The War on Love

Chapter 3

I pulled into the parking lot of the tiny diner. We get out of my car and slide into a booth inside.

A short little blonde waitress comes to take our order. She smiles brightly at me and hugs me around the shoulders. "How you been, Em? Your brother came in last week and said you'd been home for a few months. Why are you just now coming in?" The waitress asks.

"I've been busy! Sorry! Besides, Grace called me up and wanted to meet for lunch."

"Busy, eh? Would the boy have anything to do with the lack of visits?" She asks, wagging her pen at Thomas.

I groan and hit my head against the table. "No, Abbi. Why the hell are you so embarrassing?"

"Oh, so you care what I say about you in front of him?" I feel my cheeks heat up as Abbi talks. I hide my face in my hands and pretend to be annoyed. She snickers. "What you want to drink?"

I simply wave and Abbi jots down some thing. "Uh, a water..." Thomas says awkwardly.

"Get Grace and Kyle Sweet Teas too," I mumble.

"Ok. I'll be back soon." Abbi turns and leaves our table.

"Friend of yours?" Thomas asks.

I nod. "Friend from High School. She's over protective of me."

"I can tell," he says, rolling his brown eyes.

I opened my mouth to speak but a squealing entered my ears. I looked up to see a medium-height girl running towards me. Her long brown hair flying behind her. She enveloped me in an awkward side hug before sitting across from us with a boy who looked exactly like her.

They slid into the booth across from Thomas and I. "Thomas, meet Grace and Kyle. Guys, this is my friend, Thomas," I say, gesturing.

Thomas sticks his hand across the table to them. Grace shakes it and then Kyle. "Nice to meet you both," he says with a warm smile.

"You as well," Kyle says.

Abbi brings us our drinks and takes us our order, but before she leaves the table she winks and mouths something to me. I groan and hit my head against the table.

"I hate my life," I grumble.

Thomas pats my back playfully. "Don't worry, love. I'm still here."

"Did you just call me love?"

I could've sworn I saw the slightest blush rise to his cheeks. "It's a British thing, Emmalyn. I mean nothing by it." I actually find myself to be a bit disappointed at this new bit of information.

Grace clears her throat. "So, how are you?"

"Good. I've been constantly busy ever since I got home though." I shrug. "Oh well. Can't have it easy all the time."

Kyle scowls deeply. "You gotta some time to yourself, Em."

I scoff, "Dear God, no. I like the company of other lifeforms. My mind no longer gives me companionship."

"Then get a fish!" Kyle frets.

"That's boring," I say and crinkle my nose in disgust. "Maybe I can get a dog. Or a bird. That'd be fun."

"If you get a bird, I am never coming back to your house," Thomas says as he sips at his water.

"Wow. Harsh," I grumble. "Besides, I never ask you to come over. You usually just seem to show up. It's kinda creepy."

He placed a hand on his chest in mock hurt. "How dare you! And to think, I believed we were friends. Maybe even besties. And then you go and call me creepy!"

"I didn't call you creepy. I called your antics creepy," I say and play with my straw.

"Are you speaking English right now?" He asks with confusion laced within his voice.

I stare at him. "No habla Engles."

"All right. Now I KNOW you aren't speaking English."

I tilt my head to the side in confusion. "No hablo Ingles."

I yelped when a foot came in contact with my shin. I glared across the table at Grace. She raised her hands in surrender. "The only one here who understands you is Kyle. Please. Speak English."

I crossed my arms over my chest and scowled. "Fine."

"Much better, Emmalyn," Thomas says with a smile on his lips.

Plates of food are set in front of us. People wave at me while I eat and I give back a little wave. I haven't had a good burger in a while. Sure. I've been home for two months but I haven't had one of the diner's burgers in a while. Sadly, my luxury kept getting interrupted by people saying hello and welcoming me home. Gotta love people.....

After our plates were cleared away, I grabbed the bill and put a five on the table. Thomas grabbed my elbow and tried to take the ticket from my hand. "Emmalyn, let me get it."

"No. I got it, don't worry." I walk up to the counter and take my wallet from my pocket. I put the money on the counter but Thomas picks it up and puts his own money on the counter. "Thomas! I said I got it."

"Emmalyn, don't you know that a true gentleman always treats the lady to dinner?" He says smoothly before telling the cashier to keep the change. He then leads me back out to my car. What just happened? I sigh and shake my head before following. I just won't ask questions....

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A/N: Chapter 3 is up!!! Yay! I hope you guys like it. I'm not a huge fan of this chapter but oh well. Thanks to everybody who had read, commented, and/or voted! -med_01