NEON

27. AWESOME

Kaplan.

"What do you want for dinner?" I flash Cyrus dad's credit card. She laughs and rolls up her window.

"I want Marcel's."

"Why do you always want Marcel's?" I asked her, turning down the street.

"Cause it's like . . . I don't know." She shook her head and looked down at her lap. I furrowed my eyebrows and pulled into the parking lot.

"What Cy," we both get out. I lock the car doors and wrap a loose arm around Cyrus' shoulders. We both walk inside, to our usual table and she finally says something.

Looking up at me she says, "it's like our place." She smiled a little. I smiled back and prepared to say something else but Kelly interrupted us and took our order.

"Get anything you want." I tell her. She orders her drink and an actual meal this time. I do the same.

I like being like this with Cyrus. I am not afraid of her getting sick of my shit and finding a way to disappear or shut me out. She isn't like that.

She is like the only person I can really be a normal person around. No ten foot medal wall to keep me guards.

"hey Lani? Can I speak to you a second?" Kelly asks. I look at Cyrus and she gives me a nod of approval. I slide out of the booth, walking to a different table with Kelly.

"What up Kells?" why not start being nice to everyone now? oh right, I don't want to get stabbed in the back a million times over and I definitely don't want to get walked all over.

"I know we don't know each other well enough but I just wanted to see if you'd be my maid of honor at my wedding?" she asked a little nervous.

"You're engaged?" I could've been quieter but oh well. "when did this even happen?" I was smiling out of joy for her. I'm really happy Kelly found someone but I can't wait to see the look on her face when they file for divorce.

"about a month ago. he asked me on our five year anniversary." she smiled, as if she was reliving the moment.

"Ew. get your stupid love life out of my face. I'm perfectly fine with my forever alone self." I giggled with her. she stopped all of a sudden and put her hand on my shoulder.

"that's not what I heard a week ago. some boy came in and had this giant bouquet of roses and asked for Kaplan." she said with a knowing smirk.

"and you said . . ." I trailed off on my sentence in hopes she will fill in the blanks.

"Kelly, table twelve." Gwen, another waitress, told her.

"please, please, please," she begged me with a girly smile. I sighed and made it sound like it was a big burden in my life, but nodded anyways. she squealed and jumped up to hug me.

she walked away and I walked back my table, which now had Cyrus, Booker, . . . . . and Lexie.

AWESOME.

"hey Kaplan." Booker smiled at me when I slid into the booth, of course right next to him, under his arm.

again, AWESOME!

"oooh, Kibbles can I have some money for the games?" I glare at Cyrus for using that horrid nickname in front of Lexie.

"why do you need money for a game that rips you off?" I ask her, making my annoyance obvious. "your food is about to come anyways." I gesture the waitresses bringing food out for different tables.

"Cyrus, you want a stuffed animal?" Alright I have had enough of Booker. yesterday was too much closeness to him and today he is trying to out-do me in front of my little siste and prove something to the stupid slut on the other side of the table.

stupid Booker with his stupid money taking my sister to the stupid matching leaving me alone with stupid Lexie.

"how have you been Kaplan?" she smiled innocently but I still wants to punch her stupid smug face.

"alright."

"my brother really misses you." dammit. "he especially missed you when you were practically naked at the beach with Booker."

"how do you know about that?" I nearly whispered.

"you didn't really think he would let you go? after that night, you're his property. forever and always, remember?" I felt my chest collapsing as I tried to think of something clever to say back.

"why are you helping him with this? what if it was you that he was doing these things to you?" I really couldn't breathe. I was panting. I think I'm having a panic attack.

I need Cyrus.

"who do you think picks them?"

with that I jumped out of the booth and walked to Cyrus, picking her up quickly, bridal style, and jogged to my car.