Epiphany

EP:23

Chapter 23

Owen's Perspective

"What's coming is better than what is gone."-Unknown

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IMAGES and moments from last night flashed throughout my mind while getting ready for work this morning. I wasn't a super emotional type of dude, but the way Tiana made me feel last night was different, it was real. I liked the way she acknowledged my presence through body language and simple gestures. Though, I was still keeping our business on a low profile until I knew for sure this was everything it was played up to be. The last girl I had gotten serious with didn't play out too well and I was not going down that road again.

We rode to a spot downtown to grab something to eat. It was an Italian joint Tiana had told me about that she and Ally had gone to countless times. I held the door open for her as she walked inside the restaurant. Leaving my jumpsuit in the backseat I adjusted my navy blue shirt resting my arm on the back of the booth. Tiana sat across for me scanning over the menu as I watched her with an intense gaze.

"Why do you keep looking at me?" She looked up smiling.

She always asked me that.

"You pretty"

"Boy," she looked back down at the menu chuckling.

It was easy to tell that Tiana was insecure. With the way, she carried herself to the way she always disregarded most of my honest compliments.

"I'm not just throwing shit out there. I'm serious Tia."

"Well thank you." She smiled.

"What you want to eat?" I asked picking up my menu. They had these small ass portions with hardly any meat. I wasn't too into this place.

"I'll probably have some pasta or something."

"Damn they ain't got no meat on this menu nowhere."

"Owen stop using profanity so loudly." She giggled whispering at me from across the booth.

"These folks ain't payin' attention to me. I'll eat later though I'm not really into this stuff."

"Oh, we don't have to eat here. We can go somewhere else then." She said grabbing her purse.

"Nah it's cool you need to eat. I know you hungry your stomach kept growling on the way here." I chuckled as she looked down embarrassed with a smile on her face.

"You sure?"

"Yeah"

She sat back as a waitress came up to us with a notepad and pen in her hand.

"Hi I'm Nicole, can I start you both off with drinks?"

"I'll just have some lemon water," Tiana said.

"Alright, and for you sir?"

"Yall got raspberry lemonade light on the berries?"