This Winter

Chapter 41

Senior Year

My mom calls her doctor shortly after breakfast. Her doctor insists on her coming in to do a quick check-up and the possibility of switching pain medicine.

"Alright," she sighs as she rummages through her purse for her keys, "I'll be back."

"I can drive you, Mom." She waives me off and grabs her sunglasses from the kitchen counter. Places them on her head and gives me a smile.

"It's boring stuff. Go hang out with Noah or Ashley," she encourages, "I'll be back later."

As she's walking out of the kitchen I call out, "Bye, love you."

"I'll be back, love ya," she shouts as she's already walking down the hall and to the door.

A moment passes once she's gone. And I let out a breath of air as if I had been holding it all day.

Well I can't hangout with Noah still. So I decide to text Ashley, asking her if she'd like to grab something to eat.

***

"Hey," Ashley smiles.

"Hey," I nod and run my hand through my hair, my other arm outstretched above me as I yawn and over-dramatically stretch. "You look nice," I suddenly notice after my dramatics.

"Oh thanks," she smiles and tucks a dark strand of hair behind her ear. A green dress with daisy's and subtle makeup on her face, her dress sways with the night's air.

I feel a little underdressed with my sweats and football hoodie, but it's not like we're doing anything fancy. We're just getting pizza.

"Why all dressed up," I tease as we walk to the restaurant.

"Just was today."

We walk into the restaurant, finding a booth on our own that's tucked in the back. The vinyl booths a faded blue with large rips and a glimpse of foam peaking. My feet stick to the floor as I sit and the lights are a harsh yellow.

"Thanks for inviting me," Ashley smiles despite the atmosphere. She picks up the menu daintily  and her eyes search the paper for something to eat.

"I'm just going to get a pepperoni pizza if you want to split it," I tell her and slide the menu away from myself.

"Can we do half cheese?" She asks, "I've been cutting out meat."

"Sure," I nod. And when the elder waitress comes over with a sweet smile and eyes that crinkle- I ask for a cheese pizza.

"You know you could've got half pepperoni," Ashley sighs when the pizza arrives in front of us.

"I'm cutting down on meat," I shrug and she laughs.

"I'm trying to be vegetarian," she smiles shyly as she takes a slice of pizza onto her plate, "I just started last week."

I nod and grab a slice of pizza, not bothering to even sit it on my plate. Not wasting seconds to devour it. Ashley laughs quietly when she notices how fast I'm eating.

"I'm a growing man," I excuse and she chuckles again, picking up her pizza and taking a small bite.

"So where's your Mom?" She asks and places her pizza back onto her plate.