RILEY
I'M EARLY.
You'd think the parking lot would be empty at 8AM but it's the opposite. Several cars and bikes fit the slots that if I turn around and try to spot my own I won't be able to. It's easily swallowed up by the others.
Bikers toss their leather jackets over their broad shoulders and cruise to the entrance of Dan's diner. I walk closely behind, letting them enter first. When I'm inside, the overhead bell jingles like keys.
I get a whiff of coffee. Proceeding further inside, I find a table near the window and wait. I appreciate the warmth and lively voices of the diner. An old man with a long gray beard sits at the table closest to me with a little girl and two other adults. The little girl's pigtails bounce behind her ears as she stretches across their table sharing what appears to be a sausage. The old man pinches a small piece of it and smiles lovingly at her but he doesn't eat it. I stare at the kid. And... Now I'm thinking about Tommy. I know Asher doesn't have him this week and even though I didn't want to babysit the kid that night, he wasn't intolerable.
"Emmy, paw-paw doesn't want anymore." The woman at the far end of their table chuckles. By the looks of it, she's most likely Emmy's mother.
"Eat your food Emmy."
While I'm there with my legs crossed over under the wooden table, a waitress comes around to check on me.
"Welcome to Dan's diner, what can I get you?"Mandy, as suggested by her name tag asks with a pleasant smile. I don't know where the girl who took Asher and I's order is but this isn't her. This girl rocks auburn corkscrew braids and a curvy figure that her uniform can't hide.
I tap a nail on the menu in front of me before I flip my attention back to the girl. "Nothing right now. I'm waiting for someone."
The least I can do is wait for Asher. Like he said... and I can't believe I'm saying this but he did say it's not commendable to eat without your guest and I suppose he's right. Because of course he's right. Why do I even remember what he said last Saturday?
Mandy's pleasant tone doesn't quiver. "Oh, that's fine. Just let me know when you're ready to order."
"Sure, yeah," I'm returning her sweet customer service voice. She flashes me one last smile and turns on her heel, making her way to another table that's also near the window.
Fortunately, Asher scrolls through the entrance door causing the bell overhead to jingle. I can see how that can become quite annoying for the workers if they hate their jobs or the customers like myself. I'm glad Asher's here, two seconds late but still here. Because I don't have to be sitting alone any longer. If I wanted that, I would've taken advantage of a Saturday morning of silence in the comfort of my bed.
"You're more excited to see me than I am to see you." His mouth lifts teasingly as he approaches the table.
I snicker. "I'm just here for the food and you're late."
"Yeah? No, you're just early," he says, sliding into the chair on the opposite side of the table. "What are you ordering then?"
When I don't answer right away, his dark eyebrows raise.
"I didn't scan the menu okay?" I pull the laminated paper closer to the edge of the table. I'm baffled by the fact that I can't remember a single item yet I remember the exact words Asher spoke seven days ago. Where's my head today? I call out the first few things my eyes land on. "French toast with raspberries and my usual hot chocolate. What are you getting?"
I'm starting off small.
He nods at my order, not even acknowledging his menu. "Onion rings, eggs, pancakes, not much."
I bite back a laugh. He calls it not much when he's getting around four pancakes and that doesn't include the rest of the stuff he's ordering. Maybe it's really not much for him but for me, this early in the morning I wouldn't be able to digest that much. I do see why Cole rooms with him though.
I scan the beverages on the menu. "And your drink?"
"Black coffee."
"No hot chocolate?"
"No, I'm waking myself up."
"Okay." I set the menu down and call over the waitress. Mandy. She doesn't approach us right away, we wait until she finishes up with the table nearby before she scrolls over to us with pen and booklet in tow. "We're ready to order."
Mandy stares at us, then listens keenly, writing down every word she hears. Once she's done taking our orders, she double checks with both of us before leaving, only returning with water in clear glasses and plastic straws... and she's off again.
"Was it her?" I probe, tearing my attention away from our waitress when she finally disappears.
Brown eyes across the table shift to me. "Who?"
"Was it her, Mandy, who drew the hearts on the cups?"
"Oh," Asher chuckles in realization. His fingers are long with a strong grip of his glass of water. "Nah. Remember the girl who served us last week?" He takes a gulp and when I nod my head, remembering the face and not the name, he continues. "She was the one who drew on the cups."
"Makes sense." I hum, looking through the glass at the crammed parking lot. As I knew it would be, my car is nowhere in sight and actually neither is Asher's. People are making their way into the diner as we speak. "How did you find parking outside?"
