windfall

thirty-seven: "literally nothing about this has been easy"

Normal: Kat Torres
Bold: Easton Adley

~

"Oh my God. Oh my GOD. OH MY GOD."

"We're gonna get kicked out again."

"This is SO FUCKING GOOD. How did I SURVIVE without this?"

"Oh look, the guy's coming over right now - "

"Kat, these are SO GOOD."

"I'm so sorry, sir, my friend here has been on a strict diet for the past year - "

"Past thirteen months actually - "

"He just really likes your product. He'll keep it down, I promise."

"You manipulative girl. You were totally flirting with him just now."

"Thanks to your psychotic extroversion, it was either flirt or get kicked out of the third McDonald's in a row. Seriously, do you have to do this EVERY SINGLE TIME? This is your fifth Big Mac."

"Listen here."

"I sense a rant."

"I ate salads and drank almond milk for THIRTEEN MONTHS. Did you know I can't STAND lettuce? It's disgusting but I ate it! I had a FRUIT cake when I turned eighteen. A literal fruit cake. The icing was watermelon. It was pathetic. Corbin laughed. Track season might not be over yet, but while I'm in New York, you can be damn sure I'm going to GORGE myself. GORGE. MYSELF. On these magnificent burgers that my coach will probably massacre me for eating but will totally be worth it BECAUSE THESE ARE SO GOOD."

"Yeah, yeah. We're going, we're going."

Kat rolls her eyes as they are shuffled out by a glaring McDonald's worker who is not foiled by her glimmering and apologetic smile. He glares at Easton, who is still enjoying his fifth Big Mac, uncaring. She can't help but laugh to herself as they find themselves on the street, huddled under the awning of a souvenir shop next to the fast food restaurant.

    "You're ridiculous."

    Easton grins and winks at her. "I'm going slightly mad."

    Unlike him, Kat doesn't have an endless reserve of Queen songs on the tip of her tongue so she settles for sliding her hand into his and tugging him down the sidewalk. He complies without complaint, finishing off his burger quicker than she can see. His hand tightens around hers, his nimble fingers wrapped up and brushing against the bracelet he bought her at the shop at JFK, the one that matches his.

    It's been seven hours since Easton landed in New York and he only stopped at his aunt's house to drop off his luggage before grabbing Kat and whisking her off to complete their list. They've added more activities to it in the past few days and Kat would be lying if she said she wasn't excited to spend spring break with East.

    "So do you want to go shopping car racing first or thrifting?"

    "Choices, choices. Normally I would say let's NOT play with shopping carts when it's dark out, but this is your city, so it's up to you. You decide. I trust you."

    "A horrible decision really." He stops outside a dollar store. "Pit stop. Come on."

    Kat had learned quickly not to question his outlandish behaviour and she doesn't object to being dragged into the store. Easton leads her to the back, where artificial flowers and vines decorate the wall. She watches in amusement and slight befuddlement as he carefully selects twelve red roses. He does nothing but smile and walk them to the register. Once they get outside, he presents the bouquet to her with a grand flourish, right in the middle of the sidewalk.

    "A dozen roses for my darling."

    She throws her head back laughing. Something about the situation is so very hilarius to her - after a second, Easton joins her and the air fills with their wheezing chortles. Kat accepts the bouquet and throws her arms around his neck. His wrap around her waist without hesitation, his mouth pressed against her ear.

    "At the risk of sounding cheesier than the main topping on pizza, I'll love you until the last one dies."

    "How is there room in your head for all these romantic gestures? God, it took me an entire week to tell you I love you."

    "You're the sarcastic one in this relationship. I'm the sweet, funny, romantic one. Nothing to be embarrassed about, babe."

    "Oh I see. I'm here for eye-candy, is that it?"

    "See, now you're getting it."

They continue walking, the roses in Kat's left hand and Easton's arm linked through her right. It rained earlier in the day and she amuses herself by jumping into puddles and splashing dirty water onto her combat boots. Easton rolls his eyes and mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like, "Dork." Kat simply jumps in the next puddle.

    "So where are we going?"

    "My aunt actually asked me to pick some things up at the grocery store."

    "Shopping cart racing it is."

Easton has done this a million times before, but never with Katia. Just like so many other things, running down an empty parking lot while pushing an out of control shopping cart is so much better with her.

    She's shockingly more competitive than he anticipated. The second he yells, "GO," she drives the cart forward and tears past him, her shit-kicker boots slapping the pavement hard. Saying Easton was caught off guard is an understatement; he stares in frozen surprise as she passes the finish line and turns back to him with one raised eyebrow and puckered lips.

    "I didn't think you'd be THIS bad," she teases, crossing her arms over her chest.

    "I've been deceived. You've deceived me. I swear to God, you just ran faster than me."

    "Of course I did. Because you didn't move. At all."

    Easton strides across the empty parking lot lit only by two streetlights. Kat watches him curiously as he approaches, her hip cocked against the back wall of the supermarket. He doesn't take his eyes off hers. He didn't have a favourite colour before he met her - he never saw the point.

    He has one now.

    Just as he reaches her, Kat ducks away with a giant grin on her face. She's practically skipping away from him, pulling her cart with her.

    "You didn't think it'd be that easy, did you?"

    "Literally nothing about this has been easy."

    "Race me, for real this time. If you win" - She spreads her arms wide - "you win."

    "And if I lose?"

    "You'll see if you do."

    Easton shakes his head in amusement. He would play her game - he will always play her game. "Okay," he says. "Call it."

    She waits until he has a hold on his cart until she shouts, "Go!"

    He has always, always beaten Corbin and Gen in the races. He's a star sprinter and track athlete - he's training for the Olympics. He can beat Kat in a relay no problem - he can win.

    But he's curious. What happens if SHE wins? Easton Alexander Adley is many things and fiercely inquisitive is one of them.

    So he slows his pace and he lets the love of his life surpass him in a quote unquote "sport" that he's a master in. She zooms past him and flies across the finish line, spinning around in glee. He can't help the matching wide smile that stretches across his face as he catches up with her.

    Kat plants her hands on his shoulders, the tips of their shoes touching. Easton only has a glimpse of her glinting eyes, her flushed cheeks, her parted lips before he finds out what happens if he loses.

    Turns out he didn't really lose at all.