65 — A really tempting offer

The Owner's question makes me open my eyes slightly and then blink a few times in silence… He also stays still, looking at my face with an amused expression. So gradually, I begin to understand exactly what's going on… and what his intentions are.
It certainly makes my face burn.
I open my lips to answer him, but hesitate for a moment. I feel a hard and painfully thud against my chest, a reminder that my broken heart is still too recent. And not only that. It's like the last four years have passed quickly in my mind — because I've been in a very familiar position before… so similar it makes me sick…
When I ran away from my feelings and started a relationship with Eric.
Since that time, my life has taken unexpected turns, and I have lost all sense of control.
*I don't want to repeat the same mistakes.*
That's why I give a sad, subtle smile and wither my shoulders… making his cheerful expression falter for a moment.
“I crossed the line, right?” He relaxes his grip, easing his muscles that seemed like they were about to explode. “Sorry, I didn't mean to be inconvenient.”
“No, it's not that…” I rush to say, but my voice drops when I add, “I just don't think it's a good idea.”
“That guy, he's your boyfriend?” He asks, tilting his head slightly.
“Oh, no… He's not…” My words falter, almost fail… Actually, it's almost like my whole body withers. “We're just friends.”
“Is that right? Uh…” He mutters, thoughtfully… “Got it.”
I give a sad smile… I guess anyone can understand me easily, right?
It's all over my face, after all.
“Anyway, I'll surprise you with something to eat… It's up to you if you want to give me your phone number.” He returns the subtle smile, almost… *understandable?* “And you don't have to think too much about it. It's true that I'm interested in you, but I won't rush. And that doesn't mean anything too complicated… I just want to get to know you better.”
I sigh slowly and nod, watching his smile widen a little more. He steps away beyond the counter… And I just lower my eyes to my hands that are shaking.
All these years, everything I have, the people around me… Everything was achieved through other people. I haven't done anything on my own. Gosh, I don't even like taking my decisions alone.
It scares me.
*It terrifies me.*
But being so dependent on the people around terrifies me even more because, in a moment, everything is perfect. People are smiling at you, being kind, reaching out to help you, holding you tightly and saying words that seem true but deep down, they're empty.
It was like that with Eric. With Laura…
Now, I find myself on this tightrope with a huge abyss beneath my feet. I'm scared to death that Julian will let me go too. I can't lose him. But I can't lose my father either… They're the only ones I have left.
What will become of me if this light disappears?
I know.
I'll be trapped in darkness once again.
But if I keep depending on them so much… Won't they get tired of me too?
I flinch slightly when the Owner puts the plate and a glass on the table in front of me. I suppress a smile because it's a Club Sandwich and lemonade — what I ordered the first time I came here… when Laura did her show.
But I've come countless other times, always following the order on the menu. So, for him to remember something like this when several customers have stopped by….
“Why?” I raise my eyes, noticing that the expression on his face is serene. “Why did you choose this?”
“Isn't the first thing you ordered when you came here?” He tilts his head slightly and gives an innocent smile. “It's also what you asked for the second time, with your friend.”
“You remember that?” I say with a surprised tone, and see him raise an eyebrow.
“I remember all your orders.” He smiles, and it makes my cheeks burn slightly because yes, I can't get enough of noticing how beautiful his smile is.
And I open my lips to answer him, but I'm completely speechless.
“Okay, maybe it's not enough to earn your phone number… But perhaps I can sit down and join you for lunch?”
I nod, pointing to the chair that, once again, he's holding tight.
With his smile widening even more, the Owner pulls out the chair and sits down, crossing his fingers above the table. It's funny that, even with his eyes on me, I can take a bite of the sandwich. I even feel a strange nostalgia… it hasn't been that long, but feels like a small eternity.
At that time, I had just discovered the betrayal of the most important people to me… A little lost, looking for my way.
And funny enough, I'm lost once again, searching for an answer, for the direction that will make me bear this broken heart with a smile on my face.
“Can I ask you something?” His voice is so soft that surprises me. I raise my eyes, chewing in silence, and nod slightly. “Are you wary around me because of Laura?”
Oh, damn.
