Tina’s P.O.V

 

Well, it was long enough wait for Aom’s mom to come back from her grocery shopping and I almost fell asleep waiting for her. I sort of think that Aom’s mom is pretty strict about Aom hanging out with friends. It’s like it’s just a hang out, why does Aom have to complicate herself by asking her mom first? Isn’t she a grown up? Yet she’s still controlled by her mom. Poor her.

Just as her mom returned to the café shop, Aom wasn’t really dared to ask her mom so I made a move.

“Good morning, auntie.” I smiled and Aom just sat there with mouth shut.

Aom’s mom was a little bit shocked to see my appearance appeared in her shop this early again.

“Oh hi, Tina! What brings you here this early?” she smiled gently back to me.

“I just made an excuse of myself from staying at home to here, auntie.” I grinned back to her.

She nodded a little bit then I asked her straightly.

“Umm, auntie, there’s a request I’d like to ask you. Would you mind if Aom is out with me for a day? I just need somebody to be with for today.” I looked to the ground after I’ve done my speech.

She was just glad I asked her daughter out. “Sure, take her anywhere you like. Just don’t forget to take her back.” Then she laughed and I had to crook a laugh along with her as well.

“Thank you.” I smiled then walked out of the shop and waited for Aom in the car first.

They must have had something to talk before Aom left the shop and got into my car, and it was a small talk really.

Now

“Where are we going?” Aom is curious of where I’m taking her.

I laugh a little bit then answer back her question.

“Hmm, where do you wanna go?” I’m still staring at the road.

“You’re taking me out yet you’re asking me this question?” Aom shakes her head a little bit.

I giggle a bit then answer back to her.

“Haven’t I told you that I’m just bored? And I’m just so glad you came with me.”

She remains silent, perhaps she’s thinking of something to ask me.

“I suppose Mean is at home, right?” her curious voice rises up again.

It takes me a few seconds to clear my thoughts for Mean.

“Yeah. Why?” I pretend to be curious.

I know exactly what she’s going to say yet I still have to pretend. I don’t want Aom to know about my assumption on Mean. I don’t want her to feel anything bad about me. My looks like this make her dislike me enough, and what if she finds out that my adopted sister likes me? How much is Aom going to dislike me more? What if she decides not to talk to me? I know Aom is not going to say anything to Mean but it’s just a personal issue between her and I. I don’t normally have female friends and I honestly don’t want Aom not to talk to me.

“Why don’t you ask her out instead of me?” exactly the same as my thoughts.

Again, it takes me a few seconds to come with excuses to fight back to her.

“Umm, I believe Mean is tired from last night and that I don’t wanna bother asking her out again.” I crook a smile.

She seems to buy my lie and that she’s focusing on the road as much as I am now, I suppose.

It is pretty awkward now that she doesn’t mention about the text last night. I’m hoping that she won’t ask me of how stupid I was, yet, the more I hope, the more likely it will happen.

“So, what were you trying to tell me last night? You know, by the text.” She speaks in a low voice while she’s looking at me, I assume.

“The text? Oh umm… I was just trying to ask you if you arrived home or not… and I was just trying to have a small conversation with you and that was it because you and I had never chatted on the phone before.” I’m hoping she’ll buy this lie again.

She remains silent for a little while again.

“Why did you have to ask me about Mean?” okay, I think this question is pretty hard for me to handle. What was I thinking asking her about this stupid thing last night?

She just has no idea how much I want to explain her about Mean. I just want to tell her that I’m not a tomboy. I’m not trying to steal Mean’s heart. I’m not the type who goes crazy with girls when they’re around. I’m not the type who tries to be charming among those girls and try to attract their hearts. I somehow believe that Aom’s losing her faith in me. I’m thinking that she might think that “Okay, Tina is really a tomboy.” Because I kissed Mean, it might at least make her think this way.

“Because… umm… it was the thing which just happened. And you know, I was trying to joke around.” Another smile I have to crook.

“Oh…” then she turns back to her window looking at the view along the road.

“Have you eaten any breakfast yet?” I look at her beauty again ignoring the road for a little while and of course, I also want to change the topic.

“It’s fine…” she answers me this silly question while her stomach make its noise as if it’s super hungry.

“I don’t think you’re fine.” Then I laugh and she smiles a bit exactly at the time I turn to her.

“Mind if I take you to my favorite’s restaurant for breakfast?” I suggest a place up.

“Is it going to be expensive? I don’t think I bring much money with me.” She complains.

Gosh! She just doesn’t understand it, does she? Whenever I ask a person out, I will never let him or her pay for me or at least for anything.

Honestly, Aom is like this all the time, huh? I mean, does she usually bring this less money with her all the time?

“It’s all covered today. Eat anything, pay on anything you’d like. I asked you out, and that I have to pay for anything. Don’t worry.” I roll my eyes.

“But I can’t spend all your money all the time.” She complains again.

