Will you marry me? From the wrong person!

NOELLE

Rumble? 

He thinks Rumble is our restaurant?

Nothing romantic about Rumble, it's more like roommates having a greasy dinner that'd probably kill them in their sleep, their heart suffocating, sizzling on all the cholesterol.

There was no fine dining at Rumble, only burgers and oil drenched fries, the only thing nice was their fish cakes and onion rings and those were things he liked.

I had introduced him to La Vista and it had since then been a staple when he wasn't complaining about the cost but here he was, bringing some strange woman.

My nails dug under the table until it hurt, my heart palpitated heavily. Eyes still trained on them and one hand clutching my chest, I reached for the glass of water but ended up pushing it off the table, calling unwanted attention to where I was sitting in a corner like a neglected puppy.

The glass had shattered all over the floor, I felt a sting on my foot but what's a sting when your entire body was cramping.

I ducked as soon as Clayton and his guest turned.

Matter of fact a lot of people turned towards my corner and I wasn't sure Clayton looked at all, but the lady…

My thoughts lingered for a while…

That was… was that not Vivian?

It couldn't be right?

Vivian never even liked Clayton, she always said he was wet behind his ears and those were not her type of guys, she said she liked her men bold and knowledgeable in that sort of way and Clayton wasn't that kind of man. 

Heck, he didn't even know what head meant.

No way in hell that's Vivian.

She would've told me right? We shared everything from day one. We'd become as close as best friends, I was at her baby shower and even attended her brother's wedding.

For goodness sake!

HER MUM KNEW ME!

A warm touch on my cold shoulders startled me. 

I looked up to see who it was, a part of me wishing that Clay would crouch down beside me and make this make sense, tell me it's work or something, maybe a prank. Anything, I'll take anything but not this.

But it wasn't Clay.

It was the insufferable waiter crouching down beside me, his eyes spoke volume.

Didn't even know when tears rolled down but it did and he wiped them away.

He touched my wrist and said in a whisper “Need a moment?” 

I shook my head and took a deep breath mentally telling myself I was fine.

“Can you mind your business!”

His eyes fell to my stinging foot before he backed away.

I was courageous enough to come back up and of course they didn't even notice me, they didn't even think I would be here.

Maybe that text was sent by mistake and it had nothing to do with Clay being shy, he had sent that text to the wrong person.

All of a sudden a train of waiters including the insufferable one with the lovely smile and kinda sad eyes began walking towards their table, wine, platters, a cake, a confetti popper, bags of fancy gifts and what not.

The insufferable waiter had given me an empathetic look. 

My chest ached.

I felt it get pounded.

Those gifts were headed to Clayton's booth and it suddenly dawned on me.

Clayton and Vivian had been seeing each other for three whole years and instead of Vivian being the third wheel, I was the third wheel in their own story.

That was the only explanation for this.

Why did she look so excited?

Why was Clayton on his knee and holding up a ring in front of her?

Where did this boldness come from? 

He'd never buy me that ring, let alone put it on my fingers not when it's painted boldly that way.

My feet carried me soullessly across the room to where he was proposing to a person who's supposed to be my friend, my vision blurred and dreary.

Drop by drop my tears came.

All these years!

I learned to love him, to make him see me.

It was our mothers’ dream that I made mine and fell without even knowing it and I thought he was as well.

I was clearly wrong. 

The side hugs, the business and up tight conversations and countenance was all to deter me.

Was he the man Vivian always talked to me about?

The man who'd stretched her to her limit till she had lost all strength, a man with the stamina of a stallion and yet this same man was never that to me even after giving him my years.

You fool Noelle!

I should've known. They worked together in the same place, saw each other every other time, maybe even had sex in Clayton's office or maybe they preferred her office and I had taken it lightly.

I lifted my gaze from Vivian's surprised expression as she put out her hand for Clayton and settled on the empathetic look on the waiter's face.

His sad eyes were even sadder, like he would cover my eyes to save me from witnessing this and it suddenly hit me.

That waiter had waited on our table a few times we ate here and he'd give Clay a sharp expression and I, a mild one.

He must've known what a fool I was.

What a blind fool I was to not notice.

My legs felt like anvils were tied to them, getting heavier as I walked further to Clayton's table.

He was kissing Vivian now.

Tears rolled down shamelessly.

I was the one sour candy in the chocolate factory. Everyone else is smiling but I was crying like a jilted bride, pretty damn sure my eyeliner and mascara put me in role play.

There was no purpose of moving towards them, I should leave but somewhere inside me, somewhere large, I wanted Clayton to see me and feel awful for what he did.

How could he smile that widely?

And Vivian?

Goodness!

I was still numbly walking towards them when he— the waiter began walking towards me. 

Determination added to his stride.

He was rummaging his pockets for something, his eyes trained on me, his demeanor of a kind of confidence that drew in the room, that drew in the people gushing over Clayton's proposal.

Too depraved and drained to care, I kept moving.

He was on my trail, walking towards me, there was no deterring him.

The waiter stopped in front of me, there was certainty in his eyes.

With one hand deep in his pocket— I didn't know their uniform had pockets— He touched my shoulders then ran his hand on the length of my arm till he was holding my hand.

My eyes rested on his hold on my hand then slowly looked up at him. That pleading, empathetic look was on his face.

It should've made me feel seen but I felt pathetic.

I looked away from him and looked ahead at the man I loved, embracing and thrusting his tongue in my friend's mouth.

The waiter didn't move, I didn't notice him move but everyone else did.

People cooed, awwwwed and had their flashes on us.

I wasn't the one getting engaged. All the mockery, did Clayton plan this?

I looked behind and around, people were closing in, was I losing my mind.

Looking over to Clayton's booth, I was pleased to see I finally had his attention.

Vivian had turned as well and the confusion on both their faces. Confusion and maybe a bad feeling is not a sign of deep remorse.

I managed a painful smile and wanted to keep walking to Clayton. But then there's a pull on my hand from below.

The insufferable waiter was kneeling in front of me with the largest rock of diamond I'd ever seen.

Too large for him to be holding it out carelessly.

Where did he get that from? 

Numbness and confusion was all I felt.

A blanket of silence fell in the restaurant and some of those who gushed over Clayton's proposal steered towards the waiter and I .

Clayton was looking, he sprang off his chair, a betrayed look displayed on his face.

It was his turn to walk towards me.

Vivian tried to hold Clayton back but he had flinched.

Embarrassed, her porcelain skin was a blush pink now.

The next words that came out of the waiter's mouth startled me even more.

“Make me the happiest man on earth Noelle Holly Roberts.” 

He smiled and his eyes twinkled with anticipation and maybe tears of joy.

I trained my eyes on Clayton who was stalking towards us. His smile had almost all faded off.

 “Noelle!” He yelled over the cooing restaurant, I heard him but I was hearing this waiter more, all I wanted was to make him feel my pain, to enjoy his own medicine.

“Will you marry me?”