I almost choked at hearing Laura's name so suddenly. Eyes watering, I take a generous sip of my lemonade, pushing the piece of sandwich past my closed throat. And at his curious gaze, I swallow hard.
“Well…” I wriggle restlessly in my chair, “She may have said something terrible about all her ex-boyfriends.”
“Of course she did.” He snorts, throwing his body back and relaxing it in the chair. Running a hand through his short hair, he messes up the combed side hairstyle. “She likes to play the victim.”
“Yes, she does.” I say harshly, and it makes his eyes glint curiously.
“Let me guess. She said that I put her out of my apartment, right? That I threw all her stuff out on the street and treated her like some random girl?”
Oh… wait…
Realization falls over me… No, it crashes against my body like a strong breeze...... The ex-boyfriend who cheated on Laura and put her out of the apartment, threw all her stuff on the street and made her cry for a whole week….
“*You're* Tyler!” I say quickly, my eyes widening slightly.
“Yeah…” He puts the tip of his tongue out, wetting his lip, his eyes half-closed, “Wait, don't tell me that, all this time-”
“Argh!” I grumble loudly, covering my face with my hands.
*I. Can't. Believe. It.*
“I'm truly surprised.” He says, and I can hear his playful tone, which just makes my face heat up even more….
“Laura has so many ex-boyfriends… I didn't know exactly which one…” I grumble, unable to look at him.
“Angel, that's really mean of you.”
“Ugh. Please don't tease me like that.” My voice comes out so low that I'm not sure if he heard it… But when he laughs, a really amused laugh… I slowly pull my fingers apart, looking through them.
The Owner — now Tyler — has his elbow propped on the table and his cheek supported by it. There's a light expression on his face and a really amused smile. I can even swear that his brown eyes are smiling… It makes my face heat up even more, but in a different way.
“I'm sorry.” I grumble, pulling my hands away from my face, resting them on my lap, where he can't see them fighting each other in an anxious finger war. “I'm really embarrassed.”
“I can see.” With his other hand, he points to his own face, “Your cheeks get red when you're shy, don't they?”
“Are you trying to punish me for not knowing your name all this time?” I pout, looking away, pursing my lips.
“No, not really… I just think you look really pretty when your face is *all flushed.”* I can tell from the corner of his eyes that his smile turns slightly wicked, and it makes me shiver. “And it's my fault… I didn't introduce myself properly.”
He holds out his hand, still supporting his cheek in the other. “I'm Tyler.”
I take his hand, suddenly becoming aware that my hands are really small, as the difference between ours is quite clear. “I'm Angelee.”
“Laura's best friend.” He completes, making my hand on top, sliding his thumb across my knuckles.
“Laura's *former* best friend.” I correct, dropping my eyes to the way he's caressing my hand… His fingerprints are so smooth, his palm is soft… Unlike Julian's roughness, his firm grip….
A sudden twinge runs through my chest.
*Why am I thinking about Julian again?*
“So Laura screwed you too, huh?” He releases my hand slightly, and I put it back in my lap, covering the skin he touched with my other palm. “It doesn't surprise me… I don't know exactly what she did to you, but from Laura, nothing would surprise me.”
I sigh deeply… my blood still bubbles just remembering how not only she was riding my boyfriend, but she still said those nonsenses, like I was to blame for it all. If anyone has no shame, it's her.
“Laura has a knack of twisting things, and people just believe it. I also believed her words many times until I saw the truth with my own eyes. Well… I really put her out of the apartment and said a lot of things, though. But I'm sure she left out a very important part of the story — why I did it.”
I blink a few times in silence, trying to hold my curiosity.
But he also stays silent, like pushing me to ask…
“What did she do?” I ask, giving in.
“Well, I don't want to sour your stomach.” He points to the sandwich that lies untouched.
I wrinkle my nose, a smile threatening to sneak onto my lips, “Is that a way to make me curious?”
“It's a way of trying to get your phone number.” His smile widens, slightly wicked. “I told you… You don't have to overthink this. *The enemy of my enemy is my friend,* isn't that what they say? We can be friends and annoy Laura… That's a really tempting offer this time, don't you think?”