Page 31 of We Are the Stars

5

Elliott

“You came.” Carsen slides into the booth across from me at Vern’s. It’s the exact same one I sat in two days ago, the same one I first met him in.

Funny how things can change so quickly. I went from flipping him off, to kneeing him in the balls, to having a truce lunch with him. It’s as if once he finally believed I wasn’t here to judge or belittle him, he did a one-eighty, and all it took was me assaulting him to get us here.

He sits opposite me with a slight frown, his eyes a dark gray. He looks tired and aggravated, but that’s nothing new.

“You had me at free milkshakes.”

Carsen bursts out in laughter as I watch in awe. I was wrong before—his smile is nothing special, not when he laughs like he does. Melodic and entrancing don’t begin to cover it. It’s dry, almost hollow and torn, yet the deep, scratchy sound is hauntingly beautiful.

I hate that I love it so much.

“What’s so funny?” I ask once he sobers.

“Nothing. I…had a thought.”

“Your definition of ‘nothing’ is interesting.”

“You remember that song? About milkshakes and boys and yards? Yeah, I immediately thought of that for some reason.”

Then he hums the beat and it’s my turn to nearly die amidst hysterical laughter.

A straw wrapper hits my face as he says, “Would you stop? You’re embarrassing me in my place of work.”

“You embarrassed yourself with that humming.”

“You enjoyed it.”

I hold my fingers up and pinch them close together. “About this much.”

“Better than not at all.”

“Fine. You win.”

He grins as he relaxes into the booth for the first time since he sat down, and his white shirt clings to his chest as he stretches his arms out. His feet follow suit and I hardly flinch as his legs brush mine.

“So…”

“So…”

Carsen motions for me to go first. “You like working here?”

He shrugs. “It’s a job. Not always the best, not always the worst.”

“Do the jackass customers keep it interesting?”

“You mean like your friend?”

“Jase.” I frown. “His name is Jase, and yes, like him. Have I apologized for that yet? I should. I’m sorry. He was out of line.”

“I’m used to it.”

“That’s sad.”

Carsen’s stare pierces me and his eyes flare with misery. “It’s my life, Elliott. It’s what I live with.”

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