Innocence Lost On the Gamble of Love

Innocence Lost On the Gamble of Love: Chapter 6

"So what time do you have to leave?"

"Maybe like in an hour," Penelope said, shuffling her feet. "What about you?"

"My parents don't care, but I'll have my sister come and get me after you get picked up."

Okay, good. Penelope thought happily before nodding back at Derrick.

She always got annoyed whenever her friends would get picked up before her, which left her waiting all alone for about half an hour with no one to talk to.

"Damn, it's getting cold," Derrick complained, rubbing his hands together in hopes of gaining enough friction to create heat. He peered over at the female beside him, curious to hear her response.

"A little," she admitted plainly, shrugging. She wasn't as affected by the cold the way most people were. Some might say it's because she's a cold person.

"What do you want to do now?" Derrick asked.

"It doesn't matter to me."

"I'm kind of hungry now."

"Then let's go to the food court."

......................................

"Do you want anything?" Derrick asked for what seemed like the twentieth time that day.

"No, I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" he probed, feeling overly caring today. "I don't feel right eating when other people aren't."

"Then just pretend that I'm not here," she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Or," Derrick replied in an irritated tone, playing Penelope at her own game. "You can order something."

Penelope sighed in defeat. "Just get me fries."

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?"

"You're getting very close to the point where I flip you off."

"Oh, really? I thought you were already doing it your mind."

Penelope rolled her eyes.

"Okay," Derrick said once they reached the counter to Hot Dog On A Stick. "I'll have one hot dog, a small Pepsi," Penelope made a disgusted face upon hearing his request. She was a Coca-Cola person. "And some small fries."

The man on the other side of the counter typed in the order before looking over at Penelope and asking her, "Did you want to order next?"

"Oh, no," Penelope flustered. "I'm with him." She pointed to Derrick who was fumbling with his wallet.

"Oh, I see. Date night?" the man said with an understanding smile.

"Yeah," Derrick answered solemnly.

"No," Penelope disputed at the same time.

The two teens turned to each other, both posing the same look of what-the-hell-was-that?

Derrick absentmindedly handed over his money to the cashier without straying his gaze from Penelope.

How could she have thought that this wasn't a date? He had offered to pay for everything, they were doing whatever the other one had chosen, and they even held hands!

Penelope had been absolutely sure that this wasn't a date. No matter how badly her mind desperately had wanted to believe it. She had figured that Derrick being an incompetent male would have merely deemed this as an innocent outgoing. Two friends at the mall and nothing more than that. But he saw this as a date? What the hell did this mean?