Just Another Brushstroke

Chapter 7

Jeremy's POV

I didn't expect to spend my Thursday afternoon sitting in a dirty McDonalds with screaming five year old's. However that's how it happened.

"This is where you decide to take us after we got off of work, Adam?" I said and slumped back down against my seat for comfort. I shifted around trying to make my back stop aching, but it wasn't working.

Adam kept twisting in his seat to see if he could see her.

"She upgraded from McDonald's to the actual Walmart so I figured we could surprise her," he said and I glanced around this small fast food eating joint.

My parents weren't much for fast food. They believed in natural foods, not "poison" which is what they called it. I grimaced as I smelled the meat aroma wonder out into the eating area. I had thought about going vegetarian but never devoted my time to it.

"Oh my God there she is. Oh my God, do I look okay?" Adam asked me as he started combing his fingers through his hair. I nodded at him and gave him a thumbs up.

Adam was very good looking. Anyone with eyes knew that. Adam kept playing with his fingers and picking at his nails. He always did that when he was nervous. He never acted nervous when he went on dates before, I was there when he introduced me to his other girlfriends.

He was chill. He wasn't this time and that left me puzzled.

She was prettier in real life then on a phone screen. She ordered food and walked right past our table until Adam called out to her.

"Emerald!"

She jumped but then turned around. Her short blonde hair brushed her shoulders and her eyes were even greener then in the picture. She laughed and smiled when she laid eyes on Adam.

"What are you doing here?" She asked and sat down beside him in the booth. She kissed him on the cheek and his eyes lit up.

"I wanted to surprise you and I brought a friend," he said and glanced at me.

She looked over and smiled. "Nice to meet you, I'm Emerald," she said and I shook her hand.

"I'm Jeremy." I had gone through this awkward meeting your best friends girlfriend thing before. It never got bearable. However Emerald seemed like a chill person and she didn't seem to nervous.

I smiled as she continued to talk to Adam about her day and how her boss was a bitch to her. Amongst other things and my eyes and thought eventually wondered off. That was until she finally brought me into the conversation.

"What do you like to do?"

"I'm a writer."

"What do you write?"

"I write poetry and short stories."

"Do you want to become an author someday?"

"Totally."

I could practically recite this conversation to someone by now. When people find out that I'm a writer, they instantly want details. I don't mind giving some but I'm also very private with my writing. Not considering the writing I put on Instagram.

Once that was over my thoughts wondered off again. It has been two days since our date and I haven't talked to Angelo since. He keeps trying to contact me but I don't know what is stopping me from answering his calls or texts.

My eyes wonder off to the busy people shopping. The mothers with children in carts and crying because they want candy. The teenagers with their phones in there hands and running into other carts. The fathers who just wish they were drinking a beer instead of shopping for their wives.