The Marvelous Thoughts of Indiana Sharp

[3]

It wasn't until Saturday, when Indiana pushed open the doors to the local diner that she saw Jude again. She had been absent from school on Thursday and Friday due to another one of her father's fits.

            Jude was busy wiping down the tables when the small bell rung, causing him to look up from the checkered black and white table top. Indiana hadn't noticed him and was busy looking at the menu, trying to decide between a bagel and an egg sandwich. Eventually she settled on a bagel and ordered a hot chocolate as well.

            When she turned to find seating was when she finally saw Jude, bent over a table trying to get it completely spotless. "I didn't know you worked at the diner." Indie smiled, leaning against the ripped leather seating. "I come here every Saturday and not once have I seen you working here."

            Jude put down the cloth he was using and wiped his hands on his dark jeans that weren't tight but weren't loose. "I usually work from Monday to Thursday but they were short staff so they asked me to come in."  Jude replied, the left corner of his mouth twitching up slightly as he tried to look anywhere other than Indiana's eyes, which seemed to be trying to catch his. He didn't want to let her know that he asked to come in because he was short on money.

            "Ah, I see," Indiana pointed to the table. "Is it alright if I sit here?"

            Jude rolled his eyes at her obviously sarcastic tone, "Yeah. I'll bring you some more napkins." That said, Jude left and Indiana slid into the sticky leather seat, her thighs pasted to the material. She'd always hated leather diner seats but the diner was her sanctuary. She would stay for hours on end, reading or writing or doing homework.

            Jude came back shortly with a stack of napkins and a cup of coffee, which Indiana assumed was for him, as she had already grabbed her food. As predicted, he slid in across from her and simply stared at her.

            "So, I was thinking about that Hozier guy you had me listen to. I've also decided I might grow my hair out like his because I think we share a striking facial similarity."

            Indiana laughed loudly, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, a little bit actually. But your eyes are younger, more alive I think. Also, you have different lips. You have a fuller upper lip."

            Jude blushed slightly, not realizing that she had analyzed him that much. He'd looked at her, he admitted that much, but he still couldn't fully take her in. She had a mess of wavy thick gingery brown hair and dark brown eyes that were slightly haunting. Her nose was button like and her lips were full and pale pink. She didn't wear a lot of makeup, but she didn't really need it. He didn't think she'd look right with makeup on.

            "Sorry, that probably sounded um, creepy." Indie said, looking down.

            Jude bit his lip, "No, um, it's fine. If it helps I think you kind of look like an elf." As soon as the words came out of his mouth he wished they didn't. She'd probably take it as an insult, or worse, she'd fire one back at him. He meant it in a good way, but he wasn't always great with words. "Not like an elf. Just, you're small, and pretty... elfish. Kind of... I'll um. I'll stop talking now."

            Indiana smiled lightly, "It's cool I get it all the time." The truth was, Indiana hated how small she was. Every guy she'd ever liked had turned her down because she was too childlike. She wasn't tall and curvy, she lacked a rack, and her but was a speed bump, if not nonexistent. Her mother may have had the same face, but her mother was tall and lean and curvy and Indiana was wondering why she hadn't inherited those traits.