Once we reach the comfort of the leather clad booth in the corner of the restaurant's walls we are quick to hide behind the folds of our menus. Clearly there was a common theme of hunger, and probably also discomfort, as we finally joined together for the evening. With Damon by my side and across the table my sister with Theodore by hers, we quickly scans the menus and order our meals. I make my usual decision of some form of pasta, a deep love of mine, and the others make theirs before the waiter takes away our menus and we are confronted with the vulnerability of this openness between us.

The silence lingers in the air as we wait for someone to make the first move to break it, the relaxed music of the restaurant not doing enough to prevent the sense of awkwardness that has brewed between us. It is clear that each of us seem to be lost in thought or focusing on very different things. Lexi is sitting there twirling her dyed blonde hair around her finger and tapping her acrylic nails against the wood of the table top, clearly not used to a less than lively social setting. There didn't seem to be a sense of extreme intimacy as Theodore sat beside her- no lingering touches, no hands joined, no arms around the other's shoulders. At least there was no intimacy in my eyes compared to how she used to be with Mason. 

Meanwhile, Damon seemed to be sitting relatively close to me although we did not display such intimacy either; no close touches taking place between the two of us though it was less surprising in our case. However, as I observed the behaviour of my companions I did seem to notice the recurring and lengthy glimpses towards my direction, with Damon smiling in response to me each time he was caught. As I would smile back to try and ease the awkwardness of the situation I note what I think is Theodore's careful look in our direction as he observes the interactions taking place-- something which I believe Damon notices too as he breaks our gaze to shoot a look back at Theodore.

Thankfully, following this, Damon decides to cut in and to finally end the silence. "So, how did do you two meet?", he asks the pair across from us who turn to look at each other rather timidly. They make a few more uncertain gestures and looks before it is decided that Lexi would take the lead on this particular question.

"We actually met through my friend Maya- Maya Cunningham. I believe her father works for the same company as you and Theodore. Maya and Theodore were acquainted already so Maya introduced me. I'd seen him around a couple of times when I'd tagged along to Maya's events but we'd never actually spoken." she explains, with Damon nodding attentively as she speaks.

"How long ago was this?", Damon asks, clearly eager to keep the conversation going and prevent any of the tense silence we had sat through moments ago. Meanwhile, Theodore was just sitting there beside my sister not uttering a word or contributing at all to the recollection of events. He just goes from staring at the creases in the wooden table top to looking around at the restaurant, shifting his body to lean it against the wall as he silently observes. 

"Maybe around a month or two ago. Although we really haven't had many chances to go out." Lexi replies, while I continue to do my own observing. As she speaks, it is clear to me that the two males appear to be having some sort of intense stare off, piercing each other with stares full of judgement and uncertainty.

"I take it you two met at my party last night." Theodore suddenly remarks, looking between Damon to myself. As his eyes move between us they seem to linger on the way Damon's arm is draped almost over my shoulder on the leather cushion of the booth with the way he has made himself comfortable in the booth. Damon and I seem to simultaneously turn to look at each other and once we do turn away from one other it seems Theodore's eyes had focused in on us even further to observe these actions between us, his penetrating gaze raising the hairs on my arms in response.

"Uh, yes we did. We actually  met while I was waiting for Lexi," I stutter out, struggling to cope with the intense attentiveness he was providing me with. "I had just come back in from the balcony and Damon seemed to be drawn in by my obvious reclusiveness", I add, hinting to him that it was only after Theodore and I had met that I had met Damon in case he seemed confused about the timeline of the night. He seems satisfied enough with this answer as he nods in response and seems to relax back into his seat.

Damon seems to be amused by my account of the events, lightly laughing. "You definitely looked like you could have used the company. I was just taking advantage of the opportunity to speak to a beautiful girl in need of companionship." he remarks, surely making the colour rush to my cheeks in response to the flattery. This seems to make Damon smile sweetly at me even more and I mirror his smile back at him once he does. However, across the table I recognise what appears to be Theodore rolling his eyes at what I can admit were some quite cheesy interactions. Regardless, I feel the need to question whether his reaction was really necessary and whether it was directed more towards me or Damon.