"Far back. Not too bad though."He says it like he's used to it and he must be. "I told you this place is popular." I find him grinning and I can practically see the pride surging through his body.
I suck from the straw standing upright from my glass of water. "You're proud of that, aren't you? Being the first person to introduce me?"
He doesn't need to answer. I can see it with my own two eyes but he does anyway. "Yeah. Now when you introduce this place to anyone else you'll remember that I showed you first."
A laugh erupts from my throat. "You will not be mentioned."
"You'll remember me. There's a difference."He takes another gulp of water and sets the glass down on the table.
The short sleeved shirt he's wearing exposes his toned bicep that flexes and draws attention to him. I don't want to understand why he isn't wearing a sweater like half of the diner including myself. I don't put it past him that he must be immune to the cold, he's on the ice so many times a week. What I consider cold might be totally different from him.
I point a nail to my chest. "You want to be remembered by me?"
A satisfied smirk appears on his lips. "When you're hanging out here with your friends, you'll remember that one day I introduced you to this place."
"Look at you already thinking about what happens when I'm not around you. You're gonna miss me, aren't you?"
"Who says I'm going to miss you? Aren't I seeing you for breakfast often?"
"Sure."Using the straw, I push the ice cubes around in circles.
Silence hangs around us for a moment. Not too long that it becomes uncomfortable. It's the peaceful kind. "Why didn't you speak to anyone other than Cole?" He asks, the question surprising me, " You always seemed standoffish."
"I can be. I just like the friends I have. When I'm at games, I'm there to support Cole." I lean closer to my cup and sip more water. "I just get in and get out. It's nothing to do with you, Tyler, Rhett and the other guy."
"Eric."Asher chokes on laughter. "Why does everyone always forget his name?"
"Because he's quiet,"I can't remember ever hearing Eric speak. "I don't hate you guys if that's what you're asking. I get in the arena, watch the game, support Cole and leave. We never had chances to talk like we are now."
"Good. I wanted to know what your deal is." I can tell that's coming from the most honest part of him. "I thought you hated us."
"You? Hmm, maybe a little bit."
Mandy returns with our order, setting the plates and cups down in front of us. She gives us a kind smile and tells us to let her know if we need anything else. Of course we both say no and she takes the opportunity to usher away from the table. Everything looks and smells delicious.
Asher reaches for one of his onion rings. The actual silver rings on his fingers glisten thanks to the sunlight seeping through the windows.
"You should probably know that while I do unintentionally skip meals sometimes. Other times, I just don't eat because it reminds me of my mother." I don't walk around telling the whole world that's the case with me and I know it's a problem because that's why I'm here. Asher is silent, he just stares and doesn't blink like he's processing what I'm telling him. "I figured the least I can do is tell you if you want to go out of your way with this. You know, inviting me to breakfast."
"Okay. I do remember you mentioning your mom last time we were here." He says and of course I remember that. I called her a crappy mother and that she is. "We don't have to talk about why it reminds you of her if you don't want to."
I should be thankful and I surprised myself by saying. "It's fine. My Mom would stop me from eating certain foods in the house because they're reserved for her husbands at the time. So I could barely eat anything of my choice. I guess having that watchful eye and what I can and can't eat stayed with me. I can't even digest breakfast in the morning."
Asher's sigh from across the table brings me back. "I'm sorry. You don't deserve that."
I don't. I know that. "There's nothing to be sorry for."
"Your mother's polygamous?" Asher asks like it's just hitting him now.
I'm laughing so hard it makes my throat hurt. Asher's face doesn't show a hint of judgment, he just looks genuinely shocked. "No." I hook my long fingers around the handle of the mug and bring it towards my lips. "Honestly though? She might as well be. She's on her third husband." I take a sip of my hot chocolate and it tastes like it did the last time I had it.
Polygamy sounds like a great option for my mother. I don't want to talk about her anymore. She's been sucking the life out of my environment and poking into almost every thought of my brain and the conversation I'm having. I'm tired. I deleted her number for a reason. "What about your parents? Any restrictions growing up?"
Asher gets the gist. "My parents are cool. Still married. The only restrictions I guess would be not to get a girl pregnant. You see how that went." He's laughing at himself, chewing the onion ring. "I could always eat what I want with no issue. The person I should look out for when it comes to dieting is coach."
Rumors fly around campus all the time. I've heard all sorts of things. I still don't know Asher's story and I never asked around about it. I know he's a single father, everyone knows that. The word single father or single dad just makes him sound... old. He's not. Well, at least older than he actually is. It's probably not a bad thing because I assume he had to grow up faster than his peers. He's a father to a three year old and I'm finding myself curious if it just happened with a hookup or a long time girlfriend.
