MARTY ULTIMATELY DECIDES on having us go to a Mediterranean restaurant, supposedly to "honor his heritage," when in reality we know it's just because he's greedy, and it was the closest place to us that he could think of.
The eight of us take up three tables pushed together, me ending up next to Ruby, Dane, and Reece, and everyone else at the other end of the arrangement.
I'm sitting next to my roomie, across from my enemy, lips pressed together as they have a staring contest from over their menus. I think it'd been initiated by Ruby, seeing as she'd been tossing him dirty looks since we'd left the hotel, but then again, it's not like Dane's ever been one to be the bigger person.
I clear my throat loudly after glancing at Reece, and Dane looks over, eyebrow raised. "Do you have something to say?"
Reece coughs out a laugh into his fist, and I shoot him a withering glare along with Ruby.
"Can you guys try to stay civil for one day?"
"Oh, that's rich coming from you," Ruby says, unwrapping her silverware before neatly arranging it around her plate.
"You know, she's not wrong, Cleodora—" Dane starts.
"And you," Ruby's eyes could kill. "You're worse."
"I sense tension," Reece says.
No shit.
"No tension here." Dane leans back in his seat, eyes dragging down the menu, unbothered. "Everything's just peachy."
"Did I miss something?"
Dane and Ruby meet each other's eyes again, and I see the conversation play out clear as day.
Don't say anything about the other day.
The only reason I won't say anything is for Cleo. And don't tell me what to do.
"Nope," Ruby says just as Dane says, "Not that I know of."
Reece blinks at them for a second before shrugging. "Okay, weirdos."
Dane bristles at the word weirdos, but I kick him under the table before he can respond in an entirely inappropriate fashion.
The waitress swings back around soon with a basket of pita, and I rush to stuff my mouth before shaking the container at Ruby in a last chance effort to save the atmosphere of our side of the makeshift dining table.
She blinks at me and takes a piece, setting it down on her plate then going back to staring down Dane. He returns her hostility with an equally hostile smile.
The icing on top of the tenseness cake is the sound of the other table buzzing away in conversation, Nick's voice carrying over animatedly, Marty quickly cutting in to make what sounds like an arguement against whatever's being said.
I say a quick prayer to whoever may be listening that he, Anaya, and Julia won't try to kill me after all this is over.
"Woah, do I have to bust out the ice breakers or what?" Reece jokingly suggests in the silence of our end.
"Sure, why not." I force out almost before swallowing, already pulling up a website on my phone.
Ruby snorts at my eagerness to eliminate the awkwardness.
And just like that it's my turn to stare her down.
"Okay, uh...who...who's your role model in life and why?" Then after a pause. "Yo, what kinda school-ass question is this?" Reece is leaning over the table to read the question off my phone.
I tilt the screen back toward my face to try to find a different question, but Ruby decides to ignore his interjection to answer.
"Probably my little sister. She inspired me to get into art, and now it's kind of how I make a living."
"Dude, you have a sister? How much younger is she?"
Ruby's lips twitch at Reece's newfound excitement. "Ten years. Let's just say my parents took their sweet time before deciding to get busy again."
"God, did not need that mental image."
I nod, although I already know this information. Ruby's job as a freelance artist had been one of the first things to come up during our video chats.
"What about you, Reece?"
"Hm...okay, mine is probably Shrek."
"...You've gotta be kidding me."
"No, I'm serious, listen. That man gives no fucks. He's just himself, and if people don't like him for it, that's their problem."
"Profound as usual," I snort.
"Fine, you go, Cleo. Let's see how good your answer is."
"Alright, easy—my boss, Roselyn. She decided to follow her dreams and start a business at twenty-five despite knowing next to nothing about business and never having gone through any extra schooling."
Out the corner of my eye, I see Dane cock his head, obviously processing this information with Roselyn in mind—the woman that scammed him.
I press my lips together to keep from smirking. "She's also really clever with her business model."
He squints at me before moving his hand up to stir his lemon water.
"What about you, Dane?" Reece asks when he doesn't speak. "Any role models?"
I'm partially expecting him to completely ignore the question, so it's a surprise when he actually answers. "My grandma."
"Any reason in particular?"
He seems to think about it for a moment, face softening slightly at whatever comes to mind. I wonder if I'm the only one who notices the change, used to all his quirks by now. Weird. "Sure."
Reece doesn't try to push any further, probably internally celebrating the fact that he got an answer at all. "That's nice. Okay, next question."
I look back down at my phone, humming when I see the next prompt. "Ooh, here's a good one—what do you like most about me?"
"You're such a narcissist," Reece says. "I want my ego boosted too."
"Okay fine, what do you like most about me and Reece?"
"Me first," Reece takes over again. "Alright, Cleo. Hmm, I like your personality. And your style. You're always fun to be around and can always match the mood of the group or bring it up depending on what we need. I wish I had that quality."
"You literally just described yourself, but okay."
He ignores me. "And what do I like most about me? Definitely my willingness to try new things, I would say."
"No one asked you to answer the question about yourself."
"Shut up, Ruby."
I dip another piece of bread into the hummus before answering the question next. "Reece, you're just really funny. I think humor's one of your best qualities, hands down."
"Aw," he coos. "And about yourself?"
I shrug. "I don't know. I'm me?"
"Weak answer, but we can accept it."
Ruby's next to go. "Alright. Reece, you're chaotic, but you always make sure everyone's having a good time. Cleo, you're just the best. I love everything about you. You're sweet, funny, easy to talk to, have amazing fashion sense, a great writer—"
"Why does Cleo get so much praise?"
"Shut up, Reece," Ruby barks back.
I smile at their antics before my gaze wanders back over to Dane. He's surveying me in that way he always does, hazel eyes roaming over my face slowly, making notes on every detail. Quickly, I banish the smile.
Reece and Ruby turn to look at him too now, and he seems to snap back into reality, suddenly standing up from the table. "Bathroom."
He pushes in his chair haphazardly as he leaves, disappearing down a hall in the restaurant in a haze of trench coat and messy hair.
As soon as he's gone, Ruby turns to me. "Him, Cleo, really?"
"Someone tell me what the hell is going on," Reece cuts in. "I don't appreciate being out of the loop."
"He was obviously trying to get out of answering the question," Ruby says, slanting him a look. "He's a wimp, Cleo."
I roll my eyes at her take, not necessarily disagreeing. Dane would probably jump into a vat of acid before deciding to pay me a compliment. "So much for ice breakers."
"Where are you going?"
"What? Oh, I don't know." I'm standing next to my chair without even realizing I've gotten up.
"Cleo Cunningham, you know damn well—"
"Chill out, I'll be right back."
I don't hear the rest of whatever Ruby's trying to say before I'm wandering down the cramped hallway myself, not stopping until I reach the very end.
Next to the bathrooms, there's a little arcade game—a vintage Pac-Man machine, with joysticks and buttons, yellow and blue lacing down the sides, with big block letters at the top.
"The bathroom, huh?"
Dane isn't surprised by the sound of my voice, turning around from the machine to meet my gaze like he'd been counting down the seconds in his head until my arrival. "You just can't stay away can you."
***
breaking this chapter up into two parts as i work on the second half (which should be coming soon!) it's turning out to be a bit longer than i expected because i keep adding things smh 💀 clown behavior
ALSO ALL THE RECENT SWEET MESSAGES??? y'all keep making me emo i'm ngl 💕 your support makes updating that much more fun for me, i really, REALLY appreciate it :)
sappiness aside, imma drop this here:
because yes, i procrastinate by making edits of my own book, and what about it? 😭