Luna Unknown

Chapter 15

The restaurant was semi fancy. No reservation, I knew that, my family had been here enough times. But our attire did not disappoint. Everywhere I turned there was an old woman giving me a I-wish-you-were-my-grandson smile, or wink. Luna and I sat at a private little table in the back. I could tell she was nervous, and that she was still warming up to the idea that we are dating. Are we? She called me her boyfriend, but does that mean we're dating? Maybe she doesn't want to do that yet. But what if I just ask? No, I can't ask because what if she already thinks we're dating, and then thinks that I don't think that, so she thinks I don't want to? I do want to, but how do I say it? 

"Neal?" I look up at Luna, the light in our corner was dim, but her face was still bright, and happy, with a tinge of nervousness.

"Hmm?" 

"What do you want to drink?" I look over the waitress is holding back her giggles.

"Water, water is fine." The waitress turned and left us alone. Luna fiddled with her cloth napkin. Why was everything so different at this moment? Was it that this made everything official? Did it make everything official? 

"So......." She looks over the menu, then looks up with the lamenated paper covering her mouth. "Does this feel as weird to you as it does for me?" I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in. "Yes?" she laughed with a confused-happy face. One eyebrow up the other down, and still smiling.

"Yes, no. I mean it feels weird I guess. I haven't ever been to a resturant alone." I set down the menu. "I meant without parents."

"Me either, the last time I went out to eat was my dad's birthday." I would have thought the mention of her dad would sadden her but her smile was big and bright.

"You've started talking about him a lot, your dad I mean." The waitress was back, Luna held her hands in her lap as she set down our drinks. When asked if we were ready to order, or wanted appetizers, I looked over at Luna in question, she stared at her water. I polietly declined and asked for a couple minutes. When the waitress walked away Luna looked up, she wasn't upset, she looked well, happy.

"He was the best, he favored me a lot more than my mom, not that she didn't like me but, he always spoiled me." I smiled.

"I wish I could have met him."

"Me too. He would've liked you." she sighed quietly and scanned her menu. "I don't know what to get!"

"What do you like?"  I suddenly realized we hadn't covered favorite foods, or likes and dislikes, only the basics.

"I mean the broccoli and cheese soup looks good, the calamari, the panini, everything looks amazing."

"Ooh the soups here are really good, homemade too! Get whatever you want, I would suggest a soup and the panini."

"I think I'll do that." she smiled "So, you've been here?" she unwrapped her straw and took a sip of her water.

"When we used to come down here every year, we'd stop by a lot of the time." Our waitress, who's name I didn't catch earlier had walked back up. I let Luna order first, because I assumed that's what you did on a date, you let the lady, woman, um, girl,  go first. The dark haired lady turned again to return back to the kitchen. I finally took a sip from my glass.

"This is really nice." was all Luna said, before they had come back with our food. Whoa was the service this fast every other time I'd been here? I was amazed. We talked in between bites and I learned new things about her I'd never could have guessed. She hated ranch, couldn't stand the smell of it either and could detect the smallest bit in any food. She was adopted three days after she was born. She was always compared to her mom, even though they weren't related by blood. Her dad used to get her out of school to get ice cream when she was little, and her favorite flavor ice cream has always been cookies and creme, which she quickly added after her story. Mine was chocolate. She told me about a firl she knew and who was really her only friend who she hadn't seen since she was pulled out of school. She had wondered out loud to me what she thought the girl, who's name was Tala, thought Luna was doing, or what Tala was doing,  and how she kind of missed her too. I told her I'd have to meet this Tala someday, and she replied with someday, hopefully.