Not Scared Anymore

Chapter 14 - Stephanie

Her date with Todd on Saturday was a bust. Apparently, when she had asked about smoking, he hadn't thought to tell her that he was really into vaping. Like, really into vaping. He couldn't stop talking about how good vaping was. She had to admit, the stuff did smell like delicious cherry candy, but he looked like an idiot standing out there with a puff of white smoke around his head. He said he had never smoked, just took up vaping when a friend introduced it to him.

She couldn't help but ask again, "What is your opinion of smokers?"

"Oh, it's gross. Smells bad for one, and you look like an idiot standing out in the cold just for a drag of a cancer-stick."

"Huh." Stephanie had to stifle her laugh at the irony of the situation. Vaping may not smell as bad, but you still look like an idiot standing outside in the cold to participate. She didn't like her odds of getting interesting and intelligent conversation out of him anymore.

They chatted until their coffees were gone, and then conversation slowed. Suddenly, a tall, dark haired figure was approaching their table. The shock must have been plain on Stephanie's face.

"David?" the question whispered from her lips. 

David did not live in the city, so she had only ever seen him at pre-arranged get togethers. He was clearly heading to her table to say hi, and she needed a distraction from Todd. She closed her mouth and smiled politely at his approach, feeling a buoyancy in his presence she had never felt before.  

When David reached the table, he leaned down and kissed her once on each cheek, a move she had never seen him do before, and which made her instantly uncomfortable. She was no longer happy to see him.

"I never imagined I would run into your lovely face here today! How are you, darling?" He drawled.

"I'm well thanks David, and yourself?" her tone was stiff, and he either didn't notice, or tried to overcompensate. 

"Absolutely stupendous! I feel I haven't seen you in ages!"

"No, you're right it has been a while." He wasn't even talking like his normal self, and Stephanie felt unbalanced. "I'm being rude, David, this is Todd." She gestured across the table, "Todd, this is David, my... friend."

David nodded at Todd and turned back to her, "I was so sorry to hear about you and Mark, are you quite sure you are alright? I've been worried." David held both of Stephanie's hands in his, and she started to wonder if she was being pranked. She tried to gently tug her hand away, but his grip was firm.

"About me?"

"Of course! Why shouldn't I be?"

"Well, I figured you would have been a bit more concerned about Mark for one." She couldn't help her puzzled tone. He finally released her hands, and she folded them onto her lap.

Stephanie could see Todd was getting more agitated across the table. His hand was in his pocket where she knew he kept his vape. Knowing David was not even a little bit interested in Middle Earth, she continued "Todd and I were just chatting about The Hobbit when you came over, and I would really like to know what he thinks of the Battle of the Five Armies."

Todd still looked wary but looked up at David and gave the barest hint of a smile. David seemed to get the message. He excused himself to get coffee, and took it to sit by himself near the corner and grabbed a newspaper off the table.

"So, who is Mark?"

"Oh, uh," she stumbled getting the words out. "My ex." She'd never actually said it out loud so bluntly before, and tried to swallow down the lump in her throat.