“Yep,” he says as he helps someone at the bar. I guess he’s done talking.
Out on the sidewalk, I look right, trying to remember where I parked my car. When it comes back to me, I turn left and head down to Lincolnway. That’s when I hear “Tayler.”
Turning back, I see Luke jogging toward me. “Here.” He’s holding out the money I left.
I smile wide. “That’s a tip.”
Luke doesn’t speak, just glares, so I reach out and take the money from his hand. “It’s customary to leave a tip,” I mumble.
“My friends don’t tip me.”
Oh, so now we’re friends? That’s interesting. Could have fooled me.
I’m instantly angry. “You know what, Luke?” I say his name so succinctly, I spit a little bit on theksound. I don’t wait for him to answer. I also shove the money back at him. “I can leave you a fucking tip if I want to. You’re not the boss of me, Luke Green.” Nobody is. “And you can knock off all that grumpy bullshit while you’re at it. If we’re”—I point to him, then myself, then use air quotes—“going to be ‘friends,’ then you’re going to have to be a whole lot nicer to me. If anyone gets to be surly, it’s me.” I point to myself. “Got it?”
Luke starts to say something, but I interrupt. “And if all I want to eat is fried fucking pickles, then that’s all I want to eat. I appreciate you thinking you know what’s best for me, but you don’t. I watch what I eat. I exercise.” Mostly. “I don’t need you guilting me into eating more food.” Dylan used to tell me what to eat. I ate whateverhewanted to eat, never whatIwanted. It pissed me off then too. A lot.
“Okay,” Luke says softly. “I’m sorry.”
He’s sorry? I bet that was painful for him to say. He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who apologizes too much.
I take in a deep breath. “Fine.” I nod. “Good.” We understand one another.
“Just don’t tip me.”
I roll my eyes hard. “Fine.” I reach out and grab the ten bucks. I’m broke right now, so I could use the money. “Bye, Luke.”
“Bye, babe.”
Babe?Ugh.
Friends.He wants to be friends. I roll my eyes again. I know one thing for certain, being Luke Green’s friend is not going to be easy.
