Wed. Nov 20th, 2024

BY RUTHIE LEE

 

EPISODE 20.

 

~~

 

“Well I feel… Glad! I guess cause who wouldn’t want to be loved, and besides I’ve always been the one having feelings for a particular person, but now it’s the other way round and he is younger than me, that is why it’s funny!” I shrugged.

 

“But you know I have feelings for you too! So mine isn’t funny?” Neil asked and I looked at him.

 

Okay this is getting awkward.

 

“Well we’re talking about Jason here so!” I laughed nervously.

 

“Well he’s just a kid!” Neil said.

 

“Yeah, just a kid!” i nodded with a smile and suddenly start to regret ever mentioning about all this to him.

 

The waiters brought our foods and my mouth starts to water immediately because of the sweet smells coming from the food.

 

We both start to eat quietly, I could say I was bored but the sweet taste of the chicken I was having covered the boredom.

 

But still, didn’t people really have dinner like this to talk about something or laugh about something.

 

“So… Enjoying your meal?” Neil tried to start a conversation.

 

Well at least he’s trying.

 

“I am!.. I really am” I replied.

 

I really am.

 

“That’s good to hear, so I don’t know I’m suddenly craving for alcohol, would you like that too?” Neil asked.

 

I looked up at him. “why would you take alcohol, you’ll be driving!” I tell him.

 

“I’ll just take one sip, I don’t know why I’m craving for it so badly though!” he sighed.

 

“Even if it’s one sip or a sniff, the fact is that you drank a bit of it, and it’s against the rules, if you get caught you’ll get in trouble!” I explained.

 

“Okay, I’ll just tell someone to come pick my car up and I’ll take the bus with you!” he grinned.

 

“Oh… OkOkay…” I ssaid and continued eating.

 

Neil called the waiter they shared their knowledge about alcohol before the waiter left and came with a drink that immediately the waiter opened it, you could smell its hot smell and tell how thick it would be.

 

The waiter left us and Neil smiled.

 

“Chicken and liquor, my father used to say they’re the best combination. I used to disagree, but now without tasting it, I feel like it’s the best combination,” Neil said and I smiled.

 

“Care for a glass?” He asked.

 

I smiled “Sure why not”

 

Neil held the brightest smile as he turned the bottle towards my cup and pour the drink till it almost reached the top.

 

“You’re cruel, i can’t drink all this!” I laughed.

 

“If you can’t then, what’s this dinner all about then!” Neil raised his brows.

 

I scoffed “I can definitely enjoy this dinner without the alcohol, I mean there is the chicken!” Neil laughed and filled his cup too. He raised his glass and gave me a look and I knew what he was asking for.

 

I gave a small smile as we clicked our glasses together.

 

“Cheers to more of this moment to come.” Neil said and I shrugged.

 

We both took light sips and continued with our food.

 

 

Few minutes later, I was done with my food and my glass of alcohol and so was Neil, he was done with his food too but he wasn’t done with his alcohol, so I had to wait for him to be done. He was drinking too much, I wanted to tell him to stop that he’d get too drunk, but I just let him be, he is not a child to begin with.

 

We both started to talk and before I knew it he was getting drunk cause his words started to slip by from his mouth.

 

He couldn’t sit straight and his face looked flushed.

 

*

 

*

 

“You know, this is why I totally decided on drinking alcohol tonight!” Neil said as we stepped outside of the restaurant.

 

“Really?” I crossed my arms as the cold night breeze blew around our bodies.

 

“Yeah, cause I feel like i can fly and suddenly every burden vanishes” Neil said with a small laugh.

 

Thankfully he was walking straight, but he was drunk. He started to drag his tie to free his neck or something.

 

“You know this breeze is actually worth it, it’s nice” Neil laughed and spread out his hand.

 

“Well it’s freezing and well not nice!” I sighed.

 

“Oh, no problem with that!” Neil smiled and stopped walking, he removed his blazer and placed it on my body.

 

“There you’ll be warm now!”.

 

“Thank you” I smiled.

 

“No need for the thank you, it’s okay!” Neil smiled.

 

“Haaa” he lights out a thick smile. “I feel so alive. You know I’m not allowed to drink, cause my

 

hangover is the worst I don’t allow myself to drink, like never, but today I don’t know I wanted to

 

drink so badly, I mean think about it, I get stressed out too much and sometimes taking things

 

like this helps its pulls a lot off your shoulder”

 

Neil is a pretty talker when he’s drunk.

 

That’s funny.

 

“So do you feel like going back to the restaurant to drink more?” I teased.

 

“Can we?” He asked.

 

I rolled my eyes. “I was just joking we can’t”

 

He made a sad face and pouted like a child making me burst into a loud laugh.

 

“Do not try to make that face again!” I said as I wiped my laugh tears from my eyes.

 

“Why, when all I ever want is to make you smile and laugh and feel all ounce of happiness!” Neil stated and I was suddenly speechless.

 

“When all I want is for us to go on dates like This, and then you wouldn’t talk about anything else but just focus on us and our dinners” Neil let’s out a depressing sigh and sat on a rock beside that high to even carve as a proper seat.

