Rayston Point Road || Editing

Chapter Seven

Half an hour later, Isaac and I were sitting across from each other in a worn, red leather booth in the corner, two identical plates of burgers and fries sitting in front of us. I had reached for the fries before the plate was even firmly on the table in front of me, dunking them happily into the chocolate milkshake I had ordered, relishing in the first bit of food I had eaten in over twenty-four hours.

"What?" I asked, looking up at Isaac with a confused expression when I realized he was not eating, but just watching me with an amused expression, his arms crossed over his chest as he relaxed back into the booth, his hat abandoned on the seat beside him so his curls flopped down over his forehead freely and his blue work shirt undone to reveal a white t-shirt underneath, both shades complimenting his looks in a manner that made our waitress linger a little bit longer after she dropped off our food, not that Isaac seemed to notice.

"Nothing," Isaac shook his head, laughing a little as he finally reached for the burger in front of him. "So, does this mean we can be friends now?" He took a large bite of his burger and then leaned back into the booth again, extending his arm and resting it along the back of the booth. He smiled confidently as he chewed, the dimples in his cheeks still appearing even while he ate.

"If I said no, would you rescind your offer to take me home?" I teased, reaching for my milkshake. I looked up at him as I sipped through the straw, the cool helping to combat the heat that still seeped into the small diner every time the door swung open.

"Yes." Isaac's reply came without a missed beat, the smile on his face disappearing immediately as he became serious, but I could tell by the way his jaw tensed that he was forcing himself not to smile. I hesitated for a moment, judging by the way Isaac's eyes carefully studied me that he was anticipating my response.

"Well I suppose I have no other choice then," I started, and paused to take another sip of the shake in my hands, watching as Isaac relaxed his expression and smiled again. "I should start walking now. Which way is it?" I made a move to slide out of the booth, watching from the corner of my eye as Isaac eyebrows raised in surprise and then he laughed, reaching for his plate. Instead of eating the fry he took between his fingers, though, it flew through the air before it hit my shoulder and then fell onto my lap. I stopped halfway through sliding from the booth and looked at Isaac.

"Seriously?" I plucked the fry from my lap and held it up in front of us, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Extra fuel, for your walk home, Harvard. You're gonna need it." He grinned at me as he shrugged again, reaching for the food on his plate again, this time lifting it to his mouth. As he opened his mouth for the numerous fries he had taken between his fingers, I chucked the rogue fry back at his face, covering my mouth as I laughed loudly when it bounced off of his nose and onto the table, and Isaac's hand froze, mid-air and still full of fries, as he blinked, processing what had just happened.

"I officially rescind my offer of friendship, and of a ride home. You may leave." He dropped the fries into his mouth and wiped his hands together as he chewed, waving his hand out to motion towards the exit of the booth.

"Just as I was starting to change my mind," I feigned regret, sighing heavily as a dropped my shoulders. Isaac shook his head and laughed before taking another hefty bite of his burger, allowing me to slide back to my original position and do the same as a moment of silence passed between us while we ate, the other patrons of the diner loud enough that it didn't feel awkward as we both let a moment pass without conversation.

"So," Isaac started again, "how long are you in Rayston for?"

"The whole summer."

"You must be in college if you're already out of school," Isaac observed, and I nodded while sipping on my milkshake in response. "Where do you go?"