I look up fast enough to catch the shrug.
“‘Sure?’ Sounds like a lot of hard work for something you’re not that into.”
“I like it,” he admits.
I nod, stuffing the fry in my mouth. “You got friends up there at that fancy school?”
He scoffs. “Yeah, a few.”
“So why are you sitting here eating greasy diner food on the bad side of town with me?”
Something flutters in my stomach while I wait for his answer. What the fuck do I think he’s gonna say?
I’d rather be here with you? You’re better than them?
Yeah, right.
He shrugs again. “You neededme, so I came.”
Somehow that’s both better and worse than what I was imagining he’d say.
I bite back the response that sits on the tip of my tongue—I’ve needed you for the past five years, where were you then?
I push the fries into the middle of the table and sit back.
“Evan … ” Nate takes a deep breath and wipes his hands on a napkin. “If you want to talk, about your dad-”
“I don’t.”
“Okay.” He nods. “But if you ever do….”
“Listen Nate, I don’t need your fucking counselling, okay?”
He looks up at me with those big green eyes.
“Fuck,why do you have to give me that Bambi shit?”
“What?” His lips twitch up on one side and I have to grit my teeth to stop from mirroring the smile.
“I’m not giving you the ‘Bambi shit.’” He shakes his head. “I’m just trying to be a friend.”
“Because my ma asked you to babysit me.”
“No, not because of that.” He looks down at the table, running his finger through some salt grains. “Evan, I know I haven’t been here….”
I start to sweat. My heart racing. How long have I waited for Nate to come back and tell me how sorry he was for leaving? How much he’s missed me? How wrong I was about him thinking he’s better than me now? But I can’t take it. Whatever he has to say, I don’t wanna hear it. Not anymore. It’s too late.
I cut him off before he can even try.
“You screwed me over back then, but I’m over it,” I say, shoving another fry in my mouth. “Believe it or not, the world doesn’t revolve around you, and I haven’t just been sitting in my room moping. I’ve had bigger things to think about.”
“More coffee, hon?”
Nate had been staring at me with those big stupid Bambi eyes, but he flinches at the waitress’ voice. He looks too stunned to speak, so I answer for him. “No, thanks.”
She shrugs and walks away.
“Shouldn’t you get back to the frat house? Won’t your brothers be wondering where you’ve gone?”
