S i x

S a t u r d a y  L u n c h e s

The Saturday started when I woke up at five in the morning, tip-toeing across the hallway and get some breakfast in the kitchen. I passed George's room, spotting the man snoring loudly with his mouth hung out like a gaping fish. His legs were dangling from the side, exposed from the cold with an arm around another.

Tom's arm.

I had expected from my best friend that he'd stopped his quick night stands after a while, but as I paused now - I knew George had somehow broke the cycle. He'd found someone to actually go the long way round a relationship.

With a faint smile, I ambled off again, focusing on getting ready for today's boring events: which was work. Whilst I wasn't producing YouTube content and Twitch streams during the weekdays, weekends and Mondays consisted of working in the engineering company I was hired to - constantly managing projects and finalising if they were correct with no faults.

Biting into my toast, my hands gazed over the iPad propped up by the mason jars of cereal. I opened up to check on the news and emails I was receiving. It did not take long then, as I was already shoving my black leather shoes on with my back pack pushing me towards the ground.

By the time, I was heading for the door: George poked out of his door. He groggily said, "What time is it?"

"Six forty," I read from the black clock hanging from the wall. With a raised eyebrow, I suppressed the witty remark my best would seem pissed off about. "See you this afternoon; and don't stay in bed too long," I added and George rolled his eyes back before I could exit our apartment.

Once the door shut closed, there was an eery sound lingering the corridor. My eyes darted the emptiness before I trudged out of the complex. The bike shed was across the car park, resided against the red brick wall. With heels clicking, I walked over to unlock my bicycle from the metal bar and continued to place my helmet back on.

It was twenty minute cycle to the building, but five of those minutes was struggling to find a place to lock my bike within the building surroundings. My hair was slightly ruffled from the wind, but once I patted it down: the receptionist at least didn't seem to judge it by her usual disapproving looks.

"Morning, [Y/N]." The usual passerby would say, and I politely replied the same, smiling. After they would pass, I would come back to a solemn expression, holding back the fake happiness I'll often account on. That's what majority of people wanted, and sometimes needed: just an approving smile to let them know you're alright. I just went along with it, seemingly as I knew that other emotions would make them uncomfortable.

By the time I got to my desk, my hand brought itself up to my cheeks - shutting my eyes to take another breather. Then, I started on logging myself onto the computer. There were already piles of contracts and projects on my desk, curtesy of my manager.

So that was what I did whilst the slow desktop loaded. By the time I opened my emails, I was internally groaning at the amount they had given me. I only worked part time, why are they giving me so much responsibility?

My manager had poked their head over my designated place, interfering me when I was just about to finish for lunch. "Hello, [Y/N]. Had a good week?"  They asked me.

With a huff, I replied: "It was...productive. What brings you here."

"Tired and hardworking as always, [Y/SN]?" They laughed, setting down a pat on my shoulder blade before my feet swivelled my chair round. 

Luckily, my manager maneuvered back to the subject. "Oh yes, the new extension has been planned over at Los Angeles. Since the approval has been announced, the company wants some senior technicians to begin with planning the overall control and server rooms."

"So you need me to contribute the project by analysing the planning?" I raised an eyebrow. "I don't normally do the planning, just improve most of the routers and control panels."

They sighed and ushered me: "Help a person out, [Y/N]...it's not a big deal."

"But the amount of conversations," I mumbled, almost being caught by them. Their back was turned, and yet my manager snorted. Leaning back on the desk, I watched their eyes plead.

More talking.

By the time I was going for my break, agreements were made and I remained sulking out the door with my bag in tow. My manager had danced out of the department, almost colliding with the intern that carried a whole stack of cardboard boxes. Rolling me eyes, the sun peeked through the grey clouds as I cycles down to the cafe I usually gone during my lunch.

If the day had gotten worse: I was faced with a 'WE ARE CLOSED' sign at my face. I definitely ignored the 'SORRY' above the rest of the writing before wandering down the street to find another place to eat and do work.

