I shouldn’t feel awkward and yet I did. I caught sight of him as soon as we stepped inside and as much as I wanted to ignore that he was here I couldn’t.
I hated it. Never in my life had I acted this way about a boy and yet here I was acting like a love-struck puppy. I couldn’t just shut off the feelings that had developed for him over the past few weeks.
I couldn’t ignore the butterflies in my stomach at the bare thought of him. If this was his intention all along then he had got me good.
“I’m going to the bathroom real quick order me a cheeseburger and fries”. Alice spoke.
Rolling my eyes a sigh fell from my lips as I sat in the booth closest to the door. Easy escape if I needed one. I picked up the menu for something to do. I already knew what I was having.
I had read the menu at least five times before Jen stopped by to take our order. Alice had yet to return, her little bathroom break ended with her stopping by Franko’s table to talk with Tommy.
I swear she only brought me as an excuse so she could do this. It was always something with her and it never benefited me. It wouldn’t surprise me if I had to find another way home tonight.
“Aubrey are you okay?”. Jen asked.
“Yeah, sorry”. One more time I looked over the menu. “Can I have a cheeseburger and fries with a large coke and could I get a portion of nachos without the salsa please”.
“Sure, thing sweetheart. Do you want extra jalapeno?”.
I nodded. “Yes, please”.
“How about I bring you coffee while you wait for your food?”. She smiled.
“No, I’m okay”. I put the menu back and tried my hardest not to look over at his table.
“She here with you?”. Jen asked.
“Isn’t she always?”. I sighed. “Sorry it’s been a long day. Maybe I will take that coffee”.
“If you need to talk Aubrey, you know you can talk to me, right?”.
“I know but I’m good I just wish I stayed at home. If I knew she was going to do this then I would have”.
“Doesn’t she always?”. She winked as she walked away to place my order.
I bit back my laughter and shook my head. Why was I even here? If I was going to be left on my own, I would have been better staying in the house. If all she was going to do was sit with Tommy, why did she need me here?
“You need to find some better friends’ sweetheart”. Jen placed a mug of coffee in front of me before sitting down. “Because that one is only using you to get in with them”.
I shrugged. “I don’t see how she’s using me. She seems to be doing okay by herself when it comes to Tommy”.
“You and Franko not talking?”. She asked.
I shrugged. I wasn’t sure if we were talking or not. Was it complicated? Were we in a complicated situation? A sigh fell from my lips. Even in my head that sounded ridiculous.
What the hell was wrong with me?
“You know what I think I’m just going to head home. Alice is picking up the check”. It wasn’t late and it was still light outside. Walking home shouldn’t take me that long.
“Do you want me to put that in a takeaway cup?”. She asked talking about my coffee.
I nodded.
“Did you drive?”.
I chewed the inside of my cheek. Would she let me leave if I say no?
“No, but I’ll be fine”.
“Let me fix this for you and then I’ll drop you off”.
“No, you don’t-…”.
“You’re not walking home from here Aubrey. It’ll be dark soon”. She frowned.
I guess there was no room for argument.
“Okay I’m just going to wait out front”. I spoke.
I was halfway across the parking lot when Alice noticed I was no longer at the table where she left me.
“Hey, Aubrey, where are you going?”. She yelled.
“Home”. I was past being pissed off at her. Could say I was used to the shit she pulled only I didn’t understand why I continued to let her treat me this way. “Why am I here Alice?”.
“We’re grabbing dinner”. She frowned.
“No, you came here to see Tommy so why not just say that instead of leaving me sitting by myself”.
“I’m sorry I got carried away. Please come back inside”.
“Jen is going to drive me home”. I glanced back at the diner only for my eyes to land on Frankos. “Great”. A sigh fell from my lips as he started walking towards me.
“He was asking me if you were okay”. Alice whispered.
“I’m fine”. I frowned. “Why wouldn’t I be?”. Did he honestly think I was going to dwell over him? I would bury my feelings and pretend he never existed before I admit that he got to me.
She held her hands up shaking her head. “Don’t shoot the messenger. I was only telling you what he said”.
“Yeah, well I don’t care”. I crossed my arms over my chest and turned away as he approached.
“You good specs?”. He asked.
“I’ll meet you back inside Aubrey”. Alice spoke.
“You can go back inside I’m fine”. I refused to look at him. I didn’t know what to say to him after today.
“I’ve got your coffee”.
“Is Jen not coming?”. I asked taking the coffee from him.
“She’s busy I’ll drop you off”.
“No, it’s okay”.
“It’s either that or you walk home darling”.
“Then I guess I’ll be walking home”.
“Like hell you will”. He grabbed hold of my arm as I went to pass by him.
“Franko”.
“These streets are dangerous during the day Aubrey never mind when it gets dark now get in the fucking truck and I’ll drop you off”.
“We’re not seeing each other anymore. You don’t have to pretend you care”. I spoke.
“Fine princess you do what the fuck you want”.
“You’re such a fucking asshole”. I pushed his chest with my free hand. “And I can’t believe I fell for your bullshit”. With my heart racing I tried my best not to physically shake.
“What the fuck are you talking about?”. He glared.
“Nothing okay let’s just go back to hating each other”. Once again, I tried to walk away from him, but he had other ideas.
“You really think I’d fuck you around like that?”.
I shrugged.
“I may be an asshole darling but not to you, never with you. Fuck Aubrey”. He ran a hand through his hair as he took a few steps back. “You really have no fucking idea, do you?”.
“You walked away, you called it quits and now I’m stuck with all these feelings and-…”. I paused. I had to get out of here and away from him before I say something I know I’d regret later.
“You think you’re the only one with feelings. I ain’t never felt like this before Aubrey. I can’t get you out of my fucking head”.
“I have to get home”. I spoke.
I wasn’t going to continue to stand here and shout at each other in the parking lot. I didn’t need anyone knowing my business. The last thing I needed was more rumours going around.
“You really think I’d fuck you around?”. He frowned.
“Well, you think I’d choose Marko over you”. I shrugged.
“Watch it princess”.
“Whatever. Goodbye Franko have a nice life”.
..
I didn’t walk home; I headed back inside and begged Jen to drive me. Apparently, she wasn’t too busy, Franko wanted to get me by myself. I don’t know why because it’s not like we sorted things.
If anything, it was worse now than before.
“What’s going on with you two?”. She asked.
“Did Alice pay the check?”.
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, she did now tell me what’s going on?”.
“Marko asked if we were together to see if he had a shot. I told Franko and he went from zero to one hundred within minutes. He said it was better if we stopped seeing each other”.
“Fucking Marko”. She sighed. “I swear that boy has a death wish. He’s always trying to get a rise out of Franko”.
“Aren’t they friends?”. I asked.
“They are but boys will be boys”.
“That makes no sense”. I frowned.
“Give him a few days he’ll be back with his tail between his legs”. She smiled.
“I’m in too deep Jen. I put all my cards on the table and finally gave in and for what for him to end things so easily”. I shook my head. “I’m not doing that again”.
“Never say never sweetheart. Franko doesn’t give up so easily”.
“He already has. Thanks for bringing me home I’ll see you tomorrow”. I unclipped my seatbelt and got out.
To my surprise both my parents were home.