Caught Out There
“So, you are the real deal, huh?”
“So, you haven’t looked at any of my IG posts this past year, huh?”
Sophie and I had grabbed a table at Stripsteak at the Fontainbleu Hotel. Being who I am, it’s kind of hard to keep it low-key, but it was a week night so I figured it would be alright. And I was right. The restaurant was practically empty. Only a few occupied tables.
We were seated immediately and given menus.
“School keeps me pretty busy. I haven’t really posted much this year. But I was scrolling through your feed after you left the other day. So, who is Eva?”
“Um, Eva is…I don’t know how to describe it.”
“Is she your girlfriend?”
“I think so.”
“You think?”
“We’re in a weird space right now.”
“And I’m supposed to help you move on from that space?”
“No. Seeing you that day was a total coincidence. How would I have known you were there?”
Just then, the waiter came back to take our order. We both ordered fish.
“So, what is this?”
“This is two friends catching up over dinner. We’re friends, right?”
“I guess.”
“I’ll take that. I didn’t mention Eva earlier because I didn’t think I needed to. We were just going to dinner. Catching up. It’s been a year and a half, we may be totally different than we were that night in Rio. I might not even like you.”
She laughed. I sighed, glad that the night wasn’t totally ruined. Or so I thought. I looked toward the front of the restaurant and I saw Eva’s friend Ashley staring at us through the window. She tilted her head to the side as if she were trying to figure something out, before narrowing her eyes and shaking her head at me.
“Excuse me a second.” I got up from the table and half walked, half jogged in the direction Ashley went in. Thank God she was wearing heels.
“Hey, Ash. What you doing here? Why didn’t you come and say what’s up?” I try to play it off like she didn’t just see me at dinner with someone who was not Eva.
“Really, Tony? That’s the best you could come up with?”
“What you mean? It’s not even like that. She’s a trainer. She works at the doctor’s office that I go to.”
“I don’t ever remember seeing you out with any of your male trainers.”
“Look, me and Sophie go back. I met her like two summers ago. Before anything even happened with Eva. We were just catching up. Honest. It’s not like that.”
“So, if I called Eva right now, she would know who this Sophie is?”
I hesitate for a second. She had me there. “No, she wouldn’t.” She rolled her eyes and pulled out her phone. “But that still doesn’t mean anything. Sophie is just friend.”
“Y’all are all dogs. I can’t believe you out here doing my girl dirty like that.”
“Ain’t nobody doing nothing!” I realize we have a few eyes on us, so I lower my tone. “Ashley, nothing happened. Nothing is happening. You can come and join us if you’d like.”
“Nah, I ain’t being a part of this shit. Got my girl stressing about this Dante shit because you’ve been acting funny lately, and the whole time, you’ve been stepping out. Men are always projecting their bullshit onto us.”
“No, man. Ashley, I can’t even get into all of it with you right now, but I literally ran into Sophie a couple days ago. I’m just asking you not to cause any extra unnecessary drama.”
“Me? I’m causing drama? I’m not out at dinner with somebody that’s not my girlfriend.” She said the last part real loud causing us to get more stares.
“Oh, you want this shit on The Shade Room tonight, huh?”
“Somebody has to be honest with my girl.” She put her phone back in her purse and walked away.
I thought about chasing her, but cell phones were already out and Sophie was probably wondering where I was.
I walked back to the table where Sophie and my salmon was waiting.
“That wasn’t Eva was it?”
“No, one of her friends.”
“You look upset. Do we need to take this to go?”
I thought about saying yes, I should have said yes. But instead I said the opposite. Being around Sophie makes me say all sorts of ignorant shit.
“We’re two friends having dinner. If we leave, it’ll look like we have something to hide. Which we don’t. So, please enjoy your meal. Because I’m going to enjoy mine.”
Hell, it may be the last meal I ever eat.