All at Once (Complete)

vii. Pretty Little Blonde

"Ri-ley," I sung out, from where I sat on the kitchen island-bench, my legs swinging beneath me. It was 8:30 pm and I hadn't eaten since our Oreos. I was now officially starving and despite having ransacked every inch of the kitchen for food, I found nothing.

I watched as he descended the staircase and almost laughed when his eyebrows rose in a 'what do you want now?' sort of manner. I had no idea what he'd been doing up there but I was probably just saving him from more inspections. That's all he'd been doing since we got here.

"I'm hungry. And this place has no food," I explained, motioning toward the pantries I'd left open.

"Right. I've got to feed you," he said, more to himself than to me and I wasn't sure whether to take offense or not.

"You say it like I'm a puppy," he didn't respond to that, instead walking toward me and reaching for his keys where they laid next to me. I didn't move, forcing him to step closer, really close.

He seemed to notice our proximity as well and looked down at me; I smiled and raised my eyebrows, waiting to see what he would do.

Reaching around me, he snatched up his keys and stepped back immediately, growling in irritation. He stormed toward the door, all but stomping his feet. I trailed behind, amused by the reaction I had caused.

"Where are we going?" I asked him, not sure if the supermarket in Remington would be open at this hour.

"Remington has a small Italian restaurant behind the fresh-food market. It will be open. Tomorrow I will take you shopping for food."

He opened the door and stepped through into the dark night outside, not even waiting for me before trumping down the steps and standing at the door of his car.

I smiled at his little temper tantrum and joined him at the car, just as he unlocked the doors and stepped in.

-   

Riley wasn't kidding when he said this Italian restaurant was small. It actually looked really creepy, hidden in a dark alley behind the food market. I stood close to Riley, enough to feel safe without looking like a wuss.

He hadn't really given me any information on the way over, turning the radio up in a clear sign of 'don't talk to me.' He was still sooking about my stunt on the counter and I had no idea why, it wasn't even that big of a deal.

We approached the door of the seedy restaurant and Riley opened it, stepping though himself.

"So much for ladies first, huh?" I commented, pushing the heavy door out of my way so I could follow him.

He was examining the room, searching every possible corner and every diner's face. He hadn't even heard me. Typical.

I looked up and joined his search, but for completely different reasons. The door to this place may have been seedy, but it was still packed, with a good thirty people cramped into the tight space. The walls were covered in maps of Italy and red-white-and-green flags, I also saw a few pictures of the Colosseum and leaning tower of Pisa.

Riley seemed content with his examination and led me to what had to be the last table, a small, two-dining spot stuffed into the back corner.

We sat and I picked up a menu, beginning to browse through the options. I was starving- as in, I could eat the whole kitchen, starving- so I tried to find the biggest meals possible.

When I got bored of barely being able to understand what some things meant, I looked up to my guard, only to see him still checking the room.

"Do you ever not constantly look around every room we are in?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as he glanced back toward me, as if shocked I had spoken.