Chapter 16: WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?
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Alex’s POV;
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I waited for my food not so patiently after placing my order and handing over the menu card to the waiter.
A somewhat noisy chatter started flowing across the huge table that we occupied and somehow I found myself sitting between Josh and Jensen but I didn’t try to start a conversation with either of them, instead I attempted to guess the song which was playing softly in the background.
I was enjoying the feel of the whole rooftop dinner setup. The place was beautifully decorated with orange lights which looked like lanterns in the night sky, while the clouds formed swirly patterns and the pleasant sea breeze was dancing in the air mixing sweet aromas of various flavors and scents.
I hummed along with the music, trying to guess. I knew the song, but somehow I couldn’t place it. Damn! Which song was it?!
“Close to you.” Jensen suddenly said, making me look at him in confusion.
“Sorry?” My confusion probably showed, since he instantly elaborated.
“The song.” He explained, jutting a thumb out over his shoulder, referring to the background music, “weren’t you trying to guess?”
“Yeah… ” I mumbled, a little dumbfounded.
“It’s by The Carpenters.” he clarified further.
Wow, he sure was observant, and had good taste in music. “‘Close to you’! Right, of course!” I agreed enthusiastically as the song finally reached its chorus. Jensen looked at his phone when it pinged, but I continued to look at his face, unaware of my own actions.
The waiter soon served the drinks and thankfully broke my one-sided staring contest. I tried not to drink too much of my mint infused water. Everyone else was happily enjoying the red wine but I wasn’t much of a drinker.
“Alex…what else is on your list? Don’t tell me you’re gonna call it a night already.” Josh called my name and immediately had my attention.
Kate, who was sitting right across from me, chortled at what Josh said “Josh you don’t know her at all…. she’d probably go to the club and dance till they kick her out.”
Josh raised his eyebrows in surprise at that and turned to me with heightened amusement “I would definitely like to see that!”
I dismissed him airily “Perhaps some other time. Tonight I was thinking more along the lines of a ‘Tiebreaker’?”
I made sure to catch Jensen’s reaction at that, who looked extremely pleased for some reason.
“Woah dude, she looks determined” Josh was laughingly saying to Jensen.
“That’s a good thing I guess, at least she’ll be determined to win, not that she will.” Jensen says nonchalantly before drinking from his wine glass.
I didn’t say anything biting “we’ll see”, deciding to prove him wrong with a victory. Kate stared at me alarmed, knowing that I took his words as an open challenge. How she knew me.
When the food was served our eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas and we attacked our dinner like starved animals…….or was it just me? I looked around the table.
Just me it seems.
“So what’s the plan? We’re gonna continue the game or what..?” Josh asked.
“I think we had enough bowling for today.” Max said, and everyone agreed unanimously.
“Do you have something in your mind?” Carrie asked me. I had absolutely nothing in mind, except wanting to go home…but I doubted that thought would be appreciated.
“I don’t know, why don’t we all decide…” I said and everybody seemed more or less cool with it, but some of them had to go home to their kids and family.
I shrugged and continued eating my deliciously juicy steak, meanwhile we were still finalizing what to do next.
Jensen wasn’t really suggesting anything but others were, Nick’s ideas were pretty cool and Josh’s were equally (if not more) bad.
“How about arm wrestling?” Josh spoke up excitedly, like he was already considering it. I almost choked on my water. Is he serious?! One look at Jensen’s muscular arm and I don’t even have to play that game to come to the result of it. Jensen smirked when he caught me staring at his arm and I rolled my eyes.
Get over yourself.
“Not happening.” Kate said almost nonchalantly, it probably came naturally now, after cancelling all of his ideas.
“How about charades?” Carrie suggested and at the same time Josh said, “how about spin the bottle?”
We all considered Carrie’s and ignored Josh’s idea except for Jensen who mockingly said to his friend, “How about you go back to highschool and stay there since mentally you never grew up?”
Josh faked a laugh at that “ha ha ha” while everybody else laughed for real.
We were focused more on our food, but the discussion continued since we couldn’t really reach a conclusion.
“We can play a drinking game right?” Nick asked and everyone murmured in approval and/or disapproval. I was among the disapproving ones.
Josh poured a glass of wine for himself and said “Let’s play 20 questions.”
“We are not out on a date Josh!” I informed him sarcastically, almost like I was talking to a four year old.
“Then let’s go on one.” Josh winked at me. I knew he was only joking but I felt my cheeks warm up despite myself. I couldn’t think of anything to say fast enough but someone else spoke up.
“Yeah? So you can surprise her with how immature you can be?” Jensen retorted sarcastically, but his deep voice had an angry, edgy undertone.
No one caught on or said anything, a few even snickered, but my face contorted into one of confusion. Josh leaned in and whispered in my ear “Don’t worry about him…. he’s just jealous.”
What the hell was that supposed to mean?!
After dinner the night ended with Karaoke, where enthusiastic volunteers showed off their singing skills. Josh’s singing was mediocre at best as he butchered a perfectly beautiful song.
Carrie’s voice was a beautiful surprise, I never would have guessed it, but she sang beautifully.
Nick and Kate sang a duet, their amateur singing even though rusty was still enjoyable, Josh urged me to sing but even at the risk of sounding like a spoilsport I declined.
As the night progressed, everyone grew tired and we decided to call it a night. I was slightly disappointed that Jensen didn’t participate, I don’t know why, but when it came to him there was this strange curiosity in me, and I was constantly looking for answers.
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So what changed?
Something did right? I just feel like there’s a weird tension there…. Or is it?
What do you guys think?
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