I'd been sitting at Pierre for an hour and ten minutes. I knew I was early, and I was well aware of the waitress's constant glare. I'd been nursing a glass of water since 6:40, refusing to order anything else until she arrived.
My favorite color is clear. It's weird, I know, but I like it because it's the most innocent color there is. Water is clear, but a few drops of yellow change it completely. Windows are clear, but a blue light makes the glass look blue. I believe people are drawn to their opposites. I've been black—dark—since the day I was born, but I maintain a mask that makes people think I'm innocent. Clear. I crave that clarity, but the truth is hidden behind the mask I'm living in.
No one knows my dark side except for a few people. I don't want Juliet to know that yet, but I'm giving her a hint. Making the dress code black was a cipher; it's my way of showing her who I really am without saying a word. I just like ciphers.
I felt a light tap on my shoulder.
"Surprise!"
Juliet was standing there. She was wearing a black dress with a square neckline that hugged her waist and hips, black heels, and a matching purse. Her face had no makeup on except for some mascara and gloss. Her wavy black hair covered her back, and her black eyes glowed more than ever. How can someone be this beautiful?
"Thought you were going to hurt my bank account," I said. It was the best I could come up with.
"Dude, it's a Michelin star," she said, grabbing the menu.
The waitress saw that and came over to our table immediately. "May I take your order, miss?" she asked, ignoring me entirely. She kept giving me dead glares and didn't even bother to cover it.
"Lasagna special and sweet wine, please," Juliet said.
When the waitress left, I let out a sigh of relief.
"What did you do to her? She looks like she could kill you," Juliet asked.
"What do you want me to say? I ordered medium-well, she brought me medium-rare, and I told her I won't give her a tip."
That earned me a sweet laugh.
"I suppose that might happen. She didn't even take your order," she said.
"Never mind. I will call another waiter," I said, and I flagged down someone else.