"I didn't know there was a place like this out here…" Aster said as he looked at the small airy wooden building on the beach. The sign on top read, "Surf and Turf".
"It doesn't serve a whole lot, mostly smoothies and other drinks. But I still like to come here once in a while since it's usually pretty quiet during the day with being a bit farther from the main campus." Alexis explained as they entered the restaurant.
Once they were seated at a table, Aster looked around the room. He and Alexis were the only customers. The windows were open, letting in a pleasant breeze. He could definitely see himself coming here more often if it was always this peaceful.
"Hello! Welcome to Surf and Turf! My name is Reena and I will be your server today! Are you ready to order?" The waitress who had come to the table asked with a big smile on her face that was directed solely towards Aster. Aster understood the look that she was giving him. It was the classic, "Oh-my-god-he-is-so-hot!" once-over that he usually got from girls. But what it made all the more amusing this time was Alexis' reaction. Her eyes looked as if they could have shot daggers at the waitress.
"I'll just have the green tea lemonade, thank you." Aster answered politely.
Reena looked at Aster as if he had just discovered a cure for cancer. "An excellent choice! I'll have that ready for you in just a minute!" She said with a wink. She then started to turn back towards the kitchen, completely forgetting about Alexis.
Alexis couldn't take it anymore. "Excuse me! But in case you didn't notice, I am STILL HERE, and I would like to order, too!" She snapped at the waitress.
"Oh! I am so sorry! What would you like to order?" Reena apologized in embarrassment.
"One strawberry smoothie, please." Alexis said coolly.
"Alrighty! Be right back, cutie!" Reena said to Aster after she finished writing down Alexis' order.
"What an airhead. Would it have killed her to tear her eyes off you for one minute to see that she had another customer!? Maybe she even did it on purpose." Alexis complained. She wasn't sure why she was so upset about it. It wasn't like she and Aster were a couple. But wouldn't it have been more polite for the waitress to just assume that they were before flirting with him like that? And more importantly, did she want people to assume that they were together?
Over by the counter, Alexis and Aster could see Reena whispering to the cashier on her way to the kitchen. She pointed not-so-subtly towards Aster and mouthed the word, "hot" to her friend, causing them both to giggle girlishly to each other.
"You don't like that that waitress talked to me like that." Aster said with a smug smile. It was a statement, not a question.
Alexis didn't answer. She simply glared at Aster in frustration.
"It doesn't matter anyway. She doesn't want me. None of them do." Aster said simply.
"You're joking. Right?" Alexis asked exasperatedly.
"No, I'm not. They want Aster Phoenix." Aster clarified.
"Is there a difference?" Alexis asked carefully.
"From him and who they think he is, yes. Although amusingly enough, I don't think that she even knew who I was." Aster answered.
"Will I ever get to see this difference?" Alexis asked before she could stop herself.
"You might, if I decide to let you see it. And it also depends on how long you are willing to stick around." Aster said.
"Is that a challenge?" Alexis asked.
"Maybe not for you…" Aster said quietly. For a moment, the look in his eyes turned intense. Alexis felt her face heat up.
"Here you go! One green tea lemonade and one strawberry smoothie!" Reena announced as she set the drinks on the table. Alexis couldn't help feeling thankful for the interruption this time.
"Thank you. This looks great!" Aster said with his best "celebrity smile", taking the time to enjoy Alexis' reaction again.
"Yes, very nice." Alexis cut in quickly with a very forced smile.
"Is there anything else that I can do for you?" Reena asked Aster sweetly. Alexis could have sworn that she had put extra emphasis on the word, "anything".
"No, I think we're okay for now. Thanks!" Aster said gratefully.
"Okay, I'll be back later with the bill!" Reena said, giving Aster another wink before departing again.
"Now I don't even want to come back here anymore." Alexis said sourly.
Aster laughed lightly at Alexis' comment. "You will have to get used to this anywhere as long as you are with me. But in this way, you and I are alike. I've heard enough to know that you have…similar problems with all of your admirers." He said with a knowing smile.
"Not to your degree. And I don't care about what they think. They don't even know me." Alexis said.
Aster had been around Duel Academy long enough to find out about most of the male student population's ridiculous infatuation with Alexis. If you were a professional duelist and celebrity like himself, then of course he could see it happening. But he did not believe that simply being a good duelist on an island where no one had any true dueling credentials should be a cause for enough worship to earn a title of "Queen of Obelisk Blue". Sure, she was pretty, but so were a lot of the other female students. Of course, he also knew that there was a strong amount of admiration for Alexis' other…assets. But had these children never even seen another girl sporting a D-cup size? Maybe Aster was a bit biased with how many girls he had been around, but he still thought that this was ridiculous. The only thing he knew was that his own attraction to Alexis was not so simple to explain.
"Just wait till you graduate. Then you will have to earn your fame like I did if you want any recognition to your name in dueling outside in the real world." Aster said.
"That is what I am looking forward to. Whether it is dueling or something else altogether. Having more goals, work that is rewarding in itself. But at the same time, I'm also afraid of it…" Alexis admitted.
"Don't worry. Since you already understand the upside of it, I'm sure you will be fine." Aster reassured Alexis with a smile.
xxx
Aster and Alexis talked for a little longer. It was mostly questions from Alexis about life in the Pro Leagues, but Aster didn't mind. This felt much more relaxing in comparison to whenever his fans asked him about his career.
"It looks like we're ready for the bill." Aster said. He started to take his wallet out, gathering together more than enough money for his own order.
"You don't have to do that. I can pay for myself." Alexis insisted.
"Outdated and somewhat sexist code of male chivalry says no." Aster argued.
