The guy suddenly grins, and I almost forgotten myself to breathe! We stand almost elbow to elbow, and everything about him just hits me at once. Tall, but not too tall. Wide shoulders. Hair the color of honey. I lower my gaze to his black T-shirt, which reads Bobcat Football #10. Oh~ Just my luck—a jock. Translation: HUGE ego. I smile anyway; I don't know, I just couldn't help it!

"Uhm, err... T-thanks for the tip," I manage to say somehow.

"No problem." He hands me the spoon for the potato salad as I look back at the containers of food. "You passing through town?" he asks.

"Uhm, W-well... you could say that." I scoop the salad onto my plate and move down the bar. Is it just me? Or the airconditioner stops working? What happens to my voice by the way? Why does it sound gawky? (O_O)

"We get a lot of travelers off the highway."

I smiled. And gather some spinach. He reaches out for it too, and that's when our fingers brush! OMG! I've touched him! OMMMGGGGGGG! OH~Mmmmm~GGGGGG! I've touched the hottest guy in the face of TEXAS! HEEEELP! CALL THE AMBULANCE! I'm PREGNAAAAAAAAANT!

Nah~ I was just exaggerating. (~_^)

I glance up quickly, and catches his pretty blue,blue eyes staring back at me. I couldn't help but smile. The weird and flustered way. Alright, the maniac way! You get it?! Or whatever way you wanted to say. In that moment, I didn't know what to do. I got so SHOOK!

His visuals are sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Unreal. Surreal. Not real? Alright, OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD!

No~ He's not an alien though. He's just... I don't know how to put it. Erm, exemplary? YEAH! THAT'S IT TOTALLY!

"So. Uhm... your family owns this place?" I asks sounding a bit flirty. And am not proud of it okay?! 'OMG! Can somebody turn the AC ON already?!'

"Nope. My uncle does."

I move to the next container and spoon more food onto my plate. Hoping our fingers brush once more. HAHAHAHA. I know, am being SNEAKY, right?

Following me and filling his plate, too, he asks, "Where are you from?"

"California."

"I like your hat."

Now, that made me frown a little coz I think he's just making fun of me. But when I look back, I saw he isn't laughing. No seriously. NOT AT ALL! As a matter of fact, he looks sincere.

"Oh~ Uhm... T-Thanks. It's...i-i-its... IT'S from my grandfather!," I say. AWKWAAAAAAAAAAARD! Okay, I'm literally almost die inside!

and he glances across the café at Papa Dan, then back at me.

We smile at each other again. I know I've been saying this over and over, but I still can't help but smile whenever I examine his face. He got this Logan Lerman vibes about him aside from being soft-spoken. His built is kinda similar to Ansel Elgort. His voice is as manly as Tye Sheridan. And when he smiles, he reminds me of Nick Robinson, GOSH they resemble a LOT!. Such a husband material, oh wait~ that's too much... boyfriend material! Now that's better.

If he lives in LA, I'm pretty sure Disney would discover him as their next big star. Or perhaps Hollywood will brand him as the next heartthrob, who knows?

I've reached the end of the salad bar, and I feel like a total idiot standing there, picking up almost all the food in the counter while grinning at him, but I can't seem to stop. I swear, if you are in my position you won't either! SWEEEEEAAAAAR!

"Well, I'd better go." I told him. Thanks for warning me off the cottage cheese."

"Anytime. Have a good trip!"

AWWWWWW... I wish I could spend more time with him. He's soooooo HOooooooooooOT!

As I make my way toward the booth where Mom and Papa Dan sit drinking iced tea, I feel better than I have since we left California. But just after I pass Alison's table, I hear a girl say, "Oh, please. Look at that corny, lame hat."

I glance back. The girl with auburn hair is staring at me and laughing, one hand covering her mouth. I look quickly at the guy beside her, and one corner of his mouth curves up. "Corny and lame, but awesome," he says. I can't tell if he's being sarcastic or if he means it. Sarcastic, I decide when the cheerleader named Alison hisses, "Shanna! Jon! Shut up!" She swivels around to face me, her eyes wide and apologetic.

I start for the booth again hoping that the guy from the salad bar is still there. I can't stand this people. Their malicious, insulting glance made me wanna throw up eventhough I haven't eat anything yet! If it wasn't for the good-looking guy, I will beg mom to leave this place. So disgusting! These people I mean.

Walking as fast as I can, I walk back to the salad bar. Scanning the room for the guy, until I spot him at a far-off table with a man. A middle aged man. Probably his uncle. They don't act as if they heard anything, I tried to get close by pretending to grab some meal not too far from where they're sitting. But the man he's having dinner with quickly notice my approach. So I almost crawl underneath the booth as I slide in to our table beside Papa Dan.

"Do you have a fever?" Mom says, one eyebrow raised.

Scowling at her, I say, "That's random. What are you talking about?"

Mom gestures at my plate, and I glance down at a mound of ham salad next to a few spinach leaves covered with bacon bits and the scoop of potato salad. PHEW! Tansy, what were you thinking? Aren't you a full-pledged vegan?!

I look up quickly, and Mom nods at the football jock across the café. "Good-looking hunks have the same effect on me." Grinning, she adds, "See? Not everyone in Cedar Canyon is a cowboy, after all."

"Mom. Be quiet," I whisper, ducking my head. "You know I don't like jocks. And he isn't a hunk. Which is a stupid word, anyway."

She laughs. "When do you want an appointment to have your vision checked?"

I glared at her and mouth shut up, but Mom only chuckles. I turn my attention to Papa Dan, wanting to change the subject. "What did you order?" I ask, not expecting an answer.

Later, after we eat, we head to the register to pay the bill. Mom has her cell phone pressed to her ear. Her editor called again halfway through the meal and they're brainstorming the best way to "off" one of Mom's characters. From what I can hear, they've narrowed down the weapon choice to either a blowtorch or a Weed Eater. I step closer to the door and pull the brim of my hat a little lower.

Neither of us notices until it's too late that Papa Dan has wandered to a stranger's table and sat down. Mom ends her phone call quickly, and we dart over. While she apologizes to the lady, I hurry my grandfather toward the door. The laughter seems louder as we work our way around tables and chairs. I hear the girl named Shanna mumble in a disgusted tone, "Ohmygod. Did you see him?"

I look over my shoulder, hoping the guy from the salad bar isn't watching. But the man with him is already leaning across the table, talking and glancing our way. The hot guy quickly cuts his gaze in my direction. I can't see his face fully due to the poor lighting on his uncle's resto but I managed to catch his expression before he turn his back on. It was odd and strained.

Unsure of what to make of their exchange, I turn away, and for only a second, my eyes lock with Alison's. The sympathy on her face stiffens my spine. I don't need her or anyone else to feel sorry for me. I've had enough! —plus, it's probably a fake compassion. I should be the one pitying her. I only have to live in Podunk, USA, for a few months, but I have a feeling that she grew up in this old Dairy Queen town. The kids on her table roars with laughter as Mom gather Papa Dan to join us.

GOODNESS! can't they just f~ck off!