When you Meet an Acquaintance

Luckily, Noel had several sausages in the refrigerator, along with eggs, bacon, tomatoes and salami. But he did not have any beans or mushrooms.

Can this be considered a classic English breakfast if there are no beans, mushrooms or blood sausages? Well, I can’t fault him, making the English breakfast was my idea so let’s just work with what we have.

Eden had a merry time, frying everything together in the pan while humming to himself. I wonder when he is going to wake up. He blushed with just a compliment, I wonder how he will react like when he sees the breakfast.

Hopefully, he’ll like i-

Eden froze when he felt a hand wrapped around his waist from behind just as he was plating the items. A head rested on his back, hairs tickling his exposed skin and sending a shiver up his spine.

“Good morning.” He managed to croak out, clearing his throat. “You slept for quite a bit.”

The man nodded his head, rubbing against his back, making Eden almost drop the frying pan but he managed to remain strong.

Pulling away from him, Noel walked away, a piece of salami hanging from his mouth. Eden stared at his mouth and then the plate, noticing one slice of salami missing.

How- when did he even get that??

Seating on the table, Noel looked at Eden, eyes hardly able to open as he lazily waved his hands, calling him over.

I know he is only hungry so he is calling me like that. Eden thought, turning from him. But … if he gets any cuter, I will explode. Dad, is this what you felt every time you saw mum?? With my face and his face, our children will be gorgeous.

Wait, what am I thinking? He shook his head in disappointment, looking at Noel devour the salami like it was nothing. I forgot something so crucial. How could I? I haven’t asked him if he wanted kids yet.

___________________

“How do you like it?” Eden asked, looking at the man devour everything as though he had not eaten in two days. “You seem awfully hungry.”

“It’s good.” Noel typed out, giving him a quick smile before reaching for his coffee and taking a sip off it, pausing.

What? Is the coffee bad or something? Ages always complimented my coffees. Is it bad?

Noel offered him an endearing smile, “I will take care of the coffee next time.”

Eden looked at Noel, a bright smile coming on his face as he seemed to beam.

“What?”

“You said next time. So there is a next time.” Eden said, poking at the man from across the table.

“Of course.” Noel typed out, tilting his head to the side. “You told me to give you a chance, right?”

Taking a minute to process what he just said, Eden beamed again, “I did. So … are we dating now?”

“Are we?” Noel typed out. “We only just met though. And we know nothing about each other.”

“We can get to know each other.” Eden insisted. “How about we go on a date today? We can get to know each other then.”

While Noel was typing, their phones buzzed at the same time, messages appearing with only the words, “11:30 a.m. today. Bermount Plaza, Coffee House. Don’t be late.”

“H-how about tonight?” Eden asked, looking at Noel who was still reading his message.

Wow. We got messages at the same time. Eden thought, looking at Noel, a bacon strip hanging from his mouth, fork in one hand and phone in the other. Could we be … soul mates?

It was definitely destined for me to meet him last night but … I hate and love you, Bruce. I am not sure what to do with you just yet.

_______________________

Somewhere far away,

“Achoo!” Bruce sneezed, rubbing his cold arms. “Why do I feel a chill?”

“I told you to keep warm, didn’t I?” Dayton said, throwing a blanket at the man. “If I hadn’t found you, you would have gotten a cold.”

“But I slept with someone so pretty. That person must have been the prettiest I have ever seen before.” Bruce said, wrapping himself in the blanket. “You should have seen him, Dayton.”

“Yeah, and you threw up all over his clothes,” Dayton said, holding a basket of clothes in his hands. “No wonder he took off with yours. Find him and apologise.”

“Ok,” Bruce said, pouting under the pile of blanket. “Do you think I am not trying to find him? I’ll have to look in the bar again. Until I find him. Do you think he’s taken, Dayton?”

“Why are you asking me? I don’t know the guy.”

“I hope he is single. Even if he isn’t, I am sure his partner is not that attractive anyway.” He mumbled, burying himself more into the blanket.

______________________

Watching Noel, Eden suddenly felt a chill run up his spine, almost like the time some of the men from the organization plotted his murder just before he became the head. Saying that he was not fit to be the next leader.

Whipping his head to the back, the feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Strange. I felt like someone was insulting me. Heh. Who would insult me?

“Something wrong?” Noel’s automated voice asked, pulling Eden back.

“Nothing,” Eden said, beaming. “So, what do you say about our date?”

“I have a meeting to get to in a few hours.” Noel typed, staring at Eden’s eyes, so full of hope. “But I might be free tonight.”

“Great!” Eden jumped to his feet. “I will come to pick you up at seven then. Is that ok?”

“Sure.” He typed, going back to his eating as Eden began planning the entire date in his mind, with background music and everything.

___________________

“Wow, this is really bad,” Eden said, staring at the water faucet that refused to produce water of any form, solid, liquid or gas. “I only washed one plate.”

He stood in the kitchen sink wearing one of Noel’s baggy grey shirts and pants. Noel had a spare, unopened toothbrush that he used.

When asking him about why he had a cupboard full of toothbrushes, tubes of toothpaste, detergents, face wash, soaps, and other essentials, Noel only stated that he, “Hate going outside. Too crowded.”

Noted. Eden thought. I will have to reserve an entire restaurant tonight. Got it.

“I told you.” The automated voice said as Noel stared at him before walking to the bedroom again. “Give me a minute.”

I will need to talk to his landowner. I am sure we used the water only now, and I am sure I did not even use much, if at all. Three hundred for this shit? This is daylight robbery.

Noel walked to them with two buckets in hand and nudging for Eden to follow him.

What is he going to do?

They walked out of the apartment and then out of the gate to the neighbouring house. A woman sat on her front porch, greeting Noel happily.

“Hello!” She said, beaming at the man who nodded in greeting and then pointed to the well. “Water again? Go ahead, you don’t have to ask me for permission anymore.”

Eden stared at the woman, making eye contact with her as a blush crept up her face, “H-hello.”

“Hi,” Eden said, smiling. “You are Noel’s neighbour?”

“I am.” She said as the silent man walked to the well and pushed the bucket in, drawing the water up. “You are?”

“I am his friend too,” Eden said, not entirely sure if he should announce his relation to Noel to a stranger no matter how badly he wanted to. He didn’t want to ruin a friendship of Noel’s, even by mistake. “By the way, is the water that bad in his house?”

“Very. I met Noel when the house owner told him to buy water at the doorstep. So I called him over and told him that he could take from me.” She pointed to the well as the two watched the man’s muscles flex with every pull of the rubber rope. “He tried to pay me. I told him that watching is payment enough.”

“I can understand.” Eden agreed, the two gawking at Noel who seemed oblivious to his surroundings. “I am Eden, by the way.”

“Cheryl.” The woman said, giving him a kind smile. “Oh, I think he is done.”

The two stared at Noel filling the last bucket and was about to carry it when Eden rushed to his side.

“I will carry them.” Without giving him a choice, Eden took both the buckets and began walking to the gate, stopping just before they walked out and turning to the woman. “Thank you!”

“No problem!” The woman shouted, turning to Noel as her brows turned down, placing her thumb on her chin, she wriggled her index finger.

Huh? Eden looked at Noel who pointed to Eden as Cheryl nodded.

Reaching his hand to the top of his head, Noel moved his fingers up and down then locked both index fingers twice in opposite directions.

Huh??

Cheryl’s hand flew to her mouth as she looked at Eden, giving him a thumbs up, excitement written all over her face.

Huh???