Escaping from Nothing | Chapter 6: Past Friends
It was, finally, Friday. For the past few days, there were no signs of nightmares or Niann in my brain or dreams.
After work, I went to a hotel to meet Lia. We are friends since young and we kept saying we should have buffet at this hotel. It has high ratings and many people recommended it.
We met and hugged as we went into the hotel and to the registration counter to get our reserved seats.
We sat down at our table and she looked very excited.
“Look at all the food! We are going to have a great time here,” She laughed.
I smiled at her and prepared my plate to get food.
I walked around and got myself a variety of food. I returned to see Lia enjoying her food, with a bunch of other food on her plate.
“You look thinner. Better eat up and become all chubby like me,” She giggled.
I smiled delightfully, and said, “If you are chubby, then the vast majority of the world will be overweight.”
She laughed, stuffing herself with food, “Well, well, well, I guess I cannot argue with you any further, without turning this into a full-on lecture.”
I laughed, “Yes, so you better eat up and enjoy our expensive buffet.”
She made a face at me and continued eating.
I finished my plate, walked around, then grabbed some more food.
Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey, Daryl!”
I turned around and saw my former university classmate. She smiled happily, upon greeting me.
“Hey!” I did not remember her name, but I remembered her gleeful personality and that when she starts talking, she never stops.
“Oh my god! Who knew I would see you here! I am over there with my husband, look,” She pointed at a man in a suit, eating on a small round table like ours.
“We are here to celebrate our 1-month anniversary. I never knew I would marry some man soon after my graduation, but we clicked and that was that. He is not that rich but well it is our 1-month anniversary. So, I said, we should come to this hotel and have a buffet, since you know, many people recommended them for their food and catering. Oh well, I am overwhelmed by the choices, especially for the desserts! Because, you know, most of the hotels do not have many dessert choices, but here, I can indulge on them. However, I might get chubby. Oh well, my husband will not really mind, because, you know, he is not that skinny himself after all. But I like him anyway. I like him as a person, no matter what size he is in, and vice versa.”
I smiled and took in her speech.
“You know, my husband and I didn’t date for long until we got engaged, then married. But see, I don’t regret it. I really like him. I never liked or paid attention to a man that much before. And I thought maybe that is why we happened, and this happened. Now, we are a pretty solid couple,” She smiled at me.
My mind started to wander and landed on Niann. I never paid attention to a man that much either.
Does that mean…
I shook my head to stop the thought.
“Why are you shaking your head?” She was puzzled, but not offended. She probably knew that I am a nice person and will never intentionally offend anyone.
I smiled and said, “No, just feeling a bit tired.”
She laughed, “Sure. A long day, huh?”
I smiled and nodded.
She continued, “Yeah, it was a long day for me too. I had to help around my husband’s shop. We actually met when I went shopping at his shop. Now, I am glad that I could not find a job after graduation, since then I had to go downstairs to his shop to buy groceries for my mum almost every day. Pretty cliché, huh? It happened and I guess those rom coms are not total bullshit. Oh, sorry. I should not have sworn. This is such an elegant place. Anyways, I am glad for what happened. It sounds pretty magical, because it is,” She paused a bit, taking a breather from her long speech.
Maybe she tells this to everyone she comes across every day. It was not boring. Well, at least I could handle it, whilst carrying my filled dish without hurting my arms or toppling over.
“I know, I know, we are one hell of a couple. Not everyone could be this lucky and I appreciate it every day,” She looked over at her husband and smiled, “You should come to our shop someday. We sell groceries, fresh vegetables and fruits. Many people come for a good deal. Oh, and Jalila and Laver got married, did you hear about that?”
I shook my head, puzzled and confused.
Why didn’t Laver tell me about that when I asked him about Jalila? Did he just assume I know? I guess you wouldn’t go around telling people you got married, bound to the same person for a lifetime, and assume everyone you are talking to is trying to threaten that?
I must’ve been thinking in silence for quite a bit, as the girl started to look at me with concern.
