“He worked earlier today,” she explains as she ties on her apron. “Don’t worry. Dex will fix you something.”
Dex looks up from where he’s cooking meat on the industrial stove. “You hungry?” he asks, and before I can shake my head, he turns his back to me. “You look hungry. Tonight’s special is goulash. It’s a new recipe, and if you allow me to test drive it on you, it’s on the house.”
I apparently don’t have a say in the matter, because he starts fixing it before I can communicate any affirmative answer. That’s okay; my stomach is actually rumbling with hunger and the delicious smells of his cooking only make it growl louder. By the time he serves me the bowl, I’m all but salivating.
Dex watches me like a hawk as I lift the spoon to my mouth and take my first tentative bite. I’ve never had goulash; it tastes similar to beef stew, except better, thick and warm and a little spicy. I grab a pen from my bag and scribble on a napkin.
I want you to feed me forever!
I slide it across the counter to him, and he laughs as he reads it.
“I’ll take that as a stamp of approval.” He grins. He turns to Asha and says, “I like this girl. She can stay.”
day eight
I’m almost feeling good when I get to school on Monday. Refreshed. Rejuvenated. I park my car in the student lot and walk toward the school with a little swing in my step.
And then I run into Derek and Lowell.
They’re both standing at the edge of the parking lot, looking straight at me. I freeze for a moment. No one else is around. No one to witness whatever is about to happen. I hate the helpless feeling that crawls its way into my stomach.
As I come up to them, I veer to the right, trying to walk past, but Lowell steps in front of me, blocks my path.
“Hey,” he says, and when I keep walking, more sharply, “Hey.”
I stop and look at him. I try not to let it show the way my heart is beating, fast and hard, like it’s trying to free itself from my chest.