FROM THEN ON

Chapter two

''Wooh!'' I exclaimed as I collapsed on the king sized bed in the hotel suite that the company had booked for me. I checked the time to see that it was only 1:00pm. I walked towards Todd's suite door and just as I was about to knock, he opened the door. ''Hey man I was about to come over,'' Todd said closing the door behind him. ''Let's go explore the city or something,'' I said. ''Oh yeah totally I heard about this awesome coffee and bake shop. We should check it out,'' Todd replied. ''Coffee and bake shop?.. man it's 1:00pm,'' I said annoyed. ''maybe another time,'' I continued. ''Alright,'' Todd said in surrender. We finally decided to go to a diner not too far from the hotel. ''So how are things with you and Arianna?'' Todd asked as we walked away from the hotel. ''There is no me and Ari anymore dude we broke up,'' I said with no emotion at all. ''Wow I'm sorry man,'' Todd said with pity in his eyes. ''I'm alright,'' I said. We got to the diner and a few minutes after we sat down a waitress came over to ask for our order. She was extremely pretty and I had made up my mind to get her number before we left the diner. Todd seeing my facial expression and knowing me for a long time, said, ''Narh man don't even think about it.'' ''Why not?'' I asked desperately. ''Because you'll be leaving in two days. You can't just leave her with a broken heart. Not even you will do something this heartless to a girl,'' Todd replied. ''But she's cute,'' I said whining. ''No!'' Todd commanded. ''I don't have to listen to you, you're not my mother,'' I said. ''Well you don't listen to her either,'' he stated. ''She's coming shut up,'' I said signalling Todd to keep quiet. ''Here are your burgers. Can I get you anything else?'' she asked. ''Yeah can I get your number?'' I asked innocently. ''Sorry, that's not on the menu,'' she said apologetically. She's playing along. I can work with that, I smirked. ''What? Is the manager here?'' I asked pretending to be shocked. ''uh..no she's out,'' she said quickly. ''Well can I have her number to complain as to why a pretty and hardworking employee like you doesn't get to have her number on the menu?'' I asked pretending to be outraged. ''Nice try but I have a boyfriend,'' she said and turned around to leave. ''Well, tough luck dude,'' Todd said trying to hide the happiness in his voice. ''Do you know me?'' I asked laughing. ''Unfortunately I do,'' Todd said. ''Don't do anything crazy. She said she has a boyfriend,'' Todd begged. ''She was obviously lying. Besides, when Rob Stenson wants something, he does not give up,'' I said determinedly. ''Yeah unfortunately he doesn't,'' Todd said. Just then, I had a plan. ''Excuse me,'' I called out to another waitress. ''How can I help you?'' she asked. ''Sorry to bother you but I just wanted to be sure, that waitress over there looks very familiar but I can't quite remember where I know her from. Do you by chance know whether she's been in a commercial......or where she used to work..?'' I asked innocently. ''Yeah she works at the coffee shop down the street in the mornings,'' she said pointing down the street. ''You mean the coffee and bake shop?'' Todd asked as his eyes lit up with excitement. ''Yeah her mum owns the place. Why? Do you guys know there because you look like you're from out of town,'' she asked. ''Yes we are but who doesn't know the famous coffee and bake shop in Washington right Todd?'' I asked smiling. ''Of course,'' Todd said while eyeing me. ''Anyway does her boyfriend work there too or is it strictly a family business?'' I asked jokingly. ''Actually Sabrina doesn't have a boyfriend. Not since her boyfriend cheated on her because she was a Christian and a virgin and wanted to stay that way till marriage ,'' the waitress replied. ''Interesting....well thank you very much,'' I said gratefully and the waitress walked away from our table to attend to another customer. ''She just told us everything we need to know,'' I said to Todd smirking. ''Todd, looks like we've found our new hangout,'' I continued. ''Wait I'm confused are you talking about here or the bake shop?'' Todd asked. ''Why can't it be both?'' I asked still smirking.

