The Jerk Next Door

chapter thirteen

"Sorry Sally, I didn't mean to be gone so long."

"Sorry is not good enough young man." She said sternly. "I thought you were dead or something!" Even though she said it in a joking voice, he flinched at the word 'dead'. But she didn't notice and carried on babbling away. Rambling on like old ladies do. "And where is that young girl? What's her name? Oh yes. I remember! Carrie! She was so pretty. Don't tell me you broke her heart. It was obvious you liked her though. Even love. Yes, yes it was love. I could just see it in the way you looked at her. Teenagers these days. So cute." She shooed him away. "Anyway, go sit, I'll come take your order in a bit. Go. Go on."

After her little rant she walked away behind the counter. Dylan stood. Hunched shoulders. Staring blindly at the floor. The word 'love'  and 'Carrie' swirled in my mind. He loved someone? The player of Ronan High School was in love? My heart wretched at the thought. Sure Dylan had been with girls, but they meant nothing to him. They were all just one night stands. But love? Dylan Carson was in love?

"Dylan?" I whispered cautiously. "Are you okay?" He looked up from the ground, realisation dawning on his face, like he'd forgotten I was there. How could his thoughts be so deep that he had forgotten me? Even if it was only for a second.

Placing a small smile on his face he nodded and took my and in his, leading me to a booth with multicoloured butterfly lights enveloping it. I took a moment to stare at him, his clear ocean green eyes looking so lost. And it was only now that I truly saw it. I saw the true him. His act of happiness didn't get past me. Deep down, below the smile, the grin, the smirk, he was sad. And I was going to find out why.

"What would you like to eat?" He asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I scanned through the menu and everything looked appetising but I finally found a dish that would beat the rest.

However before I could answer a voice beat me to it. "Would you guys like the usual then?" It was Sally. She beamed at Dylan and then turned to me. She stopped. "Oh, sorry I didn't see you there, I thought you were someone else." She looked taken aback by my presence but produced a small smile and glanced at Dylan. He shrugged at her.

"So, this is Sapphire. She's a friend from school." 

She turned to me and held out her hand. "Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Sally, sorry about before. What would you like to eat today?" 

I smiled shyly. "Just the waffles please." I heard a sharp inhale from Dylan. I glanced at him, a questioning look in my eyes but he ignored me. Sally just took a step back and raised her eyebrows at Dylan. Something was going on here. Something I didn't know about. 

"I'll just have the usual thanks Sally." He said quickly. Sally quickly gathered our menus and left us with a fast, "okay be back soon with your meals."

Dylan seemed to feel much more relieved after she left as his shoulders left their once tense position to a more casual laid back look. 

"So.." I said, breaking the ice. He raised his eyebrows at me. "Do you like cheese?" 

And with that, he burst out laughing. "Oh god Sapphire, you really know how to relieve the tension. But seriously, this isn't some awkward date like with Channing Tatum and Amanda Bynes in 'She's the man'." He said jokingly, referring a scene in the film.

 "Do..you...like...cheese?" "Why, yes I do. My favourite's Gouda!"

"You watch films like 'She's the man'?" I asked him. Astonished that such a hardass like him watches teenage romance and comedy films. He gave me an 'are you ridiculous' look. 

"Of course I do! They're my favourite!" Dylan exclaimed sarcastically. I rolled my eyes at him. He turned a little more serious and said "but sometimes, when I want, I can actually be a gentleman and sit down and watch a film with a girl."