Bad Boy Games

Chapter 7

                I looked up and saw him staring at me intently, his blue eyes curious and captivating as ever. I couldn’t look away and kept gazing into his eyes. He didn’t look away either. That is until Preston came back with our drinks. I finally looked away as he set the cups in front of us. Picking up the menu to distract myself from what just happened, my eyes scanned the menu. There is a lot of really good food.

                It took me a minute but I found what I want.

                “Um, I’ll have the sausage and egg combo with hash browns, please.” He nodded and flashed me another smile. Again, I blushed and looked down. And, again, Jacob got snippier with him.

                “Bacon and egg combo with pancakes.” Preston wrote it down, ignoring Jacob’s angry expression. Seriously, what the hell is his problem? Preston hasn’t done anything wrong and Jacob is acting like he ran over his dog. He walked off again, this time to get our food, and I shot Jacob a look. His face and eyes stayed blank, not showing any emotion whatsoever and he broke the eye contact, taking a drink of his orange juice.

                I shook my head and folded my arms on the table, resting my head on top of them and closing my eyes. Fine. If he’s going to be a jerk than I’m not going to talk to him. My phone vibrated again and I fished it out of my pocket, resting my forehead on the edge of the table and reading the text underneath it.

                Carter: Okay, good. I was worried for a while. Feel better and I’ll see you tomorrow!

                Winter: …Fine. Focus on getting better and I’ll text you after school. Love you too! <3

                I smiled and slid it in my pocket again, lifting my head just as Preston came back with the food. The smell reached me and my stomach growled loudly, my eyes locked onto the food as he set the plate down in front of me.

                “Thank you,” I said, smiling up at him. He grinned back and sent Jacob a look before going to serve an old couple that just sat down. I reached for the syrup and poured it on my plate, dipping the sausage into it and taking a big bite.

                “This is so good!” I said. Jacob nodded and I thought I saw the hint of a smile tugging at his lips but when I looked up it was gone. We sat in silence for a while, just eating, until Jacob said something.

                “Tell me about yourself.” I looked up at him, surprised at his sudden request.

                “Erm… what do you want to know?” I asked, eating another forkful of eggs. Preston already refilled our orange juice a few minutes ago and Jacob had looked like he really wanted to punch him in the face. I was watching him carefully the whole time to make sure he didn’t do anything.

                Taking a sip of my orange juice and wrinkling my nose a bit at the sourness of it, I continued to look at Jacob as I waited for his answer.

                “Favorite color?” He asked easily. I was a little confused but answered anyway.

                “Purple.”

                “Favorite movie?”

                “The Lion King.” He gave me a weird look and I shrugged, popping more eggs into my mouth.

                “What? You don’t like Disney movies?” I asked. He shook his head.

                “I used to when I was little but not anymore. Aren’t you a bit old to still be watching those movies?” I shook my head, appalled.

                “No! No one is too old to watch Disney!” He raised an eyebrow.

                “Sure. Alright, next question.” I crossed my arms and huffed at him. How could he say that? Disney movies are the best damn movies ever made and he’s saying that I’m too old to watch them. Asshole. He chuckled and continued.

                We talked for a while, him asking me questions and me answering them the best I could. He just asked me if I’ve ever had a boyfriend. I blushed and looked at my hands. I don’t want to tell him the answer to this question. He doesn’t need to know about my love life. Not that I have one. I’ve never even had my first kiss. I’ve been saving it for the right person. The one that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Yes it’s cheesy but it’s also true.

                There was a small silence and I remembered that I need to say thank you for helping me at the party. Looking up, I watched him as he took a drink of his orange juice.

                “Jacob?” He looked up at me and I continued. “I… I just wanted to say thanks for… saving me.” He shook his head and my eyebrows furrowed as I looked at him, confused.

                “Don’t thank me for that. People like that are disgusting and don’t deserve to live.” I bit my lip and nodded a little bit, looking down at my hands on the table as the silence settled between us again.

                I opened my mouth to tell him to ask another question but snapped it shut again when I saw a painfully familiar face outside walking past the diner. My eyes widened and I jumped up, ignoring Jacob when he said my name, asking what the hell I’m doing. Pushing my chair back, I rushed toward the door, keeping my eyes locked on his tall frame.

                Flinging the door open, I ran outside.

                “Dad?!” I called. He’s too far away to hear me so I started to run after him but he turned the corner and someone grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face them. Jacob stood over me, looking down at my shocked face, confused.

                “What the hell, Lyla? What are you doing?” I shook my head, blinking rapidly. My blood started to boil and I clenched my teeth, my face hardening. Why is he here? First he calls Mom and upsets her and then he shows up here?

                “Nothing. I thought I saw someone that I know.” He eyed me suspiciously for a while before nodding and pulling me to the bike.

                “I already paid,” he murmured. I nodded and tucked the helmet onto my head, sitting on the back behind him again. He revved the engine and sped out of the parking lot back onto the highway.

                We got home after about forty minutes and I jumped off the bike, stretching and pulling the helmet off my head. Turning to Jacob, I craned my neck and looked up at him, staring into his crystal blue orbs.

                “Thanks for breakfast; it was really good,” I murmured. He nodded and smirked.

                “I told you that you would go with me.” I rolled my eyes but smiled, giving him a small wave over my shoulder. I walked up onto the big porch and found the key, stepping into the air-conditioned house. I stood there with my back to the door for a few seconds and then went up the stairs to my room, changing into sweats and a tank top.

                Jacob is in his room too. I flashed him a small smile. Finding my iPod, I curled up under the covers and closed my eyes, finally letting my thoughts flow freely.

                There’s still the question about why Landon called the other day and also why Jacob is being nice to me. But the big thing that I’m really worrying about right now is why Dad would be here. He knows that we don’t want to see him after all of the crap that he’s pulled over the years. Mom is still hurting over what he did and he’s making it so much worse by calling her.

                I need to know why he’s here, but, knowing my dad, I’m not going to like the answer. At all.

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