"Hey!" he said, a playful smile on his lips. "I couldn't help but notice you standing here all alone. How about sharing a meal with me?" He inquired with a soft tone.
His confidence intrigued me, and I found myself smiling back. "Sure, why not? A bit of company sounds good right now." I deliberately played along, Jeremy's eyes now sour in jealousy.
As we waited in line, he extended the basket toward me. "I come prepared. My name is Cena, by the way."
I took a moment, enjoying the playful banter. "Cena, huh? I am Amaya. Nice to meet you, Cena."
"Likewise, Amaya. Now, let's see what culinary delights we have in this magical basket," he said with a wink, gesturing to the various dishes.
We continued chatting as we approached the counter, the banter flowing effortlessly. Cena insisted on paying for our meals, and I graciously accepted, sensing the envious gaze of Jeremy.
Finding an empty table, we sat down, and Cena continued to charm me with his wit.
"So, Amaya, what brings you to this haven of flavors today?"
I chuckled, appreciating his use of words, and responded in a soft tone,
"Just seeking refuge from the chaos of life, you know? Food has this magical power to soothe the soul."
Cena grinned, his golden eyes reflecting genuine interest, and responded,
"I couldn't agree more. Now, tell me, what's your favorite dish?" Cena asked seamlessly.
Cena was a very funny guy who chipped in clever pick-up lines, each one making me laugh. It was refreshing to encounter someone like him who didn't take themselves too seriously.
"You must be a magician," he said with a twinkle in his eye, and continued,
"Because whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears."
I couldn't help but burst into laughter. There was a pain in Jeremy's eyes as he had never for once made me laugh this way before. And talking about beauty, Jeremy was no comparison to Cena.
"Very smooth, Cena. But I must warn you. I have heard my fair share of pick-up lines."
He leaned in, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and nodded.
"Challenge accepted. How about this one?" He rolled his eyes and continued.
"Are you a camera? Because every time I see you, I smile."
I couldn't help but grin and play along while I enjoyed the banter. As we enjoyed our meal, Cena shared stories about his Lycan pack, and I was captivated by his words, forgetting the complexities of my heart-wrenching past for a moment.
I enjoyed my time with him, forgetting about who the hell Jeremy was. We exchanged contacts and he left, leaving behind a romantic whisper. I watched him as he walked out till a hand hit my table. I looked up in slight shock only to see Jeremy and Latina in front of me.
"Hey, Amaya," Jeremy greeted with a smirk playing on his lips. I looked at him hatefully. I tried not to make it obvious, but I couldn't as the smile on my face had now been lowered to a smirk.
"Enjoying the view?" Jeremy asked, narrowing his gaze to the path of Cena.
I rolled my eyes, trying to shake off the enchantment Cena had left behind and forced to ask.
"What are you doing here, Jeremy?"
Latina chimed in with a sweet smile and responded on his behalf.
"Just thought we would grab a bite. Didn't expect to run into you here."
"Yeah, I can see that," I muttered under my breath, glancing away to avoid their gaze.
Jeremy's tone turned mockingly sweet and cracked, bathed in anger.
"So, who was that Lycan boy you were practically drooling over? New boyfriend, perhaps?"
I scoffed, crossing my arms defensively.
"His name is Cena, and what is your business if we just shared a meal? What is it to you?"
Latina, always one for drama, leaned in with a curious glint in her eyes. "Come on, Amaya. Spill the tea. He looked interested. Do you like him?"
Latina was just trying all she could to make me forget about Jeremy. She had met me secretly, asking me if I still loved Jeremy, but I told her to enjoy her time with Jeremy. Since Latina had failed to get the fact that Jeremy might still love me and I might still love him too, I don't think I have to talk about it. Of course, she knew if I chose the Lycan as my mate, she would be less bothered about me coming back to Jeremy. Little did she know that Jeremy was jealous of seeing the Lycan boy with me.
"Why not? Cena is one of the most handsome boys I have come across?" I said, Jeremy's eyes clocking with mine.
"I think you have to settle down, Amaya. You need to get back your senses before dating anybody again. You are a cheater!" Jeremy yelled at me. Latina grabbed him with his hand.
"Whatever!" I rolled my eyes at Jeremy and said with a smile as though what he just said made no sense to me.
"Guess I can take my leave now?" I twisted my mouth and winked at them. I picked up the food in the basket and headed up to my house.
A few days passed, and to my surprise, Jeremy showed up at my doorstep with a bouquet and a box of chocolates. I opened the door, eyebrows raised in disbelief as I saw Jeremy with flowers in his hands, staring at me with some mixed emotions that I could not define.
"Jeremy, what are you doing here?" I questioned, eyeing the gifts in his hands.