Acceptance | ✓

Chapter 12

[ANDREW]

I sighed, looking from the piece of paper to the small restaurant. The last day of the convention had gone well and I had decided to meet up with Christopher afterward.

I stuffed the yellow piece of paper pocket before running a hand through my hair to make it look more presentable. I felt my face heat up at what I was doing and I quickly took away my hand. It was irritating that I still cared to some degree about how I looked like to Christopher.

I bit my lip thinking to earlier this afternoon. Ethan hadn't spoken to me all day. He'd said more words to Ethel than he had to me, and the only full sentence that he'd uttered to her was that he was starving. I shook my head, deciding not to think too much about it. I was here to see Christopher for probably the last time although a part of me wished otherwise.

I walked in to find Christopher at the far corner table. It was a habit of his when we were still dating. He didn't like to sit anywhere else.

"I don't know, it gives me this idea of power. I can observe without the fear of equally being observed."

I smiled, remembering Christopher's explanation from years ago. He was fond of talking in bits and pieces, like he wanted to hand over information but not too much so your mind was still in a void.

I was smiling oddly at myself when Christopher's blonde hair lifted to look straight at me. He gave me a wide grin before beckoning me over.

I stood there awkwardly, a little embarrassed at being caught smiling before my legs eventually willed me to move.

"You came. I thought you were going to chicken out." Christopher teased as I took the seat across from him.

"Well I didn't," I said, taking my gaze off him to look at the rest of the restaurant. "Do you come here often?"

"You could say something like that. I live here for part of the year, so I take my meals here. I can't cook to save my life, remember?" Christopher said as a small smile played at the corner of his lips.

I smiled, remembering well. He couldn't do anything for himself. I'd done his laundry, made his meals, and cleaned up his apartment in-between my classes at college.

I'd met him when he was a teacher's assistant. He'd graduated with honors a year before I got admitted. I'd adored him immensely at our first meeting. He'd been sweet and charming. He'd turned down the passes I made at him during my first year and I accepted the sick pity he started to show me in my second year. I started to do things to try and keep him... Including losing weight. My mother didn't like Christopher for good reasons. He'd made me cry often and that's what led my mother to send me to the college Ethan was presently attending to keep me away from him.

I thought deeply about how stupid I'd been. I'd thought he'd stay in touch, wait for me.

"Andrew," I heard Christopher say, bringing me out of my thoughts. I gave him a questioning look before looking up to find a waitress standing next to our table.

"What would you like?" she asked, her pen pressed against her notepad. I shook my head, muttering a small nothing. She nodded before walking away.

"You're still starving yourself?" Christopher asked, chuckling lightly.

"I'm not hungry," I stated, fidgeting with my hands on the table. Chris gave me a surprised look before scuffing.

"You've changed," he said with a grin. "You're no longer the crybaby they shipped away," he finished, referring to my sudden transfer of schools all those years ago.