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"I think Jamie and I are going to stay back for a bit. I'll see you tomorrow, Coach Cowboy," Tallulah said goodbye to the man for the night. Everyone else was already on the bus, ready to go back home and get the stressful night out of their minds.
Ted shifted his eyes over to Jamie, who was standing, still avoiding eye contact and shifting his feet uncomfortably from the actions portrayed by his father. The older man's gaze turned back to the young girl in front of him. Her hands were shaking as if she were about to go on a roller coaster, and her body had pumped her full of adrenaline.
"Are you okay, Bambi?" Ted asked, his tone quiet.
Tallulah stared back at the man blankly. Though she had just gotten the news of the offer that seemed to have added about ten times the amount of stress she usually had, she had also just come out of a very intense situation regarding someone she loves and the man's father. Ted asking just gave her a second to think about the last twenty-four hours.
"No... But I'll be alright." It was more of a statement to herself, trying to reassure the thought.
Ted nodded but didn't believe her, instead wrapping his arms around the fragile girl. "How am I going to tell him, Ted?" She mumbled into his ear, not at all wanting Jamie to know. "How am I going to tell him that I have to leave him again? How am I going to leave him when all the people he's ever had have left him?"
"Don't think about that right now. Don't you dare. Go out with him, right now. Have fun tonight, get into trouble, get out of it, but don't let the time you have with him right now be ruined because you're thinking about time with him you won't have." Ted told her, still hugging her tightly. "Everything's going to be okay. I'm always here for you, kiddo."
"Thank you, Ted."
"Of course." The mustached man finally let go, letting Tallulah slip from his arms and cross the street to Jamie. She immediately tugged his hand into hers and began walking, waving goodbye to Ted as they went down the deserted street.
Once they were finally out of earshot and away from the bus, Tallulah asked Jamie a simple question, "What do you want to do tonight?"
There was a pause as Jamie's thumb ran along the side of her hand, caressing it softly as they walked on the pebble in the street. The only light shining on the pair being red street lamps, a color of lamp which Tallulah never thought would exist. It reminded her of the neon light that had shined from the Lighthouse Cafe, which had illuminated their first kiss many months ago now.