He got a girl pregnant and he's now single. That much I know. Nobody knows the circumstances. I don't at least. Asher's still desired. Part of the reason is because he's a hockey player, and the other is that he's good looking.
I can't tell what look I'm wearing on my face because he goes back to correct himself. "Not just any girl but my girlfriend at the time."
And the question in my head is answered.
I'm starting to think Asher Humphrey is a relationship type of guy. It's interesting.
"How many girlfriends have you had?"
"One. Layla. She doesn't go to school here." I like the way he doesn't disrespect her.
I know she doesn't go to school here. I'm sure social media aka everyone at Taft would've found the year she's in, where she stays and her social security number. How sweet that he's only had one girlfriend though.
"So you've been going with the flow huh?" I'm a college girl at Taft. I know how it goes and in no way am I accusing anyone but I know some of the girls that sit in the comfy seats at the arena aren't interested in hockey. Girls who couldn't tell the difference between a slap shot and a wrist shot. They're sitting there for the hockey boys and some of them make this known. I don't blame the girls because in the majority of the cases, the boys entertain them.
You think girls love attention? Try a bunch of hockey guys who think they own the world. In a way, they kinda do because I swear our school would fund hockey more than anything else. The hockey players are on top, there's no doubt about it and they act like they don't love the attention the girls are giving them but it's a lie. It makes them feel desired, wanted and that they have options.
"Depends on what flow you're referring to." He replies, "If you're talking about my sex life. All you have to do is ask." He flashes a sickening smile. God. Stop. "I've been celibate for two... almost three months and it's an accomplishment thank you."
"Wow,"I clap my hands. "Congrats I guess."
Asher leans back on the chair, his shoulders relaxed. "What about you? How long has it been for you?"
We're really having this conversation over breakfast.
"I have no idea. I don't remember but it's been a while."I'm still not shying away from the topic. "Turns out, I like being alone rather than forcing myself to settle for men with egos bigger than their dicks."
"Ouch. May those men rest in peace." He says, placing a hand over his heart and I resist the urge to laugh.
Asher pulls something out of his pocket from under the table and it takes me a moment to realize that it's his phone. "Are you ready for your picture?"
"Do I have to?"I probe, unclasping my hair clip. Dark hairs fall around my face like a curtain and I brush my fingers through my scalp, shrugging the hairs out of my face to a position behind my ear. "Make it quick."
Asher's phone is already set at an angle. "Smile. You weren't smiling in the last pic from me."
I smile widely showing all my teeth. If I stretch my lips any further my whole jaw will start hurting.
"Not so wide. It looks like you just got your teeth done and you're showing them off." He informs, staring over the top of his phone. "Maybe lessen it a little bit."
"Shut up. You're so..." A laugh escapes my mouth and my body shakes from laughter because all I can think is how funny I might've looked.
"Handsome? Funny? Such good company?" He's smiling when our eyes meet for a brief moment.
I hate him. I really hate him and I've never wanted to shove my elbow into someone's ribs like I do now.
"Irritating,"I fill in, suppressing my laugh. "Come on, take the picture."I urge through gritted teeth.
"Now you just look furious like you would bite. Smile— Yes. Keep it. Hold it."
The phone moves to the table top where he stares at the picture after taking it. "Came out pretty."
"Send it to me."I urge.
"Way ahead of you pretty girl."
Pretty girl?
The weirdest thing happens too. My core clenches. No. I squash my thighs together. I knew I should've follow the route Kianna takes and buy sex toys for my own pleasure or I should've just stayed on one of those hookup apps. Now it's biting me in the ass. Asher glances my way and I act like I'm not fighting my demons.
"Are you okay?"He puts his phone aside to get a better look at me.
"Yup. Why wouldn't I be? Okay for the next picture you have to be in it."
Of course he buys it and an hour later, he's pushing the door open after we tip our waitress. I step outside into the crisp air and Asher follows, shoving his hands into the pockets on his jeans while I shove mine underneath my cashmere sweater. There's nowhere else to put my hands when I'm wearing black leggings that are made without pockets.
"Where's your car?" Asher questions, his eyes drinking in the parking lot.
I would answer willingly. It's just that I don't know where my car is either.
But it's among all the others. We just gotta find it. "I parked this way."
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hi guys! Hello my Denmark and Nigeria readers🇩🇰 🇳🇬