A Hero's Secret

twenty one

..

Dray inched a french fry to her mouth as she stared across the rickety table. Wells asked her to lunch and now they sat at their usual spot at Posies. He ignored her.

She dropped her hand by her plate, shaking the table. "I can't believe you got shot."

"You know, Dray, why don't you say it again?" Wells leaned forward. "I don't think everyone's heard you yet." He waved his hand around the patio where many more than normal hung out for a weekday. Fortunately they sat in the corner with the nearest guests a few tables away.

Heat rose to her cheeks and she stuffed more fries into her mouth. "Sorry." She sipped on her lemonade to wash the food down. "But it's only been a couple days. Does it still hurt?"

He glared and froze in his spot, his burger just inches from his mouth. A dollop of ketchup and mustard landed on his plate.

"Okay, okay." Dray put her hands in the air. She couldn't hold back a grin, though.

Wells took a large bite out of his hamburger, eyes still narrowed on Dray, but soon fell to her charm and grinned with chubby cheeks and food threatening to fall from his lips.

"Hey, sis."

And the light air vanished.

Lucy sat down between the couple, leaving her boyfriend, Nash to take the seat across from her.

Dray dragged her gaze off Wells and smiled at her sister. "Hey, Lucy. What brings you to Hero," she tilted her head, "again?"

A bouncy laugh fell from Lucy's lips and she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Nash had a little meeting with Tieg, safety of the town stuff."

"We're just killing time," Nash added with a friendly elbow bump to Wells' arm.

Wells flinched. He barely moved, but Dray watched the older couple share a look.

Lucy perched on the edge of the chair, her elbows rested on the table. "So, what's good to eat here?" Her slender fingers twisted into her hair.

Dray gestured to their plates. "Fries and hamburgers, I guess." She avoided Lucy's eyes, only taking subtle glances at the man across from her. "Chicken wings are good, too," she said a few seconds later and pursed her lips together. "The pizza actually isn't half bad, either."

"Uh," Wells interrupted, "I think you are safe with whatever."

The table filled with soft laughter and for a brief moment, it felt normal. Dray even had the courage to lift her head and grin at her sister.

A waiter walked by and Nash signaled he wanted to order. Chicken wings to go was the winner.

"So Dray," he said, "your sister told me you're a photographer."

Dray nodded with a mouthful of hamburger.

"What places have you gotten to around here? There can't be that many interesting scenes in this small town." Nash propped his foot on his knee and leaned back in the chair.