Take A Walk (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 5 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Fifty-One

*a definition*

Robin went to her favourite cafe to get lunch, since it served such incredible food. Today, she was excited to try their brioche burger with their signature chips. It was a treat, and one she didn't have very often.

"Is that you, Robbie?" asked a deep and oddly familiar voice.

She looked up, and her heart filled with dread and anger and sadness all at once. She found herself speechless.

The man sat down, pulling off his beanie and letting his curly hair spring free. His eyes were the same, warm and dark, but his jawline had developed, and he had some stubble.

"Jordan," she managed to get out coldly. "How... pleasant to see you."

"You look different."

"Yeah, it's amazing how age changes people," she said sarcastically. "What do you want?"

His smile faded. "I'm sorry. I know I hurt you-"

"Shit, really?"

"- but I want to fix that."

"Piss off. Let me eat my burger."

"At least let me join you and pay for you."

"Excuse me?"

Jordan had already raised his hand, and said to the waitress, "I'll grab an eggs Benedict, please."

"You rat," Robin muttered under her breath. She suddenly had a memory flash before her eyes of Jordan that fateful night, when he had started unbuttoning her shirt, and shivered despite herself. She felt his eyes on her, and she refused to so much as look at him and give him any reason to believe he was doing the right thing. She firmly looked out the window, refusing to even grant him a single glance, and he sighed.

"I'm sorry. I don't know how many times I should apologise, I know I-"

"Who the hell said you were allowed to speak to me?" she asked, and she caught him wincing out the corner of her eye. He refrained from saying anything else, and their food arrived together. She ate her burger, angry at how much it tasted like cardboard. Jordan refrained from speaking at first, but finished his food and called for a bill, paying for them both before she could even say anything.

"What the hell?!" she snapped. "Why would you-"

"I figure I owe you-"

"Oh right, yeah, the damn burger will change my life," she snarled, before standing, pushing her chair in, and leaving the calm ambience of the cafe.

"Robbie, wait!" he called, and she heard his footsteps behind her. She turned with an irritated huff.

"What do you want, Casper?" she growled.

His brown eyes were pleading, but she didn't feel anything. She hated him, that was the end of it. "Let me take you to a nice restaurant tonight. We can start over."

"I'm busy," she snapped, then walked on. He easily kept pace with her- damn him for being so stupidly, unnecessarily tall.

"How about tomorrow night?"

"Busy."

"Wednesday?"

"Busy."

"Thursday?"

"Could you leave me alone?!"

"There's no way you're busy every night."

"I am."

"Okay, so what are you doing Wednesday?"

"Laminating my cat," she said, trying to think of something to say that sounded legitimate.