If it's fate

Part 13: Hungry

(Next morning)
I walk downstairs and go straight to the fridge. On the fridge, Ella leaves a note for me. "I'm off to work. Call me if you need anything. Don't burn the house down. I'm on an urgent business trip, I'll be back in three days."
I put the note aside.
"What am I going to eat... should I go somewhere to eat... should I ask Precious to join me? Wait, she has worked... I guess I have to go eat by myself. But where should I go, mom's place? Nah I want to go out."

I look up restaurants in the area. "I'm craving Noodles."
My stomach starts to growl. "I'm hungry." I then say loudly. Nothing can be heard but my stomach as it echoes through the house.
"Well, this place looks good... it's a little bit far though... well I want to eat... okay let's go."
I call for a Uber. I quickly go upstairs and get ready as fast as I can. I put on a black hoodie and leggings. (Ting* Ubers here)
I rush downstairs and grab the house keys. I lock the door and the Uber waits in front of my house. I get in.
"Hey," the Uber driver says.
"Hey," I say awkwardly, getting in the back seat.
"How are you today?" The driver then asks.
"I'm doing good," I say.
"Would you like some?" As he lifted a tray of cookies.
"Thank you, but I'm okay," I say, not trying to sound rude.
We start to depart to my destination. I grab my headphones and plug them into my phone. I shuffle my playlist and a song starts playing. I look out the window, while the car is moving. It's a cloudy day, but it's warm enough. 20 mins later the driver tells me I've arrived at my destination. I look around and all there are old buildings. "Is this the right place?" I then ask.
"Should be, I drove to the address that was provided." He then says.
I check the address and it is correct. I then search for the store. In the GPS, it says that in 3 mins away. I get out of the car and say thanks to the Uber driver. I follow where my GPS leads me to. I walk and walk, but I can't find the place.
"Maybe I can ask someone." I spot a scary-looking group across the street. They look too intimidating so I didn't want to ask. I then spot a pretty lady, around my sister's age. I decided to ask her about the restaurant. I ran to her. "Sorry, excuse me. Do you know where this place is?"
She looks at the image on my phone.
"This place is closed down already." She then says.
"Really, I wanted to eat noodles."
"They closed down last month, it's said that the owner was in debt, he gambled or something like that.... where are you from here? You look lost. It's dangerous here. Would you like to go to my place?" She then asks me.
"It's okay." (Stomach rumbles loudly)
"Are you hungry, I'll make you something, let's go to my place? It's only 5 mins from here." She then says.
I know it's not a great idea to go places with strangers and especially follow them home. Who knows if I'm getting myself kidnapped. But this lady is nice. She offered kindly. She can't do harm to me...right?
"It's fine though," I say.
"it's not good to starve yourself. Let's go." She says walking off.
I follow her. She leads the way. The whole time, I notice that she's confident and gives power off when she walks. All men just stare at her.

We walk up to her place. I go into her home, it's dark-themed but it's very homey and cozy.
"Make yourself at home... do you want to eat anything specifically?" She asks.
"Anything is fine, but I came to this area for noodles."
"Do you have any allergies?"
"I don't. Okay, noodles it is." She says.
She walks to the kitchen and grabs a pot. I walk around her living room. I notice pictures on the wall. They were pics of her and her family maybe. I then notice a picture of her in her younger years with this boy. I then spot a few other pics of a group. They wore suits and looked tough.
I go to the kitchen and she's boiling the noodles. I then remember that I don't know her name.
"What's your name?"
"Mera, you?" She says
"I'm Candy."
"That's a sweet name. No wonder you're so... sweet." She says.
"Ohh...I get that a lot." I then say.
"Do you live by yourself?" I ask.
"Yes, but my nephews come here sometimes."
"Do you mind If I ask you, how old you are?" I say with curiosity and fear.
"I'm 28." She then says.
"Woah, you're the same age as my brother. You don't look a day over 20." I say smiling.
"You're so sweet, how old are you?" She then asks me.
"I'm 19."
"You're young. My nephew is two years older than you." She then says.
She checks on the noodles. And takes out a pan. She grabs meat out of the fridge, and she starts to slice it. She looks confident.

"Do you want help, I feel bad not doing anything." I then say.
"Okay, do you know how to cook?" She asks
"Yeah, I know the basics."
"Okay, do you want to fry eggs, so we can put it in with the noodles."
I walk to her fridge and grab a few eggs. I search for a bowl and I crack the eggs into the bowl. I finally start to beat the eggs. I then grab another pan and put it on the stove. I put oil on the pan and put a pinch of salt and pepper in my eggs. The oil starts to make sounds, so I put the eggs in. Sooner or later I finish making the eggs.
"Mera, I'm finished. Do you want me to do anything else? I then ask.
"I think the noodles are ready, do you want to drain them?"
"Alright."
"The drainer is in the top cabinet there." She then says.
"Okay."
I grab the drainer and pour the noodles over it. I can see the steam rushing up to the ceiling.
I turn around to look at her.
"Just leave it there. Thanks. I think you've done enough. For now, you can rest. If you're hungry you can grab something from the fridge or anywhere else." She says.
"Alright, thanks."
I grab a pear off her counter and take it to the sofa with me. I start munching on it. "This is good." I thought. In the distance, I can smell her frying the meat. I couldn't help but let my mouth water. A while later she finishes the noodles. She tops it with egg and meat. And a few chili peppers.
"Candy, the noodles are ready to be served, you can take them to the table now." She says pointing to the table across the room.
I get up quickly and grab the noodles and place them on the table.
"What do you want to drink? Wine? Oh, wait you're still underage." She says.
"Water is fine." I then say
I sit down first and smell the fragrance of the noodles. Mera comes over with my water and sits down across from me.
"Go ahead and Eat, you're hungry right." She says pointing to the noodles.
"No, you eat first." I then say
"Okay." She says smiling.
After she takes her first bite I dig into my noodles. I'm slurping them up like I've been starving for days. Not really but like, 3 hours.
"Woah eat slowly, you're going to choke." She says worriedly.
"These noodles are amazing, I've never tasted anything like this. Woah 2000/10. Woah" I say having food in my mouth.
"You're silly. Thank you. I try." She then says smiling.
I eat the noodles up until there is nothing left on my plate. She looks at me smiling while eating hers too. Then I hear the door open. Mera stands up and walks over. In the distance, I hear her speaking to someone. I hear footsteps coming towards me.
"Candy this is one of my nephews," Mera says.
I turn around.

Thanks for reading :)