RANKINGS | #35 in #filipino  💕  | 10/17
#68 in #fantasycreatures | 10/17

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CHAPTER TWO | AMARA POV

His name is Jace. Twenty years old, and moved to Mountain View a little over a month before me. Also, happy to report that he's not an asshole as I formally assumed.

Maybe just slightly.

"I promise you, this is the best Korean food in this town." He commends as he looked over his shoulder at me with a cheesy grin.

I attempt to look past Jace's broad stature, to see if we moved up in our place in line. However, my petite frame of  5'4 against his frame of maybe 5'10 made this a difficult feat.

Apparently, this place is so great that we have to wait in line to get in.

Absentmindedly, my body jitters anxiously. I chalk it up to the wait, I'm just anxious to get in.

I bring myself back to reality and raise an eyebrow at his statement. "Well, coming from a Korean himself- I think you would know best."

"Half Korean, Half Chinese." He states, proudly."Although, if my mother were here then I would have to redact my earlier statement. This would no longer be the best Korean food in town." He jokes.

I attempt a half smile at his words. Inside, my heart pangs at his mention of the word 'mother'. My mind races back to cloudy memories at home with the fresh smell of adobo on a scalding summer day.

I shake my head at these thoughts- new chapter, there's no room for old wounds here.

I opt to switch the subject, "What brought you here, Jace?"

Jace tenses and at this as if it were a hard question.

Maybe it is.

The look on his face, has me regretting my words. "I'm sorry, If that—,"

He shakes his head, "It's fine, Amara." He reassures. "I'm just looking for something." His shoulders lift into a nonchalant shrug.

Although his response peaks my curiosity- I don't push him to elaborate, since it seems like a touchy topic for him.

Maybe he's one of those people who are finding themselves?

After what felt like an eternity we finally reach the front of the line. Our hostess assigned to us, promptly greets us.

"Thank you for waiting, but I do have to apologize— we will have to seat you two away from our family area and towards our quiet setting." She apologizes, with a slight frown on her heart shape features.

I shook my head at this, although I'm practically starving at this point. "That's okay, we're just happy to be seated."

She flashes a grateful smile and turns on her heel.

I nod in acknowledgment with a half smile, and follow the hostess with Jace behind me.

The earlier feeling of anxiousness suddenly slips into an unyielding yearning. I rub my bare arms as if it could calm my nerves.

"You okay?"

Jace puts a hand on my shoulder, which nearly has me jumping in the spot. My skin feels hypersensitive, almost as if it were crawling with heat. A hint of concern is laced in his expression as he looked to me, and with a deep breath I nodded.

"I'm fine." I reassure.

The look on his face confirms that he wasn't buying my feeble statement. He promptly removes his black letterman jacket before I could protest and places it onto my shoulders.

"Is everything alright?"

Our eyes snaps to the hostess who looks to us expectingly.

"Yes, Sorry about that." Jace responds, to which the hostess wafts her hand in disregard and continues to guide us to our table.

The atmosphere slowly shifts into a relaxed and refined spirit, as we progress closer to our table— different from the jollier/family appearance we initially entered. I try to contain my awe at the interior, almost as if we entered a completely different restaurant. The walls were painted a dark granite, in contrast to the polished light brown tables, paired with pitch black seats. A modern/industrial look.

I take in the patrons, in seemingly hushed conversations- all dressed in posh outfits. Suddenly, I'm conscious of Jace and I's definitely underdressed choice of clothing. He wore the same simple black tee that I met him in, paired with dark washed jeans and sneakers. I'm practically swimming in his jacket since it's sizes bigger than me. Underneath I wore a low back- spaghetti strap tank top paired with plain black jeans and slippers.

I look to Jace incredulously, and he seemed to mirror what I was thinking.

He raises his hands in surrender, "In my defense, I didn't eat at this side of the restaurant. I didn't know that this extension existed."

The nerves are almost unbearable at this point. As if they suddenly kicked into high drive.

The hostess gestures to our table, as I turn my gaze to the table I notice a party of four who sit distanced from everyone else. Almost as if they were in their own private sector.

All were dressed in class. A woman with bold red lips, short jet black wavy hair, and a high neck silk dress. She seemed to be in intense debate with the man and woman seated across from her. Beside her sat another man.

As if he felt my gaze, he met mine. My breath catches in my throat, my heart suddenly goes into overdrive and pounds at what feels like a mile a minute.

I've seen him before.

Mate.

The word thunders into my mind without warning. Almost as if it weren't my own thought.

His warm brown eyes trail down my frame when his eyes rest on the letterman jacket. A scowl spreads across his features as his jaw clenches. His gaze melts from a warm brown into an ember, red color.

I let out a gasp at this.

"Amara."

I shake my head as if I could shake this whole encounter away. Jace looks to me expectingly, motioning me to sit. I promptly do in embarrassment.

"You seem really out of it." He comments as he opens up the menu.

"I just—It's been a long day I guess." I stumble over my words- to which he raises an eyebrow to but thankfully doesn't comment.

I fight to ignore the feeling, the pull to be closer to that stranger. I sneak another look at him.

He adjusts the collar of his white button-up, as if it were too tight on his neck. Then ran a hand through his ash-brown curls. A look of irritation evident on his warm ivory features. Almost instinctively I examine him too. A prominent nose, square jaw— a long sleeve that hugs his biceps —.

"The Soondubu here is good, that I can say for sure."

I swear the number of times Jace pulled me out of my head today— enough for the Guinness record. I briefly scan the menu, when I finally settle on a choice.

"I'm going to head to the bathroom, but if the waitress comes before I'm back I'll get the Bibimbap."

Before he could object, I slip from my seat.

Do I even know where the bathroom is?

Definitely not.

I just can't handle staying still- I have no idea what's going on and I hate that I almost have no control over myself.

In my peripheral vision, I see the stranger stand too.

*****
CHAPTER DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• What do you think of Jace's character?
• What 'wounds' do you think Amara is running from?
• What do you think is running through the head of 'the stranger'?