Page 4 of Upgraded Friendship

Despite the bustling kitchen around me, I can’t help but feel a sense of warmth at the thought of seeing her.

Exiting the kitchen, I scan the crowded dining area, until I spot Tanya and Andrea seated at their usual table. Making my way over to them, I weave between the occupied chairs with practiced ease.

As I approach, I notice subtle tension in Andrea’s posture, a furrow in her brow that betrays her inner turmoil.

“Hey, sis! Andrea!” I call out with a grin, walking up to their table.

Tanya beams up at me, her excitement contagious. “Josh, perfect timing! We were just about to order,” she says, gesturing to the menus spread out before them.

I chuckle, nodding in agreement. “Well, you’re in luck. Let me know if there’s anything special you’d like,” I offer, glancing over at Andrea, who seems lost in thought.

“Andrea, you okay?” I ask, noticing the furrow deepening in her brow.

She startles slightly, as if snapped out of a reverie. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” she replies with a forced smile, but I can see the tension in her eyes.

Before I can inquire further, Tanya jumps in with an explanation.

“Josh, you won’t believe what happened. You remember Jeremy? The playboy from high school I kept telling you about that Andrea has a crush on.”

“Had! Had a crush, Tanya…in high school,” Andrea speaks up, sounding tense.

“Yeah, yeah. So, do you remember him, Josh?” I frown, trying to remember.

“Oh yeah, Andrea kept talking about him every time I picked you two up from school.” I finally recall.

“No! I did not.” Andrea’s response obviously signifies that there’s something wrong.

“Okay Andrea, okay. Anyways...Josh proposed to his college girlfriend!” she announces, her voice filled with a mix of disbelief and amusement.

I raise an eyebrow, intrigued. “No way! That’s quite the plot twist,” I remark, trying to gauge Andrea’s reaction.

Her forced smile falters for a moment before she quickly recovers. “Yeah, quite unexpected,” she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.

“And as we were his high school classmates, we were invited to the engagement party.”

Tanya continues to chatter away, oblivious to Andrea’s discomfort, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.

However, I don’t want to pry, especially in front of Tanya, so I keep the conversation light as we discuss the latest gossip and upcoming events.

Finally, they pick up the menus which lay before them like a tantalizing puzzle waiting to be solved. Tanya and Andrea exchange uncertain glances, their brows furrowed in indecision as they peruse the options.

“So, any idea what you guys want to eat?” I ask, trying to hide my amusement at their indecisiveness.

Tanya shrugs, her gaze fixed on the menu as if hoping the answer will reveal itself through sheer force of will.

“I don’t know, everything looks so good. What do you recommend tonight, Josh?” she asks, turning to me with a hopeful expression.

I chuckle, accustomed to Tanya’s tendency to seek my guidance when it comes to ordering food.

“Well, it depends on what you’re in the mood for. We’ve got some amazing seafood dishes, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you could try one of our signature fusion dishes,” I suggest, trying to steer her in the right direction.

Andrea nods in agreement, her eyes scanning the menu with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty.

“Hmm, seafood does sound good. But then again, so does a fusion dish. What do you think, Tanya?” she asks, turning to her friend for input.

Tanya’s lips purse in concentration as she weighs her options, her finger tracing the lines of the menu as if searching for hidden clues.

“I’m torn between the lobster risotto and the Korean barbecue tacos. What do you think, Andrea?” she replies, her voice filled with uncertainty.

---