"Aster, this isn't necessary…" Alexis argued back, wondering where this code of male chivalry was last night when Aster had practically shoved his tongue down her throat at the lighthouse.
"Just go with it, please. It feels uncomfortable for me if I don't do this." Aster said.
Before Alexis could argue any further, Aster flagged down the waitress. "Hey, we're ready for the bill now. Is that alright?" He asked.
"Sure!" Reena answered as she appeared at the table.
After the bill had been paid and Aster had left a tip, Reena came back as they were starting to leave.
"Here. We had extra from lunch, so I thought that you might like this. It's the least I could do after I botched your order like that." Reena said sheepishly. She handed Aster another strawberry smoothie, even though Alexis was the one who had ordered it before.
"You didn't have to do this. People make mistakes." Aster said reasonably.
"No, it's okay. We usually get extra stock. You can have it." Reena insisted.
"Well, okay, I guess. Thanks!" Aster said.
"Sure thing! Come back anytime! We don't get too many handsome guys like you as customers!" Reena said flirtatiously. She then walked back towards the kitchen area before Aster could respond.
"Here, you want it?" Aster asked Alexis as he offered her the smoothie.
"No, thanks. I think we both know that this was intended for you." Alexis said icily. She pulled the napkin under the smoothie away and jabbed her finger at the writing on it. It was obviously Reena's telephone number. Next to it was the message, "Call me anytime!", with a drawing of a smiley face next to it.
Aster couldn't help laughing. But he stopped before he got too far. He then quickly took the napkin back from Alexis and shredded it before tossing it in the wastebasket by the door.
"There. Happy now?" Aster joked.
"Ecstatic." Alexis said with a frown as she firmly nodded her head.
"Man, you're a tough one!" Aster said with mock seriousness.
Just as they were about to leave, Alexis saw someone approaching on the other side of the door that made her stop in her tracks.
"Dammit! It's my brother! Quick, we have to hide!" Alexis said frantically. She grabbed Aster's hand and pulled him off towards the side in the direction of the restrooms. How could she have forgotten that this was one of Atticus' favorite hang outs after surfing!?
"Why do I have to hide? I'm not afraid of your brother." Aster said indignantly.
"But if he sees you here with me, he's going to ask questions." Alexis said.
"So what? Are you ashamed to be seen with me?" Aster asked somewhat defensively.
"No! It's just… Oh, you don't understand!" Alexis said hopelessly. How to make Aster understand just what dealing with Atticus was like?
"Whatever. We'll do it your way this time." Aster said shortly.
Alexis mouthed a silent, "thank you" to Aster before they flattened themselves against the wall and tried to remain quiet.
"Hey there, Reena baby! What's up? Got room for some beach bums?" Atticus asked with a roguish wink. He gestured to the small group of girls standing behind him. They were all dressed in bikinis. Aster was suddenly very glad that he had chosen to listen to Alexis and hide.
"Atticus~ Of course we do! What would you like? The usual?" Reena asked excitedly as her eyes roamed over Atticus' toned figure in his wetsuit. She seemed to have forgotten that she had practically been drooling over Aster less than five minutes ago.
"You know it! Facing off against Old Bluey out there can really work up an appetite!" Atticus said. Aster guessed from the surfboard and his attire that Atticus had been referring to the ocean when he mentioned "Old Bluey". He was already starting to see just how different Atticus was from his sister.
Once everyone had ordered and the conversation had hit a lull, one of Atticus' girls asked him a question that made both Aster and Alexis lean in more carefully to listen. "So, Atticus. How is your sister? Is she still going through the tomboy phase with her whole thing about being in love with dueling?" She asked jokingly.
"Yup! That's my sis alright! Not an ounce of romantic interest anywhere in her blood, I'm afraid. Guess it all went to me!" Atticus joked.
"Didn't she have some sort of special duel today or something? I heard Crowler and some others talking about it." Another girl mused.
"That was the plan. But apparently, it was cancelled for her. She was supposed to duel Aster Phoenix, that pro duelist who came here before. But Jaden stood in for her because he wanted a rematch. Which he won, I might add. Pretty sharp kid, taking down the pros already. I swear, if he and Lex weren't both so dense, they might actually have a thing going for them." Atticus explained.
Dream on, buddy! Aster thought angrily, surprising himself with how worked up he was getting.
"Wait. Did you say that he dueled Aster Phoenix? I've seen him on TV a few times. He's hot! I wish that he would have won again!" One of the Atticus girls said, as if that was all that mattered in a duel. The others murmured in agreement. Aster smiled in embarrassment as Alexis just rolled her eyes from the comments.
"Tch. The guy is overrated. I'm just glad that Alexis didn't have to duel him. I don't want anyone like that making any moves on my sister. Not that it would matter if he did, though. Sis is too smart to get involved with someone like that." Atticus said.
How does he get off saying things like that!? He doesn't even know me! Aster thought to himself in outrage.
Ouch, Atti. Very ouch. Alexis thought to herself ruefully.
Xxx
After what seemed like forever, Atticus and the others finally left. Aster and Alexis walked out of the restaurant in silence after the coast was clear. After a few awkward minutes had passed, Aster spoke up.
"Okay, now I understand why you didn't want your brother to see me." Aster half-joked.
"Don't take what Atticus said personally. It's not that he wouldn't like you. He just doesn't like it when there are guys who are more popular than him. That is all." Alexis explained.
"I don't mind keeping this quiet for now. But eventually, he will have to deal with me, whether he likes it or not." Aster said.
"It looks like you are the one who has decided to stick around." Alexis said, referring to their earlier conversation.
"Well, I can't leave now. It looks like the fun has only just started for us…" Aster trailed off in amusement.