''Okay so I googled the coffee and bake shop and they open at 7:00am and then go for a one hour break at 12:00pm so that's probably when Sabrina leaves to go and work at the diner,'' I said to Todd while looking at the details of the bakeshop online. ''You know this is crazy right? Plus we came here to work not to stalk girls,'' Todd said. ''First of all, I am not stalking her and secondly, our work starts and ends on the same day which is the day after tomorrow so what else are we going to do the whole day tomorrow?'' I asked. ''We could actually explore the city??'' Todd asked clearly irritated. ''We still are. Just a part of it,'' I said and with that, I left his room. The next day, after I had gotten dressed, I knocked on Todd's door but he didn't answer. I knocked again. ''Todd?! Todd I know you're in there!'' I called out. Just then, I heard crashing sounds coming from inside the room. ''Todd open this door right now or I will break it down,'' I said angrily. He unlocked the door dressed in a tank top and a pair of boxers. ''Why do I have to go with you?'' he asked yawning and rubbing his eyes. ''Because I need a wing man. Now go on and get dressed. I'll be back in five minutes and you better not sleep again,'' I warned and went back into my suite to look at myself in the mirror one last time and spray a little more cologne on my jacket. I came back to Todd's room exactly five minutes later and we headed for the coffee and bake shop. As we sat down, Sabrina came towards us and asked, ''What can I get you?'' with her head buried in the notepad she was holding. When she raised her head and saw that it was me, she asked annoyed, ''What do you want?'' ''Don't I deserve the chance to visit the best bakery in all of Washington?'' I asked innocently. ''But what I really want is to know is why you lied to me about having a boyfriend,'' I added. ''I did not lie,'' she said nervously. ''I thought Christians were not supposed to lie,'' I said clearly enjoying what was going on. She opened her mouth in shock. ''Shocked that I already know so much about you?'' I asked smirking. ''Not really,'' she said putting her hand on her waist. ''I saw you talking to Darlene yesterday at the diner and pointing in my direction so I kind of saw this coming,'' she continued. Todd and I looked at each other in shock and the same thought crossed our minds, ''Man she is good.'' But I was smarter. ''So you were admiring me,'' I teased. ''No I wasn't,'' she said rolling her eyes. ''Listen, I am not interested in you or anything you have to offer so either you order something or I move to other people. Besides, as you know, I'm a Christian and I know you sure ain't Christian and also,I do not like stuck-ups,'' she continued. ''I'm totally Christian,'' I lied. ''Nice try,'' she said. ''Now if you'll excuse me, I have actual customers to serve,'' she said and walked away from our table. ''Woah!'' Todd exclaimed. ''She is really good,'' he said. ''I know,'' I said annoyed. ''Does it mean you're ready to give up now?'' Todd asked. ''Give up? The fun has just begun,'' I said rubbing my palms together. ''Now let's go, we need to go to the diner at twelve so I can move on to my next plan,'' I said. ''Where are we going?'' Todd asked. ''To the hotel so I can strategize my next plan,'' I said. ''But we haven't had breakfast yet,'' Todd complained. ''Fine,'' I said and Todd called another waitress to come and take our order.

