[aph22]

Just then a heard a familiar voice. It was audible from where I was sitting so must be coming from nearby. A sultry voice was complaining that the guy in the fish line just before her took the last two pieces of fish and she had to wait 5 minutes which turned into ten minutes for her order. I looked behind Teresa to see a pair of brown-green eyes burning a hole into my head.

‘Oh, she’s a feisty one indeed.’ I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that, eat quickly and excuse myself from the food court before it all goes downhill. But her dress sense is immaculate. My first crush had the same mannerisms, confidence and ‘take no prisoners’ approach which bordered on ‘ice queen’ coldness.
Her figure was also similar, probably more developed though, around 17-18 years old. If only I could go back in time, I would make sure it worked out with my first crush this time round.

While I was lost in my reminiscences, I realised I’d been staring in her direction for probably just a bit too long. At that moment, she unexpectedly rose from her chair and approached my table.

Her stare pierced my skull nailing me to my seat. I wanted to run but was frozen. ‘What have I done now?’ I thought. ‘It’s only grilled fish!’ ‘I promise I wasn’t staring.’

‘WHAT do you think you’re doing? WHY aren’t you at work?’

I can’t believe this is actually happening. I thought to myself, ‘Of all the nerve! She’s exactly like my first crush. Very cute sultry voice when she’s angry, very ice-queen-like all other times. But who does she think she is? It’s a free country after all. I’m not breaking any rules.’

‘Not that it’s any of her business but I’m having lunch and the fire alarm went off so I can’t work.’ I imagined myself saying.

Just then I heard my inner thoughts being verbalised by another sultry voice.

‘I’m having lunch and the fire alarm went off so I can’t work.’

‘What? What just happened?!’ I thought to myself. Did I just say that out loud? Or do I have ESP (extrasensory perception)? Is Teresa sticking up for me? Wait. That voice. They’re the same voice. Those eyes, they’re the same eyes. Standing in front of me was a childhood version of Teresa. Am I in some kind of time warp like ‘Back to the Future’?

I looked from the ice-queen then to Teresa and back again. Wow, maybe they were twins or something but twenty years apart. Is that possible? I’ve heard of twins being 1 week apart. I’ll have to check Guinness Book of World Records…

‘You said that you were too busy at work to go shopping to buy me shoes. And now I see you here with your new boyfriend staring into his eyes.’

Wait! What just happened?! What is happening right now? Do they know each other? It must be true then. Back to the Future it is. I’ll just sit back and wait for Michael J Fox to appear. I must be the nutty professor. Maybe Lea Thompson will arrive…

‘I’ll talk to you at home tonight sweetie. You know you can wear these shoes when you’re 18 but not before. In the meantime…’ I heard Teresa say.

‘Yeah, yeah, yeah! I know. When I’m eighteen I can do this and can do that but not before. I’ve heard it all before. By the way, I’m not going to your escape room thingy this weekend. I’m too busy. I’m leaving now. I’ll be home late. Come on Jen. Let’s go.’ the mini-Teresa was dragging her friend off somewhere.

Jen looked at Teresa then at me then Teresa again. She beamed widely and just murmured, ‘Enjoy your favourite mango tea, your favourite grilled salmon and your lucky shoes Auntie!’

At this point in time I did not know what universe I was in. Was this a dream? Was I in heaven or hell? Although the scene just now caused a minor stir (which I loathe) in the food court, I couldn’t but help think that this cat fight was a bit of a turn on. Right here in front of me were two stunners high on emotion looking as beautiful as ever, one who reminded me of my first crush and the other a more mature refined professional who did not take a back step ever, snarling at each other. And Jen was well above average too.

I was trying to process these recent events and must have looked completely dumbfounded when Teresa spoke.

‘That’s my daughter Selina. She’s upset about many things but most recently because I wouldn’t share my Louboutins with her.’

Righto. That still doesn’t explain a lot of things. Like how come you look so young and yet have a teenage daughter. What would your husband think of you having lunch with a total stranger. How did I become your bf, am I going to be in trouble again, why is grilled salmon and mango tea your favourite and why are your shoes lucky?

I started with, ‘Will she tell your husband about today?’

Teresa raised her right eyebrow at me.

‘Didn’t your Dad ever tell you that you don’t have to be married to have children? I don’t have a husband and Selina hasn’t spoken to her Dad for years.’

‘Ok’ I thought to myself. Let me do some mathematics in my head. If you had Selina when you were twenty then…

Teresa must have read my mind. ‘In case you’re wondering, I had Selina when I was 19 at uni. She’s 17 now. That makes me 36 and you are 39.’

Yes, that makes sense. She looks mid-20s but being Asian I would have guessed around mid-30s. Selina looks well developed for 17 but if her mum says so then 17 it is. She should know. And yes I am 39.

Wait!!

Wait a minute!?!

How would Teresa know that? Has she been stalking me?

‘I’m friends with Anna from school. You went to our formal.’

I looked upwards and to the left. Apparently that helps you remember incidents from the distant past. I remember Anna of course. I still have our formal photo. She was cute. Why didn’t we date. I can’t remember now. She asked me out. Her friends were cute. Was Teresa one of her friends? Must be. Which one was she. There was a shy girl with really long hair who hardly talked. Was that her? She brought a date that she really didn’t like. Her parents arranged it I think. Was that her?

I squinted hard looking up and to the left trying to remember everything about that night. I turned to her face, her eyes, she’s a real beauty now. Maybe she hadn’t blossomed at school.
I was a late blossomer too. It happens.

‘So I know you like Mango milk tea, grilled salmon sushi and are 3 years older than us. Anna told us all the time. I cut my hair after having Selina.’

Really? Anna talked about me all the time? I wonder what she looks like now. A really soft hearted, gentle, giving, attractive girl, perfect wife material - so why didn’t we get together?

‘Anna will be at the escape room this weekend. Looks like we need one more player. She would love to see you again.’

Is she trying to set me up with Anna? Am I being asked out on a date? I thought Teresa was a bit attracted to me. Wow, I really can’t read women and the way they think. Do any of them actually like me or is it more of a nostalgic thing? Novelty item maybe.
My mind was being blown apart right now. So many unanswered questions.

‘Lunch was nice before we were interrupted but you still owe me. If you come to this, I might forgive you.’

But I hadn’t seen Anna for years, I barely know Teresa, I’ll be a fish out of water. Although it would be nice to have 2 girls fighting over me haha.

What I couldn’t fathom was whether Teresa liked Mango milk tea or not. Did she get it for me? If she really liked it too, why didn’t she just get 2 of them. Was it reverse psychology or the dreaded double reverse psychology. I think she really does like grilled salmon sushi, so we have some things in common. Who would I choose if I had to, Anna or Teresa haha.

‘So I’ll tell Anna you are coming then. She’ll be thrilled.’

What is going on? Am I in a parallel universe? I really think Teresa likes me a bit even though we got off to a rocky start. And Anna sounds like she’s been holding the candle for a long time. How to find out? Only one way I guess. I was unable to verbalise again and just slowly nodded my head.

‘It’s 11am on Saturday. It’s called ‘Intruders’. Supposed to be scary…’