In Your Dreams (In Your Dreams #1)

Chapter 10

"Here," Kieran offers, pushing a paper container with a lone french fry swimming in a pool of processed cheese sauce over to my side of the table.

"You're sure?" I ask.

"Yeah."

I pop the french fry into my mouth and slurp down some diet soda. Over the last three weeks, ever since the Laniers came over for dinner, Kieran and I have settled into the same after-school routine. His parents decided to ease up on their "no going out after school" policy, so now that I don't have practice but Kayla does, Kieran and I come to the Downtown Diner every day to study and eat cheese fries until my mom's store across the street closes at five, and then we drive him home.

"So we have a mutual birthday coming up," he points out, wiping a smear of cheese sauce from the corner of his history textbook with a napkin. A few weeks ago when we were talking on the phone, I'd asked him when he was going to turn eighteen and was both shocked and elated to discover we share the same unfortunate birthday, April first. "I assume you'll be getting me an appropriate present to honor my new status as an adult?"

"Which would be what? Cigarettes? A Selective Service form?"

He sits back in the booth, grinning. "No idea. I just said that."

"Seriously, though-is there anything you really want? Kayla and I are going to the mall Saturday to look for stuff. You're not invited, by the way."

Kieran mock-pouts for a second before answering. "I don't know. A halfway normal life would be amazing."

"I don't think they sell that at the mall."

"Ha ha. And I have no idea what to get you, either, so feel free to give me some suggestions."

Sighing, I lean forward and slurp down more soda. Honestly, life is good right now. I have a great family and a guy to hang out with who maybe sort of might be my boyfriend but is, at the very least, someone who's fun to be with. Throw in a shot at a basketball title next year and I can't complain. So maybe what I want is to freeze this part of my life in time so nothing changes.

"I want to be happy," I tell him.

"I don't think they sell that at the mall."

I suck up some soda and pull the straw from my cup with my teeth in a silent threat to spit the liquid at him. "Okay, okay," he laughs, covering his face. When he drops his hands, he asks, "So you're not happy?"

"I'm very happy," I say, giving him a big smile to let him know I'm not kidding. "I guess I want to make sure I stay happy."

Kieran folds his arms over his chest and squints as if he's giving something some serious thought. "I'll have to see what I can do," he tells me, as our waiter, a burly bald guy with eyes so narrow the skin around them almost seems swollen, comes up to the table and asks "Anything else for you guys?" as he wipes his hands on a stained white apron protecting a long-sleeved black t-shirt and jeans. He probably knows our answer before we say it-soda refills and the check-as he's waited on us every time we've been in here lately. We give our usual response and he gathers up our soda cups as Mom walks in.

"Ready to go, guys?" she asks.

"We're waiting for sodas," I say. Burly Bald Waiter comes back with our drinks and the bill, which Kieran saunters over to the cash register to pay because today's his turn.

"Who's he?" Mom whispers after Burly Bald Waiter disappears through the double doors to the kitchen. "I don't remember hearing about anybody else new in town. He seems a little old to be starting a career waiting tables here."