Standing By-an Avi Kaplan fanfic

Chapter 4: Outback

  "Holy crap," Dylan breathes as we walk into Outback.
"Holy crap indeed," I agree as I take in the restaurant.
The walls, chairs, and tables are made from a rich brown wood, with some red rock here and there as the stands and legs. There's an enormous fire pit in the centre of the restaurant, where the cooks are barbecuing meat and vegetables. The smell of charred wood wafts around the building, and there are trees framing the front counter. The floor is designed to look like sand, with little streams by the walls, and the whole place is lit by dappled lights to mimic sunlight.
"G'day," says a voice, and I turn to see a young woman with short brown hair and freckles, wearing a short khaki-colored dress and low hiking boots. "The name's Taylor, and I'll be your server for tonight."
Dylan sneaks me a glance and raises his eyebrows. I wink at him and smile.
Taylor leads us to a table close to the fire pit and hands us menus. "Did you want to start off with a few drinks?"
"Sure, I'll take a Sprite," Lorraine says.
"Water for me," Gran adds.
Dylan looks up at her and smirks. "Can I have a beer?"
She narrows her eyes at him and cracks a smile. "I.D.?"
Dylan laughs. "Kidding. I'll take a champagne," he says in a low voice and winks.
Taylor rolls her eyes and giggles. "A water for you, I'm assuming," she says to Dylan, and he laughs again. She looks at me. "And you?"
"Um, could I have ginger ale?"
Taylor nods, scrawling down our drink orders onto her notepad. "I'll be back shortly," she tells us and walks off.
Dylan watches her leave and slowly turns towards us. "Ohhh, man. She was definitely flirting, wasn't she?"
"Ha, more like you were definitely flirting," says Lorraine.
Gran smacks his hand lightly. "Lay off, boy," she says scoldingly, smiling. "You're coming on too strong."
Dylan reels back, pretending to be hurt. "Whoops."

Lorraine and I stifle laughs as Taylor returns with our drinks.
"So, can I take your order?"
"I'll have the Clubhouse burger," Lorraine says.
I smile at Taylor. "Medium-rare steak for me, with a side of mashed potatoes and peppers."
Gran and Dylan both order a steak also, switching up the sides, and Taylor goes to the chefs at the pit and inputs our order.
Gran spots a few of her Bingo friends a few tables down and gets up to go chat with them, and I'm left with Dylan and Lorraine.
"So... Do you guys think Taylor's single?" Dylan asks.
I bury my face in my hands. "Dylan!" I groan.
Lorraine howls with laughter as Taylor comes back to refill our drinks and Dylan asks her age.
"I'm twenty-one," she replies, then winks at him and leaves.
"She winked!" Dylan whispers and I laugh quietly, shaking my head.
"You're crazy," I say.
* * *
"That was literally the best steak I have ever had in my whole entire life," I state as I finish off the last bit on my plate.
"That hamburger was spot-on," Lorraine says.
Dylan turns to Gran. "Tell Gloria thanks for informing you about this place," he says.
She nods. "Oh, for sure."
Taylor drops by with the bill, and Dylan offers to pay. He glances down at the receipt, and then looks up at us again, eyes wide. "She left me her number."

"See you at home, then," Gran says as she and Lorraine get into her car. She wants to buy a few groceries, and Lorraine decided to help her out.
"Alright," Dylan says, and climbs into the driver's side on his car. I get into the passenger's seat and we drive off.
As we part ways with Lorraine and Gran, I say, "So. Taylor."
Dylan smirks. "Yeah... She left me her number; I think I've got a chance, Ruby."
"Dude, she's, like, an adult."
"Pfft, so? Age is just a number." He glances at me. "And anyway, don't you like that guy from Pentatonix―Avery or whatever?"
I snicker. "Avery's a girl's name, dumbass. And his name is Avi."
Dylan waves his hand dismissiveley. "Not my point. He's, what, twenty-five, and you're eighteen, but you like him, and you don't see anything wrong with that."
My cheeks burn. I consider denying the whole me-liking-Avi thing, but I decide not to. "I guess."
We turn onto Main Street and Dylan keeps talking. "You think I should call Taylor?"
"I mean, she left you her number, so she's probably expecting a call."
"Ah, true." He pauses and meets my eyes in the mirror. "Y'know, it sorta sucks," Dylan says.
"What sucks?" I ask.
"This whole situation. Your situation, I mean. Like, you've had to leave everything you've ever known back in Vancouver, moved here, had to re-adjust, do this whole modeling thing―"
"Dylan, modeling doesn't bother me. I enjoy it."
"―but you've never dated, never gotten to know and love someone before, and now you have this immense crush on a celebrity... I just feel bad that I have a chance with this waitress and you're just going to be hopelessly infatuated with some older famous guy who doesn't know you exist," he explains. "Sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" I say quietly. "Nothing that happened in my life was your fault, and hey, I'll find someone eventually. Time is just waiting for me to get settled, that's all." There's a moment of silence, and I add, "I appreciate the thoughts, though."
Dylan doesn't answer me.
I stare out the window at the lamp-light street. It's starting to rain slightly, and there are a few people closing up their stores. Dylan speeds up a bit as we drive down the smaller roads.
I glance at the bright green numbers displayed on the car radio clock as we turn onto a busier street. 7:24pm.
I tap Dylan on the shoulder. "Hey Dyl, it's rush hour; maybe you should start slowing do―"