Catch Me If You Can
Chapter Fourteen ll Restaurant Madness
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Barely ten minutes later, their soups, salads and breadrolls were served.
After a quick grace, they politely dipped their soup spoons into their soup bowls and had a taste.
"Urgh," James murmured, pulling his spoon away, "Disss--gussting!"
"How can you say that?" Lily asked, looking shocked, "It's really nice!"
The adults were also commenting on the taste of the soup.
"See? Even your parents think it's nice," Lily said, after eavesdropping a bit.
James shot a look at her, lading a huge spoonful into his spoon.
"If you like it so much, why don't you have my share as well?" James said maliciously, moving his spoon over Lily's lap and pouring it down.
The redhead felt the hot liquid sting her skin, and drip down the sides of her jeans. No one seemed to have noticed, except James, of course, who was sipping his soup innocently.
Feeling that it would be useless beating him up in public, Lily grabbed her paper napkin and wiped her lap clean. James stared at her, obviously surprised.
"Excuse us," she said charmingly, smiling at her parents. She got up from her chair, grabbed James by the collar and dragged him towards the bathrom.
"You are so lucky I didn't blast your head off," Lily muttered angrily, running towards the tap and soaking a paper towel. James, grinning, was sitting cross-legged on the tiled floor.
Very unhygienic.
"You can't blast my head off, and for three reasons; you don't have your wand, you're underage and you can't perform you-know in front of Muggles."
"I don't mean literally blast your head off," Lily said carelessly, tossing the paper towel into the bin and checking her jeans for stains, "You've never recieved one of my MD screams, have you?"
James shook his head uncertainly.
"They were my weapon in primary school," she smiled at the memories, "And then I came to Hogwarts, and I discovered something better. But they come in handy in emergencies."
She was almost out of the bathroom when James called her back in.
"What does MD stand for? And aren't you even going to attempt to get revenge on me?"
"Mass destruction. And I already have."
With a confused frown, James watched as the door swung shut. He got up, ready to follow Lily back out when one of the cubicles opened, and a stout lady walked out.
"AHHHHHHHH! BOY IN THE LADIES' ROOM! BOY IN THE LADIES' ROOM!"
Thirty seconds later, a bedazelled James came tearing out of the bathroom. His hair was messier than usual, and he had toilet paper strung all over him messily.
"Stupid Muggles beating me with stupid toilet paper," he murmured, peeling the paper off of him. He flattened his hair a little bit, and glared at Lily as he resumed his place at the table.
"What happened to you, James?" Cheryl asked blankly, looking at her son's shattered apperance.
"Nothing," he said complacently, after sideways glancing at a certain redhead.
The remainder of the soup and salad were eaten somewhat uneventfully. Petunia was unannouncedly teaching Lily the rules of etiquette, and James kept saying she might as well become a boy the way she was heading.
"It's not that bad," he said seriously, distastefully throwing his cucumber slice aside, "I mean, if you do become a boy, you can burp, fart and snort all you want in public, and you won't have to live down the humiliation for months to come..."
Petunia and Lily both made gagging noises.
"I think I'll stay feminine."
The main course then arrived. James licked his lips when he saw his bowl of spaghetti bolognaise being passed down to him. He began to slurp it up before any of the others had even picked up their fork.
Petunia was trying not to laugh as she watched Lily look at James disgustedly. She concluded that they sometimes acted like a married couple, fighting over the most stupid things.
The four adults were chattering merrily over normal things, instead of DBPing. There was the occasional laughter, and the three kids felt a little more comfortable, seeing as their parents seemed comfortable with each other as well.
Lily still thought that the night was a complete waste of time. Even though she might be having a little of fun.
A little fun.
Oh, how she would love to kick Potter's arse right about now--
Her random thinking made her smile slightly, which James did not fail to notice. Her smile seemed quite pretty to him, and James still could not help but notice the small dimple that appeared in her left cheek.
"Wipe your mouth Lily, you've got a bit of chicken on your mouth--" Petunia instructed, handing her sister a napkin.
