocked to see Nick and I walking through the open double doors, sitting down, no reservations needed, just good, cheap beer and service with the odd smile on uncomfortable cheap seats where only the company mattered to me.

"Nice" Nick commented.

"I used to... work here" I admitted.

"Oh, it's really nice here" he commented.

"I suppose..." I lied.

"Okay, it's nicer than worrying about a chandelier dropping on your head, that's for sure" 

"Now that, I can agree with" I whispered.

"Can I take your drinks order?" Maria asked. She looked at me and said "oh, hi Jack, is this your date?"

"Nick" Nick introduced himself.

"Drinks?" she asked.

"I'll have a coke" I asked.

"Same, please" Nick requested.

She put a couple of menus on the table and walked away from us with a spring in her step. What her problem was, I didn't know, I didn't want to ask her, she was strange at the best of times, worse at the worst of times. 

"So, what's the food like?" Nick asked teasingly.

"Oh, you know I can't tell you" I whispered.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I used to be a chef here" I replied as I held his hand. 

We read the menus, I knew what I wanted, anything but the Hawaiian or the Seafood Surprise, I hated pineapple and tuna on pizza, tuna belonged in a tuna pasta or a jacket potato, not a pizza and as for pineapple... I didn't dare get started. 

Maria came back with our drinks on a tray, she put the tray down and served the drinks before pulling her notepad out of her pocket, ready to write down orders. "What can I get you?" she asked.

"I'll have the Pepperoni Meat Feast" I requested.

"Make that a large, to share" Nick added as he handed the menu to her. I did the same, looking at him in surprise. 

"We like the same?" I questioned.

"I like most things, I'm not fussy when it comes to food" he replied.

"I see" I commented. 

He and I spoke at length, I didn't mind it, I enjoyed the conversation, he was never boring, I felt like I could mostly be myself around him, like I knew he wouldn't judge me for what I told him. I wanted to tell him everything, not sure about how I'd go about doing that but still, I wanted to... I knew I'd have to eventually. 

"Thank you, for everything" I whispered.

"Don't worry about your past, not with me" he replied as he locked my fingers with his. "I'm here, no matter what you tell me"

"I hope so" I whispered.

"You're not going to push me away, I know you too well now" he promised.

"Your food" Maria stated as she put a large pizza in the middle of the table and turned to leave.

I picked up a slice and quickly dragged it to my side order plate, the heat threatening to burn my fingers.

"I take it, it's hot?" Nick joked.

"Definitely" I replied, blushing a little.

"Good" Nick replied as we took a few bites.

Whatever I thought about myself, I knew Nick was one of the few people I could trust, one of the few people I could see myself with for the rest of my life, if he'd let me.