His Fascination

Ch. 9

< -- nine -- >

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Setting down the plate of cheese fries in between Neema and I, she dipped her corn dog in mustard before taking a bite. Dipping my own corn dog in ketchup I took a bite followed by several cheese covered fries.

Looking around the arcade as she chewed there were only a few people here aside from the ones that worked here and us. Two couples played at the bowling lanes taking up two of the six lanes.

"You know ketchup usually goes with hot dogs." I commented on her mustard choice.

"Ketchup shouldn't go anywhere but in the trash."

"Woah." I laughed at her hatred for the condiment. "A little harsh, are we?"

"Ketchup is gross Lars," she said dipping her corn dog again, "and I've told you that before."

"When?"

"When. . ." she paused the the corn dog halfway to her mouth, "when . . ."

"When what? Why won't you just tell me?" I asked sitting back in the booth.

Setting her food down Neema took a few gulps of her drink taking her time obviously collecting her thoughts. Wiping her mouth with a napkin she licked her lips leaning back in her seat like me. "I don't think that . . . you knowing where we met will change anything."

"How do you know that?"

"Because we've been going to the same school for two years and you've never said anything to me."

"Communication goes both ways babe."

"You're right," she nodded, "but you still wouldn't know who I was if I walked up to you and introduced myself. You probably would have stared at me with a confused look on your face."

She had me there. Not knowing who she was now wouldn't have changed two years ago either. We had been walking the same halls and having the same teachers and I didn't even know she existed. "Can I ask you something Lars?"

"Sure." I nodded eating another cheese fry.

"How do you plan on playing the games with your arm . . . hidden?" Her eyes fell to the plate of fries. "You know you don't have to hide yourself from me Lars. I'm not going to judge you or anything like that."

Moving the fingers to my prosthetic arm inside of my pocket I looked at Neema's amber eyes and long lashes. Her nose was small much like her ears. Her bottom lip was a tad larger than her upper lip, each piece placed delicately on her beautiful face.

"I hide my arm so you won't look at me with sympathy."

"I won't -"

"Look at me feeling sorry that I only have one arm?"

"I . . ." Raising my brow at her I knew that she couldn't deny it. It was the first thing people did when they see my prosthetic. Thinking that I was in some sort of tragic accident that left me with one arm as if I didn't deserve it for taking my brother's life. "I won't."

"You will."

"I won't, I swear. I won't even look at it."

Getting ready to open my mouth to retaliate I changed my mind removing my hidden prosthetic placing it on the table. Immediately Neema's eyes looked to the right side of my head behind me. I wanted to laugh while she drummed her fingers on the table trying to ignore the elephant in the room.