My brothers girlfriend *Billie Eilish

-22-

The following evening, Kat made her way to the centrum to meet Ivan. She adjusted her bracelet nervously as she approached the Mexican restaurant. Ivan was already there, he spotted her instantly and waved with a broad smile. "Kat! Over here!" he called out loudly.

As she sat down, he leaned in for a quick peck on the cheek, which Kat awkwardly turned into a half-hug. He was wearing a crisp blue shirt that brought out the light in his eyes, combined with a very strong cologne, that overwhelmed Kat a little.

"Kat, you look amazing," Ivan said, pulling back to look at her. His gaze lasted a bit too long, making her shift uncomfortably.

"Thanks, Ivan. This place smells so nice," Kat replied, trying to shift the focus away from herself.

They sat down, and Ivan immediately took charge of the menu, recommending dishes with enthusiasm "You have to try the molcajete and the tamarind water. Oh, and the chef here makes the best churros!"

Kat smiled politely as Ivan waved over the waiter, ordering for both of them in rapid Spanish. She felt a bit of an irritation at not getting a chance to look through the menu herself.

As they waited for their food, Ivan started telling stories from his recent trip to Mexico City. Every so often, he laughed loudly at his own jokes, causing a few heads in the restaurant to turn their way.

Ivan's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as the waiter set down their plates. "You're going to love this, Kat! It's the chef's special—pan-seared salmon with a mango salsa twist. A little bit of Mexico right here."

Kat offered a polite smile, her eyes briefly scanning the colorful dish in front of her. She picked up her fork and hesitated just a moment before trying a bite. "It looks delicious, Ivan. Thanks for recommending."

"So, what do you think?"

Kat chewed thoughtfully, searching for the right words. "It's... interesting. The mango is a nice touch,"

Ivan accidentally knocked his fork onto the floor excited. He let out a chuckle as he bent down to pick it up. "I swear, I'm not usually this clumsy! Must be because I'm in such great company." He flashed a charming grin as he sat back up.

The waiter came by again to check on them, and Ivan didn't miss a beat. "Everything is wonderful, thank you. Could we get another round of drinks? Kat loves the house wine, don't you?" he said, smiling at Kat.

She nodded, slightly uncomfortable with Ivan making choices for her. "I'm okay actually, I still have enough , thank you!"

The conversation drifted to shared interests. Ivan pulled out his phone to show Kat some photos he'd taken. "And here's a shot I took with that new lens I got, you're into photography too, right? What do you think?"

Kat leaned in, examining the photo. "It's very sharp. Your framing is impressive, Ivan."

"Thanks! We should go on a photo walk sometime.

„Yea, sound cool"

As Ivan continued to talk about his photography and dancing class, Kat's mind wandered. She glanced at a lesbian couple nearby and smiled. They seemed so in love.

Ivan however seemed completely unaware of Kat's fading interest as he kept talking enthusiastically.

"And then, I told my coach that I need to lead more routines. I mean, it's only fair, right? I've been there the longest," Ivan said.

"...so, after I nailed the solo, everyone was like, 'Ivan, you should teach us!' It's pretty clear they see me as the leader. It's about time, honestly," Ivan bragged in his self-perceived glory.