By Chance (Accidentally In Luck #1)

24. Dinner's a Great Time for Fake Crying - Cora

*Cora*

I was at a loss for words. He just looked too good.

I stared into Theo Archer's newly green eyes and wondered how on earth I ended up here. I smiled at him and broke eye contact as I heard Elle's laugh behind me.

Welp, her and Jay seemed to be getting along fabulously.

I turned back to E and found him smiling at me too. "I think I did good by them," he chuckled. "Hey, you two!" he called, "Hate to interrupt, but if we're going to get there and not be late, we gotta go."

***

About an hour later, after a car ride full of loud off-key singing and laughter, we pulled into a place called Punch Drunk Bar&Grill.

"This is where most of us come before any tournament at the Dome," E explained as we pulled to a stop. "That's where the tournament's at today."

I leaned forward and peered up at the neon glowing sign through the windshield and E did the same.

Huh. So all the fighters come to hang out at the Punch Drunk Bar.

Ha ha. Punny.

"And you're sure I can go in, right? Being only 18 and all."

E drew his head back, chuckling. "You're with me. You'll be fine."

"What do you-" I was cut off by Elle knocking hard on my window, succeeding in making me jump enough to almost smack my head into the roof of E's Audi.

"Let's go!" she called. "I'm starving!"

I sighed heavily, knowing what I was about to do is cheesy and pathetic, but knowing I was going to do it anyway. I didn't even want to think about the fact that I was going to do it in front of Theo Archer. I sighed again.

I got out of the car and held my hand out for Elle to shake. "Nice to meet you Starving. I'm Cora."

Elle just rolled her eyes, but the boys started cackling with laughter. Elle rolled her eyes again and grabbed Jay's hand, dragging him with her as she headed into Punch Drunk.

I turned to E who was doubled over clutching the roof of the Audi with one hand and his stomach with the other.

"Whaaat?" I whined, my cheeks flooding with scarlet. "It wasn't that bad was it?"

He gasped a few times, trying to hold in the laughter that wanted so obviously to escape. "No," he got out finally. "The joke wasn't so bad; it was just your face!" He busted into another round of laughter.

"Oh, gee. That's so kind. Thanks," I shot back dryly.

He sobered a little, seeming to realize what he just said. "Shit. No, meant the look on your face. You looked so done, like you didn't wanna do it! Oh, my God!" E busted into laughter yet again.

I rolled my eyes at him, grabbed his hand, and followed Elle and Jay inside. As we walked in and caught up with them, E still drying his eyes, I saw a lot of people taking notice of us and eyeing our clasped hands with an open curiosity and I stopped trying to meet people's eyes.

There was a huge group of people gathered at the entrance to the place and I figured we were gonna have one heck of a wait, but E took the lead and marched straight up to the hostess, a pretty younger girl named "Candice," according to her name tag, who used too much makeup.

"Hi, y'all," Candice said politely in a ridiculously thick southern accent. She was looking at E, and I mean really looking, like it was checking-him-out looking. I already didn't like her. "How many?" she asked in a honeyed voice, still blatantly staring.