A Second Chance At Life

Distraction

"Are you okay?" she whispered. "You look really red." Which of course only made my embarrassment worse.

I clung to my will not to look at her. "I think it's just kind of hot in here." I saw Ms. Zimmer shoot me a confused look. We all knew she never set the thermostat above seventy degrees.

Ella must have decided sitting next to me was a mistake, because I saw her nod out of the corner of my eye. I took a deep breath. You know better than to sit there like a child. Grow a pair, Lace! I thought angrily to myself.

"I hear there's this place in town that has great chicken. They don't have it in Chicago apparently," I blurted, breaking my internal promise not to look at her. God, those eyes of hers make Heaven look dull.

"Zaxby's," she said slowly, as if the word tasted strangely in her mouth, "is pretty great actually." She opened her mouth to say something more, but quickly stopped herself. Her forehead creased.

I suddenly realized I was staring at her with my mouth open and jerked my gaze back to Zimmer's presentation. What the Hell is a cognate?

"We could go get some if you'd be up for it," Ella said casually.

I looked at her, confused.

"You know. Zaxby's? Food?" she mimed bringing a fork to her mouth and smiled. "I mean, unless you have other plans," she continued with a mock serious face.