Episode 9

Episode 9.
I staired down at myself for the umpteenth time tonight,wondering how I let Katie put me into wearing this sundress. The flimsy purple sundress has little red flowers doting all over it,it's spaghetti straps soft against my shoulders,it's wide v-neck exposing my cleavage and upper breasts. Not that the dress is inappropriate but come on,I'm meeting with Trevor! There's nothing so special about that to warrant such dressing. We're just going to have a little dinner as 'friends'! But Katie wouldn't have that.
After coiling my hair spirally across my one shoulder and down my back,I worn a pair of red stilettos and grabbed a small handy red purse.
"Atta girl,now that's what I'm talking about!" If Katie knew how mad I am at her right now,she'd probably just shut up. And I think she gets that cause she suddenly laughs sheepishly and scooted over to the window,to "watch Trevor arrive" again. The thought makes me roll my eyes.
Suddenly, the door bell jinxed. That cannot be Trevor, right? It's still a few minutes to seven. Katie quickly runs to the door and pulled it open,reveling no other but Trevor,standing with his hands behind him. He's dressed in a pair of tight looking jeans and a blue collar top,a sweet smile on his lined lips.
"Hi...I....I'm here to," his eyes wonder for a second past Katie and into the room till they spotted me,his smile widening "....pick Ashley" he completes and I smiled before walking to them.
"Ashley is right over there!," Katie points to me "all ready to leave with you!"
"Thanks Kay" I say to her before walking out. I could've missed how she gave me wiggling eyebrows before screaming 'have fun!' And shutting the door if I hadn't stopped staring at Trevor's charming face.
I gave out a small chuckle as I faced him in the narrow hallway,his eyes not leaving me for a second.
"You look beautiful...... Really beautiful" he said,eyes sincere.
"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself"
"Thank you. Shall we?" He opens his palm to me and I gave him a confused look and a small chuckle before taking it and walking to the elevator.
When we got out,he helped me into his car and drove off.
The ride is quiet,maybe because it's a short one cause after a few cornering, his car was pulling up in front of a restaurant's parking lot. The night sky is getting cloudy as I stepped out after him,like it was going to rain.
Trevor walks me in,passing the glass doors and taking a sharp corner to get to our table.
The moment we sat down,a young waitress walks to us,a broad smile on her face,her blond hair shiny from the dim gold lighting of the room.
"Hi,good evening,what can I get you today?" She hands a menu book to me and another to Trevor who inspects it sceptically, causing me to smile to myself.
"Would you like anything to drink before you order?" She adds.
"Yes,please. A glass of wine will do" Trevor said to her,the waitress turning expectantly afterwards to me.
"Oh,I.....I'll have an éclair and a glass of wine too thank you"
"Alright" she replied before walking away,my eyes turning back only to meet Trevor's watching me,a smile flirting on his lips.
"What?" I asked him.
He smiles,his front teeth displaying charms before replying "I think I can get why you're barely fat now. All these stuffs you eat"
"A cake? Cakes are wonderful"
He bursts out laughing, and I threw him a straight face.
"Sorry,no offense,Ashley. I was just saying. You order this same thing at the office all day. Then coffee. I hope they sell coffee here too" he laughs.
"Not funny,Trevor."
The waitress walks back to us,our drinks and the éclair on a small trey in her hands. After serving us,she walks back away.
"Don't mind me asking who that girl at your house is" he asked,drinking from his glass.
"Oh,that's my best friend, the one I talked about. She's Katie,totally cool"
"I can tell. She's really nice"
"Yeah,she's my backbone"
"Sounds romantic" I laugh at his remark but he just shrugs and continued to sip at his drink. Maybe I should start laughing less.
"So....you live with your mom?" I asked,trying as hard not to make any conversations that may arise about me.
"No. She moved back to New Mexico. My cousin,full Mexican,stays with her"
"Really? She must be so pretty"
"She's alright. She's twenty. She's really mean too"
I wanted to laugh but I stop myself. "You ever visit them?"
"Yeah,always. My mom is ah.....everything to me"
"That's cool,Trevor. Really. I barely see my dad. He's always travelling around the world for businesses. But I do know he does that just to think less about mom. Last time I talked with him,he says he's in New Orleans"
"You must feel lonely"
"Not really. I mean I have my friends,my job....my life to live"
"Tell you what. Maybe you can meet my family. We're having this wedding next year. Cousin bro. I mean....if you don't mind,you can come. If that's okay with you...."
"Sure. I've never really been to Mexico before so...."
"Really?!," he chuckles "well I cannot wait to give you a tour around Mexico"
I smile back."I can hardly wait myself ".
"Ready to order?"
"Not that I've had time to read through this thing," I fling the menu to his face "but ah....I'll go with a burrito and potatoes mesh"
Trevor turns around to wave the waitress over and she appeared in a matter of seconds,taking our orders.
After getting served,we wouldn't stop talking over dinner. We talked about many things. We talked about him mostly. His mom,his work,his school days,a few of his plans,even my plan of going to Spain for a vacation. Which sounds so impossible now owning to the job I have no. No,owing to the boss I have now.
