Started With a Lie

Chapter Twenty-Seven

        “Coming right up,” Sally says, jotting it down and then putting her pen back in her bun. “It’ll take about ten minutes, sweetheart.” She walks away to tell the chef.

        “You are so abusive, Jesus.” Lee is still rubbing at his knee and I almost have to laugh because I didn’t even hit him that hard. “I don’t know if I should sue you or not.”

        “Not,” I answer for him. “I’m too cute to sue.”

        Lee smirks. “You’re also modest, too.”

        “Thanks, I know.”

        “I really want to kiss you.”

        I suddenly look up at him. He’s so random, one minute we’ll be talking about grass and politics or whatever, and the next, he’ll get serious and stare at me in that way that makes me want to throw up because I can’t handle it.

        “It’s just,” he explains, “you look really beautiful.” Lee’s hand moves a strand of hair that covers my right eye. “The sun’s shining down on your bare face and you’re dressed in this huge shirt too big for you and you’re smiling and I don’t know, it’s just, really great to look at. I enjoy looking at you.”

        I blush and hit his hand. “Stop it. You just want to mess me up.”

        Lee smiles. “Really, if there was a painting of Mona Lisa and a painting of you, I’d probably pay to look at you all day instead.”

        I start coughing. I don’t know how else to respond. In movies and books, boys say cute things but in real life? Not so much. So when a boy actually says that to you, what’re you supposed to say back? “You too?” How are you supposed to respond?  Nobody ever teaches you that.

        Grabbing a jug of water that’s on the table, I grab a cup and pour water and start chugging it down like I’m in the desert. What else am I supposed to do? I’ve never really been good at this romance stuff. In a way, I guess it’s good that Karen stole Peter way from me because if we’d actually dated, he’d probably run away from my awkwardness.

        Lee laughs.

        He actually laughs. I expected him to look at me strangely or maybe even ask why I was so weird whenever he did something or said something romantic. But no, he laughs and he leans back, and covers his mouth as he laughs, like he’s afraid his laugh will get too loud and bother the bearded men cult two tables away.

        “You are too funny,” Lee says as he leans back to the table. “Come here.” And then he just holds my face and leans in too close. I open my eyes wider. He cups my face with both hands and my cheeks squish against his hands. I must look like a fish. “No escape now, huh?”

        “Wait,” I mumble but I don’t think he hears me because my face is too squished.

        “You’re so adorable.” Then, Lee kisses me. It’s not long or slow. It’s a quick peck and then he backs away and stares at my squished face. “Too cute,” he murmurs before going back and kissing me quick again. And again.

        I must look so hot with my fat cheeks squished so hard that they touch my nose.

        Lee gives me one more kiss before Sally comes up and announces, “Here are your two orders.” She’s toppling plates on plates. I’m surprised they don’t fall. She looks between us. “Sorry, was I interrupting?”

        I back away so fast I probably pulled a muscle. “No, no, no!” I push my hair behind my ears. “Of course, not. Thank you for the food.”