Invitation

I was in my room that evening, lying on my bed and starring into the ceiling above as all my experience through the day played through my mind. I was still in a partial haze, the same I had been contained in all day.

Suddenly, the door gave way and Ma Nana's face popped in. She had a huge grin plastered all over, as she slipped in, closing the door behind her. She strolled over to my side excitedly, her eyes glowed bright. She remained silent as she stood by my bed side. I sat up, starring at her with curiosity, but she did not budge.

"What is it?" I asked at last, when I couldn't take the silence anymore.

Ma Nana smiled with satisfaction, as if she had been waiting for me to ask the question all along. Then she proceeded to sit beside me.

"Kallos, I will not be bringing you any dinner tonight." She said. I waited for her to say more, because it looked like she had more to say. But the old lady kept grinning.

"Okay? So, I don't get dinner tonight." I shrugged. It didn't seem like a big deal, even though I couldn't understand why Ma Nana was treating it as one.

"No omorfi!" Ma Nana said, shaking her head. "You get dinner tonight, but you have to come down for it." She declared, her smile widening.

"Oh, okay. I can do that." I shrugged again.

"No kallos, you don't understand. You have to come down for dinner, because Anax has asked you to join him." Ma Nana declared. This time, she let all her excitement burst out.

I starred at her blankly, as my mind worked in quick motions.

Why would Jordan ask me to have dinner with him? So suddenly! What was he up to now?

"Uhm, tell him I'm good. I'll pass. I'm not really hungry, you see..." I began to say, but Ma Nana interrupted me.

"Nonsense kallos! You hear me? I say nonsense!" Ma Nana howled. "You are coming down to Anax, and that's final! If I have to wheel you down there, so help me God, I will!" She promised as she rose to her feet. "Five minutes. That is all I am giving you. I will wait for five minutes kallos, and if you are not down by then, I will come up for you!" She threatened, glaring at me. Then she turned around and walked away.

I sat down on my bed without moving for a very long time after ma Nana had left. I could not bring myself to make up my mind. I wasn't sure if I was ready to see Jordan again. It had been so awkward when we stood across from each other that morning. I could only imagine how much more awkward it would be when we sat across from each other at that table. I would definitely suffer another severe indigestion.

But even as I worried, I couldn't help admitting that a small part of me felt excited. A small of my heart jumped with joy at the invitation. That little part of me wouldn't let me know why it was so happy, but it did show how happy it was. And that little part of me won in the end, because I got up and began to get ready.

As I browsed through my clothes, my pride reminded me of how rude Jordan's invitation had been.

"Why did he have to send the maid to invite you? Why didn't he come and ask you himself? Oh, right. He didn't even ask! He sent his maid to order you!" The voice of pride in my head said.

"Well, Ma Nana isn't just any maid. It's not like he sent one of the cleaning maids! It's Ma Nana!" That shameless, excited, small part of me said in defense. "Beside, maybe he is feeling anxious too. Maybe he was too nervous to ask me himself."

The voice of caution laughed. Even I knew well that it was a weak defense, but it didn't stop me.

I stood in front of the wardrobe, glancing over and over my clothes, and suddenly, none of them seemed right to wear! I wanted to wear something new. Even though Jordan had not seen me in most of the good clothes in the wardrobe, I just felt the strange urge to look good. I even considered calling Ma Nana back up to help me get ready!

"Ugh! Why am I putting in so much effort?!" I groaned aloud, pulling my hair.

Then my eye settled on my red dress. The same red dress I had worn the day I disrupted Jordan and Aggela's dinner. It was the most classy dress I had in my collection. As I began to reach for it, the voice of caution came on again.

"Do you have no shame?" The voice asked. "What? What are you doing right now? Red dress? Wait, you think this is some romantic dinner night? Are you trying to delude yourself or are you already deluded?"

I pulled my hand back and groaned.

"Do not overdo it girl, but still, let's look good!" The gentle shameless voice came on again.

"Look good for what? A man who has no iota of respect nor regard for you? Why would you try to look good? Girl, you could just go down in your nightdress!" The voice of pride advised me.

"No! No way we're going down like this!" The small part cried.

I groaned aloud and pulled my hair again as I turned away from the wardrobe and returned to my bed, flinging myself flat across the bed. I laid like that for a moment. Then with a heavy sigh, I got back up and went to the wardrobe. I pulled out a white T-shirt and denim shorts, and I put them on. I pulled my hair into a ponytail, and without even checking my image out in the mirror to avoid giving myself a chance to change my mind on the choice of outfit, I dashed out of the room.

When I got down to the living room, the dining hall was empty. I felt a pang of shame at the thought that I probably got there too early, but then, the table wasn't laid out.

I peered into the kitchen, Ma Nana was there discussing with Dimitra.

"Uhm, is dinner over?" I asked.

"Ah, no. Omorfi, dinner is not began yet." Ma Nana smiled. "Dinner is outside. Anax is waiting outside now." Ma Nana said.

"Outside? Where?" I asked in surprise.

"In the garden, omorfi. Come. I'll take you there." Ma Nana said, leading the way.

I followed the old maid as she led me through the living room, and out into the backyard. There was a garden space just beside the pool, and I had never noticed it all these while! I didn't even know that there was a backdoor that led out there! I had really been couped up all along.

I sighed as I took in the beauty of the garden. The sun was gone, but a bright moon glowed in the sky, casting bright silver rays all over the garden, giving it a heavenly view. A small campfire burned in the middle of the garden, two reclining seats and a small table holding cans of drinks stood around the fire. And just a few paces away, Jordan stood in a pair of denim pants and black T-shirt, turning barbeque on grill.

Jordan turned around just as we walked in, and when our eyes met, he smiled. My heart stopped beating for a brief moment, then it resumed pounding, racing like wild waters.

"Hi there." Jordan said, waving as he began to walk towards me.

I took several deep breaths to steady my trembling limbs as Jordan inched even closer.