The Royals

IV

After a full night of vivid nightmares-which wasn't unusual- I woke up feeling uneasy. I sat up in bed and ran my fingers through my hair and wiped my tired eyes.

Drew had been in the house next door for 2 weeks and I had avoided seeing him aside from the time each morning where we crossed paths on our way to get food. He'd smile at me and wave but I'd just nod slightly and keep on my way. I realized I'd have to speak more than a word or two at some point to him.

I opened the door to the bright light that made me squint my eyes and the cold air to which I pulled my jacket closed over my tank top. I walked down the stone stairs and traveled the mere 10 feet distance between my house and the next. I pressed the clear doorbell button, subtly hoping he'd be out and not home but surely enough the large door swung open.

"Oh hi." He smiled shyly.

"Hi." I tried my best to be a little less harsh with him.

"Um are you.. busy?" I scratched the back of my head and tiredly focused my eyes on him.

"No." He giggled, "what's there to be busy doing?"

I nodded instead of answering the rhetorical question creating an awkward moment of silence between us.

"Do you...want to get breakfast with me?"

"Yeah.. at the store?" He shut the door behind him and walked slightly closer towards me, ready to go.

"No. C'mere I'll show you something."

-

We walked up to the little green and white diner a few miles from the centre of town. It was one of the few places that still felt like the way it had been left.

I looked over at Drew who's eyes lit up at the sign.

"What's this?" He mumbled quietly.

Without thinking and out of excitement I grabbed his hand and pulled him through the wooden framed doors. We stood on the mat and looked around at the empty booths. He looked down at my hand that I had forgotten was still loosely wrapped around his and I dropped it quickly. He looked at me with a small smile.

I cleared my throat nervously. "Uhm okay over here."

I walked through the maze of booths to the double doors that led to the kitchen as he followed behind me. We stood in front of the stove and I switched it on.

"Only other place with power still running." He stared at the heat rising from the stove in awe.

"And ... I stocked the fridge with food I stole when the delivery truck made a stop here so the driver could pee at the old gas station last week." I raised my brows at him making him giggle.

"Wow. Why haven't you eaten all this stuff?" His eyes grazed over the fresh food.

"I dunno I was saving it for both of us I guess." I huffed and put my hands on my hips trying not to make this seem like a romantic gesture of some sort.

"That's really generous, thank you." I wasn't sure why there was suddenly tension between us. Maybe it was because we were both painfully lonely or maybe just because he was painfully nice.