Everything will be fine, we will be alright, she will come, I tell myself repeatedly as I prepare her favorite pesto pasta with a side of grilled chicken breast for tonight date, it is Bailey favorite, she likes every dish I make but chicken and pasta is her favorite combo. It makes me feel good making her happy.
Lately, I am not so sure anymore, we have our difficulties but what couple doesn't fucking fight, our quarrels are frequent for the past few months than I would like, nothing to sweat about because we can easily resolve with a good back rub and it is me massaging her, I wouldn't say it is fair, but the massage always lead to make-up sex, so it is a win-win.
This time though our fight is bad, I don't remember exactly what I said to provoke her but whatever it is she screams at me bulging throat and all, it started off calm. We were having a nice dinner at her favorite restaurant and the waiter slips me his number and of course Bailey was upset, I will admit that I was sort of flirting with the guy, but it was innocent fun, Bailey didn't think so she furiously accused me of cheating, throwing insults and unearthing my flaws. I am not insensitive to why she was upset, but it wasn't a big deal and I apologize several times practically begging except for my flaws because that makes me...well me, she wouldn't hear me.
For the next following days, I give her space, on the third day I call and text, she ignores me at first and it took her until the fifth day to reply back, I show up at her doorsteps with a bouquet of roses and took her out for lunch, we part with a kiss on the cheek and hug with a promise for date night to mend our relationship and here we are on the sixth day.
We are having dinner at my place tonight, a part of me is hopeful saying I can fix this easy-peasy because me and Bailey always do while another part of me the one gnawing on my fucking brain is telling me to wake the fuck up, it is over, there is nothing wrong with you and all those stupid fucking fights you had, guess what? Bailey is the instigator. Don't you see the fucking red flags! Let her go.
I wrap that thought in a tight bundle hanging it on a hook at the back of my mind as I set up the table for two, a vase with fresh flowers in the middle, a bottle of decent quality wine and red candles for a romantic ambiance. Some scatter of petals on the table to make it cliché but I figure she will think it is sweet before I wash, shave and dress in a black button-down sleeveless shirt, it is Bailey favorite shirt, but I would wear it anyway because it shows off my biceps over black slacks. Eyeing the clock while I pretend the spoon and fork are drumsticks and the table, dishes along with the glasses are my drums.
Another glance and so far, I have been waiting for seventeen minutes and there still no sign of Bailey, she is probably stuck in traffic I tell myself as I continue to wait, tick-tick seventeen minutes turn to thirty-seven, I give her a call, the call goes straight to voicemail, it is obvious that she stood me up, I am piss there is no doubt about that but also content because I did my part. With the petals gather toward the edge of the table I throw them in the trash and my thoughts unfocused, the sudden chime of the doorbell causes me to jolt.
Maybe I am wrong about Bailey, I move quickly to open the door with a smile on my face which is mirror back at me but not from Bailey. "Pecan chocolate chip cookies for you, they are freshly baked. Hm?" Han my landlord's son happily pushes a plastic container toward me, he looks out of breath, and his cheeks are red like he participated in a triathlon, but his smiles is so infectious lifting my mood from cold rain clouds to hot sunshine, he has that effect on me, whenever I have a bad day just a few minutes with him talking about something trivial as the weather can make me feel whole again, and he is super friendly bringing me baked goods or homemade food often.
"Thanks." I take the container of cookies, his cheerful smile drop. "Is this a bad time?" He asks while I shake my head. "No, not at all. Why are you her--- Oh, the rent! That is right, would you like to come in?" He nods his head, I step aside to let him through the door, he gingerly makes his way in being careful of each step. Weird.
"Yum..., smell delicious, I like chicken." He walks off before I can show him in, there it is again his stride looks uncomfortable but thinking nothing of it I follow him to the kitchen where the table for a romantic dinner for two is still set up. "Shit, I am interrupting something." His shoulders slouch, I tap his biceps and I am kind of surprise that his muscles feel firm under my fingers because he looks skinny. "Don't even worry, she isn't coming but have a seat, I will be right back with the rent," I said pointing at the seat with my chin. "Okay, you do that, and may I eat this?" He sits down picking up the knife and fork getting ready to dig in, I swiftly take both of the plates away.
"You don't want to eat this, it is cold. I was going to throw it out anyway." He pins me with an angry glare like I slap his mother, he grabs the plates pulling it back toward him. "Throw away your perfectly grilled chicken and pasta. Your blood, sweat and tears! Are you nuts? This is what you will do, Mitch you will get my money and leave the food to me." I try to pull the dishes back, but he is determined refusing to let go making me chuckle. "Fine, have it your way." He smiles victoriously, "Of course!"
There are not a lot of men that I would call cute, but Han isn't just cute, he is dangerously stunning with his K-pop looks, he is mixed race half German and half Korean with the sweetest boyish face one has ever laid eyes on, he is as tall as me at five feet and eleven inches, but he is not as broad shoulders nor thickly built as me.
