Lie, Baby, Lie ✔️

chapter eleven- wade

Chapter Eleven

Mia Critt has to be the most captivating thing I've seen all day. I know it probably sounds crazy and a little creepy, but there's something about her that has me fixated. All she's doing is eating, but she doesn't make a mess, doesn't make a show of every bite she takes. Everything she does seems to be in an effort not to call attention to herself, and somehow, it makes me like her more.

She pops a fry into her mouth and looks at me wistfully as if she wants to say something. Neither of us has said more than two words since the food got here, but I can tell both of us probably want to. This is the longest amount of time we've ever spent together by far, and things are changing.

For one thing, I've always been attracted to her. Just about everyone in Purgatory can see how perfect she is, but this is the first time I've ever wanted to do anything about it. The bikini is never gonna leave my mind, and the cold shower I took solved nothing.

"I hate awkward silences," she announces suddenly.

I swallow the bite of burger I've been chewing. "I do too."

Mia tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "Okay, so we should talk about something."

"I'm all ears."

She frowns. "I was kind of hoping you had an idea. I'm no good at this."

It makes sense; it's not like her brother lets her socialize. I'm not exactly an extrovert either though, which makes this a little difficult. Besides, the one thing we have in common for sure isn't something either of us wants to dwell on. We've focused on it enough.

"I had fun today," I tell her.

"Me too," she says. "Jet skis are amazing. How'd you learn to drive one?"

"My mother took us to the beach every once in a while. Her friend owned one," I answer. It's been a while since I've so much as seen Mamá, but I never could forget the thrill of riding one of those things. I know Mia won't be able to either.

"The most fun I ever really had with my parents was Disneyland," she says. "But hey, even though our parents never wanted to go on the rides with us, Thomas was always there to go with me. He was so scared of heights, but he could never say no to me. He always had fun once we got on. We loved the roller coasters most."

It's weird imagining Thomas doing something so mundane. Amusement parks are the kind of place he'd never be caught dead at now, but he's a different man. The person Mia is talking about doesn't sound like who he is now, and both of us know it.

"I've never been to Disneyland," I admit.

Her eyes widen. "You're joking, right?"

"Unfortunately not. It was always too expensive anyway."

"It's weird to think you've lived in LA so long and have never been," she says.

I lift a shoulder. "I guess I'm missing out."

"Not really. It's honestly overpriced and overhyped, but it was fun when I was a kid. People change."

She doesn't just mean herself, that's for sure. She takes another bite of her burger, probably stuffing her mouth to hold back another admission.

I switch the TV on so we have something else to do, but I can't stop looking at her. I should be watching the made-for-TV cowboy movie, but I'm not. She's reading subtitles, so she's turned away. I follow the flow of her wavy hair down her back, the curve of her back, the dimples on her spine where her shirt got pulled up. I'm tempted to press my lips to the divots to make her squirm.