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Eli’s mouth curves into a smirk, shoving the last bite of food into his mouth and I have the urge to slap it right off his face.
He may not care, but it’s nearly impossible to miss. The first time I’d taken Hailey here there couldn’t have been more than a few handfuls of people,includingthe staff.
Tonight, it’s packed. KPA students are crammed in every corner like sardines in a tin can.
“We also won tonight,” he notes. “People are out celebrating.”
My nose wrinkles. “But here?” I reiterate sounding gobsmacked.
Sighing, he tosses his napkin into his empty basket. Leaning back, he sinks a shoulder into the booth. Gaze slicing over in my direction. “Is that a problem?”
“No, I mean yes, I mean… I don’t think it is. It’s great for the business, I-I’m not sure what I am trying to get at.” My is voice as muddled and as confused as my reaction.
I did mean it though when I said I’m happy it’s helping out the diner. There’s a lingering smell of a fresh coat of paint mixed with stale grease in the air. And the barstools along the counter seem new or at least the cracks in the leather are far less noticeable.
Updated, fresh. It’s great.
“It can be strange at first, I get it. Realizing you carry a real influence over what others do.”
The weight I hadn’t noticed I’d been carrying shrinks at his reassurance. The stiffness in my posture loosens a fraction.
“Thanks,” I breathe out.
This is why Eli is the best. He always just gets it.
He waves me off. “It’s fine. I’ve been in your shoes, remember? I wasn’t always considered a hellhound. I’d been brought in after my family moved here.”
Now I’m the one leaning back sucking on my tongue in reprieve, that’s right. Eli didn’t grow up here, his family moved after his dad got the job to work at Hardin.
Whereas Finn and Cole knew nothing else, he and I in a way are outsiders. That thought both intrigues and upsets me.
The troubling part is why Cole became friends with Eli to begin with. He admitted he did it only to spite me.
Things change, people mostly. I like to think I understand that concept better than others.
I lean forward, lowering my voice and Eli follows, boomeranging the action.
“Does me wanting this place for myself make me self-centered?” This diner reminded me so much of Alma’s when I first came back that a larger part than I’d admit wants it to stay my small treasure.
Another place to escape from all the grandness of everything else. This place is too good for the students here, they almost don’t deserve the wholeness.
“Self-centered,” Madison mocks, coming from nothing as her hand slams down between us. Rattling the items on our table from the force. “Rory, you’ve been nothing but greedy since you showed up.”
I jump back, searing her with my gaze as we draw back apart. Not backing down, she does the opposite, getting right in my face. Putting all her weight on that one arm.
“Newsflash, the world doesn’t revolve around you, and you’re conflicted back-and-forth tendencies.”
Back-and-forth tendencies? What does that mean?
I side-eye Eli looking for clarification if he understands any better, but his whole attention is aimed towards Madison. The daggers he’s shooting her make it look like he wants to pick up his unused silverware and shove it down her throat.
The smile on my face turns as empty as her ability to read a room.
“Wow, Madison, so happy you invited yourself over. Only it’s already dark outside and dealing with one ball of fired mass during the day is enough.”
“Is that supposed to be funny?” Her face twists, provoking.
“No, it was supposed to make you realize you weren’t invited to the conversation, and interrupting is rude.”
