Lamia's Dream

Chapter 22

We arrived at Sake Express not long afterwards.  Previously, I had thought nothing could make me adore Valerie more.  But finding out we had the same favorite restaurant did.  We even ordered the same dish:  hibachi chicken. 

We sat in a booth, facing each other.  Valerie said she hated it when couples sat side by side in a booth.  “It’s just awkward,” she explained.  I didn’t complain, as it would make seeing her as simple as taking my eyes off my plate. 

“Feel better?” she asked.

“Yeah.  Sorry about that.”

It was an honest apology.  Having that minor meltdown was the second unmanly thing I did today.  If I kept this up…

Valerie’s wavy brown hair bobbed as she shook her head.  “It’s not your fault.”

It was.  I was the one who let it get to me. 

“So, prom committee,” I offered.

“No way, we’re definitely talking about something else.”

I chuckled.  I thought of recent developments in my life, the few outside of our relationship.  “Did I tell you I have dinner at Phil’s house sometimes?”

Valerie shook her head.

“Yeah, his parents are really nice.  They invited Jack and me over for next Wednesday.”

“That’s nice of them.  Do you remember Olivia Erly from French?  I had dinner with her parents last month.”

“Get out?  Since when do you hang out with other girls?”

Valerie smiled, her teeth perfectly white.  “Every now and then, to keep up appearances.  Although, I don’t think I’ll ever go back to Olivia’s house again.”

“Why?”

“Her parents got into this huge fight, right at the dinner table!  And when Olivia and I tried to sneak away, Mrs. Erly said no!  She said she wanted Olivia to hear what a ‘cheating snake’ her father was,” Valerie explained.

A waiter arrived with our food. 

“Wow,” I said, unsure of what else to say.

“Yeah,” Valerie replied, pouring the hibachi sauce over her chicken.  That was a difference.  I dipped my chicken in the sauce.  “Speaking of cheating snakes, have you heard about Louis Wigby, from the debate team?”

“No, I haven’t.  But, why do you care about what he does?  Or any of the drama that goes on at our school?  I mean, it seems beneath you.”

“It’s what people expect,” she said with a grin.

I gave her a sideways look.

“And it’s not beneath me.  I cherish everything about my life as a human.  Even little things like gossip.  What if something happened and I can never return to our high school?  I want to know that I made the best of every moment.”

I didn’t know what to say to that.  But I knew that, after these wonderful past few weeks, if she disappeared from my life, I’d be devastated. 

“We’re going to have a good time at prom, aren’t we?” she asked.

“The best,” I answered, smiling back, grateful again for her way of snapping me out of my thoughts. 

Valerie took another sporkful of rice.  She looked at me while she chewed and I drank.  All I could think of in that moment was how I didn’t want to take my eyes off of her.  It was as if we implicitly agreed to a staring contest.  Valerie was the first to break away.  She glanced off to my left.  She abruptly did a double take and stared at something off to my 8 o’clock.