Shadowplay

“Good evening, my name is Jenny, I’ll be your server for the night. Would you like a drink while you’re looking at the menus?” The server said while handing out the menus.

Jenny probably didn’t expect the young guests to be only around 17 to 18 years old. Or she didn’t care. However, Abby just sidestepped the issue.

“I think we girls will share a tea platter for the start?”

“Yeah, tea would be nice.” Eve agreed.

Kim just nodded along. The server started to write down the order.

“Great choice. The platter comes with the house blend, two croissants au beurre and some tamarind jam. Anything for the gentlemen as well?”

“I’m fine with water.” Said Blake.

“Me too. We take two bottles for now.” Gail declared.

Robert glanced at Kim. She still avoided his eyes.

“You prefer tea?”

“Hmm? Oh, don’t know. Just need something to drink.”

“Okay. I take a doppio.” Her date concluded.

“Thank you. So, we have the tea platter, two bottles of water and a double shot espresso. I’ll be back with your drinks and the croissants. Enjoy your time at the Plumeria Walk!”

The conversations of the other two pairs continued.

“You will become a lawyer too? Like your dad?” Eve asked Blake.

Kimberly didn’t get to listen to the answer. Robert leaned in on her, left elbow on the table. Hand on his cheek.

“I think I’ve seen you somewhere before. Do we share any classes?”

Kim looked up, fixed her eyes on his mouth and slowly shook her head.

“Don’t think so.”

“I'm pretty sure I've seen your face before. Maybe somewhere else on the school grounds. Whatever. Just to get this out of the way, I'm not really here to hook up, find a girlfriend or something like that. Gail more or less blackmailed me into this. Nothing personal, you're pretty cute and all, I’m just bad at this stuff and tired of it. But order whatever you want. It's all on me.”

Kimberly was taken aback and felt a bit insulted. Her eyes found his and she glared at him. This should’ve been her saying that middle part. And she wasn't here to have her evening paid for by some spoiled boy who acted as if he were already an adult and above everything else.

“Oh, how generous. And I was so hoping to find my wealthy future husband at some high school date night. At least I am well rewarded for all my efforts to please you, Bobby.”

Kim's voice was quiet, but full of contempt. A part of it directed at herself the moment the words spilled from her lips. And Robert? His eyebrows were raised in surprise and a smile began to play around the corners of his mouth. A disarming, sly smile.

“That came across as pretty arrogant, didn't it? Sorry. We don’t each other and this will probably not change this evening, but now I’m interested why you attended. What’s your game?”

Kimberly felt a bit silly, but also more at ease for the first time since Eve and her left the dorm.

“Eve dragged me along. Another one of Abby’s friends got sick and had to cancel.”

“Well, that paints a completely different picture. Gail probably told me about the girl you replaced. That’s where I came from. Let's just have a nice dinner and enjoy the evening. How about that? I’m still going to pay though.”

“If you insist.” Kim said dryly.

The server approached their table again and put down their drinks and the croissants.

“There we go. Do you already know what you want to eat? Or would you like a recommendation?”

Gail looked around. They all shook their heads.

“Take your time and just let me know when you're ready.”

Kim tore off a piece of one of the croissants and stuffed it into her mouth while Robert took a sip of his espresso. Kim now held his gaze without letting go.

“What kind of work keeps you up all night? Eve said you three all come from “good” families. Didn’t expect you to earn your own living.”

“It’s not like that. I’m probably exactly that pampered little boy from a “good” family you expected. With work I meant my passion. Or hobby to not make it sound pretentious again. I love to paint. That’s why I’m at the academy. Just for Mr. Rye’s art class.”

“Your parents enrolled you in the academy just so you could attend one specific class? Now I’m kind of jealous.”

“Why? Which class are you here for? What was your parents’ intention?”

“Oh, I had to fight tooth and nails to get here. And I pay for it myself. Just joined the academy for my senior year.”

“So, you are not from here?”

“No, I’m a smalltown girl. In the big city for the first time. Okay, the second part was a lie. But my hometown really is like a backwater.”

“And why did you want to join the academy? Do you also have a passion or a hobby?”

“It’s for the music class. I write songs, sing and play them, you know.”

“Are you in a band?”

“No, I’m more of a solo artist.”

“That's cool. Have you ever been on stage?”

“Yeah, a few times.” Kim said with a big and proud inward smile.

“Hmm, what's your genre?”

“Don’t know. Could probably call it post-punk or just some strand of indie music in general. Electric guitar, electric piano, a bunch of synthesizers, you know.”

“And I guess the lyrics are rather sad?”

“You guessed right. I’m a very deep and complicated person.” Kimberly chuckled.

“Invite me to one of your next performances sometime. I’m not that much into music. But I heard a few songs from Joy Division and liked them. They are post-punk, right?”

“Yes, they are. Which song did you like?”

“Don’t know its name. I think it was about losing a feeling.”

“Ahh, Disorder. Good choice. But it’s a close second to Love Will Tear Us Apart.”

“I’ll give it a listen.”

“You should. And what about your passion? What kind of pictures do you paint?”

“At the moment I’m kind of into second generation Futurism and also surrealism in the late Sowjet Union.”

“Well, now I feel kind of uneducated.”

“I’m also a very deep and complicated person.”

They gave each other amused smiles.

“Let's make a deal. If you ever have an exhibition, you invite me, and then I'll invite you to one of my concerts.”

“Deal. Shall we take a look at the menu?”

Kimberly nodded and let her gaze wander over the listed dishes. Her eyes lingered on the Duck Larb. A spicy salad with herbs and roasted duck. It sounded delicious. She looked up at Robert again, and he returned her gaze. She saw something in his eyes. A feeling she knew too, but couldn't quite put her finger on. He tilted his head and gave her another smile.

“Have you already made up your mind?”

“Yes, I’ll take the roasted duck salad. And you?”

“I’m not that hungry. I think I'll take that pâté sandwich.”

“Ugh, you enjoy liver?”

“I've had classic French pâté a few times before. It was actually quite tasty.”

A nice warm feeling had spread through Kimberly's stomach. A warm feeling that she didn't want to name yet. Somehow, she felt really comfortable for the first time in weeks. Gail had meanwhile beckoned the server back to the table.

“I hope everything is to your taste so far? May I take your order?”