Howard modestly walked into the restaurant the next day He patted his hair and brushed his shirt off. He looked around, feeling nervous. Emma told him to meet her here, but he didn't know where she was or who she was. He felt very awkward and lost.
The hostess smiled at her post. "Can I help you?" she asked.
"Oh I'm supposed to meet someone here," he said.
"You must be Howard. Your date is waiting for you, fifth table on the right," she said.
"Oh thanks," he said. He felt so foolish. Howard looked around until he saw a young woman seated by herself. She had her chin resting on her palms as if she had been waiting for a while.
"Umm… Emma?" he said timidly.
"Hm?" she turned her head to him. She had a little mousey face with a little nose and big green eyes. Her hair was honey-colored and it was bobbed. Her body was small and thin. She was more cute than she was pretty. She was vey youthful almost like a child but she was fully developed. Either she was too young or he really was getting old.
"You're Howard right?" she asked.
"Yes," he said.
"About time you showed up. Well take a seat," she gestured at the chair.
"Alright…" he slowly pulled out the chair and sat down. Something about her made him feel small, even smaller than her.
"Are you hungry because I am. I told the waiter to come back later because of you."
"I'm sorry, I was trying to hurry but my mate Vince held me up suggesting that I…"
"Oh here he is!" she interrupted.
"Good evening madame, good evening monsieur. What can I get you?" the waiter asked.
"Well I don't really know I…."
"Hold on I got this." Emma said. She looked up at the waiter and started speaking in fluent French. The waiter smiled and said something back to her. They went back and forth laughing and chatting. The waiter finally bowed to her and walked off.
"What did you tell him?" Howard asked. He didn't know whether to be impressed or confused.
""Oh I just told him to bring us their finest champagne and to start us off with some soup and salads."
Howard didn't have much of an appetite. He was starting to have mixed feelings for Emma. He thought she was cute, but he wasn't feeling so sure about her. He couldn't tell if she was rude if it was her flirting style to be sarcastic and somewhat cynical. Whatever it was, it was really bothering him. He stared at her delicately pricking her food with her fork as he thought about it.
"It's very rude to stare and I especially don't like it when people stare at me when I eat," Emma said.
"Sorry just thinking," he said.
"Well don't think, just talk."
"Oh… kay…" he twisted his lips, unsure of what to say, plus he didn't even feel like talking to her. This whole thing was a joke. He'd rather be at home in his room writing sad songs of loneliness than be getting her treatment. Her attitude was making her appear less and attractive,
"Well?" she tilted her head in an arrogant way.
"Read any good books lately?" he absent-mindedly asked.
"Is that what you waited all day too tell me? Gosh I thought you were more interested in me," Emma flicked her hair.
Howard couldn't stand this any longer. He wordlessly got up and left the restaurant. He never felt this frustrated with a woman. Even Gideon wasn't that harsh.
"Hey Howard, what're you doing?" he heard Emma call from behind.
"What's it look like? I'm leaving," he said as he continued to walk without looking back.
"Well wait a minute, just wait a minute," she grabbed him by the arm and turned him around. "Why would you want to leave?" she asked as she put her arms around him.
He frowned from bewilderment. "Unhand me, what's the matter with you? I don't understand you!"
"Shh… shh... shh..." she put her finger to his mouth and grinned. "Don't you want to see me again?"
"I don't know about you, you're a…"
"Just say yes. C'mon please," she rested her head against his upper chest.
"Well uh…" Howard looked down at her and shrugged. "Alright then."