Page 47 of Barron's Second Chance
Yeah, maybe she chose wrong.
"How are you?" Barron softly asked her.
She snuck a covert glance at Bailey, who was currently engrossed in reading the menu.
"I'm fine," was all she would give him.
He quickly glanced at his cousin before he mouthed at her, "I miss you."
A searing heat of annoyance mixed with a healthy dose of lust washed through her. To distract herself from replying with a sardonic remark, she snatched up another menu and bent her head to it with laser focus.
"Hi, you guys ready to order?" Thankful for the reprieve, Eden addressed Bailey.
"You know what you want, sweetheart?"
"Yes. the double cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate milkshake, please."
"I'll have the same but coke to drink, thanks," Barron chimed in.
"And I'll have the poached eggs on wholemeal toast. No butter, please. And the side salad with a squeeze of lemon juice."
The waitress nodded while scribbling furiously in her notebook. "And to drink?"
"Just water, thanks." Needing something to do to avoid glancing at Barron, she gathered up their menus and handed them to the waitress.
"I loved the class you taught, Eden." Bailey turned to her. "When's your next one?"
"Next week. And then I have my last one the week before you all go back to school."
Bailey wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, school!" She exclaimed in disgust. "Don't remind me."
They both laughed at her dramatics and, on instinct, lifted eyes full of mirth towards each other.
She felt a bolt of electricity and could sense that Barron felt it too. His laughter faded, and a heavy awareness crossed his face.
Unable to keep the contact up under his scrutiny, she shifted her eyes away and focused on the white, chipped table.
"We loved school, didn't we, E?"
She turned to him in alarm, eyes blazing at his question. He lifted his brow at her, eyes unwavering and dancing happily, daring her to deny their previous connection.
What are you doing?Her stern gaze communicated.
"Did you?" Bailey wrinkled her nose again in displeasure.
She thought back to her days as a student at their local school. A gentle smile touched her lips as a myriad of memories floated through her.
Images of the two of them walking hand in hand through the hallways, making out behind the bike shed, feeding each other bits of fruit in the cafeteria. How he used to hook his foot around the leg of her chair in class to drag her closer to him.
Barron and Lissa holding hands in the hallway. Lissa sitting on Barron's lap in the cafeteria. Lissa kissing Barron's face and neck.
And just like that, her mood soured. Yes, she loved school. She loved her friends, teachers, and learning. But what she loved the most was seeing and spending all her time with Barron.
His betrayal ruined the happy memories she thought would carry them through over the years. Memories she thought she would someday relay to their children and grandchildren.
Barron cleared his throat in the silence before carrying on the conversation. "You get to hang out with your friends all day, learn new things, play soccer," he threw out.
"What was your favorite thing about school, Eden?"
