He's a Fanboy?!

He Says it's Not a Date

"What the shuck is this?" Brayden marvells as we entered the mall. His mouth hangs open as he turns in a semi-circle, looking like a tribute when he first enters the arena. "This is... huge."

I lift my hand and push his jaw up. "Careful, greenie. You might catch flies."

He smacks my hand away and attempts to look casual, irritating me when he succeeds.

"Where are we starting?" he asks.

"I don't know. You're the one who wanted to come here."

"After you suggested it."

"But you agreed."

"Remind me why you wanted to show me around?"

"I didn't! You asked me to."

"But you agreed."

"Just shut up," I mumble as I walk forward, deciding to follow my heart--to the food court.

"Do they have KFC here?"

"Nah. We don't need KFC. We have Nando's."

"What the shuck is Nando's?"

I spin around sharply. "Brayden."

"What?"

"Brayden Snow."

"What?"

"Brayden whatever-the-shuck-your-middle-name-is Snow."

"What?"

"We're getting Nando's."

I grab his arm, purposely digging my nails into his skin as I drag him to Nando's.

I order a box of lemon & herb chicken. When the woman tells us the price, this is how I expected it to go:

Brayden steps in, pushing me away by my shoulders. "I'll pay."

"Are you sure? Because I can--"

"It's fine."

Instead it happens like this:

He stands behind me, subconsciously picking at his nails as I slowly take out my wallet. I look at him, waiting for his step in.

Unfortunately, however, though Brayden is a fanboy he most certainly is not like boys in books.

I almost actually pay for it when I realize I don't have my card with me. So I pull a few strings.

"Brayden, aren't you going to pay?"

"What? You're the one that wanted Nando's."

"Now, that's no way to treat a girl on your first date."

He blushes, hard, staring at me. I smirk.

The man behind us puts his hand on Brayden's shoulder. "Unless yer trying to lose yer pretty little girl here, ye might want to pay."

I deviously laugh on the inside when Brayden pulls his wallet out. We take the chicken and leave, finding a free table in the food court.

He scowls immediately after we sit down. "We are not on a date."

I place my hand on my heart, pretending that I'm hurt. "I thought we had something special."

"Can you not?"

"Can you not finish a sentence?" I snarl, then continue. "I thought we had a spark, a single light in a city of bones--"

"Oh my Tobias, just shut up."