When it was 12:00pm, Todd and I went to the diner as planned and I knew exactly what I was going to do. ''I am offended!'' I exclaimed as I stepped into the diner squinting my eyes and pressing the lacrima caruncle of both eyes with my right hand's thumb and index finger and holding my waist with my left hand. At this time, all eyes were on me including Sabrina's . I opened my eyes and said pointing in Sabrina's direction, ''You called me a stuck-up without getting to know me first and I'm offended!'' I exclaimed. ''Calm down you are creating a scene,'' Sabrina mumbled as everyone in the diner started murmuring to each other. ''I will only calm down if you agree to get to know me before you judge!'' I shouted raising my voice even higher than before. ''Sabrina, what is going on?'' A bald man who looked like he was in his mid forties said. He looked like he was the manager of the diner. ''Nothing sir, I've got it all under control,'' she said and feigned a smile. ''Okay follow me,'' Sabrina said pulling me out of the diner. When we came out, she asked, ''Why can't you leave me alone?'' ''I mean there are so many girls in Washington just go hit on another girl,'' she added while raising her hands in frustration. ''Look. One date that's all I ask,'' I answered. ''So if I go out with you, that's it? You'll leave me alone and never disturb me again?'' she asked. ''I'll even delete your number,'' I said smiling. ''First of all, you don't even have my number...'' she said confused. ''Oh but I will,'' I interrupted. ''And secondly, if all you want to do is go out with me once and then we go our separate ways then why bother? Because if you haven't heard, I am a virgin and I'm staying that way until I get married,'' she said putting her hand on her waist. ''Yeah I heard but I'm not interested in any of that,'' I said. ''You just seem like a really nice person and I have a good eye for noticing nice people,'' I said, pointing to my eye. ''Thanks for the compliment but I'll pass on the date. Now please leave before you get me fired,'' she said and went back into the diner. Todd then came out holding a half eaten baloney sandwich and asked with his mouth filled with meaty goodness, ''So...how did it go?'' I hit the sandwich from his hand in anger just as he was about to take another bite and it went flying till it hit the ground a few meters away from us. ''Hey...'' he said whining. ''You owe me twenty bucks,'' he added and followed me back to the hotel. Later that day, as I entered Todd's suite, I sat on his bed with my hands in my head and gave out a loud sigh. ''I think you should just give up man. I mean you can't win em all. No one can,'' Todd said as he sat down beside me. ''I know I can't but why? Why her? There is something about her. I don't get it. She is the only girl I've met who doesn't easily fall for me and it is driving me crazy and I have to know why before we leave tomorrow,'' I said frustrated. ''Maybe you should tell her that. Well not all of what you said just the good parts....you know, the parts a girl would want to hear,' Todd said. I lifted my head slowly from my hands realizing the sense in what Todd had just said. ''Todd you're a genius!'' I said heading out the door as fast as I could. ''Glad I could help!'' he shouted out to me. I raced to the diner as fast as I could but just before I was about to enter, I froze. I remembered the scene I had created earlier that day and how I almost got her fired. There was no way she would want to see my face after that. I just stood there thinking of what to do when she pushed the door open and said goodbye to one of the waitresses inside while placing a bunch of keys into her purse. She had dressed out of the diner uniform into something different so I figured she was done with her shift. We made eye contact and I opened my mouth to try and say something but nothing came out. I still stood frozen and all I could do was blink and open and close my mouth like a fish. ''I don't want to hear anything you have to say,'' she said and walked right past me. As soon as she walked past me, I unfroze and called out to her, ''Sabrina wait!'' but she just kept walking. I run and caught up with her. I stood in front of her and put my hands on her shoulders in attempt to stop her from walking any further. ''Just please listen please,'' I said desperately. She stopped walking and I said, ''In all my years of dating, you are the only girl who doesn't easily fall for me and it is driving me crazy. Please just give me a chance to prove that I'm not a stuck up,'' I pleaded. Sabrina stood there unconvinced. ''Please Sabrina,'' I begged. ''Okay fine just one date. Besides, it'll be fun proving you wrong,'' she said smiling. ''Huh?'' I asked confused. ''I mean proving that you are a stuck up,'' she explained. ''Oh well we shall see won't we?'' I asked determined to prove her wrong. ''Shall we?'' I asked stretching my arm out for her to hook her arm into mine. ''Put your hand down this is not a romance novel,'' she said. I stood there shocked as she started walking ahead of me. ''Are you coming or what?'' she turned and asked. ''Coming,'' I said and run to catch up with her again. As we walked down the street together, I realized that Sabrina wasn't like any girl I had ever met in my entire life. Ever.