Scars

Questions and Awkward Answers

Maybe I found it weirder than Sam did about going to a diner in the parts of town I have yet to explore with two people I had barely just met. But it was just a regular diner and they were just regular people, so what could really go wrong? I mean it’s not like it’s a date or anything weird.

“So, Brin, what ‘cha doing this Friday?” Sam asked me from across the table as I took a large bite out of my burger. I nearly choked on it, causing the children to laugh hysterically. Was he joking?

Sam looked startled at my startled reaction and a look of sudden rejection passed his eyes. It had been years since I had heard that question being spoken through an actual human being’s lips, and a felt the flurry of butterflies overcome me, threatening to burst right through me.

 I knew what I was going to say, but it seemed stuck on my lips. A part of myself was simultaneously screaming at me to go with my gut instinct and run away. Yes, I could do that. I grabbed Ren by her arm and ran as fast as I could. Ren’s tiara fell to the diner floor and she started crying, but I still dragged her along with me. I burst through the doors and into the street. I ditched cars as I sprinted for my car. I jammed the keys in the ignition and floored it until I reached Alaska where I got Ren and a new identities. We moved up to the isolated mountains where no one could find us. We lived in a tree and killed wild bear with our bare hands to live off of. We ditched our clothes for leaves, which were by far more comfortable. And we lived happily ever—

“Sorry I asked.” Sam said with the rejection in his eyes burning holes through me all the way from across the booth.

I snapped back to reality quickly and stammered, “Oh, um, see… I mean Ren and…” I cleared my throat awkwardly, “Yeah I’m free.” I tried to regain my composure. Play it cool. Wait what?

Sam smiled a small smile and asked quietly, “You sure? You’re not too busy babysitting Ren to hang out?” His look of rejection was gone and was replaced with pure anticipation.

“Oh yeah. Yeah I’m cool. I-I mean I’m cool to hang out.” I was mentally slapping myself for the nonsense that blew like chunks from deep within me. It was gross and causing a nasty mess overall. But somehow Sam seemed to find it all amusing.

He laughed through his nose, grinning widely at me. I melted from his gaze and I lost attention to Ren, who was yanking on pieces of my hair fiercely. Sam leaned back against the booth, relaxed, and stated, “Okay, ‘cool’.” He leaned forward and snatched a napkin out of the holder and wrote in black sharpie a series of numbers. He handed it awkwardly to me, “Here’s my number. Um, but Sam and I gotta run, so I’ll see ya later then?”

“Yeah, totally.” I said, as awkwardly as ever. Sam picked Sam up in his arms with ease, and after paying for their food, was gone.