"I'll have the Chicken Amira, with a caeser salad, dressing on the side."
Michael told the waiter.
"Could I have the lasagna with a chef's salad with Russian dressing?" I asked the waiter.
"Sure thing. I'll be back with your salads." The waiter walked away and returned with our salads. I picked at mine waiting for Michael to say something. When he didn't I began to make conversation.
"Who was your first crush?" I asked.
"Well, that was a little out of the blue, but my first crush....my first crush...probably in the third grade. A girl named Krista. She lived down the street and our sisters were friends. I don't think she liked me though. She'd always run away when I would come up to her." Michael explained. "What about you? Who was your first crush?"
"Tommy. Tommy Jones. He was in my first grade class and I used to sit and stare at the back of his head every day. But he liked Lizzie Smith so I never had a chance with him."
"I didn't go on my first date until the 10th grade. No one liked me." Michael told me. I laughed at the thought of him being not cool. "You were probably popular when you were in high school."
"Me! Yeah right. I was the nerdy girl in the math club with glasses." I smiled. "I don't wear them any more...as you can see...my eyesight problem cleared up during college." I smiled at him and continued eating my salad. The restaurant became more crowded and it had gotten a little noisier.
We were silent for a while until he took a deep breath and said, "Sydney, we really have to discuss the whole protocol thing. We can't avoid it forever."
"Believe me, I know. It's horrible that my father found out. If he hadn't then I...we wouldn't feel so guilty about going out tonight." I got a little more worked up about our conversation. "It makes me so mad! My life is hard enough already, my father never had to go through this! He doesn't know what its like!" Tears started flowing out of my eyes. "Excuse me." I said, rather rudely. "I have to go to the bathroom."
I stood up and walked into the back hall. After washing my face, I decided to go back out there with a smile on my face and act like none of this ever happened. I was determined to enjoy myself.
Michael was on the phone when I walked out of the restroom. He had a upset look on his face. I sat down just as he hung up. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"They found more information on the 2nd clone. It is a she and she is living in Los Angeles."
"Do they know anything else?" I questioned.
"No. When Hamilton and Morse got to Taipei they held the made the Helix scientist tell them everything he knew. He said that once the transformation was complete, he was to send the clone to Los Angeles."
"Therefore the clone might not be living in Los Angeles." I prayed for some chance that the clone wasn't anywhere nearby.
"Well, Syd, don't get your hopes up." Michael looked sincerely sorry. "And Kendall wants us in."
"Perfect!!! Just perfect! It might be my last date with you, and we have to cut it short!!!" I paused. "We better go. I'll warm up the car while you get the check okay?"
"Fine. I'm sorry Syd."
"We all are, remember?" I said rather rudely, but at this point, I didn't care. At all. I had to suffer while everyone else had it easy. I stared Michael in the eyes as I told him this. "I'll meet you in the car." I grabbed my jacket and the keys and walked out to the car.
I must of sat on the cool upholstery for ten minutes before I saw Michael leave the restaurant. He got in the drivers side and started the engine. The car was silent until we pulled up in the parking lot of our building.
A million thoughts were going through my mind. I just couldn't find the courage to say them, at least to his face. I thought I'd be the one to comment on the way I had blown up earlier but I was wrong.
"Sydney. Listen to me." Michael's voice was strong and controlling. "I know how you feel. I told you how much I loved you and wanted you. I talked about my feelings. You have to do the same if this is going to work."
Wow. He was always so good at telling me what to do. Not that I liked being controlled, but Michael always knew what to do at the right time. Maybe I should open up with him before this was all over.
The car was beginning to get cold as we sat there in silence. I needed to say something, but I wasn't sure how to say it. I put my hand on his leg as if to send some message and before I knew it, I was all over him. We were kissing over and over, as if we had not gotten what we had wanted. This felt even better than before because of our previous conversations.
We stayed in the car for a while. I had my head resting on his shoulder and he was stroking my cheek. The silence was so soothing and it gave me time to think about everything. Us.
