Hockey Rivalry

Chapter 9

Lia

Colton's eyes focus on mine. My leg starts shaking up and down under the table. I look everywhere but his eyes.

I see Connie slowly walk back to the table with a note pad and a smile. I give her a small smile back.

"Mer." Colton says gently tapping my shaking leg with his leg. My head snaps in his direction. "Yes. I did smoke."

I press my lips together and nod.

"What would you kids like to drink?"

"I'll have the usual." Colton says.

"Of course." Connie smiles and then she looks at me.

"Water." I smile.

"Alright I'll be out in a minute." And Connie walks away.

I look down at the menu. It's all typical American food. What I really want is a fat hamburger but I'm going to order a salad.

"Do you know what you're getting?" Colton asks.

"Yeah." I shut the menu.

I start to overthink about the fact that I asked him that question. He's definitely mad at me. Because I am a bit anxious I tap my fingers on the table.

I stare at a picture of the restaurant that was taken close to when it first opened. I try to avoid looking at Colton.

After about my fiftieth tap Colton gently places his hand on top of mine to stop the tapping. I look at his hand on mine.

"I'm sorry." I immediately say.

"For what?" He asks.

"I feel like I'm upsetting you."

Colton lifts my hand up slightly and locks his fingers with mine. He traces soothing circles on my hand with his thumb. I look up at him. This isn't weird for him?

"You're not, Mer. If that's why you were so anxious you can stop tapping your fingers now." I nod my head. "You're okay."

I feel myself smile. We slowly pull our hands apart and I rest mine on my lap.

"Why did you do this?" I ask.

"Do what?"

"Just hang out with me. I'm sure we had some sort of mutual feeling that did not involve being overly nice."

"You Just seemed like you needed an escape. Some fresh air." He shrugs, "so I thought I'd take you around and do what I do when I need some fresh air."

"You're not going to take me to catch an STD are you?" My face morphs into disgust.

"No. That's a different kind of escape but that's not fresh air." He smiles.

Connie comes back over with our drinks and takes our order.

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I stare at the plate of salad in front of me. Usually I wouldn't have a hard time eating but for some reason at restaurants I have a really hard time.

Colton has already started to eat his food. I haven't even picked up my fork. I just poured ranch on it.

"Mer?" Colton says.

"Yes."

"You can do it." He encourages.

"It's always been hard for me at restaurants."

"Okay what do you do when you eat at home or at school? Tell me everything."

"Well. At home I'm either talking to my dad or watching something on my laptop or phone. At school I'm talking to my friends."