Page 41 of Quiet Rage
He nods in understanding and takes a sip of his milkshake. “Try it.” He motions towards my glass.
Part of me wants to say no, just because I don’t want to listen to him. I decide this one is not worth the battle. Taking my straw, I free it from the paper wrapping and put it into my milkshake. Leaning forward, I wrap my lips around the straw and take a few sips.
Damnit, it’s delicious. Sweet vanilla flavor bursts on my tongue as I greedily swallow the cold treat.
Kellen watches me with interest in his eyes. I know he is about to ask me another question before he does. “What kind of music do you like?”
“Um…a little bit of everything, I guess.”
He looks at me expectantly, like he wants me to go into detail.
“I like acoustic stuff,” I explain, wondering why he is asking me these questions in the first place.
“What’s your favorite movie?”
His questions seem innocent enough, but in the back of my mind I’m still worried that he has alternative motives.
“Twilight,” I say, immediately regretting that I shared this with him. I should have lied and given him a random movie just so he wouldn't know something personal about me.
“Can’t say I’ve seen it. Did you read the books, too?”
I almost scoff at the questions. “Of course,” I answer proudly.
“Let me guess, the books were much better than the movies?”
“Definitely,” I confirm. If anyone else was sitting across from me, I would lead into an hour-long conversation about how much more in depth the books were and list ten scenes that weren't even in the movies. But this isn’t anyone else. It’s Kellen, my bully, who suddenly wants to act like we’re on a date, getting to know each other.
He asks me a few more mundane questions. I keep my answers short, and I never ask him anything back. He doesn’t seem to care. He is content with interviewing me about all my favorite things until the waitress comes out with our food.
She sets the plate in front of me and I stare at the giant burger. The savory smell of meat and melted cheese invades my nose and my mouth starts watering. This time I don’t wait for Kellen to tell me what to do. I pick up my burger and take a big bite.
Oh my god.I’m not sure if it’s because I’m so hungry or if it’s true, but this might be the best thing I have ever eaten. I chew the juicy patty and buttery bun quickly, eager to take another bite.
I look up from my plate, realizing Kellen is staring at me, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Damn, you really were hungry,” he teases before picking up his own burger.
I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment. The next few bites I take are smaller and I force myself to chew a little slower. We eat in silence, and I’m glad for the break in conversation. I make it three-quarters through my burger and half-way through my fries before I can’t take another bite.
Using the napkin, I wipe my hands clean. I’m so full my stomach feels swollen. I lean back against the bench and watch Kellen eat everything on his plate. When he is done with his, he reaches across the table and grabs the rest of my burger. He finishes that, too.
I want to ask him if he ever gets full, but I don’t want to start up another conversation.
When the waitress returns, grabbing the dirty dishes from the table, she asks, “how was everything?”
“Delicious, as always,” Kellen answers for both of us.
“I’ll be right back with the check.” She leaves with our plates and returns with the check moments later.
Kellen gets out his wallet and pulls out a few twenty-dollar bills. “Keep the rest,” he tells her.
Wendy’s face lights up as she accepts the generous tip. “You guys have a great night,” she cheers.
Kellen slides out of the booth and stands up. I do the same. We walk back to his car and get in.
The drive to my place goes by quickly. We pull up in front of my house, and I unbuckle. To my surprise, Kellen does the same. He cuts the engine.
“What are you doing?” I ask, a lump forming in my throat.
“I’m coming inside with you,” he announces confidently.