 

“Neil what are you doing, get up!” I said.

 

“I’m tired of walking,” he sighed.

 

“Well you can’t sit down here. It doesn’t look proper!” I tell him.

 

I looked around the empty road and was glad people didn’t pass my top often.

 

I stood in front of Neil and let out a heavy sigh.

 

“We’re going to miss the bus if we stay here for an hour!”.

 

“Don’t worry I won’t take long, I just feel so heavy, I know this alcohol is supposed to make me feel lightheaded, but because you actually smiled and laughed because of me, my chest suddenly feels heavy!” Neil sighed and unbuttoned his collar.

 

What is this, he is not going to start being romantic now, cause I won’t be able to take it.

 

Drinking can make people come out as things they do not even have in them.

 

“You know all I ever want is you Elsa, I want you to look at me and tell me you like me too, I was dumb and foolish back then in high school, I liked you then, but not as much as I like you now, if only I just reached out to your feelings then, now I know you feel nothing for me. But what can I do I was the one who lost you like a fool I am, all your feelings you had for me, are they all down the drain or are there some stubborn feelings clinging onto the pipes, cause it would really be helpful! ” Neil said and sniffed.

 

The streets lights weren’t too bright but I could tell he was…Crying!!!

 

What the hell?

 

What the hell am I going to do? I’ve never had a guy cry because he likes me.

 

Oh my God, this is so awkward, but it’s sweet. But seriously I’m confused.

 

“Do you know my wishes Elsa?” Neil asked and looked up at me and I silently gasped, cause I found his tears.

 

This is making me feel so guilty and I feel like dying.

 

“No!” I shook my head when I see he’s been staring to long and waiting for my answer! “I don’t know your wishes!”

 

“My wish.. Wishes are waking up every morning and receiving a text from you that says good

 

luck with work today, my wish is to go to work and Recieve a lot of phone calls from you telling

 

me how work is and telling me how much you miss me and how much you wish I could just

 

leave work and come see you, I wish every Saturday we could go on dates, every Sunday we

 

will have the family dinner my family goes crazy about, your mom and dad would be there and

 

so will my parents, and then they will talk about how sweet of a couple we are and give us their

 

parental blessing every single minute, my wish is for you and I to be alone in our own house, my

 

wish if for you to look at me the way you haven’t looked at anybody before, to love me like your

 

own, to own me, to want me, to be there for me, cause I really want to be there for you Elsa!”

 

Neil said and buried all his face in his palms.

 

Probably letting out all his tears.

 

My legs felt weak and my eyes heavy!

 

I didn’t know what to say I just stood and watched Neil cry. I know it was all the drink’s fault, but he was the one crying with his own eyes.

 

My knees start to bend and before I knew it i found myself kneeling in front of Neil.

 

I slowly took his palms from his face.

 

It’s so weird seeing him cry, but at the same time it was so sweet and it made my heart ache.

 

“It’s okay Neil!” I said and dried his tears with my hands.

 

He laughed. “Wow, I’m seriously making a fool out of myself I can’t believe I’m crying in front of the girl I like, I’ve never cried like this before, not in any situation!” I gently hugged and pat his back.

 

“It’s okay Neil” I pat his back again.

 

“It’s not okay!” he sighed. “If my wishes were to come true then I know it’s okay,” he said and disengage the hug.

 

He grabbed my eyes and looked down at them.

 

“Please! Just accept my feelings Elsa!”

 

I looked at him as my breathing hitched.

 

This is so strange.

 

“Well okay. At least say something!” he let’s go of my hands and stood up.

 

He starts to walk away and I quickly stood up.

 

“Neil wait up! Where are you going?” I said and ran after him.

 

“You said if we didn’t get to the bus stop in time. we’d miss the bus!” he replied drying his eyes.

 

I breathed a sigh of relief and when we got to the bus, he was quiet and was lost in thought, I think he was starting to get sober. I think the cry cured him…

 

*

 

Finally we got down from the bus, surprisingly Neil and I started to walk on the same path. But he doesn’t live around this side.

 

“Don’t worry I’m walking you home and don’t say it’s okay, cause it’s something a guy must do if he happens to go out with a girl!” Neil words touched me and I kept my questions which he already answered to myself and focused on the road.

 

I stood in front of my house and thanked Neil.

 

“Don’t worry about it, it’s okay!” he said quietly.

 

“Okay” I smiled nervously.

 

“So good night then!” he said.

 

“G..good night” I stuttered.

 

He was about to walk away when I called him back.

 

“Yeah?” he turned to me.

 

“I accept!” I blurted

 

He seemed confused as he tilt his head slightly to the left.

 

I sighed and about to roll my eyes for his slow witted brain when he actually gasped.

 

“You accept my feelings for you?” he asked his eyes open all wide and excited.

 

“Yes!” I nodded.

 

.

 

T.B.C

 

BY RUTHIE LEE

 

 

AGE DOESN’T

 

MATTER ♥

 

.

 

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