Given Time

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I peer over my restaurant menu and scowl at the boy sitting opposite me. I can't believe my mom and dad are making me spend the evening sharing a table with him and his parents. If I had it my way, they wouldn't be here, and it would only be us.

I continue to glare at him like a huntress stalking her prey when his eyes raise to meet mine, catching me off guard. My cheeks redden at being caught, but I refuse to back down and keep my sight firmly on him.

Tanner returns my harsh stare, and we're locked in a show-down, his blue eyes waging war against my hazel irises. The outside bustle of the restaurant quickly fades into the background, and all I see is him.

I can feel my eyes beginning to burn from the awkward exchange and it seems I'm not the only one struggling as Tanner shuffles uncomfortably in his seat. All too soon, the pain becomes too much, and I have to back down and blink the stinging tears away. Tanner smirks before taking a sip of his water, proud of having won this round.

Smug asshole!

I wish I could say he was ugly like his personality, but his raven black hair, chiseled jaw, and defined muscles could make any girl look twice. Like usual, he's wearing a designer suit, probably Giorgio Armani. The blue silk tie wrapped around his neck makes his sky-blue eyes stand out even more, and I hate this. Why does someone so horrible have such beauty?

"Leah, honey, didn't you hear Mr. Cole?" my mom asks, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Hmm? What did you say, Mr. Cole?" I ask, looking over to my dad's close friend.

It's been a while since I last saw him, and in the time apart, he's grown a decent beard which makes him look far more handsome than before. It's very obvious he and Tanner are father and son.

"I said, 'Are you looking forward to going to Berkeley?' It's only two weeks away now."

Am I looking forward to Berkeley? I want to tell Mr. Cole I was looking forward to going, but this was before I found out his son already goes there. "Kind of. I can't wait to start my classes, but I'm nervous about moving away. I've never lived away from DC before, so it will be strange," I reply, anxiously pulling on the sleeves of my red dress. I'm glad I chose to wear this tonight, as it gives my hands something to play with as well as making my natural red hair pop even more.

"Normal people would enjoy going to college in California, but you have to find a fault with even this part," Tanner sneers.

I roll my eyes at his statement. We've only been sitting here for ten minutes, and he's already starting to taunt me.

"Keep rolling your eyes. You might eventually find a brain."

I purse my lips together. "At least I have a brain. I'm amazed you even got into Berkeley, given your track record of getting kicked out of schools." I can see I've hit a nerve as his nostrils flare angrily.

"I bet it kills you to know I'm just as smart as you, doesn't it? We don't all have to have our head in a book to be clever, you know," he snaps back.

"Now, now kids, we haven't even been served our starters yet," my dad warns.

And this is why we shouldn't be in a room together. Even after a year apart, we're still unable to behave like grown-ups. I tap my fingers on the tablecloth, waiting impatiently for the waiters to bring our food. The sooner they come, the sooner I can leave.

"Do you have to? Man, you're so irritating." Tanner huffs.

"I'm just sitting here," I retort back.

"Enough!" my mom orders, scrunching up her napkin on the table.