The Tale of Your Ordinary Girl

Chapter 22- Ashton

Luciana sits quietly nibbling her food. Almost too quiet.

"Who was that guy?" I ask her.

"Ask me again tomorrow when he's not around." She answers not looking up from her plate. "I'm not very hungry anymore." She pushes back her plate to finalize her decision. "Could we get a box?"

"Yeah, sure." I flag over a waiter and have our meals boxed and the check brought out. She comes back to my side of the table and curls up next to me silently. I wrap my arm around her and kiss her head. "Are you going to be okay?" She doesn't say anything only presses closer to my side resting her cheek on my shoulder. She's never been this quiet, or into being close I quickly cover the bill and tip the waiter before gathering our things and leading Luciana back to the car. I put the food in the trunk and open her door. She shoots me a thankful smile.

"Thanks." She says softly sitting down and buckling up. I quickly round the car and get in. I start the car, chancing a glance at her as I drive toward her house. The tear-stains are noticeable and I really just want to help her. But what can I do if she won't let me in? I pull off to the side of the road and unbuckle.

"Luce." I speak calmly, but with a firm voice. "I just want to help."

"You can't change what happened." She whispers. "Just take me home."

"You will talk to me about this eventually won't you?" I ask her turning to face her.

"Soon, but I must talk to my parents, now." She answers. "Please Ashton."

"Very well." I nod and buckle back into my seat and take the road to the neighborhood. I park at my house and we both get out and walk to her house after putting my food in the fridge. I carry her to-go box in one hand and wrap my arm around her with the other. She silently leans into me as we walk.

"Thank you." She says as we reach her front door. "It was a beautiful restaurant." She says, leaving out the part when she was totally miserable because of the waiter for some reason unknown to me. She kisses my cheek softly and takes her to-go box inside. "I'll call you tomorrow." She smiles softly before opening the door and walking in. I hear it click and lock before I walk away. I look up to her bedroom window where she'll sit out on the ledge and watch the sky, deep in thought. To know what she's thinking right now.

"Mom, Dad." I call walking in the front door. "I'm home."

"Ashton dear." My mother greets with a warm smile and hug. "What's wrong?"

"Some thing's going on with Luce."

"What?"

"We went to the new restaurant just outside of town." I begin, "She was so enamored by the decor, she hadn't even looked at the waiter until we were being served. She saw him and panicked. She went to the lady's room and came back distant and I could tell she was upset." I tell her, "I just dropped her off. She said she'd call me tomorrow."

"What was the waiter's name?" My mother asks.

"Lyndon." I answer, "Why does it matter?"

"Curiosity." She answers, "Go to sleep, everything will begin clearing up in the morning." She promises kissing my forehead like when I was a kid, only now she had to stand on her tiptoes and I had to lean down a tad.

"Night Mom." I tell her heading to my room.

~~

I wake to the sound of my phone on my desk. Luciana. I quickly answer it hoping to have the answers to my questions.

"Luce?"

"Can we talk?"

"Where?"

"Bookstore."

"I'll be there in five minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

She hangs up and I quickly get ready grabbing an apple on my race out the door. If she's ready to talk, then I'm ready to listen.