63.

***

Ariande

"What would you like to have?" Tony asked.

"Pasta."

"Any specific one?"

"No."

My taste buds weren't doing so well at that moment but I just had to eat for sustenance. I noticed that since I came back from that godforsaken place, I had not been myself. Out of my annoyance, I had also cut off the contract between me and Caleb.

When Tony beckoned to the waiter for the second time, the man brought a bottle of Zinfandel to our table.

"You up on any shoot at the meeting?" He asked when the waiter had left.

"Not really."

"Well," he seemed to hesitate to talk.

"What?"

He dropped his cutlery and stared at me.

"You seem a lot unlike yourself since you came back."

"I didn't know it was that obvious," I sipped out of my glass.

"Yeah,"

"How bad is it?"

"It's not bad. It suits you." He answered. I wanted to believe him.

"What else changed?" I wanted to know to what extent he could be deceptive.

"You are prettier." He continued eating.

"I noticed."

He chuckled.

"Was that funny?" I frowne