Where did you go?

7

'Hi,' she replied, showing no emotion.

'I wanted to talk to you.'

'Yeah?' She closed her book and took out an earbud. She seemed...chill.

'You want to go get some breakfast? Or...lunch.' She looked to the clock and smiled.

'Uh...yeah. Sounds good.' I was on guard and wary.

'Okay, cool,' she said, perkily and picked up a pair of pink converse from the bottom of her bed.

'You guys are leaving?' Milo stood from the floor where she'd been tying her laces.

'Sounds like it,' she responded, giving Eden a tight smile.

'But what about me? I could eat.' Eden looked at me for help but I was not getting into this.

'The minibar is right over there.' Milo walked up to her and patted her bruising cheek. 'Get well soon, babe.'

That was cold. I kind of wanted to laugh.

She's fucking amazing.

We walked to the elevator, not saying a word. Once we got inside, Milo faced the mirrors and started changing her bun into a perky ponytail.

'Do you have anywhere in mind?'

'Huh?' I replied, dumbstruck by her silky-soft hair waving around from her styling it. I'd just had my hands in it not thirty minutes ago.

'To eat?' she clarified.

'Oh. Yeah, I know somewhere.'

'Cool.' She was completely unaware of my entranced state.

'You look super pretty today,' I said, checking my phone so I seemed more insouciant.

I remembered what she'd said about being in Eden's shadow and I wanted to make her feel nice. It seemed to work.

'Really? But I'm all crusty and hungover,' she said, lightly laughing.

I looked up from my phone. 'You look good to me.' A smile bloomed on her face that just took my breath away.

'Thank you.'

'You're welcome.'

I put my phone away and we both looked away from each other, standing side by side and smiling like idiots.

~•~

'I'll have a stack of pancakes, biscuits and gravy, fries and a chocolate milkshake.'

The waitress looked to Milo.

'Oh, uh, I'll have some hash browns and a...vanilla milkshake, please.'

'Hash browns? That's it?' I asked once the woman had left.

'You're the one eating for a small village.'

'Touché.'

Silence.

'You wanted to talk?'

I sighed. 'I'm super sorry about last night.'

'Super sorry?'

'Yeah.'

'It's okay. I'm over it.' She smiled.

'You're...you're what?'

'It's not you I'm mad at.' She was looking at her nails but caught my eye and must've saw my expression. 'Don't sweat it, Gray.'

Gray. I liked that coming from her.