She stared at the various people that mingled around her, focused on each other and their meals. She sat in that sea of noise and smells and knew the meaning of being truly alone.

She had come to this restaurant in hopes that surrounding herself with others would help her shake this empty feeling in her.

Her gaze flitted to the table full of teenage girls and she wondered how they could afford such an upscale restaurant. She took in their low ride jeans that did not quite hide their lacy underthings and travelled upwards to the equally skimpy tops that did little to hide their wares and even further up to the over styled and dyed hair to the heavy makeup and the suggestive glances they gave the various men that glanced their way before breaking into fits of laughter.

Her eyes travelled their line of sight to a married man sitting next to his wife, both older in years, she well groomed, well dressed and waving her hand as she spoke to her husband as his gaze continued to drift from the young ladies that continued to catch his attention. He looked bored with his life, not even looking at his wife as she continued to talk.

"Your appetizer, madam. Have you decided on your order?"

The waiter. A heavyset, polite man asked as he took a step back. He was quiet only speaking the necessary words to her, though she had watched him become alive and animated with the other tables around her. She knew that she was no beauty and though she was dressed appropriately for this setting, did not stand out in a crowd as so many others did.

She quickly and quietly placed her order, her speech soft, yet clear.

"Very good, Madam, I shall return with your food momentarily."

"No rush." She replied, turning her gaze to a couple being seated near her.

The woman and man talked to each other as they sat, not bothering to lower their voices as they spoke.

"… and then, would you believe it, she had the gall to tell me that she could not help me and that I had best find someone else. I tell you, the nerve of some people, thinking they…"

She shook her head as the woman's rant was interrupted by the sound of a phone which she immediately picked up and started to speak, in continued loud tones, into the phone as her other half stood and moved towards the restroom.

Her gaze glossed over the quiet older woman, reading a book as she waited for her order, two more tables of couples, all on their phones or tablets, ignoring each other.

Why, she thought, why could they not sit down and speak with each other?

He gaze stopped at the table that had two small children at it with a smile. The young boy was playing with a couple of small hotwheels, making the engine noises as he ran it back and forth over and around the various obstacles of the table as his parents held a heated discussion next to him. His older sister was digging through a large purse, pulling out an electronic device and plugging in head phones. Not that she blamed the child. Their parents were not censoring their conversation and though she could not hear their words, it was evident by the other patrons that it was not a pleasant conversation. Yet, no one stepped in to inform the couple that they were out of line or should tone it down.

"Your food, Madam."

She looked up at the polite, yet distant waiter with a soft smile.

"Thank you."

"Is there anything else you require of me?" He asked.

"No thank you."

"Very good then." She watched him walk away and wondered once more, what she was doing here. She could be back home, curled up on her couch, enjoying the quietness of this evening. Instead, here she was in the middle of a crowded room of strangers.

She focused on her food, enjoying the flavors for a moment, before once more her gaze began to travel the room at large.

She continued to watch the various couples around her before her gaze was halted on a lone figure, several tables away from her.

It was the silhouette of a single man and her gaze was immediately drawn to his left hand. No wedding ring.

She allowed herself to study him for a moment. He was not a handsome man, yet he was no troll either. Just your average man and she immediately wondered what brought him here, alone.

She watched as his waiter brought his food and then he began to eat. He was right handed, she noted and he did not slouch when he sat. The other oddity she noticed was, like her, the absence of electronic devices. She did not realize that there were others like her out here.

She froze as his gaze rose and their eyes met. His hand pausing for a mere second on it's way to his mouth.

She froze too, before lowering her gaze back to her food, feeling her body flush in embarrassment. What was she thinking? No, what was she doing? Staring at a man just because he was alone.

After another moment, she slowly raised her gaze up once more, trying to avoid looking at the man to no avail. Once more, she found her gaze settle on his figure, though this time he was ready for her and she flushed as she met his eyes once more.

He smiled and she immediately noticed his teeth. They were very straight. She gave him a nod back and lowered her gaze once more.

"Are you doing all right?" The waiter stood before her once more, blocking her view of the man.

"Yes. Thank you."

The man nodded and continued on his way and her gaze went to the man once more, noticing that was once more focusing on his food. She took the time to watch as he slowly blew, his lips puckering so slightly, on his food before slowly putting it into his mouth.

She watched his jaw move as his chewed his food and with a shake of her head, focused on her own food, refusing to look his way again.

"Shall I get you a to-go box?" Her waiter was back once more.

"Yes please. And the check please."

"Very good Madam." The waiter left once more.

She went back to her mindless wandering. The teenage girls were still flirting with the married man that was ignoring his wife. The couple with children were now busy trying to get their children to eat what was before them and the lady had finally gotten off the phone and was no telling the man all about the hideous dress her sister wore to a recent wedding.

Her gaze fell on the lady reading the book in the corner, taking bites in between pages. Next to her, a mother and teenagers now sat, the mother drinking as the girls shared the various packages they had bought on while shopping.

Her gaze slowly scanned the sea of faces until the fell, once more on the table with the lone man, but he was gone.

She felt a brief flash of anger and then loss as her waiter approached the table once more.

She quietly paid the check and took one last look at the sea of people around her before slipping out the door, ready to return to her empty home once more.

"Hi."

She whirled around, startled by the male voice so close to her.

There, standing before her was the man that had caught her eye.

"Hello." She eyed him, not sure what to think.

"The name is Adam." He held out his hand. It was a large hand.

"Tara." She took his hand with her own small hand. "The name is Tara."