There was another tea room that sat just on the high street. You could spot the Cathedral down the street and the docks around the corner.

No matter how much colourful bunting was hung and pastel patterns plastered on the walls: I swear there was still an eery darkness surrounding everyone. The candle lights on the tables gave a source of lighting, though most of it came from the blinding sun.

It was a fairly small cafe; a couple of people around my age were sitting on the leather seats as I entered. Most were the elderly, who sat in a groups: stirring their tea and silently in conversation.

There were more people than the usual cafe I went, so I quickly headed to the counter. My order consisted of a cup of tea and a tiffin on a small plate that I carried. Eyes panning, I sighed mentally as I spotted a small corner table residing by the front window.

Once I got there, I plucked out my laptop before placing down my bag beside my feet. The tiffin was delicious, crunchy in the middle though a smooth layer on the top made me think back when I used to had them whenever I went round to my friend's house. Pippa Brindley was of course my long-time friend, though I also had Georgia Summers. She was a horse rider, and it helped when the landscape of East London consisted of open fields and sheep.

"Enjoying the tiffin?"

When I glanced up, I saw the raven haired man with the quiff smirk back. Lewis stood by my table, only wearing a thin blue jumper as he held a tray of his tea and tiffin.

I didn't even say anything as he continued: "I saw the tiffin as well behind the counter, not really sure if it's good or not. Is it alright if-"

"Oh yeah," I nodded, sheepishly. "Go ahead, I'm not really expecting anyone apart from myself."

Lewis' eyes widened once he replied, "Yeah, it's your free day. Sorry, now I sound like a shitty boss to you."

I snorted in retort, explaining that I've had worse bosses when I transferred from company to company before. And I added especially that he was never in my bad/crap boss list.

I carried on typing on my laptop as Lewis sipped his tea. "I won't sound like a terrible and unsociable person: but how did you know I was here? There is at least a number of possibilities for you to go down this street, let alone choose this tea room to have lunch."

"And?" Lewis flashed a grin that I could not help but faintly smile.

I also added, "And I've found out that you only prefer a couple of different teas and the methods for them. You'd only know if this place satisfies you if you enter the shop."

Lewis then opposed as he said, "Or...it's just coincidence that I picked this place and found you."

"Don't really believe in that bull," I bit back a snarl, changing it to a roll of my eyes as Lewis raised his eyebrows at my sudden retort of the word. "Plus I saw you glance outside and saw me, you were about to walk pass the tea room, but since I'm clearly the odd one out with black slacks I can't blame you."

"Maybe I did," Lewis shrugged, but then bit into his slice of tiffin afterwards. It was a silent pause before his eyes lit up - probably from the tiffin. I suppressed the chuckle, though to no avail. He was much of a man child as he was at the office. "Man, that's some great tiffin. Never was this good since I was a kid."

"My friend Georgia," I nodded as we both ate. "She used to invite me and Pippa round for tea after school sometimes, her mum's tiffin: top notch" I made a gesture quietly, receiving a soft chuckle at the man facing me.

We carried on drinking and eating whilst we chatted. Well most of the time was me: trying to get work done whilst Lewis openly asked about my work. It was simple questions really, what I did as a job; did I like it and etc. It did not stop me glancing back up to him, gaining some eye contact as George told me that a person will gain interest if you had eye contact with each other.

"Why do you do it?" Lewis asked me.

I furrowed my eyebrows and replied, "Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean like: why do two jobs, beside the money of course?" Lewis elaborated. "You live quite near the city centre as well."

And there was the question I dreaded.

Because in the end, it all trailed back to my parents and their views.

Once I finished fighting with my mind, I decided to push back the sensitive subject in my head before the emotions would flood in. I chuckled, "Well uh, since that's what I chose for my doctor's degree: of course I'd have to do some high-ranking job, am I right?" My hands slowly closed my laptop as I then added almost at a whisper: "Besides, it's what makes everyone happy. Youngest computer engineer to be senior head of a technical department."

