“Have a good night.”
“You too.”
I walked back to Ryan with the pizzas, and the doors shut behind us with a heavy click. Once more, we were sealed inside. No alarm went off, and no one yelled after us to condemn our Friday night literary exploits.
“Regular customer?” I asked Ryan. I yanked the pizzas away from him as he reached out toward one, as if to carry it the rest of the way. “Nuh-uh. I’m not letting you drop these. I’d rather let you be the one who falls down the stairs.”
He glanced back down at the crutches he was leaning on a little less than before. I hoped he wasn’t pushing himself for no reason.
“Fair. And I gave Lucas, the pizza boy, lessons last spring. Most of the team did it for our volunteer hours. Plus, it was good to have the high school on my résumé,” explained Ryan with another goofy smile. “But also, yes, it’s really good pizza.”
“Was he any good?”
“Who? Lucas?” Ryan asked as he started to climb the stairs two at a time. “Not in the slightest.”
I laughed.
His head turned around to me. “I wondered if you could do that.”
“Do what?”
“Laugh.”
Slowly, whatever delight snuck its way onto my face dissipated. My lips closed again. They pressed together the rest of the way back to our table. The overhead light was still on above the table, staying on dimly all night. Another reason it was the perfect spot even if I never intended on sharing.
Before I could even drop the pizza down on the edge, ignoring theplease no foodsign, Ryan lifted the lid and grabbed a slice. The cheese oozed off the side along with a slice of pepperoni.
I reached for my own.
“Do you ever think you smile at people too much?” I asked.
“No.” Ryan shook his head as if the thought were utterly preposterous. “It doesn’t cost anything.”
“But it’s dishonest.”
“A smile?”
“False happiness. False hope.”
“Aren’t you just a bundle of joy?” he teased.
I was pretty sure we’d already gone over that. I dipped my head back down to take a bite of the pizza, still warm. I could’ve moaned at the taste. My face must’ve said enough.
“Good, huh?”
“Really good. I see why you risk your football physique for such magnificence.”
He rolled his eyes. “Keep denying it all you like, Lu. You’ve been checking me out, haven’t you?”
“Be quiet.”
“I’m eating,” he excused. He still couldn’t stop laughing.
“Then, eat more.” Anything to get him to stop talking. “Or get started with your essay. You’re never going to finish at this rate.”
He kept smiling as he took an obnoxiously large bite and reached to lift the screen of his computer. Immediately, it burst to life. He opened a preformatted document. He was right. He did have more than nothing.
He had the thesis right there in the title.
