A Different Kind of Us

Chapter 8

They sat on the sidewalk for another five minutes. The heat sat with them, settling further into Sutton's skin. The evening sun played off Ada's face and Sutton had to remind herself not to stare.

"Do you want me to take you back to your car now?" Ada asked.

"Sure," Sutton smiled.

"You wanna get some food first, though?"

"God, yes. I'm starving."

They pulled into the Steak 'n' Shake near their high school. Sutton ordered a burger and peanut butter shake; Ada ordered a strawberry shake without food.

"They still have bad vegetarian options here?" Sutton asked.

Ada laughed. "You and your creepy memory. Yeah, bad options, plus I have fresh groceries at home."

"How adult of you."

"It's the one adult thing I'm good at."

Sutton looked down to the console and tapped her fingers on the miscellaneous coins gathered there. "So..." she said. "Where is home for you, anyway?"

"Midtown."

Sutton smiled. "I could have guessed."

Ada pulled forward to pay for their food. Sutton tried to treat, but Ada swatted her hand away. "You can get next time," she said.

Next time. The words settled in Sutton's stomach with blessed warmth.

"I was just thinking..." Ada said, "You should come see my place soon, if you want. No rush, I mean, I understand that could be weird--"

"No, that would be awesome."

Ada handed over her food, a nervous grin on her face. "Don't get too excited, it's nothing special. My roommate is a slob and--"

"You have a roommate?"

"Yeah, are you kidding? Midtown is expensive."

Sutton felt weirdly jealous. "Will I meet her?"

"Of course."

"Okay. Well...it's a plan."

"Okay," Ada grinned. Then she pulled back onto the main road that led to the interstate, and Sutton sat back in her seat and let the moment seep into her.

They didn't speak much on the drive back, but Sutton felt no pressure about it. She felt more alive, more attuned to her senses, than she had in years. The taste of her hot burger, the sting of her cold shake, the smell of fast food grease, the sound Ada's car made while it cruised south to the city, the sight of the Buckhead skyline looming into view with its glowing windows... and accompanying it all, the intangible feeling of being here with Ada, of breathing the same oxygen she was breathing, of soaking up the dynamite of her presence. Sutton's heart was stretching inside her, making room to welcome back the one person it had always beat for.

When they reached the office parking lot, Ada turned her car's ignition off and looked over to Sutton with a half-smirk on her face.

"What?" Sutton asked, a smirk shifting into place on her own face.

Ada shrugged. "Thinking about how dumb we are. And how funny life is."

Sutton didn't say anything, just allowed herself to look at Ada. Ada looked back at her, taking her in, making Sutton feel she was worth looking at.