"So you guys work together?" I ask the two contrasting males, trying to detract the attention from Damon and I, also eager to get to the bottom of this hostility. I can see the two of them shoot each other a quick look to gather the other's response, the both of them seeming to be on edge regarding the other's behaviour. It was apparent to me that Lexi's description of the two of them as friends was either extremely wrong or that something was off between them at the moment.

"Yes, we do." Damon confirms, nodding his head as he does so while Theodore just seems to sit there with his lips almost pursed with disapproval. "We both work for Harrington, Albert and Co. Theodore's an architect and I'm a project manager." he elaborates.

"And what is it that you do Ella?" Theodore promptly asks me out of nowhere, seemingly eager to move the conversation away from anything that involves Damon. It's a simple question and yet I seem to buckle from this newfound attention he is providing me with. He seems to have moved forward once again with one arm resting on the table to hold him up and staring. I find myself staring at the way the fabric of his navy jacket tightens up as the positioning of his arm flexes his muscles, the jacket now effectively highlighting the shape of him and his physique.

Somehow, with all these movements of his body and the pressure of his undivided attention I manage to utter out a response to what was truly a straightforward question yet had me so flustered. However, I do persist with my staring at the table top and twiddling of my thumbs as much as possible. "I work in journalism." I answer simply and a bit too quietly, finding myself needing to clear my throat before I continue. "At the moment, I'm an assistant to the editor at a magazine. I know it's not anything big but I'm only at the start of my career so I hopefully have a lot further to go." I explain hopefully, justifying myself to the two young and very successful males seated at the table.

Thankfully, there appears to be no sense of judgement or belittlement from the two of them in response to this information- a welcome change after the reactions I had received from numerous individuals amongst the bustling and professional environment of New York City.

"There's nothing wrong with commitment and devotion to your dreams even if it takes a bit longer than you'd like. We've all got to start somewhere," Theodore comments in the raspy tone of his smooth English accent, making me feel even better. "In fact, I find your dedication quite admirable." he adds, making me truly blush in response and leaving me conflicted between staring down at the table to hide this indiscrete reaction of mine or finally giving into that entrancing stare of his to acknowledge his kind words.

I ultimately decide that it would be the right thing to provide Theodore with the acknowledgement his truly meaningful words deserved, regardless of whatever I have thought of him so far. So, sacrificing myself to the embarrassment, I lift my head up from where it was facing down and let my hair move off my face enough to show a glimpse of a smile in response to his encouragement; adding in a hushed "thank you" as well.

However, once my eyes are set on his I become completely distracted by them. Each time I see them I seem to find them in a unique state that captivates me. At this moment, under the dimmed lights of this corner in the restaurant, they almost appear black from this further distance. This is especially the case compared to last night when we had sat less than a metre away from each other. Last night, with the light from inside occasionally reaching his face, you could see the swirls of grey and blue in his eyes- orbits of light against the chocolate crown which adorns his head and lashes which decorated his eyes. 

I can tell that he has noticed I am no longer just looking at him in response but analysing him now. I almost miss it but a deliciously shameless smirk peeks through his stubborn facade, teasing me.

When I  finally stop this analysing of mine, I find myself checking on Lexi and Damon to see if they had my staring just then. Thankfully, Lexi seems completely oblivious to anything, sitting there tapping away on her phone. She sits there beside him, almost proudly, as she switches between her Instagram and watching on as what she perceives as her sister and the guy she is seeing finally getting along takes place. Damon, on the other hand, does not seem so unaware. His eyes seem locked on Theodore's with scrutiny,  while Theodore's still seemed to be locked on mine despite his rival's obvious stare being pinned on him.

