Fallen

Chapter 39. The double-date [Caleb]

Luke clicks his tongue, "It's rather strange but unique. I like it."

"Thanks," M says, pointing to the door behind him. "Should we head inside?"

We all agree in unison, M holding the door as we all step inside the building.

There's a generic pop-song playing in the background. It's a distant sound compared to the mutter and the cheers from the tables and bowling alley.

We find a table in the corner. Red-leather couches squeak as we sit down in them. Tina and Luke on one side and M and I on the other. I take off my jacket as M scrambles for the menu. Already zooming through all the burgers the restaurant has to offer.

"I've never had burgers," Luke starts, dark eyes flashing across the menu that he and Tina share. "Nor have I tried bowling."

It all sounds too familiar. Images from the first time I took M down to the mall to find clothing flash before my eyes. We stopped at this fancy burger place. That's where I've seen him from. I bumped into him once. He was angry, growling at me to watch where I was going.

"M hadn't tried burgers either until I took him down to this place at the mall," I reply. "That's where I've seen you from. I bumped into you at the toilets."

Luke's eyes widen, a surprised look on his face, but he covers it up shortly after. "You're right. I knew I had seen you somewhere. Excuse me for being rude back then. I had a bad day."

"It's fine, don't we all," I shrug the apology off. Although M doesn't look like he's buying it, silently glaring at Luke from where he's sitting next to me. I push him slightly with my elbow, ordering him to behave without saying a word. He only rolls his eyes at me.

"What were you doing at a place that sells burgers if you weren't going to try any of them?" M pokes.

Tina silently looks over at me in confusion as the tension between M and Luke rises. I can't say I'm not a bit surprised by M's behavior either. Or the weird tension that is going on.

"I was only passing by," Luke shoots back. "I had to go to the toilet."

M seems to calm down, slumping down in his seat a little, accepting the reply.

Before the silence can fully turn awkward, the waitress shows up with a notepad in hand. Her style fits the retro-style of the bowling slash diner. Red lips and a checker-patterned apron.

"So what would you lovely people want to order?" She asks. Giving our orders, she heads back to the kitchen. Leaving our table in silence once again.

"Actually, M hasn't tried bowling either," I present to the quiet table. Tina, who has been giving Luke heart eyes all this time, looks over at us in surprise.

"Say that's not true," She gapes, hitting M on the arm softly from where she's sitting in front of him.

"I have not," M chuckles lowly, with a sincere shrug.

"Well, don't expect Caleb to be any help or a good teacher for that matter because he's absolutely terrible at anything that craves physical activity, and bowling is one of those."

My eyes turn into slits as I glare at Tina evilly. "That's not true," I shoot back, but all she does is laugh in return. "I'm decent at bowling."

"Please, don't make me remind you of my 15th birthday party," She says, which instantly makes me shut up. She wouldn't dare tell that story. She made a pinky promise.

"I can't tell you the story," Tina begins, which makes me sigh in relief, only to make me tense up again when she doesn't stop at that. "But I will tell you, it ended with a girl going to the hospital for a broken leg."

"It fell out of my hand," I point at her accusingly. "It was an accident."

"A lucky one, though," Tina replies. "The girl was rude and a bully."

"Will I have to wear protection while playing with Caleb then?" M begs the question. Looking from me and over to Tina.

"Of course not, It was a one-time thing," I say, defendingly.

"Just don't hurt yourself, Caleb," Luke jumps in with a creepy smile. His teeth too sharp. "We can't have that."

"You guys are bullies," I shoot back at the chuckling trio. Crossing my arms in defense. But quickly uncrossing them when the food arrives, ready to dig in.

The smell is delicious, making my mouth salivate. There's steam rising from the bun, cheese like a waterfall swallowing the paddy, as a thin pin is holding all its contents together.

Our dialogue thins out as we all eat from our respective platters. M is the first one done. I catch him stealing fries from my plate, although I don't have the heart in me to stop him, not that I want to either.

Across the table, Tina and Luke are feeding each other like the gross couple they are. I can't help but chuckle at the romantic sight. I can't imagine ever doing that with M, but he might be thinking differently, considering the fry, drowned in ketchup, that he is holding up in my face right now.

I raise my brow at him, but he just goofily shrugs at me, looking and acting all innocent. I glare at him as I take the fry in my mouth, chewing grossly, as I smile up at him. Before I can smear the ketchup away from where it missed its mark on my mouth, M beats me to it. Thumb, coming back clean as he licks the red away with his tongue.

My cheeks heat up at the embarrassment. Stomach tingling with butterflies at the guy staring down at me with his brown eyes. Brown eyes filled with adoration, or at least that's what I hope it is.

"So not to interrupt you two lovebirds," Tina cuts in. "But shall we finally get this date started and go bowl?"

"Sounds like a good idea," I reply. I can't wait to see how much of a disaster this is going to be.