MATEO || bxb

- 26 -

| Mateo |

"Can I pay for lunch?" Cam asked when we managed to find an empty table. We were lucky because we'd missed the lunch rush so the place was a little emptier than it would have been a couple hours ago, so we found a table on the decking above the water. We were so close to the edge of the side in fact, that if we tilted our head over, we could see the water below us with the occasional small boat that would slowly float on by.

"Are you having a laugh?" I asked picking up the menu on the table and skimming through the contents.

"No?"

I had to look up then and give Cam a good stern stare. "No."

"But you bought me my books so let me pay for food," he pleaded but I wasn't having any of it.

"Nope."

"But-"

"-no," I said interrupting before he could even think of an argument as to why he should be allowed to pay. "I brought you on this date. I'm paying."

Cam sighed. "Fine," he grumbled before picking up his own menu and deciding what he wanted. I looked up at him and smiled at the cute pout he was currently sporting.

We finally ordered our food and got to spend the time waiting by talking. I reached over and clasped our hands together over the table, intertwining our fingers.

"Have you liked your first ever date so far?" I asked hoping he had. It was a lot of pressure being his first for something and I could only hope he would leave today with fond memories as I surely would.

"Yeah," he said smiling. "It's been amazing. I can't believe you took me to a book shop and the most beautiful one I've ever seen."

"I'm so glad you liked it," I told him. Watching him walk up and down aisles of shelves had been a treat in and of itself for me. He was so beautiful when he was happy. "I always thought you looked happiest when you had a book in your hand."

"Have you been paying a lot of attention to me Mateo?" Cam teased.

"Maybe more so than you realised," I responded.

"Oh yeah?"

"Maybe more so than I realised as well."

Cam got all shy and I didn't have a chance to tease him about it because soon our food was ready. Though this place was a cafe, it had waiters to bring your food over, so our conversation ceased for a moment as the waitress set down our plates. She stared a little too long at me for my liking, but I made it a point to ignore her. I think Cam must have noticed her looking as well though.

"Think someone has a crush," Cam commented.

"What her? Well, it's not reciprocated obviosuly. What did she even look like? See I've already forgotten."

Cam chuckled and shook his head at me. "Sure Mateo."

"Hey, seriously though, my eyes are only on you," I told him.

"I'm really glad to hear that, you cringey fuck."

We ate our food in peace chatting here and there about anything and everything. I loved talking to Cam whether it was serious or something completely silly like whether it would be better to fight one horse sized duck or 100 duck sized horses. Obviously, the first option is superior but apparently Cam thought that he can take on a 100 miniature horses but I didn't believe that for a second.

"I'm just saying, like if they're all small then they kind of lose all their power. Normal size horses are dangerous because of the power in the legs so if they kick you really hard it would be really dangerous. But if a duck sized horse kicked you, you would barely feel a thing," Cam said trying to explain his argument.