Untitled Story

Chapter Seven

Walking into the familiar Italian restaurant, my eyes scan for the blonde I call my best friend. I spot her in our usual booth and make my way across the restaurant floor to meet her. We have been coming to the same place every Wednesday for lunch since we have both been at our current jobs. I place my bag on the seat and then slide onto the red leather I have grown accustomed to.

"Hey, sorry I'm late; Kacey was being her usual self."

Lucia waves her hand in dismissal. "It's alright, I get it. It simply means that I get a longer lunch break. I can't say I'm overly excited to go back to being spoken down to, simply because I'm a woman. You'd think that being there for a year and a half would indicate to them that I'm equally as capable as the guys, if not more so, but no." She releases a dramatic sigh.

I try to hide my smirk. "Same story as usual then?"

"Pretty much. But anyway, how are you? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages."

"Luce, you literally saw me five days ago."

"You left me to be hungover on my own, I don't count it."

I hold my hands up in surrender. "That's fair."

Just then Anthony appears at our table to take our order. "Hello ladies, how are we doing?"

"All good thanks, how are things going with you know who?" Lucia not so subtly indicates her head towards Tom, who we can see in the kitchen.

"Oh, you know." Anthony releases a slight sigh. "I'm still fawning over him like a pathetic fool, and he still doesn't seem to notice."

"Have you actually asked him out?" I ask, receiving a look as if I'd just suggested killing an animal.

"Are you crazy? I don't even know if he's gay!" Lucia and I both try to stifle our laughs.

"Honey, you could ask him, you know." Lucia suggests.

"I can ask him if you want?" I offer. Anthony has been working here for as long as we have been coming here, and he has always been mildly in love with Tom, I'd love to help him out.

"No, that would be too obvious. I appreciate the offer though." He looks deflated for a moment, before composing himself and taking our orders. "Did you two want your usual, or fancy branching out?"

"I'm good with my usual, thank you." Lucia requests.

Feeling like a change, I scan over the menu that I have half memorised. "I think I'll branch out. Can I have the carbonara please."

"Coming right up." Anthony takes our menus and goes about placing the order in the kitchen and continuing his rounds.

"You branch out even less often than I branch out. Are you feeling okay?" My attention turns to Lucia's, and I see her watching me with concern.

"You think I'm sick, because I ordered pasta instead of a salad?"

She looks as if I've made a ludicrous statement. "Yes." Her head nods in strong affirmation.

"I assure you I am feeling fine. I just felt like a change."

The blonde watches me for a while, for some reason suspicious. "You seem different, what's happened?"

"What? Different how?"

"You just seem a more... relaxed."

"Are you telling me I'm normally uptight?" I eye her curiously.

"I wouldn't say uptight... more reserved. You have a routine, and you stick to it no matter what."

"What's wrong with that?" My eyebrows rise in question, while I start to feel slightly insulted.