“Stop babbling like a grandmother. I said I would pay. Just shut up and go with me.” I sigh.

“You’re just a stupid rich girl out there who is trying to spend money on people!”

“You should be proud that I’m paying for you. Other girls out there trying to ask me out, and they even want to treat me something, giving me gifts for no reasons, still, I reject them all. Consider yourself that you’re lucky!” I raise my voice a bit in a fun way.

“Please! I’m not even interested in going out with you! It was you who came to me!”

“That’s why I said you’re lucky, lucky girl!” I giggle.

I can hear her exhaling her breath and that makes me want to laugh so badly, but I have to hold it.

I drive her to my favorite restaurant in Bangkok for a breakfast just like I promised. I have to be hurried, though, because her stomach makes its noise so often and that she’s embarrassed in front of me. I really want to laugh but I have to remember every time that I have to keep my laugh inside me, she will get pissed because of my laughing, of course.

Arriving the restaurant

I park the car at the restaurant’s parking lot so that we have to walk ourselves in. Just as we reach the front door of the restaurant, one of the waiters opens the door for us. He greets us nicely because he obviously knows who I am, what family I belong to.

I smile back to him and he takes Aom and I to a V.I.P room as I always sit in there.

“Good morning, Ms. Jitaleela, what can I help you?” the manager comes in just right after we have sit on the chairs for a few seconds.

“Should I ask the chef to cook your usual dish?” he continues.

“Yes, for me. And please wait for a moment. I think I still need time for this girl here to find a dish for her breakfast.” I giggle.

He giggles a bit too and is waiting patiently for Aom to decide.

She stares at the menu for a while and then she finally comes up with a dish with her speech.

“I would like to have Spaghetti Hams and Mushroom, please.” She smiles.

“Oh, that’s just Ms. Jitaleela’s favorite. Never mind, though. I will ask the chef to cook right away.” He smiles then walks away.

I turn to look at her having to believe that she orders my favorite as well.

“You like it too?” I ask curiously.

“Used to. I turn to dislike it a moment ago just as I heard you like it too.” She turns around to look at the room.

I exhale a bit and turn to look at something else in the room.

Just as I have to wait for our food, a vision of a heavy woman gets into our room and of course, I know exactly who that is.

“Hi Tina! It’s been a long time since you last came here.” She comes to greet me and that catches my attention and Aom’s as well.

Aom is looking at this woman curiously.

“Not as long as it is for you to call and remind me to come back to your restaurant.” I laugh a bit.

“It’s not that bad.” She laughs too.

She turns to look at Aom in the eyes that “Who is that girl with Tina?”

I smile a bit and then introduce Aom to her like Aom did for me to Dew this morning.

“Aom, this is Auntie Inn, the owner of this restaurant, and Auntie Inn, this is Aom, my friend.” I’ve done my job.

They both smile to each other and greet each other. Auntie Inn is such a nice lady, and she gets along with new people easily. I don’t find it difficult talking to her.

“It was very strange at my first sight that Tina finally brings a girl with her today. She usually comes alone, and she has never talked about anybody in front of me.” Auntie Inn is the first person to change the topic just as she sits down enjoying the talk with both of us.

I kinda feel it that it’s awkward a bit that she mentions something like this to Aom.

“Really?” Aom is trying to be polite, I believe.

“Of course, sweetie.” She smiles a bit and then turns back with an evil smile of teasing me.

“Not only that, she just never smiles whenever she’s here. I can’t blame that because she’s alone all the time. But here today, she smiles a lot. I think I should capture her smiling as a picture so that I won’t forget how she looks like when she’s smiling.” Okay, Auntie Inn is over-talking.

“I just have someone to talk to and that’s it.” I complain.

“Really? I happen to come and talk to you all the time and why don’t you smile then?” she tries to shut me up, and I know that.

Aom is just feeling awkward as I am and she might think that bringing her to Auntie Inn is a part of my plan. But trust me, I don’t know anything. And I just have no idea that Auntie Inn just shows up like that.

Auntie Inn is trying to speak something more but the arrival of our dishes cuts her off, I think I should thank the waiter then.

Of course, we have to eat our foods and that Auntie Inn doesn’t want to be in and stares at us enjoying our foods. It would so awkward that when you get to eat, and someone is staring you like that. She excuses herself that she’s busy outside and that she has to go. Obviously, I want her to be out because she just speaks too much.

Just as we have done our eating, I ask the waiter for a check bill and when he delivers it, Aom notices something on the bill. There’s a picture of animals on the cover of the bill.

“Those animals are cute.” Aom compliments them.

“Yeah.” I smile and hand them the money.

“Keep that change.” I murmur to the waiter.

“Thank you.” He smiles then walks away.

“So umm, where do you want to go next?” I turn to look at her.

“Thinking about animals, can you take me to one place please?” she’s requesting me?

“Sure, and where’s that?” I raise my left eyebrow.

“My friend’s pet shop.” She smiles excitedly.