AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She nods as she unrolls her napkin, carefully placing it on her lap. I do the same, absolutely hating the awkwardness. She takes a sip of water, looking at the ceiling like it’s fascinating.
“Is something wrong?”
She looks at me. “No.”
“Something’s wrong.”
“I’m fine. Really.” She opens her menu. But something clearly isn’t fine because her jaw is all tight.
“Is it my family?”
She doesn’t look at me.
“Bex,” I say, “tell me what’s up.”
She bites her lip, stalling as she traces over the typography onthe menu. “It’s just weird, okay? The reminder,” she says. “Your family is famous and you’re going to be too.”
“And that’s a problem?”
“I’m just some random person who happens to be eating dinner with you.”
“You’re not some random person.”
She finally looks at me. I exhale at the glimpse of her pretty brown eyes. “But I am. I’m not really with you, and I’m not saying I should be, or that... I want that, but we’re just not the same kind of person.” She sets down the menu, gesturing to the restaurant. “I’m not the kind of person who goes to places like this.”
“I don’t see the difference.”
“Of course you don’t, you have everything.” She reaches out to touch my wrist, turning my arm to show off the cufflinks. “And you’re going to keep having everything. I’m not saying you don’t deserve it, because you do. You’re talented at what you love. But that’s never going to be me, and I just remembered that.”
She retreats, but I softly take her hand, tracing over the lines on her palm. “What do you love?”
She shakes her head. “Fake boyfriends don’t get to know that.”
“So there is something.”
“Photography,” she says, flicking her gaze up to mine. “I’m a photographer. If I could do something else, it would be that.”
“But—”
“But I can’t, okay?” she interrupts. “Don’t. I know my future already.”
“Which is what?”
“The diner.”
“You could sell it. You’re majoring in business. You can do whatever you want.”
She laughs shortly. “Did I ask for your advice?”
I let her hand drop. “No.”
“Let’s just have dinner, okay?”
There’s a tired note in her voice that I hate, but I’m afraid if I continue to push, she’ll just get up and leave, which wouldn’t be good for the image we’re portraying to the world, so I drop it.
It’s for the best, anyway. If we’re too vulnerable with each other, it’ll just be that much harder to say goodbye whenever Bex decides Darryl isn’t a concern anymore.
I’m dreading the moment that comes.
