When The Sun Rises | ✔

05 | Nice to Meet You Shannon

Chapter 05 | Nice to Meet You Shannon

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        When we pull into the parking lot, I scope out the area and see that we're at a Golden Corral. It's a Friday morning so there aren't many cars around and I hope that means we'll be in and out within the hour. Xoë unbuckles her seatbelt and gazes up at the large golden letters in excitement.

        "I haven't been to one of these in mad long. We only have like four up in NY, but we never go."

        She readjusts her two sizes too big jacket with a shrug of her shoulders and hops out of the car. Letting out a groan, she extends her arms above her head and stretches out the kinks that are probably in her back from sitting still for so long. Greg and I follow suit and the three of us walk to the entrance in silence.

        I trail a few feet behind, dreading the intimacy and openness associated with sit-down meals.

        Looking over my shoulder at the now locked car, it sinks in that I did this shit to myself. My curiosity got the best of me and now I have to suffer through a meal with an uncle and a cousin that I barely know. 

        "Are your legs sleep or somethin? Put some pep in that step, girl," Xoë shouts back at me. 

        Greg is already inside, my best guess being that he picked up on me not really wanting to talk to or be near him. She's standing at the entrance holding the door for me and I curse under my breath.

        I hate when people do this. Unless I'm a few steps behind them when they're walking through the door, I would rather they let it close in my face than hold it and force me to do the awkward ass walk-jog thing I'm doing now.

        When I reach the door, she locks arms with me pulling me inside with her.

        "This quiet thing not cutting it with me, boo. I'm from New York. Quiet scares me. You shy or what?" She eyes me like I'm a damn lab experiment, squinting and looking me up and down.

        I stare slack-jawed at her, amazed by her lack of boundaries and complete disregard for personal space. My eyes wander to the tapered bunch of curls on her head, feeling like the maturity of the style suits her demeanor.

        "No, I just ain't got nothing to say for real." I glance down at our arms. "You're standing hella close to me, you know that, right?"

        Being this close to people makes me feel naked like they're trying to ease their way in until they're just close enough to see what's going on behind the caution tape I surround myself with. Defenses put in place to prevent people from seeing all that goes into me keeping my shit together from moment to moment acting like can't nothing get to me.

        I try tugging my arm out of her grip, but she wraps her fingers around my forearm and holds me in place.

         "There's plenty to say, girl are you dumb? I haven't seen yo ass in mad long so I already know we got a lot of catching up to do, but no worries. I'll get you talking one way or another." I look around searching for a way out and spot Greg waving us over from the front of the short line.

        "Your Pops is calling us."

        He's at the cash register motioning for us to come pick out our drinks. I hoped this would lead to my release, but she just pulls me along with her to the soda machines.

        The guy working behind the register watches her in amusement – at least I'm not the only one who thinks she's got a few loose screws. He looks like he's around our age, maybe a couple years older. Short blonde hair falls neatly across his forehead as he continues to eye her with mild interest. An automatic frown sweeps over my features and I mask it before it's noticeable.