Closing Time: 11 PM

13. Amazed and Afraid

Maybe I'm a man

And you're the only woman

Who could ever help me

Baby, won't you help me to understand?

-Maybe I'm Amazed, Paul McCartney

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"Ready?"

She nodded.

"Set."

"Go," Kara finished his statement and immediately took a slice of the pizza in front of her. It was a Thursday night and Chad ordered two boxes of 12 inches of pizza.

The box was left open while they continued chewing the first slice that they were holding. They each have a glass in front of them with a pot of tea, a bottle of soft drinks, and a pitcher of water.

Chad chews faster than Kara and even before she was done with her first slice, Chad was halfway done with the second.

"With the rate you are eating, I could foresee who's going to win," Chad told her and swallowed a bite. They came up with an idea of having a food triathlon that night because of boredom. She bought two half gallons of ice cream and an order each of pasta from Yellow Cab. Chad had pizza delivered.

"Don't underestimate a hungry pig," she told him while chewing.

"Really huh? You do not seem to have an idea how a starving dinosaur eats," he answered.

They were still going on a fast rate until their fourth slice. On the fifth, Kara slowed down in eating and would take some time to rest in eating. Chad continued nibbling on his.

"No one can give up, no one stops from eating," he reminded her. Kara took another bite of her pizza. Instead of the usual soda she drinks when eating such, she poured hot tea on her cup.

"I know. No one would surrender," she agreed and started on her sixth slice. Their pizza has ten. She was starting to feel heavy but she knew she can finish the rest. She sat up straight to give space.

Chad finished his tenth slice when she was eating her the eighth. He looked tired from what he was doing and paused for a long time. He poured tea on his cup as drank it straight. He was so full and they still have two more food to eat.

When Kara was finished, Chad was already lying on the floor and was not moving.

"Damn! I'm... So... Full," she said and burped loudly. Chad laughed.

"Me too," he admitted. "Damn that person who invented triathlon for food."

They were lying on the floor beside each other, staring at the ceiling. After two more minutes, Chad stood up and took the dessert from the fridge. He took his spoon and took a deep breath before starting on his serving. Not wanting defeat, Kara stood up and took hers. She slumped on the space beside him. If Chad was better when it comes to pizza, she knew she has an advantage when it comes to ice cream.

It was past eleven in the evening and they were still not finished. Their ice cream has melted bad and Chad has a quarter left more.

"Chad..."

"Yeah?" he asked. He was lying on the floor again. He was hungry when he arrived and now, he was simply filled for three more days.

"You won," she said.

"No. You won. You finished the ice cream faster than I did."

"But you finished the pizza."

"God, I don't care who won at this time. I'm just... Food drunk," he said. He immediately stood up and went to the nearest sink. He started throwing up. Kara just started laughing when she heard his sounds.