Risk It All

RIA 03

Ian immediately felt shy right after Bill made a scene inside the restaurant. Although the waiter insisted that he was okay, Ian still felt sorry for the waiter for what Bill did to him.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Ian asked again, just to make sure the waiter was not just telling it for him not to worry.

“I am, sir. You don’t have to worry about me. Your friend did not hurt me at all.” The waiter plastered a small smile on his lips. He then gestured his hand, leading Ian back to his table. And the waiter said in a low voice which only the two of them could hear, “If you mind the other customers watching us, sir, please be back to your seat.”

Upon hearing what the waiter had said, Ian then looked around. That was the time he realized almost all, if not all, of the customers were looking at their direction. They were frowning, and their eyes were painted with confusion.

“Sir, if you don’t want to gain more eyes, please go back to your seat. And don’t worry too much about me,” the waiter whispered again. He then nodded, giving Ian the signal.

Leaving with no other choice, Ian sighed in agreement. He is really not fond of being the center of attention, most especially when he’s in public. But before he went back to his table, Ian glanced at the waiter for one last time.

And out of his conscience filling his system, Ian pulled out his wallet from the back pocket of his shorts. He fished a card containing his contact number and name. He gave it to the waiter and said, “If you need anything, just call me.”

At first, the waiter was hesitant to accept Ian’s calling card. But Ian took the waiter’s hand and placed the card in his hand. “Just take it, and call me if you need any help. Think of it as an apology on behalf of my best friend,” Ian insisted. He collected his courage in him to stay on his spot. If the waiter won’t accept his calling card, he won't be able to sleep sound tonight. He will just think of it all night long. “Please, take it.”

The waiter showed a small yet hesitant smile. Yet, he still accepted the calling card, nodding his head as a sign of respect. “Thank you, sir. Promise, I will call you if I need a help from you. For now, please take a seat and enjoy your meal. I need to go back to the kitchen for other orders,” the waiter excused himself.

Ian followed the waiter with his eyes for a couple of seconds. He heaved a sigh before turning his back. He then sat back on his chair. Yet, his mind was flooded with thoughts about Bill’s recent action. He could not remember a thing Bill acted like that before in public, which is really kind of weird.

Shaking his head, Ian cleared his mind. He brushed the thought away from him. Ian shouldn’t be thinking about it deeply about it as if it was the very first time he witnessed Bill acting very strangely. In fact, there were a few number of incidents Bill had been weird in front of him. Ian convinced himself it might be just one of those times.

Ian could vividly remember that at one point when they were still in high school, Bill became overly protective of him. It even reached up to the point that no one dares to approach him because of Bill. The guy guarded him wherever he went. Bill never let him out of his sight. And if someone will try to talk to him or just start a casual and friendly conversation, Bill would instantly butt in, interfering in between the exchange of words, especially if he was having a talk with a guy. Schoolmates, batchmates, classmates, or even the people he called friends couldn’t get close to him. Bill forbids them to be close to him within a two-meter distance. Because of this, people in school who could see them thought they were a thing, that they were in a relationship, that they were boyfriends.

Those times were all part of their past already but Ian could still remember them clearly. Ian had to shake his head again upon remembering it this time. It has been a long time since a situation like this ever existed in his life with Bill. He shouldn’t be thinking of these things now. It’s not the reason why he came here. He’s not there to think about Bill nor anyone. He’s there to eat and feed his empty stomach. This should be one of his me-time every weekend, his time to enjoy being alone and only by himself, not giving a care of any other things.

He was pulled back to reality when his stomach grumbled. His right immediately touched his stomach in no time. And he looked around, sheepishly as he bit his lower lip in a secret manner. It would be a shame if someone heard his stomach.

When it seemed like no one noticed it, Ian quickly grabbed the fork and knife placed on both sides of the plate served with a piece of stake on it in front of him. The steak looked delicious in Ian’s eyes. It was as if it was enticing him to eat it now, which Ian did. He made a slice of the steak and picked it using the fork. He himself is busy with the food. And as he was about to take another bite, he noticed someone sat on the vacant chair in front of him.

At first, Ian doesn’t have a plan on giving a look at the person sitting in front of him, thinking that there are no other available seats in the restaurant. Instead, he continued eating his food not until the person faked a cough. Ian didn’t mind it. He thought that the person was just getting the attention of a nearby waiter. But, the person did it again repeatedly, not stopping until he got Ian’s attention for himself.

