enemies flames - lrh

six.

"Why do you keep looking at your food like that?"

Lennon looks up at me confused as she furrows her eyebrows, "Like what?"

"You're looking at it like you're silently apologizing to the food for eating it," I say sitting back in my seat and watching her with practically narrowed eyes.

Lennon shrugs, seeming unphased by my comment, "Really?"

"Yes," I say tapping my fingers against my fourth beer. "You just seem to feel guilty for eating it."

"Well it's meat, I think anyone with a heart would feel sorry for the animal that once lived," Lennon says folding her hands on the table as if signaling she's done eating.

"If you feel so guilty then why do you eat it?"

"Because I like meat, and I tried going vegetarian once but quit after 23 hours."

"Why?"

"I liked chicken too much," she says with a giggle.

I don't laugh, particularly because I don't find it funny. She doesn't seem to mind that I'm not laughing as she laughs to herself softly. I just watch her as her cheeks get slightly red in amusement while her shiny, white teeth show.

"So then don't just sit here and stare at the meat like you're ready to pour your heart out in apology to it."

"I'm not going to, I guess that's just my face when I eat."

"Well, it's weird," I say looking off.    

Lennon doesn't respond as she pushes her plate to the side and folds her hands on top of the table, "I'm finished anyway."

"Took you long enough."

"Eager to get back?" She asks with a raised eyebrow and an amused expression.

"Eager to get out of here, you're the slowest eater I've ever eaten with."

"Well that's because you ate your food before I could even take a bite of mine," she says which is practically true. I definitely feel like I was finished long before she even started. I'm always hungry though and she wanted to take her time.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so slow."

"And maybe you should take your time while eating," Lennon says in a kind voice as she clearly attempts to not sound too harsh.

I ignore her and try to spot Baker to bring us our bill so I can get out of here. I don't want to go back to the foster home but I'm not dying to hang around here with Lennon much longer. Too much communication for me. 

Lennon notices I have no intentions of continuing conversation so she takes it upon herself to do so herself. 

"Do you think we should've invited Preston?" she asks.

"No."

"I feel bad," she comments. "I hope we didn't hurt his feelings."

I scoff, the words being ridiculous to me as I can't believe this is her immediate thought. Who the fuck cares if we "hurt his feelings" or not? If he'd get upset over us not inviting him to lunch when he was a dick to me, then he needs a reality check. 

"I hope we did."

"Luke," Lennon says, her tone slightly reprimanding as if not appreciating the way that I prefer to hurt the dickwad's feelings.

"What?"

"We should always be inclusive," Lennon says, talking to me as if I'm a child. "He's a nice guy."