Chapter 8

John, Linda, Ronny, Jennifer, Alex, and Marissa were having dinner at an Italian restaurant. Things were going pretty smoothly, and unlike before or any other time, the atmosphere was not tense between Alex and Marissa.

True to their words, everything was actually fine between them. They might not be the best of friends, but on their own terms, they understood each other and knew where they stood with each other.

“I love this place and its food,” Jenny said, with a dreamy look in her eyes.

“Who doesn’t? On top of that, it’s an Italian restaurant which serves the best Italian food.” Linda agreed with Jenny.

“Can you both stop gushing about the food so that we can actually eat something?” Alex rolled his eyes. His sisters do behave like kids.

“Who is stopping you then?” Jenny narrowed her eyes at her brother.

“Guys, cut it out. Don’t start fighting here.” Ronny intervened.

“Marissa, how was your date last night?” Jenny asked teasingly, which caused her to choke and Alex to look at her in surprise. For some reason, Marissa going on a date with someone else didn’t settle well with him.

“It wasn’t a date.” She replied back after a few moments.

“And pigs fly. Both are not possible.” Jenny retorted back. “That guy has got a huge crush on you. Even a blind man can see that.”

“Vince and I are just friends. Yesterday was nothing but two old friends catching up on life.” She defended herself.

Marissa was still not ready to commit herself to a relationship. Her past records have not been good in that department.

“Marissa, when was the last time you actually went on a date, let alone been in a relationship?” Linda asked her.

“Why are you people so keen on knowing about my not-so-exciting, non-existing love life? I am happy being single.” She whined.

“Because Alex has given his sister a clear warning about interfering in his love life, they have no other person than you to be their entertainment source.” John rolled his eyes.

“That’s not fair. Bother him, not me.” Marissa huffed.

“No! I am not interested in being part of their entertainment package. So you are more than welcome to be their target.” Alex told Marisa, who was sitting opposite him.

“Well, I don’t want to be. They are your sisters, so it’s your sole right. I won’t come between that.” She replied back.

“You won’t be coming between anything. In fact, you will be doing me a huge favour.”

“I don’t want to do any kind of favour for you.”

“Marisa...” This caused everyone at the table to turn to the owner of the voice. But only Marisa and Ronny were the ones to stand up from the sit-in shock.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Ronny asked him furiously.

“Same thing as you people. I just saw Marissa here, so I came to say hi.”

“Well, you said hi. Now you can leave, Rob.” He glared at him.

“Ronny, please... Can I talk to you, Marissa, alone?” Rob asked her. His eyes were pleading with her to say yes.

“She is going nowhere near you alone.”

“Ronny” Marissa looked at Ronny, silently telling him that it was okay to talk to Rob.

“Fine, but I am coming with both of you. I don’t trust this loser.” He told her, and both Marissa and Rob knew better than to argue with him. Three of

they went out of the restaurant to have a chat.

“What the hell was that?” Alex spoke his thoughts loudly.

“I don’t know, but I think there is something major going on. I have never seen Ronny this angry.” Linda said.

From the glass window beside where Jenny was sitting, they could see three of them talking. It looked intense.

“I should go and check it out.” Alex was about to go, but John stopped him.

“Don’t, Alex. None of us has the right to interfere in their matters. It was something in the past, and we were not even part of it, to begin with. Plus, the three of them are just talking, so I don’t think they need us. When the time is right, Marissa and Ronny will tell us.”

“How come you don’t know about it, Jenny? Isn’t you and Ronny dating, and Marissa is your best friend?” Alex asked her, confused.

“Quite a few things have happened in Marissa’s life, which she doesn’t talk about. And I know that Marissa is very sensitive about her past, and she hates to remember it, so I never pester her about it. Whereas Ronny is considered, we both have an understanding. I told him that I would never force him to tell me about Marissa’s past, even if he was part of it.” Jenny gave him a sad smile.

After a few minutes, Jenny got a text from Ronny.

“Guys, Ronny went to drop Marissa off at home. She is not feeling well, and she told him to tell us that we should enjoy our meal and not worry about her as everything is in control.”

“I really hope she is alright,” Alex murmured to himself, and Marissa was alright.

Marissa was mentally tired after she chatted with Rob.

“Are you sure you are alright, Marissa?” Ronny asked her in concern.

“Yes, Ronny. I am fine. And thanks for being there for me.” She told him with a smile.

“You are my best friend, Risa.”

“I know, but still. Ronny, you can tell my past about Rob or any other matter to Jenny. I know that she doesn’t force you to tell her for my sake, but it’s not good for your relationship. I know that all this has taken a toll on you, and I hate that you cannot share it with Jenny. I just detest myself for dragging

you into my problem.” Marissa said, with a tear in her eyes.

“You are an idiot, Marissa. You have both been through a lot. But I never regret or hate you for dragging me into your problem. And to begin with, you

never dragged me. Marissa, we have both known each other since we were kids. And every guy needs a best friend like you in his life. And I am the lucky one who didn’t even need to find a best friend as she was already my next-door neighbour.” He embraced her.

“No. I am the lucky one. Thank you for everything, Ronny. Go back to your fiancée and everyone back there. And I really don’t mind you telling things to

Jenny. She deserves to know. She always considered me as her best friend, and it is about time I did the same.” She kissed his cheeks and wished him good night.

After ten minutes, Ronny reached back to the restaurant and sat beside his fiancée.

“Guys, she is fine,” Ronny told everyone there.

He hugged Jenny sideways and whispered softly in her ears, “I will tell you everything when we are alone.” Which caused her to look at his surprise.

He gave her a soft smile and nodded. Jenny was ecstatic that Marissa was ready to share it with her. She knew that Risa’s past had always been a taboo

subject for her, and it was a big thing that she was ready to tell her a bit about it, and she also understood that it was her own kind of way to tell Jenny that

she also loved her like a best friend and appreciated her friendship.

“Yes, she is definitely fine,” Ronny told them loudly again and showed them the picture that Marissa sent him on the cell phone.

The image was of Brook sleeping on Aaron’s shoulder.

“John, be ready. Next, you know, in a few years, your daughter will get married.” Ronny teased him.

“No, she will still be too young for that to happen,” he said with an annoyed look on his face.

“Shut up, John. They look so cute together. My baby has gotten so big.” Linda had a few tears in her eyes.

Everything was fine at present, but Alex was feeling strange. He wanted to do nothing but go to Marissa and ask her about this Rob guy. He wanted to

hug her, protect her.

But did he have a right to ask her? They are friends, so he can ask her. He was concerned as a friend and a well-wisher. So, he would ask her but in the

morning, when she will be fresh and well-rested.