Godspeed

Chapter Three

Marley Mason and Ava DeLoughery had been sitting across from each other in silence for about ten minutes now. At first, they didn't have the right words to attempt a conversation and the quiet settling at their table was just awkward enough to make Marley squirm in his seat. The rest of the store carried on, except for Tafari Mason who occasionally glanced back at them. By the two minute mark, Ava was using her eyes to egg on Marley into starting a conversation. A little dumbstruck, he egged her back.

When the three-minute mark hit, both their eyes had relentlessly narrowed in on each other and their back and forth prodding was quickly morphed into a steady, anxious staring competition. Ava set her lips hard and glared, but Marley didn't quite mind. To him, their little battle of eyes only got easier the longer he stared at her. It gave him time to take in her skin, her lips, her curly head of hair; there seemed to always be new things to look at on the surface of Ava DeLoughery each time he blinked. But most of all, he was trapped by her eyes. Big, dark and daring. Until they snapped closed.

Exasperated, Ava fell back in her seat. "I give up. You win."

Marley smirked cockily.

Tongue in cheek, Ava worked her jaw before continuing, "I don't know how you do it." Humming to herself she leaned forward as if to inspect the boy across the table, the space between her and Marley slimming. "I suppose you have been doing it this long. By now it must be like second nature to you." She propped her chin up with her palms. Now, her voice was less accusatory and more inquisitive when she asked, "Is your tongue cut out? Is that it?"

Marley's eyes bulged before he smiled and laughed. The causality in her tone was one thing but, he thought she might have actually been serious.

He shook his head.

"Do you talk to your dad? As in, talk-talk?"

Marley gave a half nod. Sometimes.

"Who else do you talk to?"

Marley smiled. He thought for a second, his eyes glazing the sanitized table-top before raising his left hand and redirecting her question back at her.

"Who do I talk to?" she asked. Marley nodded.

Ava laughed like she didn't know how to answer that question. "Everyone," she eventually decided on.

Marley pointed at himself, eyebrows raised.

She made a sound. "Well, that's changing right now, isn't it?" At first, Marley did not move, partly because he was waiting for her to say something again and partly because something about Ava DeLoughery made him want to stop the entire world and just watch her. Then, she outstretched her hand. "Hi, my name's Ava. Nice to meet you."

Marley took her hand almost immediately. It shocked even him at just how fast he was ready to have her touch him. They both paused and Marley eventually shook their holding hands hovering above the table-top. He wanted to believe that this might be the start of a good thing, but he knew that good things never lasted. No matter how badly you wanted it to keep going, they all eventually turned sour.

"So," Ava began, looking around the store, "have you always worked here?"

Marley shook his head. No. His eyes rested on her before pointing at her with his chin. What about you? Why are you here?

The girl crossed her arms. "That is a can of worms you do not want to open."

Leaning back in his seat, Marley pursed his lips and cocked one arm over the back of the chair. Try me.