Shoes

cuatro : sed (uction)

We sat across each other silently. I gazed down at my milkshake. I really needed to start saying something but I was at a loss for words.

"So, how's your cat Ginger?" He asked timidly, glancing behind me briefly.

"Oh, he's good." The awkward silence started to set on us again until he spoke. 

"How's Evie? I haven't spoken to her in ages." I nodded, stirring my straw around in my milkshake. 

"She's alright. Still in love with that singer. You know, she actually never told me what happened between you two." He cleared his throat and looked down. 

"Oh?" 

"No, she never mentioned why." 

"Well, the past is better left in the past after all." He said, lifting his gaze and meeting my eyes head on. As if daring me to question him any more. 

"But it is only the past that helps us learn what to do in the future." 

"What are you trying to do?" I didn't answer, and instead chuckled a little. He was witty and quick. I dropped my head and lifted it again to find something new in his eyes I hadn't seen before. For a moment I wondered what it would have been like if we'd dated instead of him and Eve. 

Our eyes seemed to be stuck on one another's. 

Or maybe that was just my imagination. 

"So, are you seeing anybody?" He asked me, forcing some sort of casual tone into his voice. 

"No, I am totally single. Have you seen the guys at our school? Gross." I crunched up my nose and he laughed a little. 

"You forget we go to the same school." I made a face like I was thinking about it, and then met his gaze calmly. 

"No, I didn't forget." He laughed, this time a true laugh and it's true...my heart didn't skip a beat. None of that happened. I didn't get butterflies, my chest didn't clench either I just felt...kind of happy. Not all the way, but it was a feeling touching the surface. 

I opened my mouth to ask him something when a hand slammed down on the table and we both were forced to look up to see just what asshole was interupting us. 

Low and behold there stood Lia dressed in a short tan shimmery dress. She looked like she was on her way to the club. 

"Wow, hi! How hilarious is it that I ran into the two of you?" She turned towards both of us. "Rowen. Trian." 

"So, funny." Rowen said, his expression slightly strained. She turned towards Rowen. 

"Rowen, would you be a Ken and get both of us a glass of water?" She beamed at him and I simply nodded that it was fine. Then he rose wordlessly. Lia turned on me in a second. 

"What the hell are you doing? That's Evelyn's ex-boyfriend. She would throw a fit if she knew you were here with him." 

"And that's why you're not going to tell her." I took a sip of my milkshake. Her brows furrowed. 

"What?" 

"Remember? I heard you talking to that freshman about Eve a month ago. I recorded it just incase you ever tried to stab me." 

"What are you talking abo--" Her face went pale as she recalled exactly what I was talking about. "That's not fair I--I was upset! My ex had just hit on her and--" 

"I don't care. I didn't even make you say it, and if you invoke her wrath onto me I'm taking you down with me. Do you want that Lia? I think we both know what she's capable of." 

Suddenly, Rowen came back. He sat down our drinks in front of us and then noticed Lia's changed demeanor. 

"Are you ok?" She glanced at me quickly. 

"Yeah, I'm great. Have a fun time." 

She didn't waste another second. We heard her heels click until she drove away. 

"What happened is she alright? She didn't even look at her water." 

"You're asking me? I have no idea." I drew the milkshake straw to my lips and sucked slowly.

 I kept my eyes on his the whole time.