Page 10 of Meet Cute

“It’s not dumb,” I dismiss that thought with a wave of my hand. “I get it. Shit gets crowded. Especially on the weekends.”

Nodding dejectedly, big hazel eyes slowly find mine through his thick brows. “Maybe we could go, though. It might… It might be okay. If you’re there, that is.”

The way he speaks is like an arrow through the heart. No, an arrow isn’t even enough. A greatsword through the heart, through my heart.

“Of course!” Way too eager, Duncan. “I think it’d be fun.”

When Finn yawns I become very much aware of the fact he has had minimal sleep, and I’m eating up his time off so he can take me to get burgers and cat food.

“You ready to call it for today? You probably wanna rest more before your next shift, right?” Choosing my words carefully, the last thing I want is to make him think I’m not having a good time. “Can’t imagine what it's like to work all those late hours…”

“I don’t… I-I don’t really like it.” He admits with his eyes fixated on the table between us. “Everyone is so… mean.”

I can’t even pretend to understand what having such a weird job entails. If that trucker was only a little preview of what he deals with daily, I know I definitely couldn’t handle it. “You know… you’re worth more than that. There’s always another job.”

“Ha…” Finn laughs humorlessly. “Until there isn’t. My dad… he always made it clear that you can lose everything just like that.”

He’s right, but that’s kind of depressing. “Yeah, but… what if you don’t? What if you quit and find something you really enjoy, instead? I’m pretty sure Happy’s Pet Palace is hiring.”

The little joke at the end earns me a laugh from him. “Yeah, m-maybe. I can use my employee discount for cat food.”

“Chalupa would be so well fed. You’d be his new favorite person.”

Finn giggles again. “That would be cool. I had… I had a lot of fun today, Duncan. Thanks for hanging out with me.”

“Thank you,” I retaliate with a grin, “I think… This was fun. I had a good time, too.”

I could tell him about how I’m a completely friendless loser, but things are so nice that I don’t want to sour the mood. Besides, I'm not really friendless anymore, am I?

“I-I can… I’ll take you home, now.” He pushes himself out of the booth and brushes crumbs off his t-shirt. Turning to leave, Finn freezes and then faces me again after a beat. “You… You want to hang out again, r-right? I didn’t misunderstand that?”

“You didn’t misunderstand that. I do in fact want to hang out again, Finn.”

“Oh, okay.” Finn turns back around, fist-pumping in a way that makes me feel as though I wasn’t meant to see that. “Let’s go, then!” He rushes over to the door, holding it open for me with stars in his eyes.

He really is so sweet.

EIGHT

“Duncan! Don’t make me book a flight!” Haley’s voice has a robotic twinge as she yells at me over the phone. Three days have passed since my little outing with Finn, and I was not so pleasantly reminded how miserable my life is currently. “I’m worried about you. You’re off, even if you won’t admit it.”

She really can read me like a book, right? It’s as though every time I say I’m fine I’m really waving a big red flag in front of her face. “Hale. It’s fine. I’ll be fine. Of course I’m sad, but it’s not the end of the world.”

Sure feels that way, though.

“Dunk, seriously.” Even I can tell this song and dance is getting repetitive to her. “You barely even talk about it. How am I supposed to believe you’re just gonna ‘get over’ it?”

“It’s hard, Haley. I don’t know what you want me to say. I go to bed every night wishing I would—” I shut my mouth so fast I almost bite my tongue. “...It’s really hard.”

My best friend goes so quiet that all I can hear is her soft breathing at first, followed by the nervous smacking of her lips as she swallows down the worry I know she’s holding for me. “I’m gonna book a flight.”

“Haley! Don’t!”

Although I try to keep my tone light, it seems the time for jokes is over. “No, Duncan!” She shouts. “I hate this! I hate not being there for you. I know you. I know how you get, and I… I can’t do anything. I just can’t.”

“I’ll behave. No funny business.” The words feel like a lie even though I’m trying to be honest. “I promise. I really don’t need you to worry about me. I-I even made a new friend! Things are totally good here.”

After a shaky breath, Haley sighs. “...A new friend? Really?”