Chapter 163: Does it hurt, Carissa?

“How is it? Do you like it?”

Chaka finished chewing before answering. “I never said the food here tastes bad. It is just that the portion is too small for me.” He glanced at his plate and poked one of the chicken fingers with his fork. “Just looking at this makes me feel like it should come with rice.”

“Should I order you some white rice?” Carissa asked, already about to call a waitress.

“Hey, I was joking,” Chaka said quickly, reaching out to stop her hand before she could raise it.

Carissa shook her head and let out a small laugh. “Try this,” she said, sliding a plate of onion rings toward him. “The onions here are different. A little sweet, a little savory. It just works.”

Chaka raised one brow, not fully convinced, but he still picked one up. He dipped it into the sauce, then into the mayonnaise, and took a bite.

“So?” Carissa asked, watching his face.

Chaka gave a small nod. “It is good.”

Carissa smiled right away, bright and easy, like she did not even try. “See? I told you. This is Al’s favorite. Every time he comes here, he always orders it.”

The small smile on Chaka’s face slowly disappeared when he heard that name. So she was thinking about him again.

Chaka wrapped his spaghetti around his fork. “You and Alvero are really close, huh?” His voice dropped a little.

“Of course. We are friends. Close like you and me.”

Chaka said nothing. His face went blank. He did not know if Carissa really did not see what she was doing, or if she was pushing him away without saying it out loud.

It had not even been a full day since he told her how he felt about her. There was no way she had forgotten.

“So I am just a friend to you, then?” There was a quiet disappointment in his voice. He set down his fork and spoon, then reached for his drink.

Carissa, who had been focused on her food, looked up when she heard the change in his tone. “You are my friend, right?” she said, then paused. “For now?”

That was when she remembered he was trying to get closer to her.

That answer gave Chaka a little hope. It meant things could still change.

“Ah…” Carissa winced and touched her cheek.

Chaka leaned closer right away, his hand moving toward her face. “Does it hurt, Car?”

She nodded. “Yeah, a bit. I opened my mouth too wide while eating.”

Chaka let out a quiet laugh.

He pulled her plate closer, then gently eased the knife and fork out of her hands. “Here, let me cut it into smaller pieces so you do not have to open your mouth that wide. If you keep doing that, it will not just be chicken going in. A fly might join too.”

Carissa laughed, and for a moment, she just watched him.

She had to admit it. Even if Chaka could be annoying sometimes, there was a soft side to him she did not expect.

“What are you doing here?”

Carissa stood by the door with her arms crossed, her shoulder resting against the frame. She looked at Alvero, her face showing clear annoyance.

“Are you mad at me? You did not reply to my messages, and you did not pick my calls,” Alvero said, firing questions at her the moment she opened the door.

Carissa rolled her eyes. “Why were you calling me? To ask permission to hang out here again?”

Alvero scratched the back of his neck. “So you are mad because of that?”

Carissa did not answer right away. She turned and walked back inside, leaving the door open for him to follow. They both sat in the living room. She just hoped Leon was already asleep.

“I am not mad because you brought them here,” Carissa said, her voice calmer now. “You should have told me first, Al.”

“I am sorry, Car. I only found out from Chaka after they were already here.”

“So you did not know they were coming?”

Alvero shook his head, guilt written all over his face.

Carissa let out a slow breath. “Sorry, Al. I thought you knew.” She felt bad for getting it wrong and ignoring him all day.

“It is fine, Car. How is your cheek?” he asked, looking at her closely.

“It is better,” she said with a small smile.

Alvero nodded, relief showing on his face. He did not come just to ask why she ignored him. He also came because he was worried. He thought the bruise might get worse during the night. But it looked like she was healing fast.

“That is good. It does not hurt anymore, right?”

Carissa shook her head. “No. I used some ointment. It helped.”

“How are things between you and Chaka?”

The room went quiet. Carissa shifted slightly, her eyes moving away from his.

“It is good… I think,” she said, her voice a little unsure.

“I know him. He is a good guy. Even if he jokes a lot, he respects women. I think he will take good care of you, Car.”

There was something painful in the way Alvero said it, like he was handing her over to someone else, even though he had always been the one looking out for her.

“Like you,” Carissa said softly. “You take care of me too.”

Alvero looked down. “But I can not be yor boyfriend, Car. Chaka can.”

Carissa’s expression dropped. She did not know why that made her feel heavy inside. “It would be strange if we dated, right? Things would not feel the same.”

Alvero forced himself to meet her eyes. It felt like something pressed down inside his chest as she said what both of them already knew. There was a line between them they were not supposed to cross.

“Yeah… it would feel strange,” he said quietly.