High Moon

Two

Feeling the hunger roll through my body, I pulled off into a small little mom and pop diner. Happy families and young couples gathered to eat lunch together. The scene brought a nostalgic pain in my chest that I had to shove down. Putting on my emotional armor, I headed to an empty booth and looked at the menu. Not long afterwards, a waitress came over.

"Hello, my name is Candy, what can I get ya?" she said in a southern bell kind of way.

"Umm, I'll take a sweet tea, and a cheese burger with fries"

She smiled and took my menu after righting it on her notepad.

"Comin' right up!"

She brought me my drink and my throat relished in the cold. Laughter soon broke out at the entrance and I looked up to see a group of men walk in. They all had to be around the same age as me, if not a little older. All were easily six foot at least, muscular, and dressed in the country style. Boots, jeans, tee-shirts and all. Still laughing as they passed, one boy caught my stare and held it. He was attractive. Well built with short brown hair. His green eyes pierced mine as we continued to look at each other. He gave a small smile before I broke our eye contact. Focusing back on my drink, I soon felt a presence on my right side. Automatically I dropped my hand over my gun and looked up. It was the same man who I had just recently had the staring contest with.

"Well I've never seen you around here before." He stated, cocking his head slightly.

"I'm just passing through" I told him. He glanced over my body and noticed where my right hand was ready to pull my gun if necessary. I had trust issues and I knew it.

"I don't think you'll be needing that here"

"You never know" I replied, voice filled with caution.

He then decided to invite himself to sit at my booth opposite of me. The scent of cedar wood and fresh rain filling the air around us. We sat in silence. It was almost comfortable, almost. It wasn't much longer before my food was brought. I thanked her, making sure not to break eye contact with the stranger that was still sitting across from me.

"So, what's your name", he asked while throwing an arm across the back of the booth.

I felt myself relax a little as I moved my hand away from my hip and clasped my hands in front of me on the table, food forgotten temporarily.

"Hailee"

He mulled that over for a minute. Cocking his head to the side yet again, watching me. Making no movement to show my lie as he studied me. Leaning forward he took a fry off of my plate and whispered, "I don't believe you".

"And why is that?", I asked while pulling my plate closer to my side of the table, in hopes of prevent another theft.

"Because, you just don't look like a Hailee" He laughed. "I see you more as a. . ." Trailing off, he attempted to take another one of my frys. I quickly swatted his hand away and popped a fry in my mouth sending him a glare.

"Savannah!" he shouted. Gaining a triumphant look on his face, he sat back deeper into the booth and studied me.

"Well, sorry to tell you Romeo, but my name is Hailee. And since we are trading names, what is yours"

I mentally slapped my self once the words left my mouth. All your doing is encouraging him! The little voice in my head reminded me.

A smirk planted on his lips again, and I was beginning to think it would get stuck that way.

"Ryan. Ryan Michaelson"

Silence enveloped the table. I began picking at my now cold burger. Candy came over and brought me my tab. I quickly handed her some cash and told her to keep the change. She looked excited at the amount that would be left over. Temporarily forgetting the visitor I had across from me, I made a move to leave. I felt fingers brush my wrist, pulling my attention towards him. Towards Ryan.