Page 57 of Blitz'd

Even after all this time, it hurts to talk about Dad. Waking up and being told that he’d never come back home crushed me. It took me a while to come out of my shell. Football is what saved me, what kept me going. Dad loved my passion for the sport, so not only do I play to give my mom and brother a better life, I play to make him proud.

Thankfully, Kerian doesn’t ask me more about my dad and I’m able to wrangle in my emotions, burying them deep down for the time being.

I wasn’t kidding about getting vegetarian. Just like Kerian has a favorite restaurant, I do too.

When we step inside, the owner, Sheila, waves at me. She wipes her hands on a towel and comes around the counter. “Where you been, stranger?” she asks, wrapping her lean arms around me. Sweat dots her dark brown cheeks, her braids tumbling down her back. “I thought you’d graduated already.”

Russ and I have been coming here since we started playing together. We chatted Sheila up, namely because Russ said he likes older women and tried to shoot his shot. Sheila shut him down quick, but was still nice to us and let us try out her new menu items for free anytime we visited.

“Not yet,” I tell her, walking to the counter. “Been busy. Senior year is rough.”

She nods sympathetically. “I remember my college years. The only thing I miss about them is partying.” We both laugh. “Who is this handsome young man?”

I look back at Kerian, who’s as stoic as ever. “Kerian. My boyfriend.”

Ha, that changed his features. He looks at me quickly, his eyes going wide. I wink at him and shrug as if to say,“Go ahead and deny it.”His jaw ticks, but he simply looks up at the posted menu.

“You got good taste,” Sheila says with a wink. “Better than that girl you used to bring in here. I swear, if her nose could be any more in the air, she’d be sniffing the clouds.” I wholeheartedly agree. “What can I get you, hun?”

I order for both Kerian and myself, since he’s looking at the menu like it’s not written in English.

After I pay, I guide Kerian to a booth in the back.

“Boyfriend, huh?” he asks when we sit down. I just shrug again, raising my eyebrow at him, daring him to contradict it.

When he doesn’t, my grin widens. “Have you had vegetarian food before?”

He shakes his head. “Nah. I don’t eat leaves and shit, Zandy. I’m a grown-ass man. I need something to stick to my bones.”

I raise my shirt, showing off my abs. I don’t miss how his pupils blow wide before he turns away. “I think my leaves stick to my bones just fine.”

“Whatever.” He looks around, nodding his head. “How did you find this place?”

“Me and Russ were coming from the movies and we were starving. This was the only place open. I came back because the food is bomb as fuck. Russ came back because he has a crush on Sheila.”

Kerian barks an unexpected laugh. “I see the appeal. She’s beautiful. How did it go for him?”

I smirk. “It didn’t. She said she’s not interested in robbing the cradle. Russ respected that, but still has his crush.”

Sheila comes over with our food. “Don’t be a stranger, you hear?”

“Yes ma’am.” She pats my cheek and waves at me and Kerian. She’s probably my mom’s age, but she’s aged really well.

Kerian looks at the food skeptically. “You sure this is good?”

Rolling my eyes, I pick up one of the zucchini fries and bring it to his lips. When he doesn’t open right away, I shake the food in his face. “Try it. For me.”

He gives me a dry look before he opens and takes a bite. His eyes widen when he chews. “Oh, shit. Okay, thatisdelicious.”

I grin smugly. “Right? Here, try it with some of the sauce.” I pop the fry he bit into my mouth and grab a fresh one. I dunk it into Sheila’s special sauce and bring it to Kerian’s lips. He takes a hearty bite, nipping at my finger. I hiss. To my surprise, Kerian laughs again. A deep belly laugh that transforms his face.

Sighing, I smile at him, planting my elbow on the table and resting my chin on my hand. “You’re kinda beautiful, you know that?”

His cheeks turn the faintest shade of pink, but he rolls his eyes and says, “Shut the fuck up, Braithe.”

I don’t take offense to it. I’m used to Kerian and his growly attitude. It’s actually endearing now that I know him.

We reach for the zucchini fries at the same time. I move my hand away, letting him grab one. He takes it and dips it in the sauce and holds it out. “Come here, Zandy.”

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