La Douleur Exquise

Thirty-One

Ever heard the phrase, 'One step forward, two steps back'? I think it perfectly sums up Darcie and I these past few days. Just as I thought we were making progress and that we could work together, it turns out that really, I got absolutely nowhere. With the way Darcie is staring out the window and not paying me any attention- not even a glare- it's like we've gone backward. 

Since we arrived at the restaurant after that spectacularly awkward cab ride, Darcie and I haven't spoken. She took her place at the table, sitting with a straight back and a distant look in her eyes, and watched the world pass her by. I meanwhile, kept my attention on her, wondering what on earth had happened to make her shut down on me. 

Granted, I never thought that a week t football camp would make Darcie and I become best friends, but there had been a small part of me that thought we might be able to be civil with each other. Earlier on today when Darcie took her RG role rather seriously, it was like we'd made a breakthrough. Now, it's become painfully obvious that nothing of the sorts happened. 

"Are you kids ready to order?" The bored waitress asked as she took out her notepad and pen. She looked between us both, realized that we weren't ready, and sighed. "Holla when you're ready."

I picked up a menu and slid it across the table to Darcie. To my surprise, she didn't bite my head off for it. She scanned it quickly and then promptly closed it and went back to watching the couple outside the window. Ignoring the way Darcie frowned at them, I read the menu carefully and decided to disobey Coach Ang's rules and order a greasy burger. 

I waved to the waitress. "We're ready now," I tell her. "I'll have the double stack barbecue burger with fries on the side."

"Ok," she nods, scribbling the order. "And you, sweetheart?"

"I'll have the same," Darcie quietly orders. "Could I have sweet potato fries instead?"

"Sure. Drinks?"

"Coke," I ordered. Knowing that Darcie would ask for the same, I said, "Two. With ice, thanks."

When the waitress walked off to hand the order to the kitchen, I could feel Darcie's stare on me. I thought she would look away when I turned to face her, but she didn't. She continued to stare in the most unnerving of ways. 

"Let me guess," I chuckle nervously. "I got your drink order wrong?"

"No, you got it right," she answered in the most monotone way possible. That's when her eyes narrowed. "How did you know that's what I drink?"

"Because Mia's been dragging us both to dinner together since she and I started dating," I explain. "I always remember how your face would scrunch up whenever someone gave you Diet Coke. That's why I would swap mine for yours."

Darcie flinched. "Why would you do that? Switch drinks with me?"

Why had I done that? Every month, Mia would insist that we all get together to go out and do something fun. It never turned out to be a lot of fun, though, because well, Darcie and I in the same environment for more than five seconds was never really fun, but if the guys were there, too, it became tolerable. Still, whenever the wrong drinks order came out for Darcie, I would substitute hers with mine. 

"I don't know," I shrug. Picking up the napkin, I start to pull it apart. "I guess I just wanted to make you happier, or the situation more tolerable, or maybe just so that you'd stop hating me and like me instead."