"Could I have the lasagna with a chef's salad with Russian dressing?" I asked the waiter.
"Sure thing. I'll be back with your salads." The waiter walked away and returned with our salads. I picked at mine waiting for Michael to say something. When he didn't I began to make conversation.
"Who was your first crush?" I asked.
"Well, that was a little out of the blue, but my first crush....my first crush...probably in the third grade. A girl named Krista. She lived down the street and our sisters were friends. I don't think she liked me though. She'd always run away when I would come up to her." Michael explained. "What about you? Who was your first crush?"
"Tommy. Tommy Jones. He was in my first grade class and I used to sit and stare at the back of his head every day. But he liked Lizzie Smith so I never had a chance with him."
"I didn't go on my first date until the 10th grade. No one liked me." Michael told me. I laughed at the thought of him being not cool. "You were probably popular when you were in high school."
"Me! Yeah right. I was the nerdy girl in the math club with glasses." I smiled. "I don't wear them any more...as you can see...my eyesight problem cleared up during college." I smiled at him and continued eating my salad. The restaurant became more crowded and it had gotten a little noisier.
We were silent for a while until he took a deep breath and said, "Sydney, we really have to discuss the whole protocol thing. We can't avoid it forever."
"Believe me, I know. It's horrible that my father found out. If he hadn't then I...we wouldn't feel so guilty about going out tonight." I got a little more worked up about our conversation. "It makes me so mad! My life is hard enough already, my father never had to go through this! He doesn't know what its like!" Tears started flowing out of my eyes. "Excuse me." I said, rather rudely. "I have to go to the bathroom."
I stood up and walked into the back hall. After washing my face, I decided to go back out there with a smile on my face and act like none of this ever happened. I was determined to enjoy myself.
Michael was on the phone when I walked out of the restroom. He had a upset look on his face. I sat down just as he hung up. "What's wrong?" I asked.
"They found more information on the 2nd clone. It is a she and she is living in Los Angeles."
"Do they know anything else?" I questioned.
"No. When Hamilton and Morse got to Taipei they held the made the Helix scientist tell them everything he knew. He said that once the transformation was complete, he was to send the clone to Los Angeles."
"Therefore the clone might not be living in Los Angeles." I prayed for some chance that the clone wasn't anywhere nearby.
"Well, Syd, don't get your hopes up." Michael looked sincerely sorry. "And Kendall wants us in."
"Perfect!!! Just perfect! It might be my last date with you, and we have to cut it short!!!" I paused. "We better go. I'll warm up the car while you get the check okay?"
"Fine. I'm sorry Syd."
"We all are, remember?" I said rather rudely, but at this point, I didn't care. At all. I had to suffer while everyone else had it easy. I stared Michael in the eyes as I told him this. "I'll meet you in the car." I grabbed my jacket and the keys and walked out to the car.
I must of sat on the cool upholstery for ten minutes before I saw Michael leave the restaurant. He got in the drivers side and started the engine. The car was silent until we pulled up in the parking lot of our building.
A million thoughts were going through my mind. I just couldn't find the courage to say them, at least to his face. I thought I'd be the one to comment on the way I had blown up earlier but I was wrong.
"Sydney. Listen to me." Michael's voice was strong and controlling. "I know how you feel. I told you how much I loved you and wanted you. I talked about my feelings. You have to do the same if this is going to work."
Wow. He was always so good at telling me what to do. Not that I liked being controlled, but Michael always knew what to do at the right time. Maybe I should open up with him before this was all over.
The car was beginning to get cold as we sat there in silence. I needed to say something, but I wasn't sure how to say it. I put my hand on his leg as if to send some message and before I knew it, I was all over him. We were kissing over and over, as if we had not gotten what we had wanted. This felt even better than before because of our previous conversations.
We stayed in the car for a while. I had my head resting on his shoulder and he was stroking my cheek. The silence was so soothing and it gave me time to think about everything. Us.