While they are waiting for their drinks, “Zoey” looks around the dining hall, ‘hey… isn’t that Raúl,’ she asks herself when she spots a 13 year-old boy sitting at a table with a woman and a man, all of them dressed in expensive looking clothing.
“Dad,” the “girl” says.
Darren looks up, “yes,” he asks.
“Can I just go over and say “hi” to Raúl?”
Darren turns his head, “sure,” he says, “but don’t be to long, the waiter might come any minute”.
“Zoey” nods, “I’ll be right back,” she says.
The “girl” gets to her feet and slowly walks towards the table where Raúl is seated, the closer she gets the more her heart pounds in her chest, ‘man, why do I feel so nervous,’ she asks herself, ‘Raúl… what are you doing to me?’
“Zoey” is a few feet away, when Raúl looks up, a smile appears on his face, when he sees the “girl” walking up to his table.
“H-hey, Raúl,” “Zoey” says nervously, “I… I hope I am not… um… bothering you guys”.
“Hey, Zoey,” the boy says, “not at all. What brings you over?”
“Who’s the girl, Raúl,” the man asks in spanish, before “Zoey” has a chance to answer the boy`s question.
Raúl turns to the man, “her name is “Zoey”, I met her earlier in the gaming room,” he answers in spanish, he then turns back to “Zoey”, “these are my parents: my dad, Marco, and my mom Josefina Díaz”.
“Zoey” looks at the two grown ups, who look at her in a weird way, almost like the “girl” was annoying. Jeff thinks quickly, he then remembers that rich people pretty noble, he remembers watching a movie once, when he was a boy, where a rich girl did a curtsy, so the “girl” quickly does just that the best she could muster, being inexperienced. “Zoey” then looks up, “um… it… it’s nice to meet you, mam and sir,” she says.
The grown ups look at the girl, but then “Zoey” notices their emotionless faces seeming to relax and lighten up as both give a nod and smile a little.
“You are a very well behaved girl, Zoey,” Josefina says in english, which has a slight accent to it, “it is a pleasure to meet you too”.
“What is your business with our son,” the father asks.
“I… I just came over to let Raúl know, that we can meet up tomorrow evening in the gaming room as we have discussed earlier”.
Raúl smiles, “great,” he says, “I would say we meet after dinner, around 7pm?”
“Zoey” nods, “sounds good to me”.
Raúl looks at his parents, “will that be okay,” he asks.
The two look at each other, then they smile and nod, “of course,” Josefina says.
“Zoey” smiles, “cool, well… I better head back to my dad,” the “girl” says, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Raúl. Have a nice evening,” she says, looking at the parents, “it has been a pleasure to meet you,” she adds, giving another curtsy before leaving and heading back to Darren.
As “Zoey” walks back to her “dad”, Josefina turns to look at Raúl, who is staring after the “girl” a big smile and a dreamy expression on his face. The woman chuckles, as she realizes what is going on, “is my son falling for a girl,” she asks.
Raúl, hearing this, snaps out of his daydream, “wha… um… m-maybe,” he say quietly, blushing a little.
The parents chuckles, “son,” Marco says, “no need to be embarrassed, I was the same”. He then looks over at “Zoey”, who has sat down at a table with a man, the girl smiling happily, seeming to tell her dad something. Marco notices the man turn his head to look their way, the man smiles and nods, when realizing that Raúl’s parents are looking at them. Marco nods and smiles back, he then turns back to Raúl, “she is really pretty,” he says, “I think your mother and I are on the same page, right dear,” he asks, turning to his wife.
Josefina smiles and nods, “if anything should become… “serious” between the two of you, know this: we won’t stand in your way, actually I am hoping that it will work out. She’ll make a fine mother, you better make sure to make her yours before a other boy snatches her away,” she says, winking.
Raúl grins, “THAT, mom, is my plan,” he says, “I am so happy that I got your blessings. Thanks, guys!”
Raúl’s dad smiles, “we are proud of you, son,” he says, “she is perfect for you. She’ll be a great addition to the family and your children will be the most good looking kids in the Universe”.
Raúl smiles, he looks over at “Zoey”, “I think I made a great catch with her,” he says, “there is no other girl that is prettier than Zoey. I promise, I’ll do my best to make her mine”.
The parents smile, “we are confident that you’ll manage that,” they say, “you are the world’s most handsome man. She’d make a huge mistake if she should not choose you, but as far as I can tell: she has the hots for you,” Josefina adds with a smile.
Meanwhile Darren has told “Zoey” that she did a great job with the curtsy, “well done,” he says, “how did you know that you have to act in that way, when dealing with rich folks?”
“Well,” the “girl” says, “I remember watching a Movie a few years ago. It was a Movie about a rich or royal family, the girl and the women, when meeting someone, no matter if it was a man or a other woman, they did this curtsy as a way to show respect and just being polite”.
Darren smiles, “great job, once again, Zoey,” he says, smiling, “so, what have you two arranged?”
“We are going to meet tomorrow after dinner at around 7pm,” the “girl” says.
“That works just fine,” Darren says, “by the way, we’ll be meeting a contact tomorrow to get more information and details about the mission,” he adds.
“Zoey” nods, “okay,” she says.
Then the conversation turns to a more private one, both joking and laughing, Jeff is really starting to like Darren. The former boy feels safe in the man’s presence, even though he got kidnapped by him, ‘sorry mum, dad… but I might never return home. Darren is far more cooler than you, it is also starting to not feel weird calling him “dad”. I am really considering to stay with him for ever!’