Page 20

“I think you should be a good sport and spill the beans,” she quipped, taking the fork he held out to her.

“Say please and I’ll think about it.”

“I can put you out in the cold.”

“If you do, I'm taking the food with me.”

They stared at one another for a moment before both of their faces broke out into a grin.

“You get on my nerves.”

“I know,” he assured her. “You still think I’m cute, though.”

Rocking a hand back and forth, Sevyn scrunched her nose. “Ehhh, if I had to give you a rating, I’d say you were a solid 7.5.”

“Oh hell nah! Give my shit back.”

“Dallas!” she screeched, giggling as he indeed pulled the plate of food away from her. “Quit. I’m starving.”

“Then stop playing with me and rate me right.”

“Anything I say from this point will be coerced so is it really valid?” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully, tucking a leg underneath her.

“Sevyn.”

“Alright, alright sheesh. 8.9. You lost a few points by deciding to be petty.”

“Ain’t but a couple of points left so that must mean you think I’m a ten,” he replied, sliding her plate back over to her.

“I mean, nobody’s ever accused you of being ugly,” Sevyn shrugged, picking up her fork.

Silence fell between them again, until this time, Dallas broke it. “How about we make a deal? I'll tell you one of my plans tonight if you answer a question for me.”

He watched as she chewed her food thoughtfully as if she were weighing his suggestion. “I have a feeling that I might regret this but I’m too nosey to let it slide. So, shoot.”

“When did you realize that your feelings for me were stronger than just friendly?”

The way Sevyn choked on her food let him know that was the last thing she’d been expecting him to ask. Smacking herself in the chest, she managed to get out “Whe—where did th-that come from?”

“You asking a question of your own wasn’t part of our deal.”

Making a face at him, Sevyn pulled her usual eye roll, exhaling heavily. “I can’t say for sure. For the longest time, I’d only ever looked at you as a friend. Despite how annoying our moms used to be about us dating.”

“Yo mama was worse.”

“Aye, you won’t hear any disputes out of me. She definitely did the most,” Sevyn shuddered. “Ugh, remember that year she purposely dropped us off at the wrong theater separate from where Pardi, Lor, and Kohl were?”

Dallas busted out laughing, covering his mouth. “Damn, I forgot all about that. She was shipping the hell out of us.”

“Being annoying as hell while she was at it. My dad was pissed. He’d already told her that I couldn’t date until I was seventeen.”

“Not knowing you were out here being fast and already had a boyfriend.”

“Aye,” Sevyn pointed at him. “And he never will.”

“You’re secret’s safe with me, Lucky.”

Sevyn visibly softened, a light blush creeping up on her cheeks. “You haven’t called me that in a long time.”