CHAPTER 1 Moment but not so memorable

There’s a saying that memorable moments are one part sweet and one part bitter, and this memorable day came with a load of bitterness. I’m feeling a strong sense of abandonment anxiety right now, and it’s being fueled by what is right in front of me. ************* A waiter approached my table. Although his smile was radiant, I didn’t care and just before he could ask what I would love to have, I asked that I start with a glass of virgin pina colada while I wait for my partner. “The waiters at Jenny’s would have known better,” I muttered. Jenny’s is our usual meeting spot and it was a compromise for Jason because while he prefers the chicken pie and daiquiri at Pop's, he would choose Jenny’s because it’s my favorite place and he would do anything for me. I was lost in so many thoughts as I sipped from my glass of mocktail. Thoughts like “Why is he late?” No! “Why is he so late?” “Why would he want us to have our usual weekend dinner at a different restaurant?” I couldn’t find an answer or maybe I will when he comes. BACK STORY Jason and I are best friends. I knew we would be the moment he moved into my neighborhood with his family. I was in my room, admiring a beautiful view of sunflowers and flying bugs when a bus stopped at the front of the house directly opposite mine. The family had a young boy whom I thought was charming, and I could not wait to tell my best friend at school about him. “Oh, the new family Mr. Briggs said is coming in?” Sam asked when I told her. “Yes, they have a redhead, so young and agile and he looks like we could be mates or a bit older than I am.” I was still telling Sam about this young and radiant boy when we got interrupted by Principal Higgins. “Class, meet Jason. He’s your new classmate... he would be sharing a seat with you, Reggie,” said the principal as he directed Jason to Reggie's seat, which was beside mine. “The redhead I was telling you about,” I whispered to Samantha, my seatmate and best friend. I met Jason at the cafeteria during the lunch break. He seemed unfamiliar with the protocol, and I knew I needed to help him. “Hey, I’m Lily, welcome to the neighborhood... and our class!” I laughed. “I'm Jason. How do you know I just moved to the neighborhood?” Jason asked. “Let's just say I watched you trash a can of soda from your room just a few minutes after settling down.” “Wait, are we neighbors?” “I’m afraid we are.” And that was it. Jason and I became really close. We did everything together and every weekend we would go to Pop’s for dinner because he loved the daiquiri, a taste he later traded as soon as he discovered that I preferred the one at Jenny’s. Dinner was not the only thing we did. We would stay up all night sharing thoughts and connecting on a deeper level. During one of these late-night conversations, Jason mentioned he wants the same connection we have to exist between him and the woman he loves and that whenever he wants to ask her to be his girlfriend, he wants it to happen at a fancy restaurant. The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that tonight was the night. We were in a fancy restaurant, and I was dressed in a sexy gown just like he asked me to. My heart raced at the thought. Wow, it’s finally happening. Isn’t it? I can’t wait to tell Samantha. I was awakened from my imagination by a vibration on the table. It’s Jason. He’s calling. “Babe, I’m 2 minutes away from the restaurant, sorry for keeping you,” he hung up. Babe? Wow! That was the assurance I needed to back my imaginations. I reached for my purse. I needed to retouch my face and make my lips shinier and glossier because from what I learned from one of those midnight conversations, shiny and glossy is what he likes. As I reapplied my lip gloss, I thought about all the times Jason had been there for me. The time I sprained my ankle and he carried me all the way home from the park. The time I failed my math test and he spent hours tutoring me until I finally understood the material. The time my dog ran away and he helped me search the entire neighborhood until we found him. Jason was more than just a friend. He was my rock, my confidant, my everything. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. Was I really ready for this? For our relationship to change from friendship to something more? The thought both excited and terrified me. What if it didn’t work out? What if we lost the amazing friendship we had? But what if it did work out? What if Jason was the one I was meant to be with all along? The waiter brought over a basket of bread, and I absentmindedly tore off a piece. My mind was a whirlwind of emotions. I thought about the first time Jason held my hand. We were at the movies, watching a scary film, and I was so terrified I couldn’t bear to look at the screen. Jason reached over and took my hand, squeezing it gently. His touch calmed me, and I knew then that I could always count on him to be there for me. I looked around the restaurant, taking in the elegant decor and the soft candlelight. This was exactly the kind of place Jason had described when he talked about how he wanted to ask the woman he loved to be his girlfriend. My heart swelled with hope. Maybe tonight would be the start of something beautiful. Time seemed to crawl as I waited. I checked my phone again, but there were no new messages. The minutes felt like hours. I tried to keep myself occupied by observing the other diners, imagining their stories. A young couple at the corner table looked like they were celebrating an anniversary. An elderly man sat alone, lost in thought, perhaps reminiscing about his own love story. A group of friends laughed boisterously, toasting to good times. But no matter how hard I tried to distract myself, my thoughts kept circling back to Jason. I imagined him walking in, a smile on his face, ready to sweep me off my feet with a grand declaration of love. But as the night wore on, my hope began to wane. The waiter approached again, this time with a concerned look on his face. “Is everything alright, miss?” he asked gently. I forced a smile. “Yes, I’m just waiting for someone.” He nodded sympathetically and left me alone once more. I sighed and took another sip of my drink, feeling the anxiety build up inside me. Where was he? What could be keeping him? Just as I was about to give up and call him again, my phone vibrated. It was a text from Jason. “Lily, I’m so sorry. I'll soon be at the restaurant, just give me little bit moment” Although I feel a bit upset, the excitement from what is about to spart between Jason and I overshadows it and I'm content. I reapplied my lipgloss and sip from my mocktail while I waited.