Shark Strike Survivor

Chapter 2

"Apology accepted, although it is unnecessary since I am used to these types of questions," I flatly reply with a forced smile.

Mason frowns at my reply; "You should not be used to those questions, nor should have I been so disrespectful. My parents raised me better than that. How can I make it up to you?"

"You do not have to 'make it up to me,'" I reply with a shake of my head. "I am a big boy who is not offended by people asking those types of questions."

"Sir, he gave you an answer," Sonya interjects when Mason opens his mouth to argue with me as she moves to stand next to me on my left.

Mason looks between Sonya and I before nodding before nodding with a murmured agreement, and a wave of farewell. When he exits the building, and is out of sight, I let out a frustrated sigh as I rub my palms over my face in irritation.

"Ugh, I hate when people do that," I grumble to her as I drop my hands back to my sides to look at her. "I appreciate his apology, but it is still frustrating."

"I know you do, love," Sonya murmurs as a new customer enters, and we continue on with our work until closing, hours later.

"Kai, can I ask you a personal question?" I ask as we exit the cafe, and I wait with her as she locks the back door, so we can leave.

"Sure you can, love," she replies as she locks the door, and pulls the key from the lock, and we walk toward our vehicles.

"Do you think I am crazy for meeting up with my bio parents?" I ask as we reach our vehicles.

I hope she does not because I think I deserve to meet them.

"No, I do not, love," she grins, using the key fob to unlock her car as I unlock Jace's truck. "The three of you meeting up is a beautiful thing, especially if this is what you want. I know it is probably scary, but if it is what you want, then that is wonderful!"

Giving her a tiny smile, I give her my thanks before telling her; "Have a goodnight, and Samuel, too."

She returns the sentiment as Jace walks over to his truck from the local gas station with bags of snacks and drinks. He left his truck keys with me before left work twenty minutes ago because he was not sure if he would be back by the time we finished, so I could fetch him.

"Did you get everything we need for tonight," I question him as he settles behind the wheel, and me on the passenger seat as he settles behind the wheel, and me on the passenger seat, and buckle ourselves, too.

"Yup," he grins as he starts the truck, and drives us toward Finn's home, where we are hanging out tonight with him, Kacey, and Tyler.

"Shweet," I grin at him as I lean forward to scan through radio stations to find a song we both like.

Jace and I live on the same street, and we have ever since we were in primary school. Arriving at Finn's twenty minutes later, and we climb out of the truck to make our way to the front door, where I knock since Jace's hands are filled with the bags of snacks and drinks. Finn opens the door a minute later with a cheery smile as he lets us inside.

"Hey! Glad you boys could make it!" Finn greets us as we walk inside past him toward the kitchen to take care of what we brought (I gave Jace some money when he went to the store, so he was not paying for it all on his own).

"Hi Finn," I murmur back after Jace greets him, too with a soft smile as Jace places the bags on the counter, and I start helping him place everything away where it needs to be placed.

"So, Larken, I hear you had an interesting interaction with a guy today," Finn remarks with a raised right eyebrow as he leans his elbows on top of the counter top across from me.

Frowning at him until I realize that Jace had noticed, or was told by Sonya about Mason, and I let out a sigh of frustration.

"I would not call the interaction with Mason, "interesting," but more like frustrating since he rudely asked about my prosthetic," I answer with a shrug. "I just get so tired of being bluntly asked about my leg, like it is okay to ask questions about it by adults. Kids do not bother me since their questions are innocent."

"That is understandable, Larken," Finn hums with a slight not of his head as there is a knock on the front door that Finn leaves to answer.

Finn comes back with Taylor and Kacey, and it is not a surprise they arrived together since they are dating. They have been dating for three years since Taylor was nineteen, and Kacey was twenty.

"Hey boys," Kacey chirps with a cheerful smile as she bounces over to Jace and I to hug us both tightly before bouncing back over to Tyler's side. Tyler slips his right arm around Kacey's waist to guide her to his side as he kisses her temple.

"The pizza delivery will be here in fifteen minutes," Finn states as everyone grabs a beer to head into the living room to sit on the two couches and the recliner.

"The guy who irritated Larken today is extremely attractive," Jace states with a wiggle of his eyebrows at me, causing me to roll my eyes at him with a sigh.

"His physical appearance is nice, but his shit manners cancels that out," I grumble as I scrub my face with my left hand in frustration before dropping my hand back into my lap.

"Dude, sometimes people do not think before they speak," Taylor sighs calmly, and I lowly hum in response, so he knows I heard what he is saying.

I think they understood I do not want to speak on the topic of Mason any further because the topic is steered away from the man who has annoyed me. By 9 p.m., Jace has dropped me off at home, and I am now in bed after showering by 10 p.m. I have to be at work tomorrow morning at 8 a.m., and I need to make sure I am well rested for the day.

Sitting on the edge of the bed with a pair of tight, white boy shorts, and a loose black long sleeve shirt, to pull off the prosthetic and the sock and liner. Leaning the prosthetic leg against the wall, and placing the liner and sock on the nightstand, I slide down the bed to become comfortable under the covers, and fall asleep rather quickly.