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We both jump when the waitress drops down our appetizer. She doesn’t even ask if we want anything else before she walks off again.
“Must be a really bad day.” Erika rolls her eyes. She reaches for a mozzarella stick, and I follow suit. My phone lights up with a text. I look down to see it’s a text from Levi in our group chat.
Levi: Coming for you
I smile at his text and a tingle settles inside me when I think about what’s coming.
Me: Still having dinner with Erika.
His response is instant.
Levi: Eat fast
Me: No! I’m having dinner with my friend. And we will be walking her back to the dorm.
Levi: I’m not going to be walking anywhere if you don’t take care of my cock. I’m fucking aching for you, baby.
How can his text be rude and hot at the same time? “Other half is here.” Erika nods towards the front of the restaurant before shoving a ranch-covered chicken finger into her mouth. She moans like she hasn’t eaten in days and the guys at the table next to us throw speculative glances. She doesn’t notice. I fight my giggles because I know she’d turn cherry red if she knew.
I turn to see Zeke has Levi by the arm and is pulling him back from coming inside. His eyes lock with mine and the look he gives me makes my nipples harden. I jerk my gaze back to the table so I don’t go out there and hump him, as the waitress sets our food down on the table.
I turn my phone over when it lights up with more messages. I reach for my burger and take a big bite. Erika only has half of hers left. I don’t know where she is putting all of this food.
“Your man is pacing out there like a caged animal.” I don’t turn to look because I know what I’ll see. “Check, please,” Erika calls to the snooty waitress.
“It’s already paid,” she says with a tight smile.
“If your twins keep buying me food I could turn into one of their fan club members,” she quips but remains stony-faced, aiming a glare at the waitress. It’s clear she’s calling her out for her nasty attitude towards me. I’m grateful that I have a friend like Erika. Good friends are hard to come by and I’m never letting her go.
“It wasn’t them,” she snips and flounces away to take another table’s order.
“Who paid for our food?” I glance around.
“She’s not having a bad day. She’s just a big jealous bitch,” Erika says, reaching for one of the fries that’s left on my plate.
“We better go. I like this place and I don’t need Levi burning it down so you come out of it,” she says it with a laugh. I’m not sure I find it so funny.
I look back to where Erika had been staring earlier but can’t see anything now. “Got a pen?” I ask, reaching for a napkin on the table. She rummages in her bag and hands me one.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength.
I scribble down one my favorite quotes my mom always said. It takes so much more effort to be unkind to people than it does to be nice. I just don’t understand people who act this way.
“Eric Hoffer,” Erika says over my shoulder, reading what I wrote.
“Yeah.” I pull out a couple of twenties and drop down the tip. The amount I left is likely more than the meal was altogether. I’m not going to stoop to this girl’s level. She can be as rude to me as she wants, but I’m going to be the better person. One of us giving lip back was enough, and Erika was already filling those shoes.
Erika grabs my shoulder as I stand, drawing my attention back to her. “Don’t let these people take that from you, Livvie.”
I’m confused. “What?”
“That good you see, sharing kind words in the face of cruelty.” She smiles at me like she’s proud of me.
“If they”—she motions to the people around us—“don’t understand how you landed those two men, then they don’t know you. Because I see why.” This time it’s her who locks her arm with mine as we walk out of the restaurant together.
We meet Levi outside and he goes to pounce on me, but I hold a hand out. “Lock it up,” I tell him. “I’m walking my friend home.” He pauses for a beat then steps back with a nod. He’s not happy about this, but he’s not fighting me on the issue.
Erika fights a laugh, and I bite my lip to fight one of my own, but her solemn words linger in the back of my mind.
