HOOPS AND HEARTS

Chapter 18

                                       Leo

I definitely did not have a plan. Yet the desperate and hopeful look in her eyes, compelled my mouth to draw out those every words, that I did. I have two seconds to think of a plan. Easy. I fiddle with the straw wrapper, as she waits patiently next to me, eyes wide and waiting. I admire the ripped posters strung against the wall. I tilt my head away, to run a hand through my hair. I look anywhere to avoid those eyes.
"You don't have a plan. Got it." She raises her hand, to call over the waiter, when I reach out to grab it. Placing it back on the counter.
"I do have a plan. Did I not just tell you I can't function on an empty stomach?" I release her hand, pulling back reluctantly. "Be patient, will you?"
She huffs, taking a sip of her water. I admire the sight of her pout, and deem it adorable, looking away when I realize the force of my stare. The waitress Bella, greets us once again, a small notebook in hand, complete with a pen.
"Alrighty, are we ready here?" She says cheerfully. I nod and look down at the menu.
"I'll get Rick's star special please."
Bella nods and scribbles a few things on her notepad. Looking to Astrid for her order. She quickly looks up, peering from me to Bella, and back down to the menu again.
"Uhh im good, thank you." She smiles and nods. I sigh, and tilt her chin towards me, so I have direct view of her ear.
"Order something, or I'm leaving you here." I whisper in her ear. Her skin raises in tiny goosebumps, and a smile finds itself on my lips, at her reaction. She looks at Bella and smiles, shoving my face away with her palm.
"I'll have the same, thanks."
"Coming right up! I'll take these from y'all." She grabs the menus and shuffles away. Leaving Astrid and me in silence.
"Are you a good actor?" I question. She stares back at me confused.
"What for?"
"Yes or no." I say. My plan drives on her answer. The plan I'm making up as I go.
"I guess" She says shrugging.
"You're gonna want to start practicing," I say, as Bella slides two plates in front of us.
"Enjoy!" She exclaims.
I smile, and look over at Astrid, who as already started tearing into her fries.
"Woah, slow down" I say chuckling.
"You act as if you have never seen a hungry person before." She deadpans, retiring her attention to her plate of food.
"And you weren't about to order anything huh."
"I'm not the most financially stable at the moment." She says, taking a sip of her water between bites. I look down at her, bending slightly to pick up her straw wrapper.
"Who said you were paying?" I say in a deep voice. I play with the wrapper, rolling it between my index and pointer finger. She stops mid bite, her cheeks full. A laugh builds in my throat at the sight. She swallows quickly, her eyes wide.
"Oh well in that case," She reaches over and slides a few of my fries on her plate. I laugh and pick up the burger in front of me, crisp at the edges. She eats in silence, as I wait for her to finish. I had eaten a big snack before I had left, but I doubt Astrid had done the same. My plate was mostly empty, still scattered with a few fries. As she finishes up, I slide the remainder of mine, onto hers. "So are we going to continue this investigation? Or..." She says, picking up the fries on her plate and finishing the last of them.
"Of course, how could I forget?" I say, sarcasm dripping from my tone. I wave over Bella, and smile as she approaches us.
"Sorry to bother, but the waiter we had last week was just amazing! What was his name?" I scrunch my brows in thought, looking at Astrid. My eyes begging hers to play along.
"Im not sure, but he had the most amazing service. He looked about in his 40's? Tall, chestnut hair with a wide beard?" She says, describing his appearance with her hands. Bella looks back at us with a confused face.
"Um, we'll im sorry but we don't have any workers that fit that description. Maybe you got it mixed up with some other place?" She explains apologetically. Something glimmers in her eyes, something so small you wouldn't be able to recognize it, if you weren't searching.
Recognition.
I turn to Astrid and snap my finger, gasping. I grasp onto the small clue Bella left in her eyes.
"That's right!" I sigh dramatically in mock defeat. "It must have been the Waffle House down the street." I say sadly. "Well, thanks anyway. Can we get the check please?"
"Yea! Of course!" She turns away quickly, her pace faster than normal. I hear soft pitter patters, and I turn to see the windows drenched in rain.
"Oh shit." I mutter under my breath. Astrid turns and looks at the water droplets beating against the tinted windows.
"Bloody hell."

We face the door, looking at each other in agreement. On three we run.
"Bollocks, why did you park so far?"
"Oh shut up princess." I reply, slightly annoyed at her complaints. "It's not like I can control the weather!" I exclaim.
"But you can control how many bloody meters away your car is from this establishment!" She yells, her accent thickening with her anger.
"Be happy I even drove you here!" I yell back. "Such a princess as always-" I start. Yet before I can finish my thought, she throws the door open, as she pushes me into the downpour. I become immediately soaked, the water rushing through my once dry clothes. She stands in the doorway, laughing at my drenched figure. I react in a second, grabbing her wrist, and pulling her out with me. She shrieks in laughter, and attempts to run back to the safety of the diner. I laugh along with her, and pull her back, with my hands around her waist. Stopping her from running back. She tries again, giggles escaping her diaphragm, and I turn her around softly to face me, so she can't retreat back. She stares up at me, her eyes glowing. Strands of wet hair, framing her soft features. I'm stuck in a trance for a second, as we both fall paralyzed. Unmoving. She breathes slowly, heat from her body radiating onto mine.
"You were going to get wet either way. I just helped you accept it sooner." I say softly. She holds her breath and brushes back the hair from her face.
"And I just helped you accept a million kilometers away, is not a safe distance for rainy Monday's." Her breath warms my cheeks, and I shake my head from getting too distracted. I chuckle.
"Touché." I tilt my head, memorizing the look of her body pressed against mine. She pushes my shoulders softly, stepping back.
"I think a fine punishment would be to have you travel that distance alone." She says with a chuckle. I lean down and bow.
"A perfect punishment."

                              __________
"Damn, you got caught in the rain huh." Daniel says, taking a sip of his beer.I'm sitting on a coach with a few of the guys from the team, and Luis. José hands me a drink and I wave him off.
"Seriously?" Daniel exclaims. He's perched next to Tom, his black hair falling in his eyes. I've been closer to him than others on the team, but for people like José, our statuses in each others lives are always labeled 'teammate'.
"Come on man, it's Monday night and I'm tired as fuck."
"Then why are you here?" Tom chuckles, taking a swig from his bottle.
To get my mind off her.
"To hang." I say shrugging.
"Then drink!" José urges, pushing the beer into my hand. I roll my eyes and take a swig, tuning into the conversation finally. One of the sophomores, Spencer, rambles on about his girlfriend.
"So I can have no female friends, but she can have a whole ass guy best friend?" He exclaims loudly. "She's being a fucking hypocrite."
"She's one hundred percent cheating." Tom proclaims. Everyone hmphs in agreement. I chuckle and sip again, the liquid burning on its way down.
"Should I leave her? I mean it's just her eyes..." Spencer thinks aloud, zoning out at the thought of her, with a small smile on his face. My cheeks rise in heat, as I think back to her. I take another swig, just enough to cloud my mind from thinking of her. But it's too late. I've already fallen victim to it.
"You're whipped. You've totally fallen too far."