Lost & Found-4

Chapter 4:

We were lead to a semicircle booth in the back corner, secluded from the rest of the people in the small Italian restaurant. We moved to the back of the booth and were handed two glasses of wine. I shot him a look when the waitress walked away.
"What?"
"I'm not legal."
"You aren't?"
"No I'm only 18. Well, 19 in a month."
His eyes widened briefly, like he was worried he was robbing the cradle, before a sly smile spread across his face. "When you're with me it doesn't matter. Just live a little. One glass won't kill you."
"Well, I would except there's one problem."
"And that is?"
"I'm allergic to red."
He laughed, "Well youngin' you can have water then."
I laughed and rolled my eyes, taking a sip out of the water glass after he clinked his with mine.

We ate dinner slowly, mostly because we were talking the whole entire time. We talked about everything. From what our favorite things were to what we hated. We talked about the present and the future. Then he unconventionally brought up the past.

"So what is the real reason you want to get away? There has to be more then college bringing you here."I sighed, it was time to drop the family story.
"Well, my family is very dysfunctional. It’s a long, complicated story. I don't think you really want to hear it."
His gaze narrowed softly, "I want to."
"Okay. Well my father is a businessman. He had a local job around home up until I was around 8, then he got a job sending him off all over the world and he was hardly ever home. So my mom had to basically take on the role of a single parent for me, my brother and my sister. He slowly started acting less and less like a father and now the only thing he does is buy things and give us money to make us happy. Right now, I don't even know where he is.
"Then a few years ago my brother was driving home in a snowstorm and he hit a really icy patch and collided with a tree" I paused and took a breath before continuing, "He was killed on impact. The worst part of it all was that my mother had her own way of dealing with it. She pushed it away and pretended like it never happened. She wouldn't cry or grieve and she didn't take care of my sister and I. So for a while we dealt with it on our own. There was really nothing else we could do but sit back and wait for everyone to self destruct. She finally caved in last year.
"My grandma, her mother, was diagnosed with cancer. My grandma didn't handle it well. She would lie to the doctors and tell them she was fine and couldn't admit she needed help. After her 2nd treatment she became depressed, but denied that too. After many fights with my mother and aunts, she finally agreed to take antidepressants. But now she can't take care of herself. And one of my aunt’s lives a few hours away and she can't help out. My mom and aunts are fighting all the time, along with my grandma. It’s just bad. They don't realize the effects it has on me. It’s like I had to learn to take care of myself after everything has happened."

He was silent for a moment.
"Don't you think it would be better to stay and help? Wouldn't it be easier for them?"
"For them yes, me no. The best thing for me to do is start over in a new place, with positive influences and the chance for opportunity."
He smiled a bit, "I don't know how you can be so independent."
"Sometimes, I don't either. It's hard having no one around. Being alone when you're young is very hard. "
"I know what you mean."
His smile grew, "But, you aren't alone anymore."

My stomach flipped about 8 times as he leaned over and traced his fingers along my jaw. I smiled and felt my face grow hot as his hand lingered and he leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek. He smiled warmly towards me as the waitress appeared and gave us the check. Like the gentleman he proved himself to be, he took it and slid his gold card under the flap and pushed it back to her. As his gaze never broke from mine I started to gravitate closer to him. The night was coming to an end, and needless to say I wasn't happy.

"I should probably get you back soon." He half whispered.
I nodded and gathered my things. He hooked his fingers with mine this time as we walked to the car.The ride back to the hotel was quiet for a while.

"What are your plans for tomorrow?"
"Well I have a breakfast date in the morning, then I'm going to Carnegie Mellon for a little while, then I'll probably get together with Sarah tomorrow night, she wanted to introduce me to some other people."
"Breakfast date?"
"Yes."
"With who?"
"The guy I was supposed to have dinner with tonight."
"Where did you meet him?" He asked slowly.
"What's with the 20 questions?"
"I'm just curious."
"At Pitt the other day. He showed me around the campus for like 3 hours. He is really nice."
"Interesting."
He seemed a little defeated, angry maybe. I don't understand why though, we only just met.
"When are you leaving?"
"5 more days, 4 nights. My flight leaves here around 7."
He nodded and we pulled into the hotel driveway.

"I'll call you?" I half asked.
He smiled, "Okay. If you want, I can get you and Sarah tickets for the game the day after tomorrow."
"That would be really great. Oh and that reminds me..."
He looked at me with a puzzled look as I pulled out my phone.
"Is there any way you could score Sarah Jordan’s autograph? Or um... Number?"
He laughed.
"She asked me, I thought I should try. You don't have to." I started to get embarrassed and looked away from him.
"Actually, he was hoping I could get her number from you."
We both chuckled and traded their numbers.
"Goodnight Sidney."
He traced along my jaw again, this time goose bumps spread down my back as he kissed my cheek again.
"Goodnight."

I bounded into the hotel room, probably as happy as I'd been in a while, and texted Sarah Jordan’s number.
'He has yours too. There are reasons why you love me. Too many details to tell now, call you tomorrow. Don't make any plans for the day after tomorrow. Superstar is scoring us tickets.'

She texted back immediately.
"YES. Thank you so much! I owe you! Can't believe it! I’ll be waiting for the call. Have fun with Braydon tomorrow. I already have my outfit planned." I laughed out loud, and then remembered Braydon.


Oh yes. Braydon.