Signing: Underlined

Signing and Talking: Underlined and Bolded

I do not own SaB!

"A Mango-Explosion and Ras-Attack please."

Mia handed the cashier a 20-dollar bill, and in return he gave her back her change. After her order was placed, the blonde made her way to the other side of the room, waited for her smoothies, and returned to her table outside of Jack's Smoothie Shack.

"One Ras-Attack," she said as she placed the smoothie in front of Bay, who shot a smile back Mia's way.

Bay took a sip of her drink, and soaked in her surroundings. She and Mia had just gotten off of work, and were still in their uniforms. It was a particularly hot summer day, even for sunny LA, and Jack's was packed. Her smoothie was delicious and balanced the heat of the day perfectly.

"So, what's new with you?" Mia asked.

"Oh. Um. Nothing much really. Actually, Mia. Would you mind giving me a ride tonight?"

"Yeah. Of course."

Bay murmured thanks as she took another sip of her Ras-Attack.

"So where are you going?"

"It's this barbeque place in Downtown."

"Oh," Mia raised her eyebrows, "Sooo." she dragged out her syllable, "who's the hot date?"

"It's no one!" she said too quickly.

"Whatever you say."

"Just pick me up at 6:30," Bay said curtly, and looked down at her feet, giving what Mia liked to call the "tortured artist look."

Mia came to the loft at 6:43, she was always late, and Bay was expecting her to be. She sat on the staircase that led up to her loft as Mia's Mini Cooper pulled into the complex's parking lot. Bay was dressed in a simple, short black dress, with her hair pulled back, and wearing minimal make up. She hopped in the car, told Mia the address, and spent the rest of the ride listening to Mia babble about some sort of all juice diet she had read about in a magazine and 1940s swing music, a personal favorite of Mia's.

The two finally pulled into a secluded dive way that led to a small building that was buzzing with people chattering, laughing, and eating. The sign above the doorway read Bubba's House of Ribs and Chinese Food.

"Wow," exclaimed Mia as she read the sign. She looked like she was about to laugh.

"This guy must be some date."

"This is not a date," reminded Bay.

"Okay then. I guess I'll just leave you to your date."

"Mia!"

"Okay, okay. I'm going!"

And the blonde drove out of the parking lot.

Bay walked inside to the dimly lit dining room and was greeted by the sight of the waiting area. The restaurant smelled amazing. Wafts of the smell of smoking meat enclosed the area in mouthwatering abundance. Waiters carrying giant ice cream sundae's danced around the room; a bassist played in the corner. A hostess came up to her.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh. Yes. Hi. I'm meeting someone here. He's fairly tall, a red head."

"Gotta be more specific than that sweetheart. We have a full house tonight."

"He's deaf."

"Oh that kid! Yeah I know who your looking for. Try the back patio."

Bay circled her way around the dining room until she found swinging doors that led to a patio filled with picnic tables adorned with candles and sunflowers. She saw him in the back corner.

Oh Emmett.

He had brought his camera with him, and was taking close up shots of the candlelight flickering off of the sunflowers' petals. He lifted his head up and saw her.

"Hi," he signed from the other end of the patio.

"Hey."

"Come over!"

She did come over to the table and sat on one side of it with her back facing the crowd. Emmett took the other end. Bay placed her hand on her menu before she spoke.

" So,"

A barrier of silence settled between the two.

"Bubba's House of Ribs and Chinese Food."

"What about it?" he gave her a look like he already knew what she was going to say.

"Chinese food?"

"I know, right!"

"Do they actually serve it here?"

"Nope!"

She laughed.

"Only in LA, right?"

"Of course."

Bay looked at her menu and was met by the sight of multiple selections of ribs, sandwiches, steaks, and wings; as well as salads and sides.

"What's good here?"

"You can't go wrong with anything, but my personal favorite is the Georgia Chopped Pork sandwich with a bowl of their famous Bubba Beans on the side."

"I might have to take your word for it and trust you then."

"You should," he smirked, but then turned serious, "You always can."

She shifted in her seat, slightly uncomfortable.

It's those comments that didn't make me want to come in the first place!

The waiter came and both Emmett and Bay ordered the same meal, except Bay just kept her water to drink, and Emmett ordered an iced chicory coffee. Emmett showed Bay some of his recent photos from his camera as they waited for their food. The photos were fantastic; they were taken by Emmett Bledsoe of course they are fantastic. The food arrived in a timely manner, and it smelled sinfully delicious. Emmett was quick to dive into his sandwich. He made a little grunt of pleasure.

"It's better than Alabama Al's?"

"It doesn't even compare to Alabama Al's."

He gave his trademark James Dean smirk.

"No way."

"See for yourself."

Bay took a bite of the sandwich; her taste buds welcomed the smoky, soulful flavor full-heartedly. It was outstandingly yummy.

"What do you think?"

She didn't respond, and he smiled.

"I told you."

She smiled back at him.

When Bay was halfway done with her sandwich, she decided to try her bowl of Bubba beans that had been enticing her through out the whole meal. It was filled with little bits of meat and potato shavings; it too was wonderful.

"Do you know how they make their beans?" he said gesturing to his already eaten bowl.

"How?"

"They take all the left over meat bits and potato shavings from the night and put them in the bowl where they cook their beans."

"That's disgusting."

"But it's delicious!"

"Only you would say that."

By the end of their meal, Bay was stuffed, but Emmett had somehow convinced her to order a Triple-Chocolate Sundae. They were still waiting for it when Emmett asked, "Did you hear about Daphne's new boyfriend?"

"You mean Mingo?"

"Yep."

"Yeah, he seems pretty nice. I never thought Daphne would fall for a guy named Mingo, though. Well she had a thing with a guy named Nacho, so maybe I shouldn't put it passed her."

"Well, what's love is love," he looked down.

There's another comment!

She just decided to ignore them, even though she was blushing. Luckily the sundae, well more of a chocolate mountain than sundae, had arrived. Bay scooped a mound of whipped cream on her spoon and shoved it in her mouth.

"How are your art lessons going?"

"They're great! I even got great recommendation letters from some of my teachers and somehow ended up with a small scholarship for painting at USC."

"Wow! That's great. Why didn't you tell me you were going to USC next year?"

He ate a spoonful of sundae.

"I felt uncomfortable doing that; I still feel kind of uncomfortable now. I was hoping I wouldn't bump into you on campus."

Now it was her turn to look down at her feet. Bay quickly changed the topic.

"How's Skye?"

Emmett's face lightened at the sound of her name, and Bay couldn't help but notice.

"She's great. We're actually dating now, for at least a good solid month."

He gave her a half moon smile.

"Oh! Wow!"

Come on Bay be happy for him!

"That's great Emmett. "

She couldn't help but ask her next question.

"Are you happy?"

"Yeah, I'm happy."

Bay gave him a sad sort of smile that probably looked more like a grimace.

"How about you," he inquired, "Are you happy?"

"Yeah, I'm happy."

Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I used it as a sort of build up chapter for what is to come in the future of this story. A big thanks for all of your constructive and positive criticism and comments - I always enjoy reading them. I plan to start posting more frequently, once I have more free time on my hands. Thanks again! - M