AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And well, Wyatt is my S.O.B.
And every time I take a bite of that pepperoni pizza, I’m reminded that, if it were up to me, it’s not what I would have ordered. But for now, it’s what’s being served…and I’m going to try to make it work so that my hunger will go away.
Because before Oden started paying attention to me, the hunger was excruciating—at least now, it’s calmed…not satisfied, but calmed.
Until next time,
Tilly
After reading this particular entry, I stopped at the pizza place near my dorm.
“What can I get you?” the manager asked with a smile. He reminded me a little of my dad, only with a few more wrinkles in his olive skin and much more gray hair on his head.
“Do you guys…have barbecue sauce? By any chance?”
“Sure, for the wings.”
“Would you be willing to put it on a pizza? You know, instead of red sauce.”
He pressed his lips together and shook his head. “Sure, why not? What else?”
“Sausage, onion, and bacon.”
“Sounds good, kid. I may need to try that.”
“I’ve heard it’s good.”
“I bet it is. I’ll put that order in. Gimme twenty.”
“Got it,” I said. And so, I sat down and read her letter again. And again, and again.
Once the pizza was ready, I couldn’t even wait to get it back to my dorm. I stopped at a park bench that faced the park across the street and opened the box. Steam drifted from inside, and the rich smell of bacon tickled my nostrils.
“Wyatt!” a voice called. Dahlia hustled to the bench. “What are you doing out here? Oooh, pizza.”
“Are you hungry?” I asked.
“You know I never turn down ‘za.”
“Is that a thing now? Calling it ‘za?”
“Whatever. Don’t mess with me today; I just got my period.”
“Oh, well, I’m glad we’ve reached a stage in our friendship where you can tell me that…I guess. Have a slice—I have to warn you, though. It’s a little…different from your standard pizza.”
“I’m intrigued. Is that…barbecue sauce?” she asked as she grabbed a square and inspected it.
“Yep.”
Grabbing my own square, I lifted it up. “Cheers.”
I tasted that S.O.B., and it was the best pizza I’d ever had.
Dahlia let out a contented sigh. “Wow, that’s good. Like, really different and kinda weird, but wow.”
“Yeah.” I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face as I chewed, knowing that this was how Tilly saw me. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.”
December 20, 1993
