adored him. I’d just have to be happy with that explanation.
I sat back down in the booth across from him, and he stared at his frosty mug of beer.
“Why didn’t you call me back?” he asked.
I shrugged, bearing the weight of guilt on my shoulders. “I was busy. Was it important?”
“No.” His eyes shifted around the room, and then he took a sip from his beer.
“Speaking of, you sounded distracted in the message. What were you doing?”
He smirked, wiping his mouth. “I was trying to find my boxers.”
I smiled. “I find it amusing you were thinking about me while you were naked.”
“I doubt that.” He raised an eyebrow and brought the mug to his lips again.
I cracked my neck as his eyes pierced through me. “Hand me my purse.”
He set it on the table, and I fished out an old receipt and a pen.
“This is my new cell phone number. Use this from now on.”
“Ah! Moving up in the world of technology. Did you finally ditch your pager?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Well, I don’t have a Rolodex filled with hundreds of one-night stands to try to keep straight, but I thought it was about time I exercised some independence from my parents.”
“Planning on bringing someone home soon, Red? A nice fat cock to introduce to Mom and Dad?”
I knew I shouldn’t have told him I was a virgin. Way too much ammo.
“What are we doing here?” The words flew from my mouth. Before I could stop myself from continuing, another question came out. “Am I your friend, or are you using me for some kind of game?”
He shook his head and threw back the rest of his beer before answering. “It’s not a game.” He took a deep breath and winced like what he was about to say might hurt him. He dipped his chin and lowered his voice to a whisper. “When we’re together, it’s just you and me, kid. No one else matters, do they?” He stared at me with a sad and sobered expression in his eyes. “Doesn’t that scare you a little?”
I blinked twice. “Everything about you scares me.”
He scratched his head, keeping his eyes down. “You’re not letting yourself see how similar we really are.” He frowned and abruptly rose, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking away from the conversation.
I covered my eyes, smearing my hands down my cheeks. I had no answers. His statement seemed more like a confession, and the more I thought about it the more distraught I became. Maybe he was just as confused about me as I was about him. Maybe he felt the same inexplicable pull. And maybe he loved it—and hated it—just as much as I did.
Angie brought me my salad, when I’d almost forgotten I’d ordered it. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I cleared my throat. “Can I get a box? I’m not that hungry right now. And I’ll pay for Jesse’s beer.”
She reached around the corner and handed me a Styrofoam box. “Here.” She chewed her lip. “Charlie—” she began.
“I don’t want to hear it, Angie.” I put up my hand. “Not right now. Let’s just plan for Sunday, okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded, looking down at the floor.
I threw the salad into the box, put money on the table, and gathered my purse. “It’s not what you think,” I mumbled, walking past her.
Jesse stood at the front desk, talking to Christy. He leaned in, fiddling with the takeout menus as she giggled at whatever he’d just said. I didn’t look at either of them and kept my eyes down, hoping to sneak by.
The night was cool—much cooler than the stifling air inside of the bar. The temperature had dropped significantly, and I breathed in the crisp, clean air to calm myself.
Lighting a cigarette, I stood outside the restaurant, thankful I had left. I tried not to think about the first night I met him, and the way he looked at me the same way he was just looking at Christy. The whole thing had to be a game, something sick and twisted to play on the fat girl. I was beginning to think everything was a game for him.
The door
I sat back down in the booth across from him, and he stared at his frosty mug of beer.
“Why didn’t you call me back?” he asked.
I shrugged, bearing the weight of guilt on my shoulders. “I was busy. Was it important?”
“No.” His eyes shifted around the room, and then he took a sip from his beer.
“Speaking of, you sounded distracted in the message. What were you doing?”
He smirked, wiping his mouth. “I was trying to find my boxers.”
I smiled. “I find it amusing you were thinking about me while you were naked.”
“I doubt that.” He raised an eyebrow and brought the mug to his lips again.
I cracked my neck as his eyes pierced through me. “Hand me my purse.”
He set it on the table, and I fished out an old receipt and a pen.
“This is my new cell phone number. Use this from now on.”
“Ah! Moving up in the world of technology. Did you finally ditch your pager?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Well, I don’t have a Rolodex filled with hundreds of one-night stands to try to keep straight, but I thought it was about time I exercised some independence from my parents.”
“Planning on bringing someone home soon, Red? A nice fat cock to introduce to Mom and Dad?”
I knew I shouldn’t have told him I was a virgin. Way too much ammo.
“What are we doing here?” The words flew from my mouth. Before I could stop myself from continuing, another question came out. “Am I your friend, or are you using me for some kind of game?”
He shook his head and threw back the rest of his beer before answering. “It’s not a game.” He took a deep breath and winced like what he was about to say might hurt him. He dipped his chin and lowered his voice to a whisper. “When we’re together, it’s just you and me, kid. No one else matters, do they?” He stared at me with a sad and sobered expression in his eyes. “Doesn’t that scare you a little?”
I blinked twice. “Everything about you scares me.”
He scratched his head, keeping his eyes down. “You’re not letting yourself see how similar we really are.” He frowned and abruptly rose, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking away from the conversation.
I covered my eyes, smearing my hands down my cheeks. I had no answers. His statement seemed more like a confession, and the more I thought about it the more distraught I became. Maybe he was just as confused about me as I was about him. Maybe he felt the same inexplicable pull. And maybe he loved it—and hated it—just as much as I did.
Angie brought me my salad, when I’d almost forgotten I’d ordered it. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I cleared my throat. “Can I get a box? I’m not that hungry right now. And I’ll pay for Jesse’s beer.”
She reached around the corner and handed me a Styrofoam box. “Here.” She chewed her lip. “Charlie—” she began.
“I don’t want to hear it, Angie.” I put up my hand. “Not right now. Let’s just plan for Sunday, okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded, looking down at the floor.
I threw the salad into the box, put money on the table, and gathered my purse. “It’s not what you think,” I mumbled, walking past her.
Jesse stood at the front desk, talking to Christy. He leaned in, fiddling with the takeout menus as she giggled at whatever he’d just said. I didn’t look at either of them and kept my eyes down, hoping to sneak by.
The night was cool—much cooler than the stifling air inside of the bar. The temperature had dropped significantly, and I breathed in the crisp, clean air to calm myself.
Lighting a cigarette, I stood outside the restaurant, thankful I had left. I tried not to think about the first night I met him, and the way he looked at me the same way he was just looking at Christy. The whole thing had to be a game, something sick and twisted to play on the fat girl. I was beginning to think everything was a game for him.
The door
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