“Send me something, anything, so I’ll have yours.”
I think on it then start typing.
Me: Something.
Me: Anything.
He laughs out loud. A few heads turn. “Not exactly what I was thinking, but I love your wit.”
“What were you thinking?”
“Hmmm.” His mouth works side to side as he stares at me. Then he taps out a text.
Carter: Don’t leave tomorrow.
I look up to see sadness in his eyes. I’m sure it’s also reflected in mine. I pull my attention back to my phone and text him back.
Me: I have to.
Carter: No. You don’t.
Me: Please, Carter. Don’t make this any harder than it already is.
Carter: Thank God. For a while there, I thought I was the only one who was going to be destroyed when you left.
I look up. Our gazes connect. Isn’t it odd how even sitting right across from each other, it’s easier to text our true feelings rather than speak them out loud?
Tears threaten to fall, but I swallow them back.
Me: You won’t be.
It’s like the entire place has gone quiet and only he and I exist. It hasn’t. The restaurant is bustling. But we’re in a bubble. Staring. Longing. Maybe even mourning.
The bubble bursts when food arrives.
I squirt ketchup on my hot dog and take a bite. He dives into his own meal. I fear the night has taken a turn and perhaps there’s no recovering from it. But then someone scoots in next to Carter and steals a fry from the extra plate he ordered.
“Hey kids,” his sister Mia says, stealing another fry.
I paste on a smile, pushing our texts aside for now. “Hi, Mia. Nice to see you again.”
“Yeah, soooooo nice,” Carter says sarcastically.
Mia looks from Carter to me. “Wait, am I crashing something? Is this a date?”
Carter’s head shakes. “Spare me the innocent act, I know Allie told you.”
She takes another fry from the pile. “So sue me if I wanted to check in on my older brother who hasn’t had a date in what… a year?”
Carter looks embarrassed. But I’m secretly happy over the revelation. He’s not a player. I was fairly sure my instincts were correct about him not being one, but it’s nice to have those instincts validated.
He scoffs. “And you thought you’d go and ruin the first one by butting in on it?”
“I was actually wondering if you’d take towing duty tomorrow.” She points to the end of the bar. “See that guy over there? He just started his MBA at Cal Creek U last month. Thought I might show him the town.”
“If he’s been here since the beginning of the semester, I bet he’s already seen the town.”
She chuckles. “I was trying to be discreet. But if you won’t play along, then fine… I thought I might show him my bedroom.”
