his table. Trent stood to meet him, and they walked out together.
It was such a strange feeling to watch Trent from a distance without his knowing I was there.
“I’m glad that’s over,” said Bri.
“Me too.”
A few minutes later, the waitress brought out our grilled chicken caesar salads and iced tea.
“Well, I guess we might as well eat up and enjoy.” I picked up my fork and dug in.
“This place really is nice,” Bri said through a mouthful of chicken. “The food is delicious.” She took a sip of tea. “Any thoughts on why everyone you know—
except me
, that is—is keeping secrets from you?”
I sat there for a while, trying to come up with an explanation. I took a sip of my tea as well and said, “I don’t know…but there has to be a good reason for all of this…
right?
”
XV
85 %
I was quiet on Sunday morning. “What’s the matter, Ashley? You’re not getting sick, are you? You’ve hardly said two words all morning.”
“I’m fine. Just tired, I guess,” I told my mom.
“You should cut back on your hours at work. I don’t like your being there at night anyway.”
“Maybe,” I agreed, so she’d drop it.
“Well, this should perk you up.” She nodded at the TV. “A cold front is going to be pushing its way through in the next few days. They’re predicting thunderstorms.”
My mom and I were heading home from church and about to pass The Egg and I. “You want some breakfast?” I asked.
She nodded. “Sounds good.”
We didn’t have to wait long to be seated. I loved this place. They always had classical music streaming, and the interior was bright and cheery.
“I’ll have a Colorado Jack scramble with wheat toast and orange juice, please,” I told our waitress, without looking at the menu. I knew it well, and I was starving.
My mom ordered a waffle that could have fed an entire county, and we shared a carafe of coffee.
I decided it was time to do a little investigating.
“So have you seen Dad lately?” I asked. I looked off, pretending not to be too interested in her response, but then I turned back so I could try to read her face.
She swallowed then looked down. “
Seen
him? I haven’t even spoken to him since…” She paused and acted like she was concentrating. “Well, I couldn’t tell you the last time. It’s been a while.” She took a sip of coffee.
That was a lie, plain and simple. I’d seen her with him with my own eyes. Why was she doing this? She didn’t appear to be nervous, but she definitely seemed uncomfortable.
“How are your classes going?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“They’re great.”
“You like all your teachers this year?” she continued.
“I do, but I like Ms. Elliot the best.”
“Oh? Why is that?” she asked, smiling now.
I told her all about the beanbags.
“That sounds wonderful,” she said. “I wish I’d had a teacher like that when I was in school.”
Enough with the nicey-nice. I needed to do a little more probing.
“It’s pretty much the same old crowd at school, but you know, it’s the strangest thing…” I said.
“What’s that, dear?”
“Trent is in every one of my classes.”
I watched her closely. “Oh…that’s nice, honey.” Not quite the reaction I was expecting. I mean, I didn’t expect her to freak like Bri, but this was ridiculous. She didn’t seem surprised at all; it was like she already knew.
“Yeah, he’s a really nice guy,” I continued.
“He seems…
nice
.” She had a bit of difficulty swallowing her bite of waffle and reached for another sip of coffee.
Why wasn’t she grilling me with her usual third degree?
“I
really
like him,” I said.
She looked up;
that
got her attention. “Honey, you’re so young. And he…Well, he seems a little old for his years. Don’t ya think?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head, trying to erase what she’d just said. But it was too late; it was already out there.
It was such a strange feeling to watch Trent from a distance without his knowing I was there.
“I’m glad that’s over,” said Bri.
“Me too.”
A few minutes later, the waitress brought out our grilled chicken caesar salads and iced tea.
“Well, I guess we might as well eat up and enjoy.” I picked up my fork and dug in.
“This place really is nice,” Bri said through a mouthful of chicken. “The food is delicious.” She took a sip of tea. “Any thoughts on why everyone you know—
except me
, that is—is keeping secrets from you?”
I sat there for a while, trying to come up with an explanation. I took a sip of my tea as well and said, “I don’t know…but there has to be a good reason for all of this…
right?
”
XV
85 %
I was quiet on Sunday morning. “What’s the matter, Ashley? You’re not getting sick, are you? You’ve hardly said two words all morning.”
“I’m fine. Just tired, I guess,” I told my mom.
“You should cut back on your hours at work. I don’t like your being there at night anyway.”
“Maybe,” I agreed, so she’d drop it.
“Well, this should perk you up.” She nodded at the TV. “A cold front is going to be pushing its way through in the next few days. They’re predicting thunderstorms.”
My mom and I were heading home from church and about to pass The Egg and I. “You want some breakfast?” I asked.
She nodded. “Sounds good.”
We didn’t have to wait long to be seated. I loved this place. They always had classical music streaming, and the interior was bright and cheery.
“I’ll have a Colorado Jack scramble with wheat toast and orange juice, please,” I told our waitress, without looking at the menu. I knew it well, and I was starving.
My mom ordered a waffle that could have fed an entire county, and we shared a carafe of coffee.
I decided it was time to do a little investigating.
“So have you seen Dad lately?” I asked. I looked off, pretending not to be too interested in her response, but then I turned back so I could try to read her face.
She swallowed then looked down. “
Seen
him? I haven’t even spoken to him since…” She paused and acted like she was concentrating. “Well, I couldn’t tell you the last time. It’s been a while.” She took a sip of coffee.
That was a lie, plain and simple. I’d seen her with him with my own eyes. Why was she doing this? She didn’t appear to be nervous, but she definitely seemed uncomfortable.
“How are your classes going?” she asked, trying to change the subject.
“They’re great.”
“You like all your teachers this year?” she continued.
“I do, but I like Ms. Elliot the best.”
“Oh? Why is that?” she asked, smiling now.
I told her all about the beanbags.
“That sounds wonderful,” she said. “I wish I’d had a teacher like that when I was in school.”
Enough with the nicey-nice. I needed to do a little more probing.
“It’s pretty much the same old crowd at school, but you know, it’s the strangest thing…” I said.
“What’s that, dear?”
“Trent is in every one of my classes.”
I watched her closely. “Oh…that’s nice, honey.” Not quite the reaction I was expecting. I mean, I didn’t expect her to freak like Bri, but this was ridiculous. She didn’t seem surprised at all; it was like she already knew.
“Yeah, he’s a really nice guy,” I continued.
“He seems…
nice
.” She had a bit of difficulty swallowing her bite of waffle and reached for another sip of coffee.
Why wasn’t she grilling me with her usual third degree?
“I
really
like him,” I said.
She looked up;
that
got her attention. “Honey, you’re so young. And he…Well, he seems a little old for his years. Don’t ya think?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.” She shook her head, trying to erase what she’d just said. But it was too late; it was already out there.
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