Birth From The Waist

Chapter 5

It was 7:30PM and on my way to Burwood to meet up with Andrews. Oh why did I agree, this is the first ever time I actually go out with a guy I don’t know. I bring up Yara’s phone on my phone calling her, the ringing tone is amplified through the car speaks from the Bluetooth device. The phone rings continuously no answer. Bitch! She must be having fun with her extended family, didn’t she classify them as exasperating, irritating, and even infuriating; Oh! My extensive English warrior gets the better of  me being evoked often in situations where I’m nervous. Nervous? Why am I nervous for? I’m just meeting up with a guy that I really don’t know. Nothing to be nervous about Melissa, you just don’t know the guy or his background or who he really is for that matter! Breath!

I park opposite the cafe, getting out and purchasing a car ticket, I do not really need a parking fine. I walk into the cafe careful of my surrounding, in taking all the face, a vulture scavenging for its next meal. I notice him sitting in the right side of the cafe next to a large open window. He’s wearing the same clothes as he did today, except this time with a jacket. He smiles at me and immediately gets up to greet me. He pulls out my chair and I sit down as I thank him. He had already ordered his coffee and on the table was his packet of cigarettes.

“Hi, how are you” he asks politely.

“I’m good thank you, not too bad. And yourself?” I return the question.

“I’m good now”, he says cheeky. I understand his indirect reference towards me.

“Before we all chatty, what would you like to drink”, he asks hurriedly.

“I’ll just have a fruit juice cocktail, thank you.” A classical cafe favourite of mine.

He walks over to the counter and orders the drink, the cashier nods and smiles at him, he gives her a smile one that did not compare to the one he gave me when he returned.

“So how old are you,” he asks impolitely.

“Uhmm... I’m 21,” I reply.

“You’re very young”, he compliments. I contemplate his compliment, either he was very dry with his flattery or he must be really stupid to not notice how I look like.

“Thank you”, I reply softly.

“How old are you?”

“I’m 26,” he quickly replies.

There was a five year age gap, it didn’t bother me.

He looks intently at me.

“Does it bother you that there’s a large age gap between us.”

“No, it does really bother me. But why does it matter?” I ask.

“It doesn’t really matter to me, I couldn’t care if you were even ten years younger, but I just wanted to make sure you felt comfortable with the age thing, in our relationship”.

“RELATIONSHIP”, I semi-shout/scream as the waiter brings over the juice.

“Yeah our relationship,” he responds. “I really, really like you, and I hope that you feel the same way for me too.”

I flush. He gives me a cheeky grin.

“Listen, I’m not that type of girl that’s open to you know, those kind of relationships,” I admit.

“What!” he’s face red, anger it seemed. “I’m not saying that, I know you’re not like that, that one of the reasons I like you. I saw you today in the shopping centre; you and that other girl walking arm in arm, your posture and your body language showed how much respect you have for yourselves. And those group of guys; those rats,” he said, through clenched teeth. “What they did to you and how they grabbed you, made me so angry, I just wanted to go up to them and bash the fuck out of them”, he hissed.