Ford Escort

29 - Intoxicating

I watched Eli chew his pancakes, the muscles of his jaw straining under his tan skin, rough with a five o' clock shadow. I didn't realize how mesmerized I was until he cleared his throat and my gaze jumped to his eyes, which were studying me.

"See something you like?" He asked with a smirk.

"Psh." I frowned.

"I was referring to the pancakes." He pushed the plate closer to me, "Take what you want."

"Sure you were," I grumbled. When he suppressed another smile in response I glared. "Do you think this is funny?"

He stopped chewing, his smile disappearing as he heard the irritation coloring my tone.

"I was very clear the other night that I didn't want to do this with you. I didn't want to get attached." I hissed, pushing his plate of pancakes back, "But somehow we ended up back in that room and there I was, going against my better judgment, ready to risk my whole plan and then you changed your mind. It's confusing and frustrating and I really don't like to be teased."

"I'm not trying to tease you."

"Yeah, okay." I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Trust me, when I'm teasing you..." His eyes quickly trailed down my body, "You'll know."

"Then what would you call this?" I gestured broadly to the two of us.

"A date." He popped a forkful of eggs into his mouth.

"I don't want to date you, Eli." I snapped, "I already told you. I'm leaving."

"So you won't date me, but you'd sleep with me?"

"Yes!" I all but shouted, shrinking back into my seat when several pairs of curious eyes turned towards us.

"How does that make any sense?" Eli hissed under his breath, all playfulness gone from his expression.

"Because sex is just... sex." My hands waved around frantically, "It's meaningless."

"Meaningless?" He repeated, his eyes hardening, "You want to just have meaningless sex with me and then leave with no strings attached?" The way he said it made me feel dirty, but that had been pretty much what I was hoping for.

"Oh, you'd rather do it your way. Date, get to know each other, have something real - just to have me leave? I don't think I could handle that... So wouldn't you at least like to have something, even if it's just sex?"

"Wow." He let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head, "I guess we are just... not on the same page here."

"I guess not." I focused my eyes on a water ring staining the tabletop, "I'd like to go home now, please."

"Come on, is that really necessary?" He asked, "Why don't you at least eat something? We're already here."

"No, really I'm good." I couldn't look him in the eyes, I could tell by his tone that his expression would be one of disappointment and I couldn't bear it. "Actually, I can walk from here."

"Veronica." He protested as I stood.

"Please Eli, just.... let me go." I begged, just a wave of emotion making my voice crack.

I darted from the cafe before he could get up and follow me, causing more of a scene. I increased my speed once I made it outside, full-on sprinting down the sidewalk towards the college campus. Listening intently for the roar of Eli's motorcycle following me, but it didn't come.

Instead, a few minutes into my sprint home, a recognizable black town car pulled up next to me on the sidewalk. I kept jogging, my eyes trained forward, my lips pulled into a tight frown.