Black And White

Seventy Four

"Hey... Mitchie?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"I got yours protein style so it wouldn't have the bread on it... Is that okay?"

"Thoughtful of you. Thanks."

Avi was the one who started passing food around the car, so Scott could focus on driving. "And then the one with no cheese is Alex's. Right?"

Alex nodded once, taking what was offered to him. "Thanks again, Scott."

Scott only shrugged, and once all the food was passed out, he held a cup of cold water toward Avi. "Put this against your face."

Avi rolled his eyes, but obeyed. He held the cold cup against his jaw. "It doesn't hurt, Scott. I'm fine."

"I don't care."

"Scott, you're being--"

"Annoying. Motherly. Suck it up, dude. Can't be a ladies man with a swollen face."

"Agree to disagree."

Mitch giggled a little as he ate his lunch. "I think it makes you look tougher."

"Thank you." Avi hummed, smirking at Scott. "See? I'm a manly man."

Scott didn't even look at him. "Keep tellin' yourself that."

Avi hit his arm. "Shut your mouth. You're just jealous."

"Not jealous, really. More... Upset that you didn't come get me. What if no one was around? What if you needed help?"

"Scott, I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"I know you are, but... Just in case. That's what you always told me. You'd have punched me in the face if I'd done what you did."

"You are correct. Best not follow in my footsteps, Kid."

*

After school that day, Mitch politely asked Scott to get out of his car when they got to Mitch's house.

Scott did as he was asked, and Mitch stood behind him for a moment. "Will you hold your arms out for a second?"

Scott obeyed him again, holding his arms up as if Mitch were about to pat him down to search for something. "Why..?"

"Just... Shh." Mitch then stood behind him and counted something quietly, Scott has no idea what.

His shirt didn't show his tattoos at all, so... Nothing logically popped into his head for Mitch to be counting.

Mitch then tapped his arm. "Okay, thank you. Can I come over later? I know your dad's out of the house, and... I wanna cook for you."

"That's a sweet thing to do, babe. You don't have to do that."

"No, but... I want to. I think I get my car back today, finally, so... I'm gonna run to the store to get stuff and then come over. Okay?"

Scott turned around to look at him. "Babe... This is really sweet of you. But please make sure you have all your homework done."

Mitch nodded once, leaning up to kiss him. "I'm excited to cook for you..."

"I'm excited too. What's the lie you're gonna tell your mom?"

"Just that I'm going to Alex's for dinner, and to help him with a science project."

"Genius."

"I know." Mitch winked. "See you around five thirty?"

"Okay. Drive safe."

*

Scott was basically exiled out of the kitchen, so Mitch could work in peace.