Dead Man's Match

Thirty-One

My nerves are a jittery mess in the afternoon. One o'clock turns to two, then three. Then pretty soon, school has ended, and Zoe, Priya, Autumn and I are heading to the restaurant. We told our parents we were studying late after school so they wouldn't wonder where we are, and Mom took no issue with it since she has work.

After crossing two intersections, we arrive in a small shopping plaza. That's where the buffet is, a small, tan-stoned building sitting amidst the parking lot.

"So we all know where our stations are?" Zoe asks. We nod in unison. We stand on the walkway outside the buffet. Two large glass windows flank either side of the door with a small neon open sign hanging on the glass door. Peering inside, it looks empty.

"Priya, you'll be inside at a table facing the window," Zoe says. "I'll keep my eyes on the interior, and Autumn, you're going around the back."

"Will do." Autumn meanders toward the back of the restaurant.

A bell jangles overhead as we enter. Priya walks up to the counter first and pays for herself. She gets a drink cup and starts by filling it up, then puts some vegetable dishes on her plate. She hurries to a tall table by the window. While she unpacks her laptop, her eyes keep glancing around the parking lot in front of her.

Zoe goes next, assembling her plate and sliding into a booth at the far back of the store. Again, she pulls out her laptop. I barely see her behind the booth. She snacks on some chicken wings while watching the restaurant.

I walk up to the counter. My hands feel shaky, my body a jumble of nerves.

"H-hi," I stammer. "I'm waiting for someone."

"No problem. Take a seat anywhere."

I sit down by the front of the store, on the opposite side of Priya. I glance down at my phone. A message box pops up, enabling me to connect to the guest wifi. Moments later, a new message is popping up on my screen, a message from SoulDate. I click on it.

Sorry, I'm running a bit late today. Can you order us both a drink, and I'll pay you back when I get there?

I put my phone away, my brow creasing. My eyes drift to the drink fountain nearby, and my mouth waters. If I have to smell all this delicious food without him being here to begin eating, then I should at least get something sweet to sip on. Besides, the refills are unlimited. I pay for a drink and fill it to the brim with lemon-lime soda.

I sit back down, my fingers drumming on the table. I have fifteen minutes to go until four, but if he's running late, who knows how long it will take him to arrive.

My eyes drift to the time the message was sent, which is five minutes past three. Huh. Maybe he had a class run over today.

Not wanting to waste time, I pull my history textbook from my bag and try to read about the Medicis. It doesn't work. I can barely process a single word on the page. My eyes drift around to the empty buffet.

At five minutes to four, the bell jangles. I jump in my seat, whirling around. It's a man with two squealing kids. They pay for their meal and they start loading up their plates. Then, they sit in the corner, in the booth beside Zoe's. We make eye contact, and her lips press together.

Of all the booths to pick, they choose the one right beside someone else.

I turn back to my textbook. I manage to read half a page between checking the time on my phone.

Soon, it's twelve minutes past four.

At sixteen minutes, I give up on trying to read my textbook. It takes too many brain cells to concentrate. I go on Instagram for a bit, scroll mindlessly while watching the clock in the upper right hand corner slowly tick up.