Chapter 101: Chapter 101: Changed Catherine
"Listen carefully, I want you to understand it," Catherine began speaking her tone became suddenly sharper, "I’ve been living abroad for years so I’m used to foreign life.
Coming back here in my old country ... I find it hard to adjust."
Her friendly warmth faded into something colder, more superior like attitude.
Switching into occasional French phrases, she added with a proud tilt of her chin,
"Honestly, I think a lot of things and views of people here are outdated.
Take mine tattoos or nail art for example whenever I go around the street they keep staring at my tattoo and my nail art talking bad behind my back.
Why should anyone judge huh? Everyone should have the right to choose their lifestyle."
Alex continued to stay silent.
And also what that has to do with me I didn’t judge you on your tattoo or your so called nail art, right?
Too bad she couldn’t hear his inner thoughts and so she leaned closer to him showing her cleavage a little and her tattoo mainly, as if to show off.
"See I have a rose tattoo right here, it was very painful to make at that time," she touched her temple lightly.
"And unlike you, I enjoy playing games a lot, and not just any street level cricket or your town level tournament of football.
I enjoy games that rich people like us like to play.
Have you ever heard how much it cost to play golf and how much it costs to play maintain it, other than golf I also like to play skiing as side hobby.
Do you know how much a ski trip costs? Thousands, sometimes tens of thousands dollars at the very least .
Not everyone can afford that much even in their lifetime just for fun."
Alex couldn’t help but think silently in his mind.
And here is just another gold digger for my blind dates, ahh I couldn’t be surprised anymore now anyways.
She continued to keep talking about herself without anyone asking a true example of blowing his own’s trumpet, her words were filled with the kind of pride that made the atmosphere sink.
Seeing the tension between them increasing, Prof. Shagufta knew that if she didn’t salvage the situation quickly as soon as possible than this blind date is sure going to be get bad quickly.
She quickly forced a laugh and tried to smooth things over between them.
"Alright, alright. Let’s not talk about all that stuff here.
You should look around your surroundings let’s see this Italian café, it is very well-known around here, they have a very authentic flavor.
Let’s just look at the menu and order something first, Catherine."
She slipped the menu into Catherine’s hands.
But Catherine did not even take it in her hand.
Instead, she frowned at the place itself mocking she said.
"Is this what you called a Italian restaurant, really did you see that the décor here is so average.
I wonder if the kitchen here is even hygienic enough for me to eat?
You know Abroad, the standards are much stricter than India.
"Here... I’ve heard some horror stories about their hygiene."
Alex’s lips twitched at that.
I thought she was a bright, overseas returnee who came due to his love for country.
Turns out she’s just a foreign country brainwashed smitten girl .
Even Prof. Shagufta looked embarrassed now, she is already regretting about introducing her to Alex.
She tried to nudge her friend again to make her cool down.
"Catherine, enough of it. Just order something now for us to eat, please."
But Catherine waved her hand and called out to the waiter in the distance instead:
"Excuse me, could you get me a cappuccino?"
The waiter looked at her blankly.
"Uh... sorry, miss. We don’t serve coffee here. Only tea."
Catherine’s brows rose in disbelief at that statement.
"What? Every Italian café abroad serves coffee to people.
Why not here?"
Alex : ......
Prof. Shagufta : ......
Both of them were speechless by her.
Are you sure you are not making excuses for a fight?
Meanwhile the thoughts of Prof. Shagufta is:
How on earth did she changed her personality so much after she came back from abroad like this? She couldn’t recognise her friend anymore.
She finally excused herself from them knowing fully that blind date couldn’t continue anymore, her cheeks burned with shame but she hurriedly ran to the front desk to order some food on her own.
Meanwhile, Alex leaned back in his chair, utterly entertained by her theatrics.
Let’sforget leaving for now. This is better than a stand-up comedy show.
A free front row ticket to the best live comedy act in town is going live here.
Sitting across from Alex, Catherine didn’t bother with the changing mood in the room she shifted the topic with a curious smile on her face.
"I heard from Shagufta that you’ve started working somewhere and have a proper job.
So... where are you employed now what do you really do?"
Alex answered honestly, his tone casual.
"I am not interested in any daily corporate job. I’m just doing an ordinary job at this time.
But honestly the pay is enough to live comfortably for me, the benefits are decent too, but if I have to say it’s drawbacks —it’s a little boring to do the same everyday."
Catherine’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she leaned forward.
"Hmm. Well, I’ve always believed that if two people are together and are working, the man’s income should be at least ten times higher than the woman’s. Otherwise, what’s the point? A woman doesn’t want to lower her standard of living just because of her partner."
Alex couldn’t help but smile, his mood instantly brightening with where it is going.
Oh, this is gold. She’s really going all out on keeping me entertained. Come on, keep the performance going. Don’t stop now.
Catherine crossed her legs elegantly and pressed on.
"So, what exactly do you do?"
"Security guard," Alex replied with a straight face.
Her eyes widened in an instant.
"...What?"