Ian crooked his eyebrows. He stopped taking a bite on the food he was enjoying. What is wrong with the person, the guy to be specific, who occupies the seat in front of him? The guy never stopped faking a cough. Yet, Ian couldn’t see from the corner of his eyes that the guy raised a hand..

He cleared his throat again. And this time, it really sounded intentional. Ian placed the knife and fork on the plate as he tried to calm himself before he averted his gaze to the guy. His eyes calm yet cold at the same time as move his eyes. But that expression in his eyes quickly faded out in a split second, it was changed into a surprised one. His eyes momentarily grew wider. Then, after a second, his eyebrows were tailored as one with his forehead formed lines of wrinkles. He frowned by the sight that welcomed him.

“So, you really are eating the food given to you by a person you didn’t know who? From a stranger?” He crossed his arms against his chest. He then leaned his back on the chair. His eyes were serious and never leaving Ian’s pair of confused eyes.

“It is still food, after all, Bill. And I came here to have my lunch. I guess I’m just lucky enough to have free food here,” Ian managed to reply. “Is there something wrong with that?” he continued.

It was very obvious in his face that he was wondering why Bill went back to the restaurant. All Ian thought was Bill would spend the rest of the day with Nelie. Thus, the reason why Bill dragged the girl out of the restaurant a while ago with him.

Ian broke the eye contact he has with Bill, focusing his attention back to the food. He was about to take another bite of the steak when Bill suddenly talked as if he was in a trance of disbelief.

“I never thought you like being treated by strangers whom you barely know, Ian. If you badly want to have free food, just tell me. I’ll buy it for you,” a tone of dismay could be hinted at in Bill's voice. His statement was then followed by the heavy movement of his chest together with his shoulders.

Ian snapped his head, looking back at Bill. He had to take a deep breath to calm himself. With Bill’s bold statement, Ian felt like Bill was trying to say that he likes to take everything free that will be offered to him by anyone. What was Bill thinking? That he always wanted to have free food from strangers?

He stared directly at Bill’s eyes. He could not believe Bill could even say those words to him. It’s as if he betrayed Bill for eating the food someone paid for him, with additional dishes. For Ian, there’s nothing special about it. It’s not like everyday that he’d get such treats.

“Before I left the unit, I asked you what you liked me to bring when I get back to our unit, which you refused. But now, you’re having a free meal instead of me buying it for you?” Bill said when Ian did not give him a response.

Ian shook his head and bowed down. He took a slice of the steak and he was ready to put it in his mouth when Bill cut him again from doing it. “Eat that and I’ll make sure whoever the person who gave this food for free will feel sorry for doing it to you. . .” grumbling, Bill warned.

Ian was starting to run out of patience. He dropped the knife and fork he was holding. It made a loud sound as the things landed on the plate. “What is wrong with you, Bill? It is just food. Why are you acting like you are mad that someone treated me a meal? Was it wrong to accept it? And you were saying I should have told you what I want to eat for you to buy it for me, are you seriously thinking? Why should I wait for you to be back in our unit for me to have a meal? I know you will be having a date with your new girlfriend, so I expected you will be out the whole day,” Ian rained Bill with questions that the latter did not expect Ian would throw. “I was only minding my business here, Bill. And I did not even say a word when you introduced Nelie to me, whom I thought was Mitzie just like what you said this morning.”

Not taking his knowingly stare at Bill, Ian waited for Bill’s response. Bill became quiet all of a sudden when Ian pointed out some things to him, only looking at Ian as if he was still trying to understand some of the things Ian had said to him. But after just a minute or two of staring, Bill looked away. He moved his head to the side, hissing. “I’ll be back as soon as possible if you’ll just ask me to do so. . .”

“I don’t think so, Bill. And by the way, why are you here? Where is Nelie? You are having a date with her, right?” Ian asked when he remembered the first thing that came into his mind after seeing Bill.

Instead of getting an answer, Ian almost jumped off from his chair as Bill brought his gaze back at him. Bill’s eyes were directly darting his sight on Ian’s eyes, looking deep and serious. “I will do that for you, Ian. All you have to do is tell me. And about Nelie, she isn’t my girlfriend nor I’m dating her. Nelie is my cousin from my mother’s side. It just so happened we bumped into each other here in the mall while I was waiting for Mitzie who postponed our supposedly date last minute. Is that enough to clear my name to you?” Bill then smiled small and his eyes grew a bit wider as his brows raised.

Not waiting for Ian’s reply, Bill immediately stood up. Both of his hands were in his pockets. “So. . . Shall we go somewhere? I don’t want you to eat food given by someone we didn’t know who. We don’t know what that person is up to or what that person planted in your food.”