Lock You In My Heart

The two of them went back to the private room of the barbecue restaurant. The atmosphere there was tenser than Gabrielle had expected. Mia and Austin sat at opposite ends of a rectangular table that was designed for eight people. They sat far away and with so much distance between them. They seemed to be seated at the two ends of the world.

They sat so afar and were barbecuing their food in the baking tray that lay in front of them. This created a weird atmosphere in the room. They were behaving like strangers.

‘What is going on between Mia and Austin?’

Gabrielle wondered as she looked up at Westley. She nodded her head towards their direction, as if to get some information from him. Both of them had just left for a moment, but when they returned these two had completely changed. They were acting strangely, as if they were two people who just happened to dine together on the same table.

Gabrielle felt that if they sat down and joined them, it wouldn’t really help in relieving the embarrassing atmosphere in the room. She had expected that Mia’s easy-going and warm personality would help her get along with Austin easily.

But it looked like she was mistaken. It was not like what she had imagined, rather it was the opposite. The two of them sat separately like enemies compelled to have dinner together.

It was also a fact that Austin and Mia were not friends at all. Indeed, it was normal for them to feel embarrassed to be asked to sit and dine at the same table. Gabrielle realized that probably she was just too naïve to understand these things.

“Hey Gabrielle! You’re back. Come and sit beside me. I’ve roasted pork here for us. It’s delicious!” Mia waved at her and patted the chair by her side, gesturing for Gabrielle to sit beside her.

“Hey!” Gabrielle said as she walked towards the seat. After taking the seat next to Mia, she asked in a low voice, “What’s happening here?”

“If you want to know what happened between us, you’d better ask him. This gentleman seems to be dissatisfied with me!” Mia murmured as she put the roasted meat into Gabrielle’s bowl. She urged her to eat.

In fact, Mia too wasn’t aware of what went wrong. She had entered the room first, and was followed by Austin. Without saying anything to her, Austin moved ahead and took the innermost seat. He said nothing and sat in sheer silence. Mia felt that Austin was deliberately keeping a distance between them.

She was surprised at his behavior and felt that Austin didn’t want to get close to her. ‘If he isn’t interested, then why should I make efforts to be his friend?’

Mia was a straightforward and open-minded person. If someone liked her and treated her well, she would reciprocate in the same manner, ten times more. But if somebody was not nice to her, she would not befriend that person.

She didn’t expect everyone to love her. She was fine if someone hated her too. But she preferred clarity and would never want to be friends with someone who didn’t like her. In spite of all her flaws, she was not a person without friends.

she didn’t need friends like

was annoyed and would not tell her anything more, Gabrielle turned towards Austin. “So, Austin,

her. “Nothing. It’s just that I don’t know this lady much and may not be a good friend

Gabrielle pondered if Mia had said something to upset him. After all, Austin

unless he

Gabrielle! Let’s eat first. You don’t have to pay attention to him. He has a bad temper only when it comes to something related to me. I don’t think in future we will appear at the same place together. So, Gabrielle, think carefully about

such a question. She could not

and said, “I choose my husband!” She tried to stay composed and made an effort to lighten the

that her answer would

Austin. He had expected

make a decision between him and Mia, and not abruptly

Mia were

h other.

chose Westley, it instantly made him feel jealous.

wife’s words, he was extremely happy.

“So, why should I have dinner with you and your husband? You are a couple in love. And are always ready to show your love to the world! Why should I be here like an

shouldn’t have come to dinner with them. In the end, she

having dinner with us. So what’s the problem

Morris, what you’ve said just now, really hurts me. I think I’d better have meals with only Gabrielle from now on. I will never dine with both of

because of Mia’s grumbling and complaints in a joking tone. Austin moved a little nearer and nearer. By the middle of the

this piece of beef is mine. So,

you? Why don’t you

was true that Mia and Austin could not get along with each other.

had no idea what to do about them. The only thing she could do was to leave them alone to fight with each other. After all,

you are really ungrateful!” Austin said as he turned over her meat, which was on the verge of getting