Lily moaned, "All this etiquette stuff is strange! Not only that, it's pointless."
"You'll thank me one day."
"No I won't!"
When they had all finished eating, the waitress came over to collect their empty bowls and plates. When she had almost finished collecting them, James, who had been holding his bowl in his hands, flipped it into Lily's head.
"OW!"
Lily moaned as it slipped and slid back down onto the table. She was very much aware that her hair was probably covered in tomato sauce. James burst out laughing and the blonde waitress raised an eyebrow as she took the bowl, and walked off quickly.
"Ew, yuck, gross, ick, EW!" Lily was wiping at her hair frantically, and Petunia was helping her, though she was also smiling. Cheryl was busy telling James off, while Rose protected him, saying it was only a joke.
And for some reason, Lily didn't feel any anger over this. In fact, she was ready to start laughing herself. But that wouldn't look too good on her behalf.
"Alright mum," James said, eager to buy a fresh stock of prank items for his first Hogwarts year, "Just one more thing to do."
Everyone watched him as he picked up his now empty bowl of ice cream. He carried it in his hands for a second, before flipping it onto Lily's head.
"AHH!"
Many customers that hadn't already been staring at the group already, now turned to look at the source of the noise. Lily, disgusted, peeled off the bowl and began chasing James around the ice cream parlour.
"Damn - you - Potter!" she yelled, running through two tables.
"Mum - dad - help me!" James managed to yell through his laughter. He grabbed onto his mother and hid behind her.
A sudden flashback came into her mind, the memory of when she had first met James. And he had put an empty bowl of ice cream on her head.
It made her smile.
When the fiasco was over, dessert came. They had no more chocolate mud cake, so Lily had to re-order.
Her green eyes dawdled over the menu the waitress had just handed her, unsure of what to get. She glanced at the others, who were tucking into their own sweet treats.
Her eyes fell on James, who was eating his blueberry cheescake almost boisterously. Lily quickly looked away, afraid that she'd throw up if she dared to watch him any longer.
"I know," she said suddenly, snapping the menu shut, "I'll have some ice cream, please. With caramel sauce."
James looked up, looking rather pale.
Lily smiled utmost evilly.
She was among the last to finish her dessert. She ate her ice cream slowly, savouring every bite. True, she didn't fancy caramel sauce too much, as it was too sweet for her liking. But it was all good.
She finished slurping up the caramelly dribbles. Everyone kept glancing at her, wondering when she'd finish eating so they could pay their check and leave.
The waitress came over to collect their plates and bowls. Lily waited until she had gathered everyone else's.
Then she stood up, and suddenly plonked the bowl on James' head.
She sat back down, and smiled with satisfaction.
"No returns," she whispered to him, grinning.
James was groaning, "Lily, I have black hair. White ice cream on black hair is showable. Red tomato sauce on red hair isn't!"
"Lily, when are you going to give up getting revenge on everyone?" Rose sighed.
"Never."
James removed the bowl, and the waitress collected it with both her eyebrows raised this time.
They paid for their evening meal, and sleepily drove back home. Everyone said goodnight and went inside. Lily and James stayed behind on Lily's front porch.
"Come in quickly, Lily, I don't want you catching a chill," Rose called as she walked in.
"Okay, mum."
James and Lily just looked at the ground. For some reason, he was reminded of kissing a girl on the cheek goodnight.
But there was no way he was going to do that to Lily.
He wondered what had put the insane idea in his head.
"Late Red Fire, Inferno, whichever you prefer," James finally said, smiling.
"My name's Lily," she said firmly, "See you later, Potter."
"James," he said, just as firmly.
"Bye James... no way! That sounds wrong. You'll always be Potter to me," she said with a grin.
James pretended to be hurt, "Fine, Red Fire. Let that be the end of that. Good night!"
And with that, he turned and walked off the porch. Lily watched as he crossed the lawn over to his own house.
"Goodnight, James," she whispered, before walking back into her house.
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----> A/N: Awww... ((teardrop)) --MSQ.