"Your view, not me," Lewis shrugged and inside: I immediately sighed in relief that he accepted my answer for his own. I knew I did not like to lie a lot, and my mind knew it wasn't helping my new friendship with Lewis.

Turning back into a smile, I then asked him back, "What about you? Did you wanted to form the Yogscast or was it something else you were pursuing?"

"Man, are you trying to pull me back to the past?" Lewis laughed. "When you put it that way, it's as if you're now involved in a fucking cult. Jesus..."

"Well," My cheeks were flushing red from the grin I placed on my lips. It's been a while since I've enjoyed a conversation as good as this - even though it was pulling a bit of strings. "We do make record ourselves playing video games for a living."

"Touche," He raised his glass.

I replied with the same gesture and I shared a smile back.

Lewis shook his head, "Chemistry was what I did during my uni days. I don't know if I should be happy about it or not. But well... I shouldn't dwell since it did got me here in the first place."

"I could see it from you," And I agreed to what I spoke about in my head. There was an aura of attentiveness and patience with the man. He prefers to listen rather than to speak unless he's comfortable with the person he is talking to.

By the time Lewis was getting confused, he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Listener, and a reader," I solemnly answered. "Never really assumed you were one since you are a boss of your company."

When I gazed, lips pursed as I zipped up my bag: Lewis then flashed a grin. "But I'm not some boring old coot in a chair and flirting with girls-"

I raised an eyebrow.

He held his hands in surrender. "I thought we were friends?"

"I know," For the first time in a while, I actually meant my smile. "What's a friendship without a bit of banter."

With Lewis finishing his lunch, we both waited for each other before we left the doors of the tea room. The wind had slightly gone down now, so I carefully untied my knotted hair free. Lewis on the other hand, stood by the side of the pavement, looking around before he could wave. Or at least it depends who would leave first.

"So you're going back to work?" That was first question once we began walking down to find my parked bicycle.

Lewis nodded and then replied, "Yeah, there's nothing really to do. Everyone's usually off on the weekend: but I'm usually there to edit some stuff or plan most of the future events in the summer."

"Okay," I did not exactly know how to react back at his rambling, but luckily I added that I hoped Lewis wasn't going to overwork too much. "Your face already says: a lot of stress, Brindley. Don't ruin it."

Lewis smirked, "Trying to tell me that my face looks good or-"

"What?" One we got to the racks, I unlocked the padlock whilst I tilted my head to the side; I was completely confused. "I mean, not that way..."

Lewis shook it off, but I could not help but huff once he snorted at my frustration. What did I imply about his face? That wasn't in the book I read.

By the time I was demanding an answer, the watch on my phone had to tell me that it was time to go back to work. "Never mind; I've got to head back." I simply said.

Lewis cheekily added, "Are you always oblivious to these certain topics?"

"No!" I scoffed, then stuttered back: "I-I'm just not competent to answer it, thank you." He rolled his eyes before he said goodbye to me, walking our opposite ways back to our Saturday schedule.

By the time I arrived, I finally knew what he had meant. I was halted as I hit my face against the glass doors, clearly lacking the concentration.

Did I really mean that? Well I don't see why appearance is vital to different relationships. I knew that looking proper for the event was important, but not exactly the natural features.

Though, I shook my head as I laughed. Lewis was being sarcastic anyways; I was glad he looked through the facade and accepted without laughing at my oblivion towards his flirtations. We were friends of course: he was the one that asked me.

Once the pile of work came into place, I retraced my steps. I pulled back the subject in the back of my head: hoping that it won't really pop up anytime soon.

But in my other conscience: I knew that the topic of relationships will always sting me constantly.

____

A/N: Great that I've updated this sooner than I'd thought. Not a lot to be said in this chapter, I just thought the conversation was cute and good development between the two.

Hoped you guys enjoyed reading :)

-SierraOwls