ANYTHING BUT ENEMIES

27. breaking the ice (part i)

MARTY ULTIMATELY DECIDES on having us go to a Mediterranean restaurant, supposedly to "honor his heritage," when in reality we know it's just because he's greedy, and it was the closest place to us that he could think of.

The eight of us take up three tables pushed together, me ending up next to Ruby, Dane, and Reece, and everyone else at the other end of the arrangement.

I'm sitting next to my roomie, across from my enemy, lips pressed together as they have a staring contest from over their menus. I think it'd been initiated by Ruby, seeing as she'd been tossing him dirty looks since we'd left the hotel, but then again, it's not like Dane's ever been one to be the bigger person.

I clear my throat loudly after glancing at Reece, and Dane looks over, eyebrow raised. "Do you have something to say?"

Reece coughs out a laugh into his fist, and I shoot him a withering glare along with Ruby.

"Can you guys try to stay civil for one day?"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you," Ruby says, unwrapping her silverware before neatly arranging it around her plate.

"You know, she's not wrong, Cleodora—" Dane starts.

"And you," Ruby's eyes could kill. "You're worse."

"I sense tension," Reece says.

No shit.

"No tension here." Dane leans back in his seat, eyes dragging down the menu, unbothered. "Everything's just peachy."

"Did I miss something?"

Dane and Ruby meet each other's eyes again, and I see the conversation play out clear as day.

Don't say anything about the other day.

The only reason I won't say anything is for Cleo. And don't tell me what to do.

"Nope," Ruby says just as Dane says, "Not that I know of."

Reece blinks at them for a second before shrugging. "Okay, weirdos."

Dane bristles at the word weirdos, but I kick him under the table before he can respond in an entirely inappropriate fashion.

The waitress swings back around soon with a basket of pita, and I rush to stuff my mouth before shaking the container at Ruby in a last chance effort to save the atmosphere of our side of the makeshift dining table.

She blinks at me and takes a piece, setting it down on her plate then going back to staring down Dane. He returns her hostility with an equally hostile smile.

The icing on top of the tenseness cake is the sound of the other table buzzing away in conversation, Nick's voice carrying over animatedly, Marty quickly cutting in to make what sounds like an arguement against whatever's being said.

I say a quick prayer to whoever may be listening that he, Anaya, and Julia won't try to kill me after all this is over.

"Woah, do I have to bust out the ice breakers or what?" Reece jokingly suggests in the silence of our end.

"Sure, why not." I force out almost before swallowing, already pulling up a website on my phone.

Ruby snorts at my eagerness to eliminate the awkwardness.

And just like that it's my turn to stare her down.

"Okay, uh...who...who's your role model in life and why?" Then after a pause. "Yo, what kinda school-ass question is this?" Reece is leaning over the table to read the question off my phone.