A Love Triangle Most Unusual (Season 1)

Free Donut

"Oh hey," he smiled and tapped his watch, "Looks like our thirty minutes are up, and no symptoms so far. Lucky us!"

Uh, speak for yourself. "Yeah, lucky us," I repeated, unable to think of a snarky response.

"I still owe you a free donut, right?" Dean winked. "Here, I think I parked my bike back here...If you sit on the back, there should still be enough room on the seat for the two of us."

In a daze, I followed him, keeping my mouth shut and deciding not to complain. He showed me how to sit on the back of the bike seat and how to hold onto him for balance. If it was any other day, I would have protested and told him I'd rather walk, but I found myself putting my hands on his shoulders like he instructed me, feeling like I was in a dream.

"Oh, on second thought," he turned around the face me, "You should put your arms around my waist. Much more secure."

I nodded wordlessly and moved my hands to where he suggested.

"You can lean forward on me," he added. "You won't tip the the bike off balance or anything." I obeyed without complaining or rolling my eyes.

Dean was right, the donut store was very close by. The bike ride only lasted about fifteen minutes, during which I marveled at how powerful his legs were, being strong enough to generate momentum to carry two people. After that, I followed him inside, still in a trancelike state. By the time I came to, I was sitting on a bench holding a half-eaten powdered donut.

"This one's really good," Dean pointed at a chocolate-frosted donut, "Try it." I obeyed and picked it up, taking a big bite out of it. Creamy, buttery custard oozed out of it and into my mouth, coating my tongue.

"It's good," I nodded, and Dean brightened, pleased with himself. I stared at the box in front of me, realizing there were twelve different kinds of donuts. 

Did he buy one of every single type? What an absolute nutjob.

"Do you like it?" he asked. I frowned, a bit confused since I had already told him it was good. But I decided to humor him, since he was the one who bought them for me.

"Yes, I like it," I said curtly, and he smiled as if I'd paid him a nice, juicy compliment. I decided to ignore the way he was looking at me and reached for a napkin. Just then, my vaccine-impeded, sugar-addled brain realized something. "Wait. This wasn't free, was it?" The Krispy Kreme donuts I'd seen people get for free were always the glazed type, or in single batches. Not an assorted box like this.

"Don't worry, it's super cheap," Dean said, waving it off.

I frowned. "But, I could've helped you pay for it. I have a job too, you know."

"No need," Dean said. "Consider it my way of thanking you for talking to me while Rosa stabbed me with that awful needle."

Weird thing to be thankful for, but I'll take it I guess. "Well, I appreciate it, you really didn't have to. Thank you for the donut, but you can keep the rest-"

"Oh, no," Dean smiled again. "It's all yours. You should take it home with you."

I stared at him, wondering if he was trying to make fun of me again. "What do you mean?" I asked, panicked . "I can't possibly eat all of these by myself!"

Instead of offending him, this only seemed to make him more pleased than ever. "Yes, you can," he replied cheerily. "I'm positive of it. Why, you already finished three of them all by yourself," he laughed, and I looked down at my hand, completely shocked. What had gotten into me?

It's the damned vaccine, I knew it, I groaned internally. Damn you, Johnson and Johnson, damn you. If only I had the funds to sue a major pharmaceutical company right now.

I looked back up at Dean, and he continued to laugh, enjoying himself way too much. "Keep it, I know you want to," he said, and with that he got back up and started putting on his bike helmet. "This can be our little secret."

"You-" I felt my face grow hot again, but this time I didn't have the benefit of a face mask to hide it. He only laughed.

"See you around, Dave," he winked at me. "Enjoy your donuts." And with that, he swung his leg over the bike and sped off before I could run after him and slap the silly grin off his face.

All I could do was sit there as if transfixed with my mouth gaping open in indignation, holding a box of doughnuts I certainly didn't pay for and feeling like a wronged damsel.

What an absolute dick, I thought to myself. I was right. He IS making fun of me.

There was a trashcan not far away from me, but I didn't walk over to it. Instead, I closed back up the box and very carefully carried it back with me, taking the long way home instead of the crazy shortcut.

Maybe he is making fun of me. 

But, I did get some free doughnuts out of it. That's worth something, I suppose.