Blue Boy

16 - Burros

From Violeta's apartment, we walk over to the main square of the town. The sun was down and the evening was cool. She leads me around the town, unable to decide where to eat, sometimes she would grab my arm to get my attention. She points to the places, asking me what I like, and telling me what she's hungry for. My mind drifted somewhere as I take in the glow of the village at night.

"You're gonna love it here, Waffle." she drags me inside an older looking establishment with glass swinging doors. A neon sign against the window blinks in both red and blue 'OPEN'.

"Take a seat anywhere. I'll be back," she looks back at me and smiles, her eyebrow raised slightly. I let go of her sleeve and sit in a nearby booth. It's clean inside and the atmosphere is cold and clinical, there's not that many patrons, even during dinnertime, I think to myself. It doesn't feel like a restaurant except for the glorious aroma of various foods cooking, frying, baking. Wolf comes back.

"Hope you like burritos," she says as she sets down two amber beer mugs.

"Burrito? What's that?" I ask looking up as if pure and innocent.

"This is serious," she whispers as she sits down in front of me, she's visibly horrified at my confusion. I've never seen this expression on her, I realize I pulled a nerve. My insides settle and start to churn, I  suddenly understand the severity of it all.

"This is the most scrumptious concoction ever dared to be conceived," she says in a low tone. "I can't believe you." her voice breaks as if on the verge of tears.

"What? Wait, what's happening right now? I'm sorry! Oh yeah, Violeta, I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah? Oh no here we go."

"I wanted to ask about buying a drone. I'll pay you, of course, any old one you got laying around is fine."

"Oh yeah, that's no problem. I'll see what I got. Right after we stuff our faces, yeah?"

Their beer mugs were half empty when our food came Blue was recounting what he had found in the underground office. They touched burritos before digging in.

"I saw an email," Blue said chewing. "It mentions the main plant, I'm confident they were producing illegal components."

"Seems boring," she was tearing into her log of flavor. "Why are you chasin' after this again? You left out that part."

"I guess, I'm just curious, I don't have the best excuse for why." Blue Boy looked down. "Maybe it's on the way. Maybe I'll find what I need."

"Why do you keep running, Waffle?" I looked up and Wolf was smiling sweetly across the table from me. I felt ashamed that I didn't have a good answer for her again.

They sat in silence for a while. Blue enjoyed the food very much but he never got the chance to tell her. They paid for everything and went back to her apartment. They got drunk on Violeta's wine and made love four times that night.