Chapter 86 The Date [3]
He watched her drink the wine, feeling partially guilty for over reacting but also righteous for it was not he that was the genesis of this mess, she was the one. He barely drunk alcohol after those events. He could see her wide eyes shooting flames at him as she breathed in and out furiously. Was she expecting an apology from him?
Why should he apologize for attempting to defend himself? Granted there was no danger but there could easily have been.
"You should have said something before offering me wine." he blurted. "It's your fault." Indeed, he thought self righteously, she should have said something. How could she just hand over the wine glass like that?
It had brought a flash black and for three small seconds he could smell that bar again? This wine did not even smell like the one served in the bar and yet he had mixed them up.
Scarlet put down the wine bottle, debating with herself whether which option between forgiving him, ignoring it or punching that self righteous look off of his face would serve her best.
"I think maybe we can leave the alcohol, I have juice in my storage." She chose to ignore it. His aversion to alcohol was not the hill she wanted to die on when the night had only just begun.
But now, the mood was ruined, it was entirely awkward for she had no idea what to say next. She had been in a happy mood, a conversational mood and now she was in a crappy mood clouded by anger for some reason.
'Let's jus eat she thought.'
From her storage she brought out a dish and opened it, the smell of food was carried to Esong's sharp nose, seducing his senses and his stomach grumbled.
"Oh." he gasped. This was a new feeling, one he had never experienced before.
When she saw the wild look of disbelief on his face after his stomach grumbled, she found herself giggling. It was as if he was discovering something completely alien and abnormal.
"What's happening to me?" he asked.
"You are hungry." she replied. "When did you last eat?"
Esong had eaten a packet of Potatoe chips before leaving the space ship. If she was asking about real food then his answer would be the oat bread and tea. Usually he drunk two nutrient solutions a day and they kept him full for a while, he could even go two days without eating after that. Ever since he landed on the blue star however food was all he ate.
"Bread with you and Justin." he replied.
"With all the energy you burn whatever you ate is not enough to satisfy you anyway. Your body is telling you that it needs fuel."
"Fuel."
"Food Esong, food can sometimes be referred to as fuel or energy."
She had prepared a lasagna and some roasted carrots. "Here," she handed him a plate with a very big serving. She had doubled what she was serving him after hearing his stomach growl.
"Thank you." he mumbled. "You can drink your wine if you want." he added.
That was probably the closest thing she was going to get closest to an apology tonight.
"The juice is fine, I can save my wine for another occasion." she answered.
In silence, they ate their food, sitting so close but their thoughts were widely far. She was thinking about how awkward the atmosphere was now, like a bad date that you could not wait to end and go home, put on some yoga pants and watch a movie while eating ice cream.
He was wondering about what had gone into the lasagna to make it so tasty and how to talk about anything like she had said.
When more than half of his food was gone, he suddenly said, "The cold season is coming soon. Will your plants and animals survive?"
Scarlet, had already finished her meal, she ate less than half of what he ate and she decided to eat that ice cream which she was thinking about.
"I am trying to speed up the growth of as many plants as possible and the animals will be fine too. She had her crystal water and purifying water."
He thought about what else to say so he said whatever came to his mind, "The historical society has proposed the scanning and excavation of planets in search of signs of ancient life."
"Aah, they want to study early man." she responded.
"Apparently ancient men and women did not have mental strength at all, it's so weird."
She frowned a bit and asked, "Aren't there people today that have no mental strength?"
"Those are few in number, anomalies. There is no couple which records zero mental strength among all the children. If they have two, and the anomaly happens then only one may not have mental strength." He showed the plate with a proud smile on his face, "I have finished all my food."
She took the plate from his hands wondering why he sounded like a child informing a teacher or mother about a small achievement.
"Uhm good boy." she answered unsurely.
"What are we going to do next?" he asked.
"I don't know." she shrugged. "Maybe we watch the stars or a movie."
When she mentioned a movie he left his seat and knelt down on the blanket, "I have a wide selection of all the latest romance romance movies which women are said to enjoy."
As he scrolled through them she asked, "Do you have any comedy or action movie?
His finger paused and he looked at her with stunned eyes. "You want to watch an action movie!"
"Is it abnormal?" she asked him.
"No, no." he repeated the word twice. But he could recall the argument in the space ship between his friends about the choice of movie. "Have you ever watched Dragan's combat?"
"No, is it good?"
Esong shook his head, no, he had big plans for the night, a movie filled with blood shed would not be the right option. "It's all I have and it's too violent, there are more interesting things I can show you. How about I give you a tour of my space ship? You have never been inside it."
Scarlet figured there was no enjoying the date anymore, they had eaten and slightly conversed. She had learned a few things about him, and it was inevitable that she would go back to his private dwelling tonight.
"I think I would love that."