If I Were...

Date: August 24, 2022

Prompt #18 of @JonicaBradley : If I Were...

IF I WERE.

I stopped dead on my tracks when I saw the couple eating by the window of my favorite restaurant. There was a sudden bitter taste at the back of my throat that my saliva couldn't wash away. It is the same taste you get from drinking that horrible cough medicine your mother would concoct in your kitchen.

The girl was having a casual conversation with the guy and would often brush a hand on his arms. She would tack away a hair on her ear and would act bashful about something. And the guy seemed to be enjoying every touches the girl was doing that his dimple would show on his right cheek.

I could have vomited the little contents of my stomach right there and then. But I still fought with my limbs to walk me inside the restaurant. And for the first time the tangy smell of seafood didn't induce dopamine and on the contrary only heightened the turmoil in my stomach.

"Hi," I said, squeezing beside the girl. "I can sit here, right?" I glanced up to guy across her.

"Ni-Nicky...what are you doing here? I thought you were having dinner with your friends?" the guy nervously greeted looking from me to the confused girl beside me.

I smiled. "Karen cancelled, you know Karen? She does it everytime. And so I thought I should go here and have something instead. But surprised surprise. I saw something interesting. Do you know what that is?" I turned to the girl beside me. "Do you know who I am?"

"Who is she?" he questioned her date.

"Honey...let's talk about it at home, okay?" the guy addressed me.

The girl wasn't liking what she was hearing, "What do you mean Honey? Who is she?" she demanded with a raised voice.

"If I were you...you would like to lower your voice because it won't be good if people here finds out who you are," I said snatching the wine in the guy's hand and took a gulp.

"Henry are you talking or what?" the girl snapped and made me laugh.

I pulled the ring from my left hand and slapped it to the table, "If I were you, you'd start calling everyone on your guest list because the wedding is off."

"No. Nicky, no. It's next month!"

I didn't hear him out, I stood never looked back.