“Um, I’m ready to order, how about you?”
“Okay.”
Luna put her menu down and tried to remember what she liked about Luther. He was kind, and not unattractive. He was sweet, and clearly into her. He was safe, and he was meant to keep her from thinking about Davis all the time. But it wasn’t working. She couldn’t think of anythingbutDavis, and the way she’d ruined everything since graduation.
“What do you think?”
Had he been talking the whole time? “Oh, I think it’s fine,” she said vaguely.
“Really? You think the school board’s suggestion of requiring an aid in each classroom is a good idea?” Clearly, he was against the idea, if his tone was any indication.
“Yes, why not?” That was the pressing issue he was worried about? “I could use the help, couldn’t you?”
“It feels like a way to keep an eye on our every move, and to have them report back.”
“That’s paranoid.” She regretted it as soon as she said it, but it was already out there.
The waitress came to take their orders, so they had to shelve the conversation for a few minutes as they placed their orders.
“You think it’s paranoid to want to keep the district out of our classrooms?” he demanded.
“Why would there have to be someone sent directly from the school board? That’s not how our system hires people. I came as a teacher’s assistant; do you think I must have been a plant by the school board?”
“That’s different.” The look on his face said otherwise.
“Why, because you like me?” Luna tried to modulate her tone, but she realized she was coming across pretty rudely.
“Maybe.”
“Our principal looks for college students to hire as interns and then gives them a permanent position if it works out. That’s not someone coming in to spy on us.”
“I just don’t like it.”
Luna stared at Luther as the waitress moved around their table refilling drinks. He sounded like a petulant child. She couldn’t quite believe that she had agreed to go out on a date with someone other than Davis. It was such a bad idea, that she was appalled at herself. She didn’t want anyone sitting across from her at the dinner table that wasn’t Davis. She didn’t want to kiss anyone else goodnight, didn’t want to text them when her day was good, or hear their warm, deep laugh in her ear. She sure as hell couldn’t picture herself sharing a bed with this guy.
“Can we talk about something else?” she said. She needed to get through dinner, but it didn’t have to be torture for them both.
Luther looked down at his plate and didn’t respond. Had she read him wrong all along in her eagerness to prove to Davis that she could be with someone else and be well taken care of? Had she jumped at the chance to be with Luther because she thought she could get over her yearning for Davis, only to screw herself over in the long run? She couldn’t even really stand to be in Luther’s presence now that she’d made her discovery.
She ate mechanically, not exactly tasting her food. She drank a soda, not wanting any reason she couldn’t drive herself home later. She hated to disappoint someone she worked with on a daily basis, but she would have to tell him they were not compatible. She could do that. She could let him down easy. She just hoped it would be okay come the next morning.
“Are you doing okay?” Luther asked.
Luna looked up to find him staring at her. “Fine. Why?”
“You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself,” he said with a pained expression.
“Oh, it’s just that first dates are always a little awkward, don’t you think?”
“Yes, I suppose.”
Fuck, she wasn’t going to get out of this one without a few scars. “Honestly, I don’t feel that we’re connecting, Luther.”
He threw his napkin down and sat back. “Of course. I should have known.”
“Why’s that?”
“Someone as smart and beautiful as you being attracted to me? It doesn’t happen.” He folded his arms.
