Chapter 7: Thai Palace

The next few weeks were a breath of fresh air for David. He finished the album and was busy with preparations for its release. He’d even traveled to New York for some photo shoots and some early promotion.  It was always exciting to complete a project and see it come to life. Besides, he’d decided that focusing on his work was the best distraction, a way to keep his mind off of his personal life. It was time to move on, he told himself, and that’s what he was determined to do. It was over with Jasmine. He’d known that for sure since that night at the beach. There was nothing he could do about it and the sooner he could truly accept it the better off he would be.

One day as he was leaving the studio, after tying up some loose ends, he heard a voice. 

“David Archuleta! I heard that you were here!” a girl’s voice said.

David turned. “Lisa!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” 

He quickly walked over and hugged her. It had been a few years since he’d seen his old high school friend. She’d moved to LA shortly after graduation to pursue modeling and acting.

Smiling, she said, “I’m here working on a voice- over for a movie we’re filming. I’m at UCLA trying to finish up my film degree.”

“Wow. How’s that going?” asked David.

“It’s going well. It’s been a blast. I’ll be done in a few months,” she said. “Are you here in LA now?” she asked.

“Yeah I am. In fact I was just here tying up some loose ends for a project”, he said.

“Well, it’s been forever! It’s so good to see you David!” she said excitedly. “Hey, have you had dinner yet?” she asked. “I know this great Thai restaurant…”

“You had me at Thai,” he said, laughing. “No, I haven’t. That would be great.”

“Cool. Have you heard of Thai Palace?” she asked.

David hesitated. Thai Palace had been he and Jasmine’s favorite restaurant and they’d shared many special moments there. It’s where they’d gone on their first date and where he’d first told Jasmine that he loved her. But now, that was all over except for the memories. I can’t avoid it forever, he told himself. Besides, he reasoned, it would be great to hang out with an old friend.

“Are you okay?” Lisa asked, concerned. “We can go somewhere else if you like.”

“No, Thai Palace is fine,” he said, smiling. “Let’s go.”

                                                      ________________________________

“Jasmine?  Earth to Jasmine. Come in Jasmine,” joked Edgar.

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry Edgar. Did you say something?” Jasmine asked.

“Your body is here but your thoughts are a million miles away. What’s up?” he asked.

She and Edgar had been out shopping for a gift for her father’s birthday, which was the following week. Afterwards, they’d decided to grab dinner and headed to Thai Palace. It had been a few weeks since Jasmine had left that message on David’s voicemail and she still hadn’t heard back from him. She’d driven home that night fully expecting that he would call and that she would at least have the chance to apologize and let him know that she still loved him. Maybe he’s busy working and he’ll call tomorrow, she thought, when he didn’t call that night. So she waited…and waited. But as the days passed with no word from him the reality began to sink in. Maybe she’d lost him for good. And yet, there was a part of her that still held onto hope. Maybe he’s traveling and very busy and just hasn’t had time yet but he’s going to call, she reasoned. We’ll be together again, she told herself.

So, when they decided to go to lunch she suggested Thai Palace. Even though she couldn’t be with David, somehow being where they had once been together gave her comfort.

“Are you thinking of you-know-who?” Edgar asked.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked, smiling ruefully.

“Only as obvious as the nose on your face,” Edgar said, laughing.

“I’m sorry…just being here…I just can’t believe he hasn’t called,” she said, sighing.

Gently, Edgar asked, “Jasmine, what if he doesn’t call? Have you faced the possibility that you may have to move on?”

But Jasmine didn’t hear him. She was staring at the restaurant entrance, at someone who had just arrived.

David saw her as soon as he entered. As they arrived at the restaurant, Lisa had run into a friend who was leaving and he’d decided to go in ahead of her to reserve a table while they chatted for a few moments. When he walked in he was initially shocked to see Jasmine, but it was quickly replaced with hurt and anger. How could she? How could she bring him here? He knew that it was over but he couldn’t help the feelings that washed over him. He felt betrayed. Following the hostess to his table, David pretended that he didn’t see her.

“He’s here!” said Jasmine, barely able to contain the excitement she felt.

“Who?” asked Edgar.

“David! He just walked in!” she exclaimed. “I have to go talk to him,” she said urgently, slowly starting to get up from the table.

“Jas, I don’t know that that’s such a good idea. I don’t want you to get hurt,” he said as he reached across the table to stop her.

“Edgar, this is my chance. Besides, he probably came here looking for me,” she said in a hushed tone.

“Jas…that doesn’t make sense. How would he know that you were here?” he asked.

“Edgar, I don’t know,” she said. She was starting to get irritated. Why did he keep asking so many questions?! She had to get to David!

She watched as he made his way to his table. Her heart racing, Jasmine began to push her chair away from the table. And then… she saw her. The stunningly beautiful girl who had just walked in and was headed straight for David’s table. As soon as David saw her, he broke into a huge grin, rose from his side of the table, and went to pull out her chair for her.

Jasmine suddenly felt as if she’d had the wind knocked out of her. The possibility that David had moved on had never entered her thoughts, but here it was right in front of her. She now understood why he’d never called her…and why he never would. It was over. She had lost him and there would be no second chance. Devastated, Jasmine excused herself from the table and quickly made her way to the restroom. She had to get out of there. She couldn’t breathe.