Up in the Air

Chapter 21

"Which you won't because there's so much of it," he chuckled.

"- I can watch a movie or read a book or something," I'd simply ignored him. "Allie lent me a pretty good Stephen King book." Not to mention, pretty thick. It was bound to occupy me for a long while.

Louis snuck another sideways glance. "Why couldn't you just hang out with your British boy toy?"

I wrinkled my nose at the expression as I let out a series of free chuckles. "Boy toy? That's no better than dude, Louis."

He stayed unaffected, continuing to smile at nothing in particular. "Stop dodging the question," he ordered.

I sighed. "I already spent Monday and Tuesday afternoon with him studying at the library. I wouldn't want him to think I was being clingy," I admitted.

"Sara, the two of you studying at the library isn't being clingy. You're just being your usual nerdy selves," he explained as if he were talking to an extremely confused seven-year-old.

"Feel free to enlighten me on what is and isn't clingy then, Mr. Relationship Expert," I retorted with one eyebrow saucily raised.

He opened his mouth once, closed it, opened it again and closed it one more time.

"Exactly," I smiled smugly. "As much as you like to think you're the love doctor, you're probably just as clueless as I am."

Louis shook his head but said nothing until he pulled into the parking lot of Annabelle's Diner. "I've been in the dating scene three years longer than you have – I might not know a lot about clinginess since neither Jen or I are clingy -"

I couldn't help but laugh at that. Sure, he and Jenny weren't exactly clingy but they were an inch away from it, millimeters even. Except for when Louis had to work and Sundays when the Smiles had a traditional family day, the pair of them were always together.

Louis continued to talk as if I hadn't interrupted him. "Besides, nobody is as clueless – though oblivious might be the better word – as you are, Sara," he smirked as he unbuckled his seatbelt and threw the keys to the truck in my direction.

Before I could ask him what he meant, he was already rushing into the diner leaving me to lock the truck and ponder on what he meant.

I had a sinking feeling that there was more to what he said than being clueless to what exactly constituted clingy but Louis never gave me the chance to ask. The next time I saw him, he was wiping drying glasses with a dish towel behind the shiny white counter of Annabelle's diner.

I narrowed my eyes at him as I ordered a blueberry muffin from one of the other waitresses. I wasn't really that hungry but I needed an excuse to hang around the diner. The muffin would buy me an hour or two. After that, I was planning on ordering a plate of fries and a grilled cheese sandwich if I still needed it later on.

Louis flashed me a smug smile when he handed me the warmed muffin on a platter. I sneakily stuck my tongue at him and proceeded to one of the booths that lined the far wall.

Annabelle's was one of those classic diners – bright red cushiony booths lined the pale brown walls and shiny silver tables with matching chairs dotted the black-and-white checkered tile floor. Framed pictures of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn, The Beatles and other classic stars hung on the walls mixed in with photographs of blueberry pies topped with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sundaes. A steady stream of classic rock songs floated through the air courtesy of the humongous jukebox that sat right by the diner entrance. Even the waitresses' uniforms – salmon pink dresses completed with white aprons and white tennis shoes – and Louis' black shirt, jeans and sneakers ensemble completed the ambience.