p class="MsoNormal"dec's face was a display of shielded emotions, guarded by the permanent frown that usually occupied his features. this is what puzzled misty the most. his friend's tender heart was wrapped in thorns, that sometimes not even he could dodge. he could see that it hurt dec more than the people around him, but not if misty had anything to do with it. dec's gaze rose from his menu. the buzzing noise of the diner was drowned out by the intensity of dec's stare, misty knew he was running out of time./p
p class="MsoNormal""what are you having, mist?" dec nodded his head towards the open menu in misty's hands./p
p class="MsoNormal""uh-" he swallowed, feeling his throat tighten as he noticed the waiter standing at the foot of the table. his cheeks turned pink at being caught spacing out, the menu suddenly felt heavy heavy in his hands. misty glanced at the list of meals and picked the second-last one on the list./p
p class="MsoNormal""i'll have the regional at burger, thanks." he said, trying to mask the nerves in his voice as looked to dec. a friendly smile consumed the previous frown that creased the other boy's tanned face./p
p class="MsoNormal""good choice, i'll have that as well." dec smiled, turning to the waiter. Misty noticed the third boy become tense as he watched him exchange a glance with dec, his face masked of emotion. dec's smile only grew, twisting, as if teasing the third boy. misty looked to the boy's clothes where he saw blue and red underneath his black work apron. his heart began to thump against his chest, it couldn't be, could it? he set his menu on the table, everything was going to be fine./p
p class="MsoNormal""uh-" misty cleared his throat. "can we get a side of self frytiled as well?" the boy broke gazes with dec and looked at misty./p
p class="MsoNormal""sure, that all?" he asked, jotting it down on his notepad./p
p class="MsoNormal""yes." dec said before misty could respond. and with that the third boy glanced at dec again, emotions distant in his eyes, and left./p
p class="MsoNormal"before misty knew it their meals were being placed in front of them. they ate in silence, thoughts of the unfolding events clouded misty's mind. he watched as dec finished his burger and was know going through his fries. this was worse than he thought. things were getting messy and he couldn't stop what was coming./p
p class="MsoNormal""what are you having, mist?" dec nodded his head towards the open menu in misty's hands./p
p class="MsoNormal""uh-" he swallowed, feeling his throat tighten as he noticed the waiter standing at the foot of the table. his cheeks turned pink at being caught spacing out, the menu suddenly felt heavy heavy in his hands. misty glanced at the list of meals and picked the second-last one on the list./p
p class="MsoNormal""i'll have the regional at burger, thanks." he said, trying to mask the nerves in his voice as looked to dec. a friendly smile consumed the previous frown that creased the other boy's tanned face./p
p class="MsoNormal""good choice, i'll have that as well." dec smiled, turning to the waiter. Misty noticed the third boy become tense as he watched him exchange a glance with dec, his face masked of emotion. dec's smile only grew, twisting, as if teasing the third boy. misty looked to the boy's clothes where he saw blue and red underneath his black work apron. his heart began to thump against his chest, it couldn't be, could it? he set his menu on the table, everything was going to be fine./p
p class="MsoNormal""uh-" misty cleared his throat. "can we get a side of self frytiled as well?" the boy broke gazes with dec and looked at misty./p
p class="MsoNormal""sure, that all?" he asked, jotting it down on his notepad./p
p class="MsoNormal""yes." dec said before misty could respond. and with that the third boy glanced at dec again, emotions distant in his eyes, and left./p
p class="MsoNormal"before misty knew it their meals were being placed in front of them. they ate in silence, thoughts of the unfolding events clouded misty's mind. he watched as dec finished his burger and was know going through his fries. this was worse than he thought. things were getting messy and he couldn't stop what was coming./p