“Hey? Did you hear about that? Doesn’t seem like it. You look like you are in quite a bit of shock.”
I stuttered, “Yeah, I met Laver few days ago, but he didn’t tell me about that.”
She shrugged, “Well, you know, some people won’t go around telling people they got married. Maybe he thought you already knew.”
I shrugged, wondering why they never invited me to their wedding. Am I not a friend anymore because we stopped talking? How about all the time we spent together? Does that not mean a thing in the end?
It does not mean a thing. Sounds like something you thought about earlier.
I shook my head vigorously to shatter the unwanted thought. The girl I was talking to was confused, thinking whether she said something wrong. I had to say something to rationalize my actions.
“I was just thinking how come they didn’t invite me to their wedding. Maybe they didn’t want me to get the bouquet and be the next in line to get married?” I tried to make a joke, whilst not having the coherent facial expressions to a joker.
She paused, then laughed, “Never knew that would come from you. Anyhow, they now live close to my shop, so they come over sometime to stock up on their groceries. I guess maybe you could run into them sometime if you came. Of course, if you do come, you should buy something. I am not like advertising our shop or anything, but if you come, you will not be able to stop yourself from landing a good deal.”
Her husband then came over quickly, as he kept an eye on their table to make sure no one thought it was unoccupied and cleaned it up.
“Mabel, you should leave her alone now. Your dish is getting cold, and we would not want to waste food.”
Oh, so her name is Mabel.
Mabel smiled at her husband. She waved so that her husband would go back to their table, acknowledging that she knew and would return shortly.
“I have to go now, you know, husband’s orders. Great catching up with you!” She smiled.
I smiled back, “Yeah, you too. Have a great meal!”
She walked back to her table and I walked back to mine.
“Who was that?” Lia asked, puzzled and a bit annoyed by the fact that Mabel occupied quite a bit of my time.
“My university classmate,” I replied.
“Pretty chatty, huh?”
I laughed, “Not just pretty, very.”
We both laughed and continued our meal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye)
After work, I went to a hotel to meet Lia. We are friends since young and we kept saying we should have buffet at this hotel. It has high ratings and many people recommended it.
We met and hugged as we went into the hotel and to the registration counter to get our reserved seats.
We sat down at our table and she looked very excited.
“Look at all the food! We are going to have a great time here,” She laughed.
I smiled at her and prepared my plate to get food.
I walked around and got myself a variety of food. I returned to see Lia enjoying her food, with a bunch of other food on her plate.
“You look thinner. Better eat up and become all chubby like me,” She giggled.
I smiled delightfully, and said, “If you are chubby, then the vast majority of the world will be overweight.”
She laughed, stuffing herself with food, “Well, well, well, I guess I cannot argue with you any further, without turning this into a full-on lecture.”
I laughed, “Yes, so you better eat up and enjoy our expensive buffet.”
She made a face at me and continued eating.
I finished my plate, walked around, then grabbed some more food.
Suddenly, someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“Hey, Daryl!”
I turned around and saw my former university classmate. She smiled happily, upon greeting me.
“Hey!” I did not remember her name, but I remembered her gleeful personality and that when she starts talking, she never stops.
“Oh my god! Who knew I would see you here! I am over there with my husband, look,” She pointed at a man in a suit, eating on a small round table like ours.
“We are here to celebrate our 1-month anniversary. I never knew I would marry some man soon after my graduation, but we clicked and that was that. He is not that rich but well it is our 1-month anniversary. So, I said, we should come to this hotel and have a buffet, since you know, many people recommended them for their food and catering. Oh well, I am overwhelmed by the choices, especially for the desserts! Because, you know, most of the hotels do not have many dessert choices, but here, I can indulge on them. However, I might get chubby. Oh well, my husband will not really mind, because, you know, he is not that skinny himself after all. But I like him anyway. I like him as a person, no matter what size he is in, and vice versa.”
I smiled and took in her speech.
