Running From Him (ManxMan) ✔️

Chapter 48: Lunch

🏃‍♂️Clark's POV🏃‍♂️

We found what seemed to be the entire room crowded in the kitchen, watching as Tania put the final touches on her wonderful meal. It wasn't truly a crowd, with the kitchen being so large and all, the ten of us had plenty of space to roam and converse all while still in close view of the action happening on the stove and in the oven.

Two large trays of mushroom alfredo were being whipped up for us, and along with that were some sides of salad and cooked vegetables. The alfredo, after being cooked on the stove, was transferred into a pan where it was given a generous layer of assorted cheeses and put in the oven to allow them to melt.

Tania was still cooking the vegetables now, and she had Jasmine and Mark working to finish the salad. The rest of us with no work, this included Francy who enjoyed bragging about it to her younger siblings a ton, simply stood around and talked about whatever came to mind while we waited.

This part was particularly difficult because it gave Santiago plenty of opportunities to bring up the conversation that I was trying to save for later. The first thing he said after we had entered the kitchen was "What the heck did you mean when you said that I'll find out? How mysterious is that?" To which I responded to with "As mysterious as I wanted to be. Just wait until later, Santiago."

But, he was never satisfied and constantly wanted to bring up this mysterious conversation. Now, I feel like I should have thought over it more before I brought it up. Because no matter how much he pressed, I couldn't really go and tell him that I wanted to confess my feelings and ask him on a date.

How crazy would that be?

Obviously, the two of us have experienced crazier regarding him and what he did, but it was still way too wild to bring up with all of our friends around. At the moment, Ethan was being a complete angel and occupying Santiago by talking about some sort of university thing that I would never understand.

I was leaning against the kitchen island, sipping a cup of water that they had so kindly gotten for me, and watching everyone interact. Daniel was speaking with Mason, speaking passionately about something that Mason seemed to add to repeatedly as well. A common interest, probably.

It might have been about Mason's second Instagram account. Mason had a second Instagram account for aesthetic photos and music edits, and from what I knew, Daniel has an interesting passion for music as well.

The twins were conversing together as they finished the salad that they were working on, and Mr. Tyler was talking to his daughter Francy, a warm look in her eye as she likely updated him on her life and current plans.

Francy was an interesting character. From what I knew, even as she was getting at the age where those in her family would typically be settling down, she was completely focused on her career and did not seem to even be dating. But I respected Francesca a lot, and it seemed like her father did too by the way he was smiling.

Suddenly, Daniel was in front of me, no longer chatting with Mason.

"What's up?" I asked him casually, taking a sip from my cup again.

"Oh, nothing." He replied lightly, speaking in a way that made it seem as if that was really a lie. He totally had something up. "I just wanted to know if you were comfortable or if you felt like you wanted something to snack on."

I couldn't help the small frown that fell on my lips before I shook my head.

"Nah, I'm good. Thank you for asking, though." Daniel gave me a nod and a soft smile before he went to speak with Mason again. It wasn't surprising that happened, but it was still a bit frustrating.