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“What are we doing for lunch today?”
That’s Barrett. He thinks he’s helping, but he’s absolutely not. He's been asking this question every night since Halloween. I'm answering it the same way, too. “Whatever you want.”
He rolls his eyes. “We’re going to the fuckin’ food truck today. There’s nothing you can say that’s going to stop us.”
"You're right, we're going to the food truck today." I've not been sleeping, not been focused on work, and generally ignoring everything that needs my attention.
"Is he going today?"
Fucking great, that's my dad. "Yes, I'm going today."
"Thank God, we're all sick of seeing you mope around here like you don't know which end is up. You two seemed to hit it off on Halloween, and then it was crickets."
"What? You're gonna give me shit too? You're my dad, you're supposed to be protecting me from bullies."
Barrett laughs. "I'm not bullying you. I'm trying to get you to act on what Kara offered you. I thought for sure you would've pounced on the opportunity she gave you, but you haven't. What's going on?"
"Nothing is going on. I'm just trying to be smart about this. Don’t wanna end up like my parents." Most people would probably feel weird saying this in front of the parent they’re talking about, but Dad and I have always been able to be honest with one another.
Barrett whistles. "I know, but you can't keep basing what your romantic relationships are going to be like because of what happened to two teenagers who did the best they could with what they had."
"Yeah, but it affected me, man. Obviously."
Dad snakes his arm around my neck. "Here's the thing. You can worry about repeating the mistakes of my life, or you can live in the moment. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that things are going to happen, whether you're living in the moment or not. So, you might as well live, instead of being worried. I say that as someone who was scared himself."
"Yeah, I was gonna say you're one to talk."
"But I'm also a very happy man now, aren't I?"
He's not lying. I've never seen my old man so damn content. It's almost disconcerting, considering how I grew up. "Fuck it, let's go get lunch."
"It's barely ten," Barrett raises an eyebrow.
"She's open, I'm tired of fucking around with this. Let's go."
I'm already striding to my truck, ready to end this indecisiveness when it comes to what I want with Kara. I've been dancing around it way too long, and she left the ball in my court. I'd be stupid if I didn't acknowledge it. My dad and Barrett are jogging to keep up with me, and as we get in, I put it in gear.
"You're sure this is what you want to do?" Dad asks from the backseat.
"Completely. I'm not going to let this fear paralyze me anymore. Today is the motherfucking day. I'm taking it back."
The drive over takes mere minutes. Quicker than it really should, but I guess this is what happens when you make a decision. Parking in the gravel lot, I glance around, noticing there's already a few cars here. But I don't wanna wait. Waiting is what got me in this mess to begin with. I bypass the group standing in line at the window and make a beeline for the door on the side. Going up, I knock impatiently.
She throws it open. "What are you doing here?"
Maybe not the tone I was looking for, but I'll take it. "Three days ago, you kissed me out of the blue and it turned my life on its head."
"Yeah?" She puts her hand on her hip, jutting it out with attitude I'm used to seeing from her. "You wouldn't know that at all considering you haven't spoken to me since then, Abel Wilson. We've flirted for a goddamn year, and you never made a move." She presses her finger into my chest. "So, I took matters into my own hands. I kissed you, hoping it would spur you into action, but it hasn't."
I inhale deeply, before exhaling and raking a frustrated hand through my hair. "You can't lay a challenge down like that, expect me to act on it, and then get pissed when I don't. I didn't know you felt that way about me. I thought we were just flirting."
"Yeah," she hitches her chin down at me. "Because I flirt with everyone, right? Look, I have to get back to work, because this is what pays my bills, but if you really want to prove to me you're interested? Do something about it." Her hazel eyes meet mine, and she raises an eyebrow in annoyance. "Because I'm done waiting on you."
Crossing my arms across my chest, I lick my lips and take a breath. "Believe it or not, I think you're right, you should never wait on a man, especially me, I’m not worth it. Even if I didn't know you were. The balls in my court, huh?"
"It is. You decide what the fuck you wanna do, Abel."
With those words, she goes back to her window, and begins taking more orders. I head back toward my truck, but Dad and Barrett are in line. "Are you coming?"
