: - And you look like a diamond that some clown discarded so he could play with dirt. How long were you and this clown together? Startled, I blink. "Wait. I'm trying to get up fro

rprisingly, this hapless stranger with angry eyes and a broken heart coursing through his veins is someone who might be able to understand what I'm going through. God knows my friends haven't shown me any sympathy. If I hear, "Just move on!" Once again, I'm going to scream. I lower my voice. "And so you finished?" "Yes." "But you didn't want to." "No." "Were you still in love with her when you broke up?" He nods. Then he opens his eyes and looks at me with so much desire that I'm momentarily speechless. "What's your name?" It takes me a second to remember. " Shayna. But call me Shay. "I'm Coleton. Call me Cole." "Hello, Cole." "Hi, Shay. How long do you think it's been since you sat down? Your nervousness makes me smile. "Maybe ninety seconds." "It looks like it's going to take longer. Eight more minutes of this is going to make me want to jump off the nearest cliff." "Out of curiosity, do you look like this all the time?" "Which way?" I take a moment to search for the right words. "Aggressively ambivalent." He raises his eyebrows. "What do you think I'm ambivalent about?" I don't respond, instead reaching for his glass. I take a sip, keeping his gaze over the rim. He drinks whiskey too. Interesting. I place the glass back in front of him without saying anything, but he understands the point. I mean. "Do you think I'm attracted to you?" "I think you'll be relieved when I'm gone." "Maybe it's because you're boring." "Is that it?" His gaze could melt steel. He doesn't like to be challenged. I get the impression that he rarely does and that this is an unwelcome development for him. He says flatly, "No." "Thank you for not lying. ." "Don't thank me yet. It's because you're annoying." It makes me laugh. It scares both of us. We sit with the echoes of the sound dying in the air until another uncomfortable silence falls. Yet neither of us breaks eye contact. Emboldened by the alcohol and its unexpected authenticity, I say, "So you find me attractive." His gaze is deadly. "Out of curiosity, do you look like this all the time?" Appreciating how he's throwing my words back at me, I smile again. "Which way?" "Aggressively aggravating." "Depends on who you ask." "What does your ex have to say about the matter?" A pang of pain grips my chest. I lick my lips and look away. "I never pis