Forbitten

Chapter 9

We were in a coffee shop two towns over. Mr. Yoi told me we could not risk getting caught together, and I understood. As long as I was with him, I did not care where we were.

The shop was quiet and welcoming. The floors were a dark wood and the walls were exposed brick. We sat at a small table together, trying to decide what we wanted to order. I could barely believe I was here with him, and only him. In fact, the only other person in the shop was an old, sleeping man.

However, a waitress soon arrived at our table with a small pad of paper and a pen. When she saw Mr. Yoi, her bored demeanor quickly changed to one of attraction and interest. She did not even notice me right beside him.

"My name is Rebecca, I'll be servicing you today," She said, flipping her long, brown hair over her lean shoulder. The innuendo was not lost on me, but seemed to be on Mr. Yoi. "What can I get you?" She pouted her lips and batted her eyelashes at the man that made my heart race. Her vile attitude angered me, but I tried not to show it.

"I'll take a peppermint tea, sugar on the side, please," Mr. Yoi responded, handing her his menu. Peppermint. Everything I learned about him seemed like a newfound discovery. I barely noticed how her hand lingered on his.

"And you?" She finally turned her attention towards me. She looked disgusted with what I was.

"I'm fine," I said. I could not eat. My entire stomach was full with butterflies that fluttered at the very mention of Mr. Yoi. She snatched my menu quickly and left, sashaying as she did. I turned back to Mr. Yoi to see him cleaning his foggy glasses. His long eyelashes rested upon his cheeks and he breathed lightly through his mouth. He was everything I could ever want.

"She was pretty," I said, before I could even think. He looked up from cleaning the lenses and met my eyes. His hazel eyes looked even more enchanting with the sun shining on them.

"I think you're pretty," he said, and my cheeks blared with red. Soon, the waitress in question returned, placing Mr. Yoi's tea and sugar cubes down onto the table. He did not pay her any mind as he aimlessly thanked her. She noticed and walked away in a huff. "Would you like one?" He asked, motioning to a sugar cube. Before I could respond, he pushed one towards me.

He sipped his tea quietly and I nibbled on the cube of sugar. I wanted to ask him what we were, what we would become, but I could not work up the courage. I did not want to spoil this picture-perfect moment. However, he soon spoke up.

"Mos, I really like you," he said. My cheeks reddened again and my heartbeat picked up. How did everything he said have this effect on me? "And I want to know more about you." He placed his teacup lightly on the table and folded his hands on his lap. He wanted to know about me?

"Like what?" I asked. What would he want to know? I was boring and only had one friend.

"Everything. What you like, what you don't like," he responded.

"Well..." and I continued. We talked for what felt like hours, and I told him things I had not even told Terry. Things about Katherine and Bryin, things about my life before them, and things about, just, me. His tea was finished and so was my sugar cube. When I looked out the window, the sun was beginning to set. Luckily, I had texted my foster parents earlier telling them I was with Terry.

When I was finally done speaking, I asked: "And what about you? What do you like?"

"Well, I like you, Mos," he responded, being as suave as ever.

"I-I like you, too, Mr. Yoi," I said. Then, he unclasped his hands and grabbed ahold of one of mine.

"Mos, call me Christopher."