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Neither of them spoke as they entered the restaurant. He’d called ahead to make a reservation and they were shown to their table. He made sure to help Pru into her chair, thanking the maître’d for his help.
“This place seems really fancy.”
“It’s not up there on a scale of what I’m used to. I figured you’d like this one better. I’m not trying to sound spoiled.”
“I know you’re not trying to sound like it.” She laughed. “You can’t help it. Do your parents take you out to dinner often?”
“No. Only when a certain look is required.”
“I hate how it all sounds with your folks.”
“They do their best, I guess.”
“Does it bother you?” she asked. “Being used in their game?”
“It used to. My parents would try to compete with who looked better with me. My mom, for instance, loved having me in a tux, and she’d like to show off to her friends. My dad, he was the same, only he liked me to learn a script. Never had a clue what was being said.”
“You were like a toy to them?”
“As I got older and I could tell them to go and eat shit, the whole social thing changed. I’m now the rebellious hot son. Someone to mock, ridicule, or to look like they’re doing the right thing.”
He watched her smile. “I love how you added the hot son. You think a lot of yourself, don’t you?”
“It’s what I am. You have no idea how many women hit on me.”
She chuckled. “Doesn’t it ever bore you? The same old lies and the bullshit?”
“Yeah, it does. It’s why I’m here with you. You don’t bullshit me, Pru. It’s really rather refreshing and also interesting. No matter what I do, you always call me out on my shit.”
“This isn’t exactly how I imagined our conversation going, you know,” she said. “If someone was to have told me I’d be sitting having dinner with you, I would’ve laughed.”
“Me too.” He held up his glass. “How about a toast?”
“All right.”
“To changes and different ideas.”
“I like it.”
She pressed her glass to his, sitting back. They were silent for several moments. He watched as she glanced around the restaurant. These were the kind of treats she deserved and should have on a regular basis. Her mother would have scoffed and scorned anyone who dared to bring her to such a place. For his parents, it always had to be expensive, the new biggest thing.
They were never happy with something low-key like this.
“What are you thinking right now?” Pru asked.
“How beautiful you are,” he said.
“If my supposed beauty makes you look like that, I’m scared.”
He frowned at her.
“You look like you were thinking about wanting to kill something, not a woman’s beauty.”
“Oh, well, you caught me in a lie. I was thinking about my parents. They’d hate this place.”
Pru grabbed his hand. “I love it. I think it’s perfect. I’m hoping the food is going to be just as good.”
“You mean it?”
“I won’t lie to you, Drake.”
He stared at her, not really sure if he could trust her. All his life, he’d been lied to in some form or another. She smiled, but it wasn’t a happy one. He saw the sadness in her eyes.
“What is it?”
“Nothing.”
“It’s not nothing.”
“You’re right. It’s not. I can see you don’t believe me and I find it sad.” She shrugged. “I haven’t given you a single reason to not trust me.”
“Pru—”
“It’s okay, Drake. Things like this take time. We’re both young. You know a whole lot more than me. I get it. I really do.”
She tried to pull her hand away but he wouldn’t let her go.
“Drake, you don’t have to do this.”
“I do. I want to. This isn’t about … look, I wish I could say I’m different and you’re only going to see the good, or whatnot, but I’m not used to being this guy.”
“I’m not looking for a guy. I told you I won’t lie to you and already, you don’t believe me.”
“It’s not you.”
She burst out laughing. “Seriously, you’re going to play that card?”
He sighed.
So did she. “This isn’t working out,” she said. “I think we’re making a mistake.”
“No,” he said. He wouldn’t let this be the end of it. He was trying. Really fucking trying and there was no way he was going to let her go, just like that.
“Look at us, Drake, we can’t even have a simple conversation without one of us ending up arguing or feeling aggrieved by the other. This isn’t the way life is supposed to be.”
“Don’t … please, just stop. I didn’t think it would be so hard to be like this,” he said. “I know what I’m used to. With you, you’ve always been different and I’m not trying to make this harder or easier, I’m just saying what it is.” He held on to her hand, not wanting to let her go. “I know I’m not a good guy. There are a billion other guys you could be with right now, and none of them would have treated you the way I have in the past.”