Seeking an escape from the situation, I spot our waiter from earlier walking around and beckon for him to come. "Hi, could I please get a drink please?" I ask of him, finding myself in dire need of alcohol to get me through this night.

"You know, I wouldn't mind one too." Theodore chips in before we find ourselves apparently awaiting a bottle of the restaurant's finest wine thanks to Damon and his need to beat Theodore to any such request. I ignore this clear ego contest taking place at the table and simply thank the waiter (and god in my head) once it is clear that I'll be getting my hand's on some alcohol.

Fortunately, the waiter is quick to return with the bottle of wine while we still wait for our meals. I make sure to grab the bottle first and pour myself a glass, savouring the rich taste of the drink as it reaches my lips. Just as the rest of the table is finishing up the pouring of their drinks I am ready and eager to pour myself another glass- my mouth thirsty for the cool liquid to rush down my throat and for it to dull the anxiety wrapping itself around my mind. This seems to amuse my companions but nevertheless they let me take the bottle and watch on as I fill my second glass with a bit more liquid courage.

Shortly after, the waiter arrives with our meals which is probably ideal since I need something to fill my stomach before the wine overwhelms me and makes me sick or too tipsy. Nobody wants or needs a tipsy Ella now. Disregarding Theodore or Damon completely, I find myself completely engrossed by the sight of my spinach and feta agnolotti garnished in rich Napoletana sauce- food most definitely being prioritised over any simple male at this moment.

Once my stomach is filled with far too much food to handle, because I was unable to resist the amazing taste which had delighted my taste buds, and I have had enough wine to dull the consistent overthinking which had been running in the back of my mind, I seem to be equipped with the tolerance to endure this night. We even seem to have a semi-normal night, getting to know each other like any other group would and with trivial questions that demanded little thought.

I learnt that Damon's last name was Morales (something I really should've known before going out on what Lexi described as a 'double date' with him), that Theodore's unique accent was English with a touch of maybe Scottish somehow, that they had known each other for over seven years now, that Damon was of Greek and Spanish descent, and many more little facts.

Somehow I had managed to make it through the night and before I knew it the bill had been paid and we were making our way out to the cool Brooklyn night. I had only had those two glasses of wine so it couldn't be that I was drunk. Maybe the rest of them had more to drink than me or maybe it was all in my head so when the drink touched my lips I was convincing myself that I was filling myself with the courage I needed.

Regardless of whatever I or anyone else had done, once we were all standing outside the intricately engraved doors of the restaurant with the short gusts of wind forcing us to wrap our arms around our bodies for warmth, I find myself hungry for more time to reveal even more about these new and mysterious figures in my life. Yet I am conflicted because I in no way crave for the uncertainty which the beginning of tonight had delivered me with again nor do I need to be reminded of the complexity of it all.

But I suppose this was what I was asking for in a way when I sought to close the chapter of my life with Derek, which was filled with such certainty and sensibility, in a bid to seek the thrill of a fresh new chapter. You can rarely get the rush of success or anticipation without needing to risk something or take the bad with it. That's what I need to remind myself as I feel the uncertainty begin to creep back in, after the effect of tonight has worn out. Lexi and I walk away from Theodore and Damon, the two of them quickly distancing themselves from one another and letting their obvious dislike of each other seep back in, bursting our bubble.  

As we move further away from the location of tonight's interactions I find myself thinking back to the events that took place in that cafe just over a week ago. It was not that long ago that I had found myself seated in the waiting room waiting for who was now my ex-boyfriend, waiting to end one story with the hope to start another. It most definitely wasn't an easy experience nor was it something I took lightly. Yet somehow I found myself here just over a week later, my attention quickly stolen by two new men.

Maybe, just maybe, if I could get past the confusion and inner dilemma that I was going through right now then there was possibly something great waiting for me at the end. Maybe I could get those enchanting eyes out of my mind somehow.

Somehow though, I knew it would take a lot more than a few maybes to get Theodore Harrington out of my mind.

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