Mano blinked at the sudden invitation. For someone who was supposed to be annoyed, Ody was still choosing him.What time?
Whenever you want
What are you shopping for?
Clothes
Mano leaned back in his chair, letting the decision come easy.Pick me up with your car at 6
When Ody pulled up outside Mano’s apartment building, he sent a quick text. A moment later, Mano walked out of the entrance and headed toward the car. He opened the passenger door and got in. “Hey,” he said as he buckled his seat belt.
“Hey.” Ody started the car.
The silence between them thickened. Ody turned up the radio a little, letting the music fill the space that neither of them seemed ready to break with words. He pulled away from the front of the building, merging into traffic.
“Ugh...” Ody groaned, leaning his elbow against the open window.
“We’d be there by now if we took the bike,” Mano said.
“Cut it out,” Ody snapped.
“What?” Mano asked. When Ody didn’t answer, his voice edged lower. “What did you say?”
“I said, cut it out,” Ody replied, turning to lock eyes with him.
“Feeling touchy today? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?” Mano said, his tone turning sharp.
“No, I woke up just fine.”
“Doesn’t look like it.”
Both turned toward their windows.
The silence stretched until Ody smacked the steering wheel. “Come on! Move already!”
“Care to explain what’s gotten into you?” Mano asked, glancing over again.
Ody met his gaze. “I want you to stop bringing up your bike.”
“What’s your problem all of a sudden? This is about me calling you a scaredy-cat, isn’t it? I’ve said that before and you didn’t care.”
“Exactly. I let it slide the first time,” Ody said, annoyed.
“Why does it bother you now?”
“Would you like it if I called you a scaredy-cat for running out of the cinema that time?” Ody shot back.
Mano’s expression hardened. “I was joking. If you said it, you’d be a real asshole.”
“Just like you then.”
Their eyes locked, both tense and irritated, before they turned away again.
Eventually the traffic cleared. They parked near the shopping district and walked in silence until Ody spotted a store and headed toward it.
Mano stepped ahead and held the door open. “Go ahead,” he said.
Ody hesitated at Mano’s gesture, his expression softening, then walked inside.
