Sunflowers, Bees and Honey

III

No one spoke for a several more minutes when Dorothy returned with her retarded manager, who finally granted her permission to kick out any handsy costumers before leaving.

Then it was as if they weren't just about to watch a whole sex tape play out live.

Clementine contemplated returning to the usual silence between her and book boy, decided she was still way too energized by the fight, and turned to face him.

"I did not use any fancy words with the hormone reeking addicts, by the way," she started cautiously as if learning how to have a conversation for the first time, "As someone who reads a lot, you should know that."

Silence.

Clementine gave this one last try by saying, "But then again, you're the slowest reader that I've ever met."

"Excuse me?"

Oh, so now she's got his attention huh?

"I mean, no offense, but who takes a whole bleeding week to finish a novel?" She tried sounding bored.

"Well, I'm sorry. I'm too busy all day, every day, to get much free time to read other than the two hours I spend here every night. Not that it's any of your business," he replied coolly, "and by the way I was aware of your simplistic vocabulary while speaking to our lovey, lusty otp. I just wanted to make them uncomfortable considering how they kept using the word 'jealous' every other sentence."

He looked as if he was about to put an end to the conversation, but Clementine wasn't having it. She got up from her seat and sat next to him.

"No."

"What?"

"If you're taking the dummies advice on the whole holding hands and escalating 'steps' then-"

Eyes widening, she bristled, "What the fluff?"

"I mean I'm not inter- wait. Did you really just say 'fluff'?" He sputtered with an incredulous expression on his face.

"Answer my question first, and yes book boy. I don't swear."

"The name is James, did you not think it suited my grandpa personality?" She said that out loud? "And damn, maybe the guy really was right about some catholic shit going on, except that it's one sided, so let me slowly reject you-"

Rubbing at her temples, she replied with a, "Jesus Christ, I'm not interested in you. Get that idea out of your mind."

"You mentioning the holy name is just helping prove my point here," he unsubtly shifted away from her.

"Lord give me patience," she whispered to the heavens.

"Aha! See!"

Clementine back-tracked to head back to her seat, exasperatingly done with this dimwit when his rough hands caught her wrist.

"Where are you going Cathy-"

"It's Clementine, you moron."

"Whatever. As much as I hate agreeing with sweaty guy, he is right about your diet not being the healthiest - not that there's anything wrong with your body," he quickly added at her expression of death, "it's just that you clearly need someone to watch over you before you start pumping insulin."

"What are you now? A doctor?" That was a lame reply.

"A pre-med student in my second year actually, about to major in psychology after finishing up the fourth," he bloated before catching her blank look and asking, "What?"

"Nah. You're just as boring as I expected."

He huffed in disbelief and retorted, "quite the creative description. Didn't realize you were a Rick Riordan instead of a JK Rowling."

"I'll have you know that he is so much better than she ever will be. Count on you to pick the more mundane out of the two."

They were starting to draw some attention, so Dorothy at last appeared (where has she been all this time?), with a suspiciously wide smile that rattled both Clementine and James. She then inquired cheerfully, "well what would you two like to order?"

About to respond, James beat her and ordered two of the plainest meals on the surface of the planet; however, Clementine flipped and an argument regarding their choice in food had begun.

Dorothy quietly did a 180 and left them alone.