Lilac's Lies

9

I was seated back at the table, trying to ignore the way Jesse was tracing circles on my bare leg. I was trying to ignore the way the edges of Clara's lips were pointing downwards as Brett whispered into her ear.

I started to wonder how Clara and I could sneak out of here without anyone noticing. As far as I know, there was only one exit, and it was at the front. We'd never make it without anyone noticing.

I started to wonder that, because I was watching as Roman and Samuel walked into the restaurant. I watched as they shook their heads when the hostess tried to seat them at the bar. I watched as they pointed back to where we were seated, they pointed to the empty table beside us. I watched as Roman's eyes were fixated on Jesse. He wore the same look that he wore when we were outside. The look that made me think he was angry.

It was a look that made me think he wasn't going to leave it alone. And that look made me scared, because Jesse wasn't going to leave it alone either, especially if he had Brett by his side. If Roman pushed hard enough, he would fall into the pool of anger that these boys lived in.

He didn't know what he he was falling into. He didn't realize that Jesse was not someone to mess with. He didn't realize that Jesse had nothing to be scared of, because he wouldn't face consequences for anything that he did, or anything that he caused.

Or maybe Roman did know that, and he was stupid enough not to care.

I felt Jesse kick out underneath our table, hitting Brett's leg and causing him to look up at Jesse in curiosity. Jesse flicked his chin upwards, towards Roman and Samuel, who were only a few feet away from the empty table beside us now.

I didn't attempt to interpret what Jesse and Brett were trying to say to each other without words, because I deadlocked my eyes with Clara's instead. I was trying to tell her that trouble was coming, but she didn't seem to understand what I was saying. It wasn't until I pointed my eyes to Roman and Samuel that she understood. She looked over to them, and I saw the moment of surprise that she felt. I saw it, because it was plastered all over her face.

Clara looked back towards me, her eyes bulging out of the sockets. For once, her reaction wasn't a understatement. She didn't even know what had just happened outside. She didn't know that Roman had already confronted Jesse. She didn't know that Roman and Samuel sat beside us on purpose, I'd bet any money on it.

Roman and Samuel didn't say anything to us as they sat down. Their table was so close to us, they could reach out and touch ours. Clara and I were sitting closest to them, and I suddenly forgot how I was supposed to be acting.

"Sorry." I heard Samuel's voice say, causing all of our heads to flick over to him. He didn't look sorry, as he leaned back in his chair, his arm thrown over the back of the chair beside him. He had a grin on his face, like he wasn't concerned at all about Brett and Jesse.

It was either a front, or he was just as stupid as Roman.

"I hope we aren't bothering you." Samuel finished, in the same arrogant tone.

"Actually, you are." Brett said. "Maybe you didn't realize, but we're trying to take our girlfriends on a date."

I resisted to roll my eyes at his words. They were so desperate in their attempts to mark us as their own. Like dogs, they were.

"Too bad. We're already here." Roman added, and I had to will my eyes not to move to find him. "It would be rude to ask them to move us now."

"Who cares?" Brett told Roman, his eyes narrowing. There was recognition in Brett's eyes as he looked at Roman, and it clicked that he also knew him. Or at the least, knew of him.