“You know, my husband and I didn’t date for long until we got engaged, then married. But see, I don’t regret it. I really like him. I never liked or paid attention to a man that much before. And I thought maybe that is why we happened, and this happened. Now, we are a pretty solid couple,” She smiled at me.
My mind started to wander and landed on Niann. I never paid attention to a man that much either.
Does that mean…
I shook my head to stop the thought.
“Why are you shaking your head?” She was puzzled, but not offended. She probably knew that I am a nice person and will never intentionally offend anyone.
I smiled and said, “No, just feeling a bit tired.”
She laughed, “Sure. A long day, huh?”
I smiled and nodded.
She continued, “Yeah, it was a long day for me too. I had to help around my husband’s shop. We actually met when I went shopping at his shop. Now, I am glad that I could not find a job after graduation, since then I had to go downstairs to his shop to buy groceries for my mum almost every day. Pretty cliché, huh? It happened and I guess those rom coms are not total bullshit. Oh, sorry. I should not have sworn. This is such an elegant place. Anyways, I am glad for what happened. It sounds pretty magical, because it is,” She paused a bit, taking a breather from her long speech.
Maybe she tells this to everyone she comes across every day. It was not boring. Well, at least I could handle it, whilst carrying my filled dish without hurting my arms or toppling over.
“I know, I know, we are one hell of a couple. Not everyone could be this lucky and I appreciate it every day,” She looked over at her husband and smiled, “You should come to our shop someday. We sell groceries, fresh vegetables and fruits. Many people come for a good deal. Oh, and Jalila and Laver got married, did you hear about that?”
I shook my head, puzzled and confused.
Why didn’t Laver tell me about that when I asked him about Jalila? Did he just assume I know? I guess you wouldn’t go around telling people you got married, bound to the same person for a lifetime, and assume everyone you are talking to is trying to threaten that?
I must’ve been thinking in silence for quite a bit, as the girl started to look at me with concern.
“Hey? Did you hear about that? Doesn’t seem like it. You look like you are in quite a bit of shock.”
I stuttered, “Yeah, I met Laver few days ago, but he didn’t tell me about that.”
She shrugged, “Well, you know, some people won’t go around telling people they got married. Maybe he thought you already knew.”
I shrugged, wondering why they never invited me to their wedding. Am I not a friend anymore because we stopped talking? How about all the time we spent together? Does that not mean a thing in the end?
It does not mean a thing. Sounds like something you thought about earlier.
I shook my head vigorously to shatter the unwanted thought. The girl I was talking to was confused, thinking whether she said something wrong. I had to say something to rationalize my actions.
“I was just thinking how come they didn’t invite me to their wedding. Maybe they didn’t want me to get the bouquet and be the next in line to get married?” I tried to make a joke, whilst not having the coherent facial expressions to a joker.
She paused, then laughed, “Never knew that would come from you. Anyhow, they now live close to my shop, so they come over sometime to stock up on their groceries. I guess maybe you could run into them sometime if you came. Of course, if you do come, you should buy something. I am not like advertising our shop or anything, but if you come, you will not be able to stop yourself from landing a good deal.”
Her husband then came over quickly, as he kept an eye on their table to make sure no one thought it was unoccupied and cleaned it up.
“Mabel, you should leave her alone now. Your dish is getting cold, and we would not want to waste food.”
Oh, so her name is Mabel.
Mabel smiled at her husband. She waved so that her husband would go back to their table, acknowledging that she knew and would return shortly.
“I have to go now, you know, husband’s orders. Great catching up with you!” She smiled.
I smiled back, “Yeah, you too. Have a great meal!”
She walked back to her table and I walked back to mine.
“Who was that?” Lia asked, puzzled and a bit annoyed by the fact that Mabel occupied quite a bit of my time.
“My university classmate,” I replied.
“Pretty chatty, huh?”
I laughed, “Not just pretty, very.”
We both laughed and continued our meal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
©Yolanda Yip (Wintsarye)
Comments
Post a Comment