Playing for keeps

27. Mr. Stubborn

E A S T O N

We stayed at the theatre for the better part of an hour before Kaleb heard my stomach growl and clutched my hand as he led us out the way we came.

Whereas other students ate in the cafeteria for lunch, I decided against lunch and opted to go into the library to try and finish some homework. And for that decision, my stomach seems to be angry at me. So I nearly jump with joy as Kaleb directs us to a diner down the street from the theatre.

The bell above the door echoes through the partially empty diner, with only a few tables taken in the old-fashioned, retro dining area.

I can already smell the grease from the kitchen out the back and the crunch of onion rings and fries and-

"You're drooling," Kaleb tells me as we take a seat in a booth towards the back.

"I'm starving," I huff. "I'd eat you if I could."

Kaleb's face is emotionless as he scans the menu in front of him. "Or I could eat you," he says, low enough so that only I can hear him instead of the older couple a few tables away.

I choke on air. Kaleb sits unbothered by his words, as if he just said the most natural, normal thing in the world.

I, on the other hand, don't act so cucumber cool like Kaleb does as I choke on air and continue to cough.

When I recover, I reach for a menu, wanting to punch Kaleb in the face as a grin threatens to slip onto his face.

Looking over the menu, my mood dips as the words stare back at me on the page. Words I'm struggling to read.

Usually when I eat out at restaurants, I go to places where I know the menu so I don't have to read it, or if I go to one I don't know, my brothers and Oakley are with me and tell me the options I would like. That makes me feel like a child, but they've done it for so long I stopped feeling insecure about it.

The sweat forming on the palms of my hands make it hard for me to hold the menu properly, no matter how hard I clench my fists around it.

It's a similar feeling to how I feel in class. Frustrated and angry, mentally kicking myself. It then determines my mood for the rest of the day.

"Easton?" The sound of Kaleb calling my name cuts off my spiralling thoughts and it's then I realise a waitress is stood in front of us, waiting.

"Huh?" I ask, looking at Kaleb's penetrating gaze. I know that look. It's the one my brothers give me when they know something is wrong but don't want to push. Looking at me like they're trying to untangle everything in my brain.

I often try to untangle my brain and my thoughts.

"What can I get you, Sweetheart?" The waitress asks with a warm smile, holding a small notebook and pen.

"Oh, uh," I trail off, scanning the menu like I can read it, not wanting to make myself look like an idiot.

It's a diner, they must do cheeseburgers.

"Do you do cheeseburgers?" It comes out of my mouth before I can think.

A small smile graces the ladies face as she nods and starts writing down the order. "Do you want fries with that?"

I nod with a small smile. "Thank you."

Kaleb gives his order and the waitress heads back to the kitchen, leaving us alone. He still has on that look, waiting for me to talk, but I decide to pretend to take in the interior of  the diner.

"What was that about?" His voice is stern, like stone. His eyes narrow as they pin me to my seat.

I pretend to play dumb. "What do you mean?"