After three hours of eating and mostly talking,we took our leave and headed towards his car,his hand securing mine in his. He stops just before his car and turns around to face me.
"You know this just feels very boring" he said.
I nod in agreement "I couldn't agree with you any less,Trevor"
"Okay,I know this amazing park just down town. Maybe we should go there. Will be really fun" he gave me a brow.
"Sounds inviting. I'm in!"
We get into his car and he revved out,speeding towards this mentioned park. The noises coming from afar told me just right where we were, I needn't ask anymore if we were close or not. The bright flashy lights pouring through the park was mesmerizing, my eyes shining as they googled at it,boisterous noises deafening my ears,the laughter audible now as we closed in. Trevor maneuvered through the walking people before parking in front of the park before turning to face me and saying "brace yourself, Ashley"
I almost screamed in glee as I stepped out too. The reflecting lights from the park was beautiful, reminding me of all the mischiefs Katie and I engaged in back in our teens. Good days,good days.
Trevor stops at the entrance to grab my hand and pull me further in. We stop at the face painter who painted our faces in flashy neon color pains,Trevor laughing at my face and telling me I'd been painted to look like a pretty cat. Trevor refuses to get painted before we proceeded inside,the population of people out here tonight surprising me. We bought ice cream at a stand and hot ourselves hotdogs before I decided to take a ride on the horses. Trevor must think this childish cause he stands out to watch me,laughing as I went. He watches me swing on the swing,arms folded as if deep in thoughts,his lips serving only as a camouflage. By the time I stepped down from the Merry go round,my head was spinning.
Trevor grabs hold of me as I nearly stumbled on him,"easy,Ashley. Are you alright? "
"Yes," I nod "I'm sorry.....this is just...all so thrilling"
"I can tell" he laughs before steadying me.
"I'm alright" I tell him so he could let go of my arm now and he did. I take my purse from him and realized it was getting late "it's pretty late,Trevor. We should go home"
"You're right. Coming here was a good choice" he winks at me and I smile softly. We start walking side by side.
"You know I'm starting to realize a sundress is not the best outfit to wear to a park" I said,looking down on my short gown.
He chuckles lightly before replying "I think you looked great wearing that dress on that swing" he replied,causing me to glance over at him. He glances back,a corner lip smile on his lips. I smile back,but realized his smile barely reached his eyes. There was something running in his mind.
"Trevor," I slow down into a stop and faced him "is everything alright?"
He smiles again before replying, his hands tucked inside his jeans pockets "yeah,I'm fine" his eyes barely met mine before they left again.
"Trevor"
"Would you be upset?"
"Upset? Why would I be?"
"If I did this" his face inches impossibly closer in that second,almost pumping into mine,cutting my breath in my throat as I felt his own breath brush my cheek. He's bent a bit,his lips moving into mine. My heart thundered against my chest. Unconsciously, my teeth bit at my lips and he stopped. Seconds passed and he doesn't move any closer or back,he just stayed still,his one eye watching my face. Then he suddenly pulled away.
"Did I scare you?" He broke the silence once he was up and I looked up at him,feeling my every limb tremble. Did he just try to kiss me or was it all play? But in that second I thought of all the fun we just had together, who we are to each other and realized I wouldn't jeopardize that because I 'think' he just attempted to kiss me.
I simply smile back and replied "not at all. You wanna leave? I'm so sleepy right now."
He chuckles and replied "owl"
"Owl? Its past 11!" I run after him as he walked out of the park fence.
He laughs before opening the door to his car for me.
When I returned home,Katie was nowhere to be found to my surprise. The typical her would not sleep till I came back to give her 'full gists' about how my date went. I walked over to her room but her door is shut close. She's probably sleeping already. Plus,I'm not in the mode to talk right now. I decided to have a glads of water and go straight to bed.
**
The morning light seeping in through the windows causes me to squint my eyes and slowly open them again to adjust to the brightness. I don't remember sleeping this peacefully in months. Wasn't Katie in this house? I flinched from my bed immediately I saw that the time was 8:27a.m but soon relaxed back when I realized it was Sunday. Yeah,no Marcello shits today. I can't be more glad.
I walked out to the sitting room to find Katie's back at me,her sitting on the breakfast bar. She had a palm against her chin,her body barely shaking as she watched the cabinet. Luca didn't seem to be anywhere close.
"Hey,Kay" I walked over to her front.
Her face is pale,her eyes looking rather lifeless. It was very unlike Katie to sit so quietly in the morning, even it Luca wasn't around. She blinks repeatedly before looking at me and pulling a smile.
"Hey,Ash"
"You went to bed so early last night and now you look all.....pale. Are you alright?"
"Mhm" she nods. My eyes move over to the bar,a full cup of cold tea in front of her.
"Kay? Are you alright?"
"Yes,of course. How was your date last night?"
"It was really great. We had a lot of fun"
"That's nice" she stands ups and starts walking out. I watch her walk out before calling her again but she doesn't seem to hear me. I look back at her untouched cup of tea ,wondering what was wrong with her. Was she upset about something? Katie is never upset about anything.